The Velocette Viper was the little brother of the Velocette line, and the focus of our first international feature! Though it was never as popular as the Venom or Thruxton models, the 350cc-powered Viper still stayed in production for nearly 15 years. The most distinctive feature of the Viper, starting in 1960, was a fiberglass panel designed to bring aerodynamic benefits, at the expense of looking simply awful. Here’s a vintage photo of the enclosure fairing:
The Viper spawned three other variants, including a Clubman, Scrambler, and a “Special” model. The Clubman was by far the most popular as it got rid of the fairing, amongst other benefits.
Though equipped with a smaller engine than the Venom, the Viper received the same bottom end, which was incredibly robust. A close-ratio gearbox helped ensure that this bike was quick off the line, and even with just 26 horsepower this bike was capable of 90 miles an hour or nearly the same number of miles per gallon.
This specific Velocette Viper, like nearly all others, has had the fiberglass enclosure removed. In addition to that, previous owners incorporated some features from the Clubman model, including alloy rims and the twin leader front drum brake. It looks to be in very nice shape, and the seller maintains in runs and rides ‘superbly’. International shipping is available for $750.
Find this Velocette Viper for sale here on eBay with an opening bid of $500 in Melbourne, Australia.
