29:
300:
254:
221:, planned an innovative and radical design that would appeal to a new market that needed cheap, clean and reliable transport. Designers Charles Udall and Phil Irving 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.
240:
The only instrument was a speedometer. To reduce noise and vibration the pressed aluminium frame was lined with soundproofing felt. The water-cooled engine was well silenced, and riders reported that sometimes they only knew the engine was running by checking the ignition light. Carrying capacity was
282:
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 police riders therefore became known as "Noddies", and the LE was
236:
engine, the LE also had a radiator and was fitted with coil ignition to help starting. 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. Aluminium leg shields were designed to
269:
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. Ex-police machines can be identified by the aftermarket fittings for the police radio. These include the manufacturer's data plate being moved to the
315:
With ten years' development, the
Velocette LE was more reliable and practical, but on 3 February 1971, the company went into voluntary liquidation. The very last motorcycles made in the Veloce factory were LEs. Production of other motorcycles had been delayed or cancelled to produce the LE in
208:
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". Production ended in 1970 when the company ran into financial problems and went into voluntary liquidation.
261:
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. Sales remained poor, however, and the company had to reduce the price. The clutch was upgraded, and an
307:
In 1958, Velocette launched the Mk III LE with a foot-operated gear change and a conventional kick start. An extra gear was added, together with 18-inch-diameter (460 mm) wheels. The instrumentation was relocated to the
241:
boosted by quickly detachable panniers and a glove compartment in front of the petrol tank. All this made the MkI LE expensive, however, at £126 compared with the
472:
266:
carburetor replaced the standard unit. The rear swinging arm was uprated with cast aluminium to improve rigidity, and the brakes were improved.
555:
312:, 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).
166:
565:
420:
205:
28:
504:
441:
570:
225:
468:
560:
374:
229:
218:
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in 1948 as the "Motorcycle for
Everyman". With a 149 cc four-stroke, side-valve, water-cooled,
72:
321:
270:
headstock, the word 'POLICE' stamped under the generator cover and a distinctive V-shaped pressing
117:
105:
76:
316:
various forms, and the lucrative police orders had dried up with the introduction of the "
283:
nicknamed "the Noddy Bike"; this nickname does not appear to have had anything to do with
274:
in front of the seat. This was designed to keep rainwater out of the battery compartment.
8:
409:
245:
at £76. The odd looks also meant that it did not appeal to the usual motorcycle buyer.
68:
416:
370:
288:
62:
204:
from 1948 to 1971. The designation LE stood for "little engine". Used by over fifty
324:
purchased the remaining spare parts and were able to keep LEs running until 1974.
144:
122:
93:
549:
263:
500:
445:
525:"noddy, n.4". OED Online. June 2013. Oxford University Press. 23 June 2013
394:
1960, pp.81, 157 George Newnes Ltd., London. Accessed and added 2015-01-13
299:
284:
253:
242:
197:
317:
309:
233:
201:
39:
126:
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1 L (0.22 imp gal; 0.26 US gal) wet sump
271:
134:
100:
Mk II 200 cc 8 bhp (6.0 kW) @ 5,000 rpm
237:
keep the rain off, and footboards gave it a scooter feel.
98:
MkI 149 cc 6 bhp (4.5 kW) @ 5,000 rpm
178:
5.7 L (1.3 imp gal; 1.5 US gal)
110:
MkI & MkII three-speed gearbox to shaft final drive
408:
537:Scotland Yard: a study of the Metropolitan Police
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387:
385:
383:
494:
492:
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539:, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, p. 294
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27:
487:
406:
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252:
397:
338:
336:
548:
534:
466:
343:"Revolutionary 149cc Twin Velocette".
139:5 in (130 mm) front and rear
67:MkI 149 cc (9.1 cu in)
507:from the original on 19 February 2012
475:from the original on 19 February 2012
436:
434:
432:
224:The Velocette LE was launched at the
80:MkII 200 cc (12 cu in)
367:Velocette - 1960 Velocette LE Mark 3
333:
149:MkI 3.00x19, Mk II & III 3.25x18
556:Motorcycles powered by flat engines
355:
13:
498:
429:
234:horizontally opposed twin-cylinder
14:
582:
467:Wilson, George (31 August 2008).
351:(2377): 328–331. 28 October 1948.
320:" for patrol use by most forces.
277:
294:
226:British International Motor Show
165:120 kg (260 lb) (
566:Motorcycles introduced in 1948
528:
519:
460:
212:
1:
377:Accessed and added 2015-01-13
363:The Ultimate Motor-Cycle Book
327:
7:
248:
10:
587:
88:50 mph (80 km/h)
469:"Model LE Velocette Twin"
182:
174:
161:
153:
143:
133:
116:
104:
92:
84:
61:
53:
45:
35:
26:
415:. Patrick Stephens Ltd.
322:Kent County Constabulary
303:1958 Mk III Velocette LE
157:710 mm (28 in)
112:MkIII four-speed gearbox
571:Shaft drive motorcycles
75:, horizontally opposed
535:Laurie, Peter (1970),
407:Reynolds, Jim (1990).
304:
258:
217:Velocette's Director,
561:Velocette motorcycles
411:Best of British Bikes
392:Motor Cycle Data Book
369:. Dorling Kindersley
361:Wilson, Hugo. (1993)
302:
256:
442:"Made in Birmingham"
448:on 19 November 2008
23:
305:
259:
21:
18:Type of motorcycle
422:978-1-85260-033-4
264:Amal 363 monobloc
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444:. Archived from
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31:
24:
20:
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360:
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345:The Motor Cycle
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111:
99:
79:
19:
12:
11:
5:
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568:
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543:
542:
527:
518:
499:Britch, Alan.
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396:
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331:
329:
326:
296:
293:
279:
278:The Noddy name
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250:
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219:Eugene Goodman
214:
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206:British Police
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339:
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313:
311:
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295:The Mk III LE
292:
290:
287:'s eponymous
286:
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267:
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238:
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231:
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185:
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175:Fuel capacity
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125:front forks,
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34:
30:
25:
16:
536:
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521:
509:. Retrieved
501:"LE History"
477:. Retrieved
462:
450:. Retrieved
446:the original
410:
391:
366:
362:
357:
348:
344:
314:
306:
281:
268:
260:
239:
223:
216:
194:Velocette LE
193:
191:
183:Oil capacity
127:swinging arm
106:Transmission
73:water-cooled
49:"Noddy Bike"
36:Manufacturer
22:Velocette LE
15:
479:12 December
452:11 December
285:Enid Blyton
230:Earls Court
213:The Mk I LE
154:Seat height
69:four-stroke
46:Also called
550:Categories
511:6 December
375:0751300438
328:References
257:1955 Mk II
243:BSA Bantam
202:Veloce Ltd
198:motorcycle
123:Telescopic
118:Suspension
54:Production
318:panda car
310:head lamp
289:character
85:Top speed
57:1948–1971
40:Velocette
505:Archived
473:Archived
249:Mk II LE
200:made by
272:riveted
419:
373:
196:is a
162:Weight
135:Brakes
63:Engine
365:p.81
145:Tyres
94:Power
513:2008
481:2008
454:2008
417:ISBN
371:ISBN
192:The
129:rear
77:twin
228:at
167:dry
552::
503:.
489:^
471:.
431:^
399:^
382:^
349:81
347:.
335:^
291:.
71:,
515:.
483:.
456:.
425:.
169:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
