In any discussion of great British motorcycle manufacturers, Velocette tends to be mentioned later than it deserves. Triumph and Norton dominate the conversation, BSA occupies a large share of the historical narrative — but Velocette, a small Birmingham company with an extraordinary record of technical innovation and racing success, occupies a uniquely important place in the history of the British industry. At South Wales Classic Motorbikes, Velocettes are among the machines we most admire.
A Family Business with Racing Pedigree
The Goodman family founded and ran Velocette from the early years of the twentieth century until the company’s closure in 1971. This family ownership gave the company a coherence of vision and a commitment to quality that larger, more commercially driven manufacturers sometimes lacked. Velocette’s racing programme — which produced multiple Isle of Man TT victories — was pursued with a seriousness of purpose that informed every machine the company produced for the road.
Technical Innovation
Velocette’s engineering record is remarkable. The company introduced the positive-stop foot gearchange — now universal on motorcycles — in 1928. It developed one of the first successful overhead camshaft engines in production motorcycling. And the LE — introduced in 1948 — was a genuinely radical design featuring a flat-twin water-cooled engine, shaft drive, pressed-steel bodywork, and hand gearchange, decades ahead of its time in its vision of practical commuter transport.
The Venom and Thruxton
Velocette’s road-going legacy rests most heavily on the Venom and its competition derivative, the Thruxton. These long-stroke 499cc overhead valve singles produced exceptional performance from modest specification, and they remain among the finest-handling and most satisfying British classics to ride today. A well-sorted Venom Thruxton is a machine of genuine rarity and significant value.
Why Velocette Values Are Rising
As collectors increasingly recognise the quality, rarity, and historical significance of Velocette machines, values for the best examples have risen strongly. Original, matching-numbers Venoms and Thruxtons in good condition are now genuinely scarce, and prices reflect this. The earlier KSS and KTS models — the overhead camshaft machines of the 1930s — command the attention of the most serious collectors.
Contact South Wales Classic Motorbikes on 07966 296269 or visit southwalesclassicbikes.com to discuss Velocette and other British classic availability.