1969 Velocette LE, 200cc, EX MET Police. Registration number...

Hammer

£1,050

1969 Velocette LE, 200cc, EX MET Police. Registration number AMU 150H. Frame number 8845/34. Engine number 8845/3.
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. It was, however, a big success with UK Police forces - for whom its attributes were more important than its appearance - gaining the sobriquet 'Noddy Bike' as a result.
AMU was first registered to the Metropolitan Police at New Scotland Yard on the 1st September 1969 and withdrawn form service in 1973, being sold to Harold Burroughs of Bristol, he sold it to Christopher Strawford of Matlock in 2011 and then to Clive Cooper of Goole in 2020. Our vendor bought it from him during lockdown two months later.
Sold with the V5C, V.E.60 and various paperwork, this LE appears to totally original condition and has recently been ridden by our vendor. It is being sold as it was bought on a lockdown whim.