Driver Magazine - Issue 2 of 3 2025 - Magazine - Page 70
THE FIRST EVER VELOCETTE VIPER
There has been a motorbike parked in The Classic Lounge for a little while now. I see it every day and always appreciate
what a good-looking bike it is, but until I was told the story behind it, I didn’t realise quite how special it truly is.
This is SOP 367, our 1955 Velocette Viper. This isn’t just any Viper, though; this is the first Viper sold to go on the road and
the original press vehicle for the model’s launch.
An Immediate Star
In April 1956, Motor Cycling magazine ran a road test on a brand-new Velocette model. The Viper. This was a 349cc single
that promised touring practicality and sports bike performance. In 1956, this was not something you heard very often.
The article that came from the road test described the bike as
