Author Topic: Velocette  (Read 2887 times)

Offline vstevens

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Velocette
« on: March 04, 2018, 07:56:57 PM »
Been ogling velocette thruxton and venom on YouTube .  Wow, great bike and history.  Anyone have any experience riding, working on, owning old British singles?

oldbike54

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2018, 08:29:11 PM »
 The old Velocette repair kit consists of a pickup truck pulling a trailer full of 100 dollar bills .
So yes , I have some experience with them  :shocked:

 Dusty

Offline vstevens

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2018, 08:57:32 PM »
The old Velocette repair kit consists of a pickup truck pulling a trailer full of 100 dollar bills .
So yes , I have some experience with them  :shocked:

 Dusty

I suspected that... but wow its gorgeous!  I admire the simple beauty of older machines ... but... neither do I own a pickup or stacks of 100 dollar bills !

Offline jas67

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2018, 09:05:34 PM »
You know you want one  :evil:....


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Re: Velocette
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2018, 09:05:34 PM »

oldbike54

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2018, 09:15:08 PM »
I suspected that... but wow its gorgeous!  I admire the simple beauty of older machines ... but... neither do I own a pickup or stacks of 100 dollar bills !


 No doubt they are beautiful , but "simple" they aren't . My best advice is to buy a GB 500 , or convert a 500 Yamaha single into something lovely . The Velocettes had impossible clutches , difficult electrics , and fragile engines .

 Dusty

Offline Aaron D.

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #5 on: March 04, 2018, 09:32:11 PM »
I've ridden a Thruxton and a Venom Clubman.

 I wanted one so bad when I was in high school it almost caused me physical pain. I imagined all the adventures I would have on such a wonderful machine, and dreamed of replacing my Ducati 350 Mk3 Desmo with one.

After riding them, I can say they are beautiful, and feel a lot like a Ducati Mk3 Desmo with a bit more power.

And the above comment about a pickup truck full of $100 bills is inaccurate, you will need an empty pickup to put the bike in. The money will fill the garage.

Offline Peter949

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2018, 06:51:07 AM »
When in High School I owned and rode a Velocette Thruxton.  Apart from the many clutch adjustments:  place a metal rod through the primary case & roll the bike backward! It was a solid machine, as long as you could weld up the vibration cracks in the fender supports.  :bike-037:



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Online Chuck in Indiana

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2018, 07:16:53 AM »
I had the Velo hots really badly when I was a kid. Fortunately, I couldn't afford one.  :smiley:
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Offline vstevens

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2018, 07:41:04 AM »
Dusty, from what I've read on this forum the last few years is that the WG community is deeply entangled in the history of motorcycles.  It seems many of you have experience old British, Italian, and other continental motorcycles produced over the last 60 or so years. 

I'm always amazed at the wealth of knowledge and experience here about all things motorcycles.  I'll look for a GB500, I'm a little acquainted with the Yamaha singles of the 70's, and I used to own the old Suzuki savage 650 thumper... you got me 🤔 thinking.

Funny how it seems so many classic bike affectionados settle on Guzzi.

Offline JJ

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2018, 07:45:44 AM »
You know you want one  :evil:....


Yes, I WOULD ride this beauty!!   :1: :thumb: :cool:
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Online Chuck in Indiana

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2018, 09:45:00 AM »
Quote
Funny how it seems so many classic bike affectionados settle on Guzzi.

My pup, Austin, went to the Wisconsin rally last year. The only rally experience he has had is Beemer rallies with his parents. He was amazed by the various bikes and depth of knowledge of them at the Guzzi rally.
 
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Offline Aaron D.

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #11 on: March 05, 2018, 11:31:54 AM »
Dusty, from what I've read on this forum the last few years is that the WG community is deeply entangled in the history of motorcycles.  It seems many of you have experience old British, Italian, and other continental motorcycles produced over the last 60 or so years. 

I'm always amazed at the wealth of knowledge and experience here about all things motorcycles.  I'll look for a GB500, I'm a little acquainted with the Yamaha singles of the 70's, and I used to own the old Suzuki savage 650 thumper... you got me 🤔 thinking.

Funny how it seems so many classic bike affectionados settle on Guzzi.
They settle on Guzzi when they decide they prefer riding classic bikes to fixing them!
(Lannis excepted)

Offline Mr Pootle

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #12 on: March 05, 2018, 11:45:04 AM »
Mine was an MSS, the most sedate of the post-war 500s. Wonderful for pootling around on. Stable and comfortable. They're reliable, at least in the tame versions, and not difficult to work on, but they do need an owner who's prepared to do a little tuning regularly to get the best from them.
I made the mistake of sticking with the magneto. I could go to it having left it parked up all winter, and it would start second or third kick. I'd go out on a sunny summer's day, stop for a call of nature, and I'd have to wait nearly an hour begore it would start again.
I posted these pictures on another thread last week, but they're equally or more relevant here.







The whole 500cc range, MSS, Venom, Clubman and Thruxton, all looked similar. Perhaps I should have fitted clip-ons, rear sets and a racing seat. Who'd have known?
« Last Edit: March 05, 2018, 11:47:18 AM by Mr Pootle »

Offline Muzz

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #13 on: March 05, 2018, 01:23:25 PM »
I had the Velo hots really badly when I was a kid. Fortunately, I couldn't afford one.  :smiley:

 :1: on that Chuck! :grin:

The Clubman was the one I lusted after. Evidently, if you stalled the Thruxton when it was hot (no float on the carb) you kicked it for half an hour or pushed it home.
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2018, 01:43:58 PM »
They settle on Guzzi when they decide they prefer riding classic bikes to fixing them!
(Lannis excepted)

Like the hobbits at Bilbo's eleventy-first birthday party, I've been trying to figure out whether this is a compliment or light p!ss-taking ....  :grin:   :wink:   Could be both.

I've ridden a few Velocettes and know some guys with them.   They are definitely an "Enthusiast's Bike" in the same way that a BSA Gold Star with a Grand Prix Amal carb is - they were built as sporting bikes, not tourers or commuting hacks, and so "ease of service" and "longevity" were not part of the deal, sort of like a modern Ducati track-bike today.

The engine assembly is not easy, the clutch (outboard of the rear drive sprocket) is not like anything else and has to be learned, and the kickstart gearing (one full kick gives you about half an engine revolution) means that carburetion, compression, and ignition have to be nigh-perfect to start it, especially hot (as Mr. Pootle's experience indicates).

They are good-handling, responsive bikes on the road, and pretty smooth for a half-liter single.   But there's a $12 - $15,000 ante to get into the game, a world of special tools and hard-to-come-by knowledge to work on it in any depth, and a fairly high workonit-to-rideit ratio.   But then, it was designed only for the worthy.   You have to be man enough!   :bow:

Lannis

« Last Edit: March 05, 2018, 01:46:21 PM by Lannis »
"Hard pounding, this, gentlemen; let's see who pounds the longest".

Offline Aaron D.

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #15 on: March 05, 2018, 02:02:03 PM »
:1: on that Chuck! :grin:

The Clubman was the one I lusted after. Evidently, if you stalled the Thruxton when it was hot (no float on the carb) you kicked it for half an hour or pushed it home.
Oddly, the Thruxton started first or second kick each of the few times I rode it. The Clubman was always pushed, and often quite a ways.

Offline nortryder

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #16 on: March 05, 2018, 02:12:29 PM »
When I was a lad of about 18 or so I remember reading a road test of a Thruxton in Cycle? I still remember the description of riding out on of the NYC tunnels and how much the tester enjoyed the Amal GP carbie as it spat raw fuel on his leg. Some reason I kind of shied away from those. I did have a plethora of sundry brit iron including a Matchless and a Royal Oilfield/Entrail/Enfield that I lavished large wads of cash on. I owner more Trident/Rocket 3s than I care to admit to. One day in the early 90s someone pointed out that if I liked the triples so much I should get a Laverda. He was right.

Offline Mr Pootle

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #17 on: March 05, 2018, 02:28:09 PM »
In 1961 a Velocette 500 became the first bike to average over 100mph for 24 hours.


Offline Sasquatch Jim

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #18 on: March 05, 2018, 03:10:19 PM »
 My Brit thumper was a G-80CS Matchless.  It didn't like to start when the humidity was more than 30%.
 But oh the ride! It was perhaps the best cornering bike I have ever had being better than both of my SR500
 Yamahas, and those were good.  It was a bit faster than either SR 500s too.  However both SR 500s were easier to start.  That Lucas magneto was a pain as were the lights.  When riding at nights in a poorly lit neighborhood, to turn a corner, I would pul
l the church and rev the engine to get enough light to see a ways onto the new road.
 It did have a very authoritative exhaust note though. and a light touch on the kill button would cause a thunderous back fire that shot 2 feet of flame from the pipe with its reverse cone meg.
 It did vibrate a bit though.  An hours ride as pillion always set my girl in the mood for bedroom activity.
 No modern bikes can do that as well.
Sasquatch Jim        Humanoid, sort of.

Offline JJ

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #19 on: March 05, 2018, 05:11:11 PM »
I saw this Goodman HDS1200 at the Barber Museum several years ago.  Interesting build, Velo-family build, Norton-Featherbed frame with an HD1200 motor.  A little historical blurb also. :cool: :1: :thumb:  Cool bike and RARE!









« Last Edit: March 05, 2018, 05:12:10 PM by JJ »
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Offline JukeboxGothic

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #20 on: March 05, 2018, 05:12:35 PM »
Velocettes are not for everyone. They take a commitment from the owner who will have to work on his own bike. They are not that hard to live with unless, as already mentioned, its a Thruxton. The Thruxton was pretty much at the limit for things like the clutch. They can be tamed with a Concentric carb and a modern B-th magneto though and other parts exist to civilize them.  They are very much a racing bike on the road. Venoms can be made reliable and are a very lovely motorcycle. The most British, British single is how I had it described to me. You need to find one that has been looked after by a sympathetic owner otherwise it will bite you. There are more parts available for these than alot of classic bikes and are pretty reasonably priced. Some engineers are working hard to produce parts to make them more reliable and up the performance. Join the club. At the moment I think the only parts not available are frames and gear cases.

Im attaching a video you may find interesting. https://youtu.be/J-NmPDdsrMo

I own a Venom  I will never sell it.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2018, 06:31:07 PM by JukeboxGothic »
Laverda 1200TS
Velocette Venom
Vespa px200E
LeMans Mk11
Zundapp DB200 1939
Yamaha RD400 1977

Offline JJ

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Re: Velocette
« Reply #21 on: March 06, 2018, 02:08:24 PM »
...and of course, a little narrative "blurb" from Jay Leno's Garage...who virtually has one (1) of many motorcycle brands!! (lol)  :huh: :rolleyes: :shocked:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT0TXrUKNIY
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