The Velocette LE was a motorcycle made by Veloce Ltd from 1948 to 1971. [5] Production ended in 1970 when the company ran into financial problems and went into voluntary liquidation. The police riders therefore became known as "Noddies", and the LE was nicknamed "the Noddy Bike"; this nickname does not appear to have had anything to do with Enid Blyton's eponymous character.[5][8][9]. [5] Ex-police machines can be identified by the after market fittings for the police radio. A breakthrough for Velocette was when over fifty British Police forces decided to use the LE for patrols and ordered more than half the production. Popular . Production of other motorcycles had been delayed or cancelled to produce the LE in various forms, and the lucrative police orders had dried up with the introduction of the "panda car" for patrol use by most forces. The estimated value is between £120,000 to £150,000, and if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can click here to visit the listing. Universal Motor Digital Gear Indicator for Motorcycle Bike Display Shift Level. Sell one like this; Related sponsored items Feedback on our suggestions - Related sponsored items. Designer Charles Udall developed the Velocette LE as a "conceived-as-a-whole" design, with an engine, gearbox, drive shaft and bevel box in a single unit to do a specific job. The LE was a Velocette motorcycle made from 1948 to 1970. and this little velo has only had one private owner since it was released from active police service !! The petrol tank capacity was also increased from 1.25 to 1.62 imperial gallons (5.7 to 7.4 litres; 1.50 to 1.95 US gallons).[7]. However, Noddy (the popular cartoon character created by British children's author Enid Blyton) who famously had frequent run-ins with the Policeman Mr. Plod, is also credited with being the origin. Seller: cazwhiskers | Seller's other items. 1950s Classic British police motorcycles of the era, the Velocette LE. With the introduction of the Velocette LE, this became dangerous, requiring the officer to take his hand off the handle bars, and so the rider was to allowed to show his respect with a smart inclination of his head, or to put it another way, to give a smart nod. In recent years the bike has been restored by a Velocette authority, and is now being presented for sale by Bonhams at the Spring Stafford Sale on the 23rd of April. Unfortunately it proved less successful than the firm had anticipated, and although it became Veloce's best selling model ever, the massive tooling costs for this all-new machine were barely recouped. This motorcycle is entered for sale under 'BSA' as there is no Velocette section and these great British motorcycles get lost in all the dross advertised in "Other Makes" amidst the others etc. 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 police riding instructor riding a 1957 Triumph 500cc. The last Velocette factory was in York Road, Hall Green, Birmingham. Aluminium leg shields were designed to keep the rain off, and footboards gave it a scooter feel. Although often recognised by the UK man-in-the-street for the LE Velocette which was familiar to him as the Police "Noddy" bike, the world knew Velocettes for their classic traditional single-cylinder roadsters and racers. [6], The Velocette LE was launched at the British International Motor Show at Earls Court in 1948 as the "Motorcycle for Everyman". [4], Velocette's Director, Eugene Goodman, planned an innovative and radical design that would appeal to a new market that needed cheap, clean and reliable transport. At the time Metropolitan Police Officers on foot patrol were required to salute sergeants and inspectors. This bike has been fully restored as in … Oxford University Press. At the 1947 TT, the company won the first four places in the Junior race, and in 1950 they were the 350 cc World Champions. The designation LE stood for "little engine". To reduce noise and vibration the pressed aluminium frame was lined with soundproofing felt. Free P&P. Designer Charles Udall developed the Velocette LE as a "conceived-as-a-whole" design, with engine, gearbox, drive shaft and bevel box in a single unit to do a specific job. OED Online. After the Second World War, the company sought to capture what it saw as a developing need for personal transport and created the LE model (for "Little Engine"). The very last motorcycles made in the Veloce factory were LEs. With a 149 cc four-stroke, side-valve, water-cooled, horizontally opposed twin-cylinder engine, the LE also had a radiator and was fitted with coil ignition to help starting. 23 June 2013, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Velocette_LE&oldid=943905124, Articles lacking reliable references from June 2011, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, MkI 149 cc (9.1 cu in) four-stroke, water-cooled, horizontally opposed twin-cylinder, MkI & MkII Three-speed gearbox to shaft final drive, Telescopic front forks, swinging arm rear, This page was last edited on 4 March 2020, at 14:48. This was a 149 cc water-cooled flat-twin with side-valves, a pressed steel frame and telescopic forks and swingarm. Kent County Constabulary purchased the remaining spare parts and were able to keep LEs running until 1974. It did see widespread adoption by British police forces for urban patrol. The Velocette LE was a motorcycle made by Veloce Ltd from 1948 to 1971. Metropolitan Police Officers of the time were trained to salute an Inspector or above, but when riding the Velocette LE this meant taking one hand from the handle bars, so it was agreed that instead they could nod to show respect. The water-cooled engine was well silenced, and riders reported that sometimes they only knew the engine was running by checking the ignition light. The hand change three-speed gearbox, engine and clutch were contained in special castings, and final drive was by a shaft mounted in a swing frame with adjustable suspension. Sales remained poor, however, and the company had to reduce the price. The police riding instructor riding a 1957 Triumph 500cc. 1950s Classic British police motorcycles of the era, the Velocette LE. [4] Used by over fifty British Police forces, the police riders became known as "Noddies" because they were required to nod to senior officers, and the LE was nicknamed "the Noddy Bike". The market for sporting machines was still strong, and Velocette continued to produce the 349 cc MAC for racing. Ben Branch. June 2013. An extra gear was added, together with 18-inch-diameter (460 mm) wheels. It was sophisticated and expensive. The clutch was upgraded, and an Amal 363 monobloc carburetor replaced the standard unit. Used by over fifty British Police forces, the police riders became known as "Noddies" because they were required to "nod" to senior officers, and the LE was nicknamed "the Noddy Bike". You can cancel your email alerts at any time. Velocette is the name given to motorcycles that were made by Veloce Ltd, in Hall Green, Birmingham, England. View basket for details. [7], "noddy, n.4". [7], Launched in 1951 the Mk II had a 192 cc (11.7 cu in) engine, giving an extra 2 hp (1.5 kW), and strengthened bearings. These include the manufacturers data plate being moved to the headstock, the word 'POLICE' stamped under the generator cover and a distinctive V shaped pressing riveted in front of the seat. “ Velocette police man bike..1964 ” Ended: 28 Oct, 2020 16:41:45 GMT. The rear swinging arm was uprated with cast aluminium to improve rigidity, and the brakes were improved. All this made the MkI LE expensive, however, at £126 compared with the BSA Bantam at £76. The odd looks also meant that it did not appeal to the usual motorcycle buyer. After the Second World War, the company sought to capture what it saw as a developing need for personal transport and created the LE model (for "Little Engine"). With ten years' development, the Velocette LE was more reliable and practical, but on 3 February 1971, the company went into voluntary liquidation. The instrumentation was relocated to the head lamp, and the petrol capacity was increased from a meagre 1.25 to 1.62 imperial gallons (5.7 to 7.4 l; 1.50 to 1.95 US gal). Production ended in 1970 when the company ran into financial problems and went into voluntary liquidation. 1969 velocette le 200 original police bike` still fitted with the super rare and much sought after period police radio' fire extinguisher and tyre pump etc etc !!
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