Career
Page was an innovator whose radical designs include the Gold Star, A7 and M20, the engine of the Brough Superior SS100, and the Ariel Leader. Val Page served his apprenticeship as a motorcycle engineer and designer with Judge-Advocate Prestwich. Page designed the engines used in the Brough Superior SS100 and SS80 luxury motorcycles, and developed the racing motorcycles which made riders such as Bert le Vack famous.
Page spent most of his career with, which he joined in 1925.
Eventually, he became chief designer and developed a new range of motorcycles for the 1926 season. Starting with an advanced engine, Page had to wait until 1927 before a suitable frame and cycle parts were designed.
These formed the basis for what was to be the Ariel Red Hunter, which continued successfully until Ariel ceased production of four strokes in 1959. Moving on to just before World World War II Page developed the high performance production Gold Star, named in celebration of Wal Handley"s lap times.
The innovative Gold Star had a single cylinder 500 cc engine with twin pushrods operating double-coil springs and overhead valves.
The pushrod tunnel was an integral casting in the cylinder block. Page also designed the dependable wartime M20 motorcycle. After the war he returned to Ariel where he designed the monocoque Ariel Leader.