Research your VELOCETTE with our VIN Checker

Velocette is an England based line of motorcycles owned by Veloce Ltd. Velocette was founded in Hall Green, Birmingham as a small family-owned business that used to sell hand-built motorcycles at the time. The founder, John Goodman, started the company as a cycle manufacturer and used to produce, and repair cycles. Goodman launched his first motorcycle, the Veloce and following its huge success, dived completely into motorcycle manufacturing.

Initially, the company manufactured basic two-stroke bikes and eventually moved on to produce bigger, more-expensive, 250-cc bikes. These bikes gained an excellent reputation in the market and entered competitions such as the Isle of Man TT. Around the 1930s, the company started expanding and tried its luck with 350cc and 500cc bikes as well. These bikes also did well and took the market by storm. A couple of unusual scooter models and cheaper 150cc bikes by  Velocette were also seen post-war.

Although hand-built, these motorcycles were still known for their high quality and were mass-produced across the region. Velocette motorcycles competed in a number of national and international championship and made records. Their patented designs and engineering models such as the hydraulic dampers, positive-stop foot shift, and the swinging arm rear suspension are still used on motorcycles today.

Interesting Facts About Velocette

• Velocette won two World Championship titles on its 350cc and 500cc machines back in 1950.
• Velocette won the first four places in the junior race at the Isle of Man TT in 1947.
• Neil Kelly, a renowned biker at that time, won the first Isle of Man Production TT on a Velocette Thruxton 500cc in 1967.
• The Velocette Venom became the first motorbike to cover a distance of 2400 miles in under 24 hours. The riders averaged a speed of 100.05mph over this track.
• The Velocette MAC 350 was featured in the film ‘Eye of the Needle’ released in 1981.