Launched in 1948, as the 'motorcycle for everyman', the Velocette LE addressed the criticisms most often levelled at motorcycles - that they were noisy, dirty and needed special clothing to ride - achieving impressive levels of silence, comfort and practicality. Sadly for the LE, its arrival coincided with the start of the scooter boom; asked to compete against Italian style, Velo's ugly duckling never stood a chance, even after the sidevalve flat twin's performance had been boosted by a capacity increase from 149 to 192cc in 1950. This example comes with an old-style continuation logbook (issued 1976) recording one R V Palmer of London E16 as the last owner, and carries a tax disc that expired on 30th September 1980, which is almost certainly when it was last used. Offered for restoration, the machine also comes with an expired MoT.
