Velocette

The company had its origins as "Taylor, Gue Co Ltd" founded in 1896 by John Goodman (born Johannes Gütgemann and later known as John Taylor before formally changing his name to Johann Goodman) and William Gue, which initially made cycle frames and parts, but later made the frames for the Ormonde Motorcycle. In January 1904 they were working on a tri-car powered by a 3.5HP water-cooled four-stroke engine, with 2-speed gearbox and novel clutch system. In 1904 Ormonde merged with the engine maker Kelecombe, and when this company failed Taylor Gue bought the assets, and in 1905 built their first motorcycle, the Veloce.

Later that year, John Taylor set up Veloce Limited, to produce cycles and related products and services, and business continued for several years producing Veloce Cycles, but with his sons Percy and Eugene he investigated the use of engines as the Veloce Motor Company and produced the V.M.C motorcycle in 1910, this had a 500cc side-valve engine with direct belt-drive and the option of a hub gear. In 1912 New Veloce Motors Ltd was formed, with J. Taylor and P.J. Taylor as shareholders, registered at Veloce Works, Spring Hill, Birmingham. This company may have been to separate the risks of venturing into motorcycle manufacture from the rest of the business, but New Veloce Motors was wound up during WW1.

The 1954 499 cc Velocette MSS proved a successful export to the American desert racing scene, prompting the development of scrambler and enduro versions of the bike, the 349 cc Viper and 499 cc Venom, both introduced in 1956. A 1958 review in The Motor Cycle, an English weekly paper, called the Viper "a remarkably fine motorcycle, all round performance well above the average" and declared it capable of speeds over 90 mph (144.84 km/h). In 1961 a Velocette Venom became the first motorcycle to cover over 2,400 miles (3,900 km) in a 24-hour period, at the banked, oval, Montlhery circuit in France with a team of eight riders including Veloce director Bertie Goodman and 'MotorCycling' staff writer Bruce Main-Smith, averaging 100.05 mph (161.01 km/h).

This record for up to 500cc capacity machines still stands to the present day. The machine still exists; although badly damaged in the disastrous fire at the National Motorcycle Museum in Birmingham, it was restored by Velocette Owners Club president Ivan Rhodes with assistance from club members.

In 1960, Velocette introduced the Viceroy, a very unusual 250 cc opposed twin two-stroke scooter. Unique to the Viceroy was the front-mounted twin-cylinder engine, and the fuel tank mounted under the front legshield. The engine itself was extremely compact, and connected to the rear-mounted clutch and transmission by a drive shaft from the engine-mounted flywheel. With electric start, 12-volt electrics, a very low centre of gravity, power over 15 hp (11 kW) and a reported comfortable cruising speed of 65 mph (105 km/h), performance, handling and features of the Viceroy were first class. The scooter came as market forces and rider preferences were changing, and the Viceroy was not a sales success. The late 1960s were the last years of production for Velocette motorcycles, production for the Velocette Viper and Vogue ending in 1968, "Special", Scrambler and Endurance in 1969, and MSS Venom and Velocette Thruxton in 1970. Veloce Ltd. closed in February 1971.