Boxerworks.com

But he has a REALLY SMALL market of interested-folks and that makes for a tough-sale, because of the low-desirability of this machine finding an engine cowling will be "next to impossible". I have been going through this for years with the little-BMW-single. The bike is an interesting little footnote in motorcycling-history but turning that into ca$h is an uphill-battle!

I would really like to have a Helios (pre-BMW) but I won't pay big-bucks because the pool of Idiots like me is REALLY small.

Vince

That Valiant would easily get $3850 here in OZ .

I'm thinking that if that Velocette did anything better than it's contemporaries it would have a small cadre of enthusiaststs.

I'm enthusiastic about Brit bikes and I've never heard the boxer Velocette, and I've been paying attention to Brit bikes for a long time (more attention earlier than I do now). I find within myself not a shred of desire for it.

I am aware of the Douglas Dragonfly which, as I think I recall was also a 200cc boxer. I also seem to recall that it was more unreliable than most Brit bikes. The Dragonfly's "mission statement", I seem to recall, was primarily that of a "cooking" bike, i.e. usually used for driving to work.

I think the seller will have a very hard time selling that bike for anything near the asking price. But there is always hope of finding "the greater fool".



Ken, unenthusiastic in Oklahoma

Well there are people in the UK who are interested in the LE. It was designed as a commuter bike, with shaft drive. It was used by the police for city use, prior to the general use of squad cars, it was very quiet.

I last saw one in use at the UK national Rally, where bikes ride various routes aiming to cover 500 miles in a 18 hour period, the (eccentric) owner of the bike seemed to always do the rally. If I remember correctly the main fault of these bikes is a propensity to blow head gaskets.

Charles

Ken in Oklahoma wrote:I'm thinking that if that Velocette did anything better than it's contemporaries it would have a small cadre of enthusiaststs.

I'm enthusiastic about Brit bikes and I've never heard the boxer Velocette, and I've been paying attention to Brit bikes for a long time (more attention earlier than I do now). I find within myself not a shred of desire for it.

I am aware of the Douglas Dragonfly which, as I think I recall was also a 200cc boxer. I also seem to recall that it was more unreliable than most Brit bikes. The Dragonfly's "mission statement", I seem to recall, was primarily that of a "cooking" bike, i.e. usually used for driving to work.

I think the seller will have a very hard time selling that bike for anything near the asking price. But there is always hope of finding "the greater fool".



Ken, unenthusiastic in Oklahoma

With the greatest respect Ken I am very surprised ! It needs to be remembered that a 350 was a very respectable bike in 50s Britain .Small 2 strokes were more the norm for the worker ...125 to 175 Bantams and similar .

The LE was a very good little bike for the era although why it was side valve is something of a mystery . US riders sometimes have difficulty relating to post war British conditions and poverty .

I freely admit to quite liking the LE!

Sibbo wrote:. . . US riders sometimes have difficulty relating to post war British conditions and poverty . . .

Being a war baby I was around just after the war, but I wasn't aware or caring much about anything other than toys. But in the late 50's, when I became passionate about motorcycles, there was virtually no awareness, among myself and others, about the actual conditions in the UK and assorted other countries. Even if I had somehow become aware I wouldn't have cared--except as affecting my ability to someday get the BSA Gold star or Triumph Bonneville of my dreams, with which to impress my buddies and, hopefully, help me catch the attention of a pretty girl.

I have since become more aware and sensitive. I'm much more interested in motorcycles than BSA or Triumph.

And now I'll be paying attention to boxer Velos. I still won't want one but I'll be paying attention.


Ken

Oi Ken, you forgot your sig line.

If I may.

Ken, praying for attention in Oklahoma.

ME 109 wrote:Oi Ken, you forgot your sig line.

If I may.

Ken, praying for attention in Oklahoma.

Thanks for the reminder ME 109. But I'm sorry to say that you made a mistake. Instead of praying for attention you meant to write . . .

Oh!

Never mind.



Ken