Stepar and Hanak
Everybody who knows the name Ariel, knows also the name of company that imported these bikes into former Czechoslovakia before WW2. Lets try to put together at least a brief story of this company that was responsible not only for evolution of motor cycling, but also for development of motorcycle sale culture and subsequent services related in prewar Czechoslovakia.
One of company’s leaflet shows a pair of motorcycle riders with cups and garland; ribbon under them shows dates “1923 – 1933”. So we can assume the company was established in 1923. The eldest printed materials I have available are from 1927. Ariels were offered here together with other makes, Scott and Levis. Until 1926 they also offered one of the eldest English makes, with the biggest single ever built (654ccm) Quadrant. In 1927 Quadrant disappeared from the offer completely. Mr. Hanak had interesting story about getting the Ariel agency. In 1926 he visited motorcycle show in London, Olympia.
“I have entered the show and of course, I visited Mr. Buterfield, (producer of famous Levis machines). I have asked him by the way, which make he considered the most interesting in the entire show. “Don’t you have eyes” he asked. „Hope I have.“ „So look there to Ariel stand, don’t you see the crowd there?“ I have seen the crowd, the same as he has, but I wanted to to hear outsider’s independent opinion. So I have examinated Ariels first, then the whole show, then Ariels again, criss-crossed everything. At the end I have entered the queue at Ariel stand, in order to speak with Mr. Salesmanager who was taking decisions about agents. Time has been passing, noontime has passed long time ago, and finally, after 3 hours waiting I have seen that he would prefer to send the whole show including myself to hell. To negotiate with anybody in such a mood is not wise, so I was very short. I gave him my business card and told him I am from Czechoslovakia. „Czechoslovakia, you are the twelfth today, who wants us“ he said. „I will not delay you now, I will be here for a week and would prefer to visit you in the factory“. He would be happy, shake-hands and I was heading off.
On Tuesday I really visited factory and then the long discussion started. They were telling me stories about qualities of us, people from central Europe, about outstanding receivables they had here and there; in contrary I have pulled out 450 Levis machines sold in one year, that made a good impression and finally we have reached an agreement – I brought home a deal of 50 machines. We set us into work for Ariel home with Mr. Stepar. In March were all 50 machines sold and in the same year we delivered 345 machines, next year 1035 and in 1929 1350 machines. (In 1929 Ariel built 45000 machines; same amount was produced by ALL American manufacturers in the same year).
In 1929 price list are just Ariels, 3 models 250ccm, 2 models 550 SV, 3 models 500 OHV. The cheapest 250ccm for 9850 Kč, the most expensive 500 OHV for 13500 Kč. There is also extensive list of accessories in the price list.
Conditions of “lease sale” are also very interesting.
As can be seen from company’s printed materials, they paid a big attention to build sale and service network in the whole country. There were 30 official dealers in the whole country presented in 1927 leaflet. They have been equipped by common spare parts, less common parts were ordered by catalogue numbers and received by them by return from Prague. In the same time they sent cylinders back to Prague to be bored, inserted etc. There was also a wide variety of promotional leaflets regularly sent to dealers, by this way they influenced machine owners to better care of their machines, and of course, to allow them best stuff for themselves and their machines from company’s offer; also to give them a feel they are cared everytime and everywhere. Dealear were in the same time motivated by various discounts and bonuses; for example in 1936 there was a competition with brand new motorcycle as a main prize.
During 1930 the company has moved from U kapličky street to Snirschova street in Prague 7, Holešovice. Their home is in leaflets referred to as “Home of Ariel Service”. At pictures from Jubilee catalogue published for 10 anniversary of Ariel agency, servicemen and spare parts stores can be seen.
There are also few articles devoted to company business practices, written by company owners and others branch experts, engineering and commercial. These articles just give more details about what has been mentioned above – i.e. maximum customer care will bring benefit to him and to salesman of course. It was the reason why the company could claim 6000 motorcycles sold in 10 years. The fact they survived the crisis in early 30s, speaks for itself alone.We can also mention a way of promoting Ariel motorcycles. Seems it came directly from sale dept in Birmingham and was just translated into Czech conditions by messrs Štěpař & Hanák (Stepar and Hanak).
Modernity of Ariel machines has been always highlighted already in Mr. Stepar story about London Olympia show he visited in 1926, and then continuously in other printed materials their reliability and smartness. Articles and pictures celebrating exceptional sport successes are seen seldom despite a lot of them surely served for this purpose and did not let their owners be ashamed. Maybe only with increasing popularity of motor cycle competitions were Ariels successes highlighted in annual sales catalogues. Even these pictures feature riders in suits, maybe to give a message that who rides Ariel must be a gentleman. Catalogue covers and publicity pictures mostly feature smart looking men and women, in 1930 was even the knight riding an Ariel bike. In short, smartness, modernity and reliability was always the message.
I have never found how many Ariels have been sold between 1936 and 1939; last catalogue list is from 1939. I do not have any documents from the post war company activities. But I have seen post war catalogues with Štěpař & Hanák (Stepar and Hanak) stamp. We can certainly assume that in the same way communists treaded out everything what able people built before 1948, they managed also with company of Messrs. Štěpař & Hanák.