General Information

Serial #

17139

Part Number

1

Total Parts

2

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

PRESSED STEEL CHASSIS/ CHROMED PARTS/ METAL PARTS/ LEATHERETTE SEATS/ GLASS HEADLIGHT LENS/ RUBBER TIRES/ HAND GRIPS, FOOT PADS

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

197.0 cm

Width

46.0 cm

Height

92.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Motorized Ground Transportation

Category

Motorcycle vehicles

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

VELOCE

Country

United Kingdom

State/Province

Unknown

City

Hall Green

Context

Country

Liberia

State/Province

Unknown

Period

Unknown

Canada

Velocette is the name given to motorcycles that were made by Veloce Ltd, in Hall Green, Birmingham, England. One of several motorcycle manufacturers in Birmingham, Velocette was a small, family-owned firm, selling far fewer hand-built motorcycles than the giant BSA, Norton or Triumph concerns. Renowned for the quality of its products, the company was "always in the picture" in international motorcycle racing, from the mid-1920s through the 1950s, culminating in two World Championship titles (1949–1950 350 cc) and its legendary and still-unbeaten (for single-cylinder, 500cc machines) 24 hours at 100 mph (161 km/h) record. Veloce, while small, was a great technical innovator and many of its patented designs are commonplace on motorcycles today, including the positive-stop foot shift and swinging arm rear suspension with hydraulic dampers. The announcement about the new larger capacity model (MKII) was favourably received by owners of the 149 cc models, who fully appreciated the benefit of greater reserve of power than 149 cc provided. One notable attribute of the 192 cc model was the improved petrol consumption.

Function

GENERAL TRANSPORTATION

Technical

The LE MK II was built between 1950 and 1958. It has a 192cc horizontally opposed side valve, water cooled, engine. It has a three speed handchange gearbox, a clutch and hand starter. Its suspension system consits of telescopic front forks and adjustable pivoting fork rear suspension. For sometime, there had been the idea for Velocettes to built a bike for the 'every man'. Work started in 1944 by staff in their spare time on a machine with a pressed steel frame, which was to be know at the LE (Little Engine). The 150cc LE, although not quite the success expected, was still a popular small motorcycle, but it lacked in power. Its design and engine allowed motor-cyclists to travel in comfort and in almost complete silence with freedom from the vibration. Because the over-all sales never justified a large production, it was never possible to achieve the high output figures that had been expected. As a direct result, it was not possible to go down to the competitive selling price that was intended. In 1950, a MK II 200cc version of the LE was introduced to take the place of the 150. Outwardly, the new model appeared identical to the original version but numerous internal modifications had been incorporated. The clearance volume in the cylinder-head castings had been enlarged to compensate for the increase in swept volume and to maintain the original compression ratio. The tappet faces and the cam profile were modified to give increased acceleration in valve lift and a longer dwell. The oil-pump capacity was increased by some 40 per cent. In the clutch assembly, stronger clutch-springs were employed to cope with the greater torque of the larger capacity engine. The reduction shaft between the engine and gearbox now operated in a race bearings, a distinct from the combination of plain and ballrace bearing used previously. To the rear the gearbox, a Hardy-spicer universal coupling replaced the earlier Lay-rub coupling in the final pinion. The LE MK II remained in production up to September 1958.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

MFR PLATE LOCATED ON UPPER FRAME COMPARTMENT DOOR IS SILVER & BLACK WITH ONLY S/N INFO STAMPED IN READS: `MADE BY/ VELOCE LTD/ BIRMINGHAMENGLAND/ CONSTRUCTED UNDER FOLLOWING PATENTS/ 511875 REAR SPRINGING/ 582601 PROP STAND & STARTER/ 576454 GEAR LEVER SLIKING SHAFT/ ENGINE NO. 200/ 18606/..../ FRAME NO. 17139'/ ON TOP OF FRAME IS MFR WINGED [LOGO] PLATE, READS: `Velocette' IN CAST RAISED LETTERS/ ON FRAME LEFT IS PARTIALLY TORN BLACK, WHITE & YELLOW CIRCULAR STICKER WITH A `V' IN CENTER & `VELOCETTE OWNERS CLUB' AROUND EXTERIOR'

Missing

FUEL TANK CAP

Finish

FRAME, FENDERS, FRONT FORKS PAINTED PALE METALLIC GREEN/ BLUE/ HANDLE BARS PAINTED BLACK/ LEG SHIELDS PAINTED GREY/ CHROMED FRONT & REAR WHEEL RIMS, HEADLIGHT RIM/ BLACK TIRES, SEAT, FOOT PADS & HAND GRIPS

Decoration

N/A