Description
National Motorcycle Museum | Solihull, West Midlands
Viewing: 25th March 2025 from 1PM
Auction: 26th March 2025 - 9:00AM
1961 Velocette Venom
No Reserve
Registration No: USL 397
Frame No: RS 16147
MOT: Exempt
Venom 500 with an Alton electric starter kit
Presented in authentic and standard condition
Supplied with some manuals and a current V5C
Velocettes were produced by Veloce Ltd in Hall Green, Birmingham between 1905 and 1971. Velocette was a family-owned firm selling almost as many hand-built motorcycles during its lifetime as the mass-produced machines from the likes of Triumph and Norton. 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. Renowned for the quality of its products, the company was "always in the picture" in international motorcycle racing from the mid 1920s through to the 1950s, culminating in two 350cc World Championship titles and its legendary, and still-unbeaten, record of averaging over 100mph for 24 hours on a 500cc single cylinder machine. This was achieved on a Venom in 1961 cementing its reputation as one of the best sports bikes of its day.
This Venom, being offered at 'no reserve', is part of a deceased estate, so unfortunately not much is known of its history. It appears to have not been run for a number of years, but it turns over freely on the kickstarter. The vendor looks to have been part way through installing an Alton electric starter kit before ill-health took over, so the set-up instructions and some parts not yet fitted, together with the standard items removed, are supplied with the bike. These kits cost over £2, 000 and are a fantastic way of keeping these 'hard to kickstart' bikes on the road. It will need a good recommissioning before use, however, once done it will make a good usable classic, supplied with a few workshop manuals and a current V5C.
