Nice video, l remember buying a 1966 Velo Thurxton of Geoff Dodkin, in black,nice person. Much fun.l was 19yrs.l,m now 72yrs old .lucky enough to later get another Thurxton from unity spares in Roachdale,also had a kss in vemon frame. A MAC and vemon, My brother had a vemon clubman it was very fast.raced in Australia, bought it all the way home again to u k.
I loved the sound of the Velo on the road. Back in the 70's bought a Thruxton from Geoff Dodkin that I used for everyday use and for production racing at club level. I was a great bike for both. Many thanks for the video, it brought back so many memories.
Geoff Dodkin gave me a lesson in the art of riding a motorcycle . I remember the row of Velocettes in his shop to this day. Way out of my price range as an apprentice mechanic. As I rode away on my used Honda CB175.
My last motorbike was a Venom. I bought it second-hand and rebuilt it. It was a wonderful bike to ride and I even tortured it by using it to commute 30 miles each way from Chelmsford to the City for a couple of years. Surprisingly tractable in traffic but cruised at 70 on the A12 with plenty in reserve, and topped out in the high 90's. The handling on a twisty back road was better than any other bike I rode. I only sold it when a pretty serious health condition ended my motorcycling days.
Your experience reflects mine. Fantastic steering, in fact the best steering bike I ever rode, and I've owned and ridden many. I've had people on much bigger faster bikes tell me that they couldn't keep up with me in the twisty stuff. For people who think that big singles vibrate they need to ride one of these. And as for performance, the only thing wrong with this video is that he wasn't giving it enough revs. I had a 19t gearbox sprocket on mine and when wanting to have some real fun would run it to 40 in 1st, 60 in 2nd and 80 in 3rd and it flew (as witnessed by the fact that this was raced in std tune and would win in its class). This is not a typical long stroke British single. With its square 86mm bore and stroke it loves to be revved. Also utterly reliable mechanically. Wonderfully engineered machines.
I met Geoff Dodkin in his retirement at his bungalow. I was there to see him regarding something other than bikes. I walked in to his workshop to be met with a Velocette frame. I had no idea who he was and he never once blew his own trumpet. Once he realised I knew something about old bikes he told me about all the pictures on the wall and old nose cones with the numbers on. We had a fab chat and he told me to call again and have a cup of tea. He and his wife were what I would call genuine people.
As a young-ish (early 30's) motorcycle eccentric I can understand your frustration. But the issues regarding learning to service your own bike go a little bit deeper I think. When my Dad was first riding in the 60's those bikes that are now classics were daily commuter vehicles. People simply had no choice but to learn how to maintain them, and the manuals encouraged it and rightly so! Ownership of a motorcycle today, sadly, seems to be more of a novelty as people are far more interested in the "status" of which car they can rent. Coupled with my generations love of instant gratification and same day delivery from Amazon, the patience to learn and figure things out yourself is rapidly vanishing from society as a whole not just the world of motorcycles. Another issue I feel is the prices of these lovely bikes. There's far too many now who see classic bikes as another "investment" portfolio, and as such I feel people are priced out of ownership in some cases (not all). With that being said, there's a fairly healthy home-workshop based custom scene where us young un's are learning our trade so don't despair it's not all lost.
The Venom's handling is superb - especially with taper rollers in the headset - This is why many of the racers of the day including Hailwood and Grant cut their racing teeth on Velos
I thought the Velo was an old mans bike when i start to ride 1961 now i,m an old man iv,e had lots of them my Venom ive had for over 30 years and currently restoring a Mk 2 Cammy in a RS frame along with a Viper and a Mac in the waiting que
I built a Triton in the nineties, retired to Spain and rode the excellent Spanish roads on it. ...Yep! tinkering and fettling is all part of ownership. Sometimes I would pull up a chair, glass of wine in hand and just look at her...polish bits, adjust parts and general be at peace with ownership. Since starting motorcycling fifty seven years ago I've seen and experienced a great deal of technology as regards tyres, suspension and chassis, not to mention engines... its has been a wonderful journey
Had a chuckle about having your engine up in the bedroom, we all did. One friend had his bike up there and I remember his parents reaction when the rear wheel backed into the livingroom so as we could maneuver it up the stairs. What about Duckhams chain guard, a round can of oil that you put your chain in and heated up on the stove. What a stink, mother didn't like that stunt.
Another cracking video Rob, Jeff's velocette looks and sounds fantastic, these videos are a book of knowledge, can't wait to see the next one, keep up the good work pal.
@@theclassicmotorcyclechanne4539 so sorry to hear that Robert, I do hope you can get the treatment you deserve and you can pull through this awful situation you are in, wish you all the best and I offer you my support in any which way I can, I'm only a phone call away, stay strong i'm here if you need anything. Best regards, Marvin.
Maurice Tombs was a good friend in my youth .He started off with his brother in the chair but his parents were concerned if they had an accident. So his brother started racing small singles And was fairly successful. My father Sid Rogers Rode a MSS Velo 1937 Model for about 40 years.DOM196 reg.
I have enjoyed doing these videos immensely, as I love Classic motorcycles, . However, at the moment I am dealing with a very painful cancer of the pancreas, so my final one on Les Whiston's custom/ Triumph T 140 may be my last. But I have not entirely given up hope. Perhaps if they get me on to chemo, there may be a second wind; also don't forget my book 'Custom Rides' The Coolest Motorcycle Builds Around the Planet. Yours faithfully Robert Davies
Sorry to hear that, Robert, especially as you're deep into another Covid outbreak there in the UK. Please get well. I was only looking at a Velo Venom for sale here in Sydney, earlier! www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/ryde/motorcycles/velocette-venom-1961/1258582401
But there was a time when we could pick these machines up for about £10.. !!! I have a Matchless G80 and I remember when I was a teenager a mate of mine paid £6.50 for one!.. It was the first machine that I ever went on the back off.. Needless to say.. The bike was destroyed ragging it around the fields.. I paid £7,000 for my Matchless!😮😮.. But it is mint..
Don't despair of the younger generation. My son - 21 - can rebuild my Enfield better than I can. Unlike me, he was allowed a moped when he was 16. I've seen him strip down all his mates mopeds and scooters and rebuild them. Only thing he can't do is keeping his thieving fingers off my best tools.
Nice video, l remember buying a 1966 Velo Thurxton of Geoff Dodkin, in black,nice person. Much fun.l was 19yrs.l,m now 72yrs old .lucky enough to later get another Thurxton from unity spares in Roachdale,also had a kss in vemon frame. A MAC and vemon, My brother had a vemon clubman it was very fast.raced in Australia, bought it all the way home again to u k.
I loved the sound of the Velo on the road. Back in the 70's bought a Thruxton from Geoff Dodkin that I used for everyday use and for production racing at club level. I was a great bike for both. Many thanks for the video, it brought back so many memories.
Geoff Dodkin gave me a lesson in the art of riding a motorcycle .
I remember the row of Velocettes in his shop to this day. Way out of my price range as an apprentice mechanic. As I rode away on my used Honda CB175.
My last motorbike was a Venom. I bought it second-hand and rebuilt it. It was a wonderful bike to ride and I even tortured it by using it to commute 30 miles each way from Chelmsford to the City for a couple of years. Surprisingly tractable in traffic but cruised at 70 on the A12 with plenty in reserve, and topped out in the high 90's. The handling on a twisty back road was better than any other bike I rode. I only sold it when a pretty serious health condition ended my motorcycling days.
Your experience reflects mine. Fantastic steering, in fact the best steering bike I ever rode, and I've owned and ridden many. I've had people on much bigger faster bikes tell me that they couldn't keep up with me in the twisty stuff. For people who think that big singles vibrate they need to ride one of these. And as for performance, the only thing wrong with this video is that he wasn't giving it enough revs. I had a 19t gearbox sprocket on mine and when wanting to have some real fun would run it to 40 in 1st, 60 in 2nd and 80 in 3rd and it flew (as witnessed by the fact that this was raced in std tune and would win in its class). This is not a typical long stroke British single. With its square 86mm bore and stroke it loves to be revved. Also utterly reliable mechanically. Wonderfully engineered machines.
I met Geoff Dodkin in his retirement at his bungalow. I was there to see him regarding something other than bikes. I walked in to his workshop to be met with a Velocette frame. I had no idea who he was and he never once blew his own trumpet. Once he realised I knew something about old bikes he told me about all the pictures on the wall and old nose cones with the numbers on. We had a fab chat and he told me to call again and have a cup of tea. He and his wife were what I would call genuine people.
The bikes were originally named Véloce. A later smaller model was called Velocette and that name came to apply to all models.
As a young-ish (early 30's) motorcycle eccentric I can understand your frustration. But the issues regarding learning to service your own bike go a little bit deeper I think. When my Dad was first riding in the 60's those bikes that are now classics were daily commuter vehicles. People simply had no choice but to learn how to maintain them, and the manuals encouraged it and rightly so! Ownership of a motorcycle today, sadly, seems to be more of a novelty as people are far more interested in the "status" of which car they can rent. Coupled with my generations love of instant gratification and same day delivery from Amazon, the patience to learn and figure things out yourself is rapidly vanishing from society as a whole not just the world of motorcycles. Another issue I feel is the prices of these lovely bikes. There's far too many now who see classic bikes as another "investment" portfolio, and as such I feel people are priced out of ownership in some cases (not all). With that being said, there's a fairly healthy home-workshop based custom scene where us young un's are learning our trade so don't despair it's not all lost.
The Venom's handling is superb - especially with taper rollers in the headset - This is why many of the racers of the day including Hailwood and Grant cut their racing teeth on Velos
I thought the Velo was an old mans bike when i start to ride 1961 now i,m an old man iv,e had lots of them my Venom ive had for over 30 years and currently restoring a Mk 2 Cammy in a RS frame along with a Viper and a Mac in the waiting que
Nice video. I certainly agree with your sentiments about modern bikes and rider knowledge. The enjoyment of riding and fettling go hand in hand.
I built a Triton in the nineties, retired to Spain and rode the excellent Spanish roads on it. ...Yep! tinkering and fettling is all part of ownership. Sometimes I would pull up a chair, glass of wine in hand and just look at her...polish bits, adjust parts and general be at peace with ownership. Since starting motorcycling fifty seven years ago I've seen and experienced a great deal of technology as regards tyres, suspension and chassis, not to mention engines... its has been a wonderful journey
Had a chuckle about having your engine up in the bedroom, we all did. One friend had his bike up there and I remember his parents reaction when the rear wheel backed into the livingroom so as we could maneuver it up the stairs. What about Duckhams chain guard, a round can of oil that you put your chain in and heated up on the stove. What a stink, mother didn't like that stunt.
Another cracking video Rob, Jeff's velocette looks and sounds fantastic, these videos are a book of knowledge, can't wait to see the next one, keep up the good work pal.
Sorry to be a killjoy, but there is only 1 left and that will be it from me unless there is some kind of miracle
@@theclassicmotorcyclechanne4539 so sorry to hear that Robert, I do hope you can get the treatment you deserve and you can pull through this awful situation you are in, wish you all the best and I offer you my support in any which way I can, I'm only a phone call away, stay strong i'm here if you need anything. Best regards, Marvin.
Maurice Tombs was a good friend in my youth .He started off with his brother in the chair but his parents were concerned if they had an accident. So his brother started racing small singles And was fairly successful. My father Sid Rogers Rode a MSS Velo 1937 Model for about 40 years.DOM196 reg.
I'm completely on board with the brown clogs and black t-shirt look.
Really nice---keep going!
I have enjoyed doing these videos immensely, as I love Classic motorcycles, . However, at the moment I am dealing with a very painful cancer of the pancreas, so my final one on Les Whiston's custom/ Triumph T 140 may be my last. But I have not entirely given up hope. Perhaps if they get me on to chemo, there may be a second wind; also don't forget my book 'Custom Rides' The Coolest Motorcycle Builds Around the Planet. Yours faithfully Robert Davies
Sorry to hear that, Robert, especially as you're deep into another Covid outbreak there in the UK. Please get well. I was only looking at a Velo Venom for sale here in Sydney, earlier! www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/ryde/motorcycles/velocette-venom-1961/1258582401
Hope you beat the rust Cobber
I hope you beat it mate.
But there was a time when we could pick these machines up for about £10.. !!!
I have a Matchless G80 and I remember when I was a teenager a mate of mine paid £6.50 for one!.. It was the first machine that I ever went on the back off..
Needless to say.. The bike was destroyed ragging it around the fields..
I paid £7,000 for my Matchless!😮😮.. But it is mint..
Don't despair of the younger generation.
My son - 21 - can rebuild my Enfield better than I can.
Unlike me, he was allowed a moped when he was 16.
I've seen him strip down all his mates mopeds and scooters and rebuild them.
Only thing he can't do is keeping his thieving fingers off my best tools.
That brings back some happy memories of my Velocette days some 54 years ago!!!!
Great times David. Happy memories of being with my dad, and now my lad.
Wish they could could have met.
Still having fun on 2 wheels ;-)
All the best
Lovely bike, I hope you put the caterpillar back!
Will do
That must be a very tall first gear. Twice now I've heard the Velocettes were smooth engines; I wonder why other Brit thumpers weren't.
Not sure about this bloke, those clogs look highly suspect...