Velocette Viceroy
VELOCETTE VICEROY
Cycle World Scooter Test
A scooter with more to offer than meets the eye.
THE Velocette Viceroy might well be called the thinking man’s motor scooter, if one can overlook puns. What seems, on the outside anyway, to be a fairly ordinary looking vehicle, is in reality a scooter for any serious enthusiast to think twice about. The Viceroy’s hidden charm lies partly in its power plant, a two-cylinder, twostroke, horizontally opposed engine of 250cc displacement.
This engine develops an amazing amount of power, but just how much the manufacturer isn’t saying. We are certain it is more than most scooters, and its performance indicates that it should be at least 15 hp which would qualify it for use on the freeways. Acceleration is quite brisk and a cruising speed of 65 mph is hardly a strain on the smooth and robust twin.
The extreme smoothness can be traced to the interesting shaft drive which is the same as the unit employed by Velocette on their model LE and “Valiant” motorcycles. This interesting system utilizes a transmission differential unit in combination, mounted just ahead of, and to the right of the rear wheel. The system in operation is as quiet and smooth as an automobile, which it resembles in design.
Another hidden virtue is one that remains so just about as long as does the performance, and that is the way the Viceroy handles. Velocette, of Birmingham, England,, makers of the Viceroy, have been noted for many years for their ability to build unusual and engineeringly sound cycles; the scooter reflects this experience. Through the use of large (12") wheels and an extremely low positioning of the engine and drive components they have built in an amazing degree of stability. Most of the CYCLE WORLD staffs preconceived notions about the stability of scooters went down the tube after a few enlightening minutes on the Viceroy.
The engine is mounted very low, and quite well forward in the frame (the cylinder heads can be seen peering out from under the front wind screen), and the transmission and drive system are on the same level. This layout puts the weight mass well below the roll center where it belongs. Scooter riders accustomed to the handling of the average scooter will be pleasantly surprised to find themselves flinging it through the corners with the best of cycles.
Rider response and confidence mounts so quickly we found ourselves scraping the undercarriage on the pavement when heeled over going into a turn. It takes a little practice to determine just how far to go before one of the most awful sounds you ever heard emanates from “somewhere down there”.
Controls are another feature we liked on the Viceroy. The throttle is on the right hand along with the front wheel brake control, the clutch is on the left hand, the rear wheel brake is on the left foot, and the gear change lever is on the right foot. Sound familiar?
Gear changing is a pleasure and quite simple. The motorcycle style lever is of the rocker type requiring merely a down pressure with the heel for longer gears, and down pressure with the toe for higher gears. In keeping with the modern trend the Viceroy employs a Lucas 12 volt electric starter activated with the left foot like an automobile. The resemblance continues when the lever is depressed as it even sounds like an automobile; this is probably because it is an automobile starter motor.
On the minus side, beauty is not one of the Viceroy’s foremost virtues, though it is by no means ugly. We were not too impressed with the overall finish and fit of the body panels but the bright red paint job is excellent. Plastic molding strips are used in mounting the panels; they also serve to aid in absorbing vibrations.
Suspension is by a pivoted fork with shock absorbers on the rear, and telescopic forks on the front. The front forks are similar to those used on the well-known Velocette LE cycle and are truly superb buffers that add considerably to the handling.
Another attractive feature is the instrument panel, replete with a speedometer, ammeter, and separate switches for ignition and headlights.
CYCLE WORLD’S test scooter was loaned to us by Lou ¿Branch Motors in Los Angeles and came equipped with a man-size wind screen which is an optional extra, and one worth its salt if you do much year-around riding. In truth, it is difficult to find fault with the Viceroy, and we seriously recommend that anyone interested in sporting, but economical and quite comfortable transportation, should give the Viceroy a close look. Bnt don’t let the $682.00 (West Coast), price frighten you; it is well worth it. •
