SOLD £3000

OK, so perhaps an LE is a style statement too far for you. It didn’t exactly endear itself to the Britbike buyer of the 1950s either, so was reborn as the air-cooled Valiant with overhead valves and a 50% power hike. The result is a very pleasant roadster which combines engineering excellence with a more traditional appearance. There is a significant price to pay for the revised styling, however. A Valiant will cost roughly twice as much as an LE in similar condition: bang on the money for our £3k kitty.

Editor Westworth rode one last year (see RC189), and the machine pictured here has just found a new home too. Sold through Venture Classics, this 1957 Valiant was an easy starter which runs and rides very well. A previous owner obviously preferred to have the powerplant on display and removed the engine enclosures – but as this motor is entirely oil-tight perhaps he was keen to show it off!