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The main portion of the engine and the engine-to-frame connection are still sealed, which prevents the fitting of any internals, Including bearings and gearbox, transmission parts without it being known, and we look forward to being able to make a further statement In, say, 12 months' time.

The most extraordinary feature of this performance was the lack of attention given to the L.E. It would cover say, 300 miles on one day's run and go out the next day for say, 250 miles, without anything being done to it: in fact it needed no adjustment even after its trip to Brisbane and return Official checks were made twice, at a little over 5,000 and 11,000 miles. No replacements were made.

Log cards were carried and each rider had signatures from either a Police Constable or J P. at each farthest away centre from Sydney on each run. The machine under test was a standard 1954 model L.E. embodying the following features:-

New lubricating system with external fabric oil filter, Plain big end main bearings, 40% larger oil sump capacity, Miller full wave generator in which no brushes are used, having nearly doubled the output of the previous generator, 3 plate clutch and larger rear break in the later 1954 models, the frame had been modified to improve accessibility.

It is of interest to owners of 1953 and earlier L.E. models that the Velocette factory has produced conversion assemblies enabling any earlier engine to be fitted with the 1954 type plain big-end bearings and the external oil-filter. In 200cc models this conversion can be made at a slightly lower price than the previous charge for renewing big-end bearings of the roller type. We feel that a very clear indication has been given that the water-cooled L.E. is capable of covering larger mileages without replacements and with much less attention than the normal motorcycle. This is a great assurance to anyone who values the fascinating, smooth, silent performance of the L.E. and the many other comforts and conveniences which it provides.

SEVAN WILLIAMS: "My first trip on the L.E. through Walcha and the New England Tablelands was In wintery weather; conversely, the next trip several weeks later, through Dubbo and other Western districts, gave the machine a severe test in really hot weather (about 120 degrees in the shade) and grasshopper plagues. The value of water-cooling was very apparent here as the machine showed no tendency of tiring and the wide valanced front mudguard effectively shielded the radiator from the grasshoppers. The return trip I made from Brisbane was very enjoyable until I had to mess around for a couple of hours in Singleton to get petrol at 5 o'clock in the morning and then I ran into a cloudburst between Newcastle and Sydney. The water came down in sheets, but the L.E. ploughed through faithfully without a miss. My total time from Brisbane to Sydney, riding through the night, was not quite 25 hours."

BILL SMITH: On my first run down to Milton, I crossed the mountains between the coast and the top of Barrengarry Mountain twice, as I wanted to see how the new type rear brake stood up to the task of mountain descents. I coasted down both Barrengarry and Cambewarra mountains In neutral, using the brakes all the way, stopped and checked half-way to test that they were not getting too hot, and was pleased to find that there was no sign of fade. Later trips on it have been through arduous conditions and hit one long water splash at about 45 m.p.h., but It didn't stop the L.E. I really like this little bike and now prefer an L.E. to anything,"

BRYAN LEMON: "Although I encountered many changes of conditions, I must say that all my trips were rather uneventful. I just started up the machine and it took me to where I wanted to go. I was a little amused on my arrival in Melbourne. They welcomed me with: "Now run the machine up to the Workshops so that we can service it" and seemed a little nonplussed when I replied that it didn't need any servicing."

JACK BAXTER: "Being used to speedway racing and the performance of 500cc o.h.v. models, I felt a little apprehensive at a long trip to Brisbane and back on a '200', so I started off rather early at 7.3O a.m. on the Sunday morning. It seemed quite amazing the way the miles passed by, cruising at a steady 45 to 50 and I reached Armldaie by 4 p.m. without seeming to hurry. Passed a couple of hours with my old speedway friend, Lloyd Horsburgh, then carried on to Glen Innes, where I spent the night. Next morning I wired Vie Huxley from Warwick that 1 would be seeing him in Brisbane at 2 p.m. and was pleased to arrive right on the dot, despite encountering a hold-up through a road blockage caused by a fallen tree that had blocked about 30 cars."

CEC WEATHERBY: "On one of my trips I covered a few roads that I had run over before In reliability trials, where I had to 'hunt along' to keep up the average. I still can't quite understand why the L E. took me over these passages without feeling that I was going fast, but arriving at each place earlier than I expected. Probably it's the smoothness of the motor that makes these trips feel so easy and comfortable."

L.E. COMPLETES REDEX TRIAL TEST

Running the same L.E. through the 2,500 mile 1954 Redex National Motorcycle Trial, following its 14,000 miles road test, clearly demonstrates its ability to withstand punishment. And it still doesnt need any attention, it runs as sweetly as new, and has all the original mechanical parts.

Quotiny - Bevan Williams, the rider:-

"It may not be generally known that machines of all sizes were set the same speed averages. The first day we struck headwinds of gale force. The second day was 410 miles. starting with slushy mud up to 2 deep through Tumut and Jingellic. By the time I reached Adelaide I was overjoyed to find that the machine had not lost an atom of its power." "Thursday's run of 314 miles from/ Broken Hill to Hillston was as severe a test as you could imagine, for many miles I drove the machine flat in low gear through thick mud at about 30 m.p.h.. Not a miss nor a protest. On open stretches I cruised at 45 50 m.p.h., occasionally touching 60. In other sections of mountainous, twisty, bumpy, dirt-gravel roads there were so many bends that it was faster to leave it in second gear, so I rode it for miles in second getting it up to 45/50 m.p.h. on most short straights."

Despite this harsh treatment the machine kept up its peak of tune all the way; The only two sections at which I lost points was the return from Adelaide via Broken Hill, were at Ivanhoe, 13 points, (13 mins late through taking the wrong bush track) and 4 points from Oberon to Meadow Flat."

Tools were used only 3 times; once to drain and refill the oil, once to replace spark plugs as a precaution and once to dress up the distributor points. Not a bolt or nut came loose or was checked with a spanner."

At the finish the oil was a clear as new, yet it had covered over 1,200 miles since the refill at Adalaide and had only been topped up twice since, the last top-up being in Oberon."

The machine ran perfectly right through the trial. It was a relief not to have any chains to adjust or to do any greasing at all."

The true value of these performances is to indicate the extremely large mileage that the L.E. will cover under normal conditions with the very minimum of attention and upkeep cost.

DISTRIBUTORS;

P. & R. WILLIAMS PTY. LTD.

74-78 Wentworth Avenue. Sydney. N.8.W.
Telephone: M 4668

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