Lot 323: c.1960 Ariel 247cc Leader

Designed by Val Page and his team, and launched in 1958, the Leader sought to combine the sporting values of speed and agility with those of cleanliness and convenience. Powered by an all-new 247cc air-cooled two-stroke twin with unitary gearbox, the Leader also broke with British tradition in its frame and suspension design, employing a stiff, fabricated steel beam instead of tubes, and a trailing-link front fork. A highly promising design capable of further development, it deserved better than to be prematurely axed by BSA in 1965. This Leader carries a tax disc dated 1986, which is presumably the last occasion it was used on the road, and thus will require re-commissioning before further use. Presented in apparently good, original condition, the machine is offered with Swansea V5 registration document.