Description
1941 Velocette MAF 350 – Restored Military Motorcycle | Museum Registered
Offered for sale is a rare 1941 Velocette MAF 350 military motorcycle from the collection of the late Finnish motorcycle collector and enthusiast Kauko Piirainen.
The motorcycle is powered by a 349 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled, four-stroke engine, paired with a four-speed manual transmission and foot-operated gear selection. The engine is stamped MAF3005, and the visible frame number is 3005.
Condition and Restoration
The motorcycle was imported from Estonia to Finland on 18 December 1997 and subsequently underwent a complete restoration in Finland.
It was officially inspected and approved for historic museum vehicle registration in Oulu on 24 March 2003, under certificate number VMPK 4022. It carries Finnish registration ME-137.
The motorcycle is reported to be fully operational and roadworthy. According to the mechanic familiar with the collection, it has been maintained and ridden on longer journeys in Finland, including a trip between Oulu and Parkano.
The restoration has preserved much of the motorcycle's distinctive period appearance, including its black finish with gold detailing, traditional girder front forks, spoked wheels and military-style fittings.
Some components differ from the original military specification. The Finnish museum registration documentation specifically identifies the exhaust system as non-original. Additional differences in the mudguards, fittings, handlebars, controls and other components have been noted by the Velocette Owners' Club.
One particularly interesting feature is the surviving military saddle with knee protectors, which the Velocette Owners' Club's Machine Registrar and Archivist described as an exceptionally unusual original feature.
Documentation and Identification
The motorcycle comes with Finnish historic museum registration documentation, including its recorded restoration and import history.
The engine number MAF3005 and visible frame stamping 3005 have been photographed and documented. The Velocette Owners' Club has reviewed the photographs and considers the engine-number stamping genuine in appearance. Further verification of the original frame-number location and gearbox number remains outstanding.
The museum documentation identifies the previous owner as Veljo Muruste of Tallinn, Estonia, providing an additional link to the motorcycle's earlier history.
Location and Sale
The motorcycle is currently located in Oulu, Finland, where viewings can be arranged by appointment.
Additional photographs, historic registration documentation and information regarding the motorcycle's history are available upon request.
Reasonable offers are welcome.
History – 1941 Velocette MAF 350 (MAF3005)
The Velocette MAF 350 is a rare British military motorcycle developed for service during the Second World War.
On 19 June 1941, the British Ministry of Supply placed an order for 2, 000 MAF motorcycles under Contract C10973. These motorcycles were supplied directly to military depots rather than through civilian dealerships. Surviving records confirm that 947 motorcycles had been delivered to the Chilwell depot by 26 May 1943, although the full order was never completed.
This particular motorcycle, engine MAF3005 with visible frame number 3005, has an especially interesting history.
According to Colin Goodwyn, Machine Registrar and Archivist of the Velocette Owners' Club, MAF3005 had never previously been recorded in the Club's register. It is now one of only five known surviving MAF motorcycles within an unusual higher-numbered production group.
The reason for these higher production numbers remains unknown, although the Club considers the engine-number stamping genuine in appearance.
The Velocette Owners' Club has also suggested that MAF3005 may have been among the motorcycles sent to Russia during the Second World War. While this possibility is consistent with the discovery of other surviving MAF motorcycles in Eastern Europe, the individual motorcycle's wartime history has not been confirmed.
Its later history is better documented.
The motorcycle was previously owned by Veljo Muruste of Tallinn, Estonia, before being imported into Finland on 18 December 1997. It subsequently became part of the collection assembled by the late Finnish motorcycle enthusiast and collector Kauko Piirainen.
The motorcycle underwent a complete restoration in Finland and received its Finnish historic museum vehicle certification on 24 March 2003. It has remained part of the collection and is now owned by Kauko Piirainen's son.
One of its most distinctive surviving features is the original military saddle with knee protectors. Colin Goodwyn described this as an outstanding feature, noting that he had never previously encountered one.
Although some components have been replaced or modified during the motorcycle's lifetime, its unusual identification number, documented history in Estonia and Finland, and surviving military features make MAF3005 an interesting example of a seldom-seen wartime Velocette.
The motorcycle is now being offered for sale, presenting an opportunity for a collector or enthusiast to acquire a rare British military motorcycle with documented provenance and ongoing research by the Velocette Owners' Club.
