It is with a heavy heart that I have to face up to the fact that Its time for my MSS - 'a gentlemans motorcycle' to find a new home where it will be ridden and loved by a new owner.
I purchased the MSS from Andy Tiernan (£6850) as a (pre) retirement present for myself. I waited for some time for the right bike to come along and this was it. It has a 12v alternator conversion and is fitted with an Alton starter. It starts well on the kick start and the button - follow the Velocette starting rules!! Having now retired unfortunately age is taking its toll on me and the arthritis in my hands and balance problems mean I cannot ride the MSS safely. This is not a bike for the Velocette purist having some non MSS parts fitted - all done to keep it on the road. That said it wouldn't be so much work to put it back to factory specification. The Alton starter is an absolute joy and a positive boon to those of us with dodgy knees! The 12v lighting make it a bike that is practical and safe to use in the hours of darkness - no 6v lighting which disappears when you apply the rear brake. In my ownership it has had a new and much bigger battery fitted - not the one shown in the photos, electrics sorted, Docherty throttle grip fitted, new Groves anti wet sumping valve, gear lever changed and other assorted tinkering and fettling to get it up to scratch which all amounts to a couple of hundred quids worth of parts and so stands me at c£7000.
The bike is currently in dry storage in Huntingdon and can be seen by prior arrangement pretty much 24/ 7. There is a large undercover area so no need to be looking at the bike with the rain dripping down your neck. There is also enough space to have a 150 yard circuit of the site without having to go on the publlic highway.
Whoever buys the MSS WILL be a very happy camper and have a bike thats ready to ride but still has things to keep the owner occupied for as much or little time as they want to being the guardian of a classic British bike.
I think that £6000 - (no silly offers please) is very fair and presents a good deal for a new owner.
I am not in a desperate hurry to sell but admit that I could do with reclaiming the space for my new bike - a lightweight James Captain 2 stroke (I know, I know but its just light enough to give me a couple more years on two wheels before the arthritis forces me to throw the towel in.
Now the sad reflection on the world where we now live - cash only, no cheques or bank transfers. No, I won't ship it overseas for you, even if you are a member of the Nigerian Royal Family. All that said, it MAY be possible to deliver the bike locally by van - YOU would need to arrange the muscle to get it in and out of the van - after payment has been made.
It starts easily! Even a novice owner can start it - it takes 30 seconds to learn the 'trick' of starting a Velocette - they have a bad reputation amongst non Velo owners who don't know any better. Don't get me wrong, this one will be pig to start - if you go off piste and don't use the approved and proven starting routine - retard the ignition turn engine over to TDC, ease over with the decompressor puilled in and then give one full stroke of the kick start. Then either return the kick starter to the top of its stroke and give it a firm kick or just hit the magic red button.
