Velocette: The Three Twins: Roarer, Model O and LE

Veloce Ltd produced twin-cylinder motorcycles, the Roarer and Model O, with similar engineering features such as twin contra-rotating crank shafts, inline cranks, shaft drive, and swing arm rear suspension. The supercharged Roarer was never raced due to the advent of war, and the Model O was never developed. After the war, the Goodman family focused on producing the LE range of motorcycles, which were not well received by the motorcycling public and blamed for the demise of the company. The book aims to present an analysis of the Roarer and Model O from an engineering perspective, comparing and contrasting the methods adopted by their designers to meet the different design specifications.

Format: Hardback
Length: 120 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2023
Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd

The Veloce company is renowned for producing some of the finest single-cylinder motorcycles in both race and private use. However, it is less widely known that Veloce Ltd also manufactured twin-cylinder machines, including the Roarer and the Model O. These motorcycles shared numerous engineering characteristics, such as twin contra-rotating crank shafts, inline cranks, shaft drive, and swing arm rear suspension. Unfortunately, the supercharged Roarer never raced due to the outbreak of war, which also halted the development of the Model O, which was poised to become the first so-called Superbike.

Following the war, the Goodman family, the owners of Veloce Ltd, shifted their focus towards producing a Motorcycle for Everyman, an idea that had been integral to their production bikes since the company's inception. They drew inspiration from the Roarer and the Model O to create the twin-cylinder LE range of motorcycles. However, these motorcycles were not well received by the motorcycling public, and many attribute the production of the LE to the eventual demise of the company.

The purpose of this book is to present an engineering analysis of the Roarer and the Model O, comparing and contrasting the methods adopted by their designers to meet the distinct design specifications of these bikes. The authors, Brian Agnew and Ivan Rhodes, met in the 1960s when Brian worked at Rolls-Royce Derby. They spent their weekends tinkering with motorcycles, and both possess an intimate knowledge of the Velocette twins, both from their time spent together and from their personal projects.

Weight: 652g
Dimension: 213 x 262 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781787119000