Velocette Valiant

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Velocette Valiant
Manufacturer Velocette
Production 1956–1964
Predecessor Velocette LE
Engine 192 cc four-stroke, air cooled, horizontally opposed twin cylinder
Top speed 60 mph at 7000 rpm
Power 12 bhp
Transmission four-speed gearbox to shaft final drive
Seat height 28 inches (71 cm)
Weight 260 pounds (120 kg) (dry)
Fuel capacity 1.25 gallons (5.7 litre)

The Velocette Valiant is a British motorcycle made by Velocette. Launched at the 1956 Earl’s Court Motorcycle Show, the Valiant had a 192 cc (11.7cuin) engine but was expensive and criticized for its underpowered engine.[1]

Development

In the mid 1950's Velocette had two very different lines of motorcycles. Alongside the more conventional M and K series they produced a series of enclosed small capacity four stroke flat twins for the commuter market, at time when most of their competitors were producing two stroke singles.[2]

Launched at the Earls Court Show in November 1956 the Velocette Valiant was a development of the Velocette LE. It had a two piece cover that enclosed most of the crankcase and gearbox. The air cooled overhead valve engine was mounted in a duplex frame with a single top tube with a bigger crankcase and cast iron cylinders with steel pushrod tubes and alloy heads.[3]

The clutch and four speed gearbox were the same as those fitted to the MK3 LE but the final drive was through a cast aluminium pivoted fork, with a universal joint to the drive shaft. Front suspension was the same as the LE but rear suspension used Woodhead-Monroe springs with hydraulic damping. Two Amal 363 monobloc carburettors fitted to stub inlet manifolds were linked by a balancing tube. The recommended top speed was 60 mph (97 km/h).[3]

Velocette Veeline

The 1959 Velocette Veeline (also known as the Vee Line) was the same as a standard Valiant with a 'dolphin' full fairing made of fibre glass that had big windscreen, a fascia panel housing the speedometer and ammeter, as well as a small glove box.[2] The headlamp was mounted on brackets that were fixed in the fairing so that it could be adjusted but didn't turn with the forks.

Developed as competition for the emerging scooter market, the Veeline, but still had the underpowered engine of the Valiant and did not sell in sufficient numbers.[2] The big fairing also added 21 pounds (9.5 kg) to the weight and £21 to the cost and after poor sales Velocette decided to stop production of the model in 1961.[4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Velocette Valiant motorcycle". Retrieved 2009-06-09. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bacon, Roy (1988). British Motorcycles of the 60's. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85648-166-2. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Velocette Valiant 200cc.". Retrieved 2009-08-30. 
  4. ↑ "Vee Line". Retrieved 2009-08-31. 
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