Hesketh Motorcycles is a British motorcycle manufacturer, based in Daventry and Easton Neston. The company was formed by Alexander, 3rd Lord Hesketh, in 1980, then after his two ventures went bust from 1984 onwards, the marque has been maintained and improved by Broom Engineering, now based at Turweston Aerodrome near Silverstone Circuit. Background The project was inspired by Lord Hesketh, who planned to revive the failing British motorcycle industry and at the time had a background of F1 racing being the last private team to win a Formula One Grand Prix, with James Hunt at the wheel. Lord Hesketh wanted to use the skills and facilities built up in that pursuit to greater effect and production of a quality motorcycle was born. The Hesketh motorcycle was developed on the Easton Neston estate, with the prototype running in the spring of 1980 using a special Weslake engine. The V-twin V1000 (based loosely on the marketing panache of the Vincent Motorcycle), offered all sorts of advances; for example, it was the first British bike with four valves per cylinder and twin overhead camshafts (although commonplace in Japanese machines). [edit] Hesketh Motorcycles One of the few Hesketh Vampire Super Tourers built After two years of development, the project was announced to the press and partners were sought for the manufacturing. However, none were forthcoming and so Lord Hesketh formed Hesketh Motorcycles plc. In 1982 a modern purpose built factory was set up to manufacture the Hesketh V1000 motorcycles in Daventry. However, there were numerous problems. The bikes were heavy, made worse by a high riding style; and unreliable, with numerous manufacturing problems adding to an overheating rear cylinder due to lack of air flow. The resultant bad press combined on top of an underdeveloped bike, lack of cash and a collapsing market meant that after the production of 139 bikes, the company went into receivership. The Triumph Motorcycles co-operative looked at buying the rights to the machine, as they lacked a new model beyond the aged Triumph Bonneville. A V1000 machine even appeared with a Triumph badge on its tank, but Triumph also lacked funding to buy and develop the machine. In 1983, Lord Hesketh formed a new company called Hesleydon Ltd to manufacture a revamped V1000 with a full fairing, called the Vampire. However, although the company had produced a motorcycle with export potential in mind, the Vampire retained too many of the V1000's faults and only 40 were produced before the company closed again in 1984.

The Velocette Thruxton was a British motorcycle made between 1965 and 1971 by Velocette. The final development of the Velocette antiquated pushrod single, the Velocette Venom and is sometimes referred to as the Venom Thruxton. Many surviving examples are 'upgraded' replicas based on the Venom. The Thruxton ceased production only when the company folded in 1971. Development The well proven Venom was improved by Velocette designer Bertie Goodman with rearward placed footrests and brake and gear pedals, close-ratio four speed gearbox, alloy rims, duplex front brake and 'clip-on' handle bars. The engine gained a race specification cylinder head to accommodate extra-large valves and a downdraught inlet port. A single Amal carburettor was fitted which was so large it required a special cut out in the fuel tank but delivered 41 bhp, 5 more than the Venom.[1] It was important for eligibility in endurance races such as the Thruxton 500 that the motorcycles which competed were genuine production machines, but although the Velocette Thruxton was sold in a road going version, it was really targeted at the racing fraternity. The Thruxton was produced in traditional black with gold lining or an unusual version with a blue frame, forks and seat and a silver petrol tank with gold lining. No more than 1108 Thruxtons were manufactured before the company collapsed in 1971.[2] Racing success Although named after the Thruxton 500 endurance race, in 1965 the race was actually held at another disused airfield, the Castle Combe Circuit that year. The Velocette Thruxton (ridden by Dave Dixon and Joe Dunphy) won — and in 1967 two Thruxtons, ridden by Neil Kelly and Keith Heckles gained first and second places in the Production TT that was first staged at the Isle of Man that year, with Kelly also recording the fastest lap at 91 mph. Manufacturer United Kingdom Velocette Also called Venom Thruxton Production 1965-1971 Predecessor Velocette Venom Engine 499cc, OHV air cooled single Top speed 110mph Power 41-47.5 bhp @ 6,200 rpm Brakes drum brakes Wheelbase 54.75 inches (139.1 cm) Weight 390lb (177kg) (dry)