Lot 430: 1922 Levis 211cc Lightweight

The Levis motorcycle derived its name for the Latin word for ‘light’, which was one of the diminutive machine’s many virtues. One of the pioneers of the two-stroke motorcycle, the firm commenced manufacture of its 211cc, single-gear lightweight in 1911. Soon dubbed ‘Popular’, the model was a huge success for the Birmingham marque, remaining in production until 1926. Levis dominated 250cc racing in the early 1920s, winning the Lightweight category at the Isle of Man TT in 1920 and 1922, and duly introduced a new 247cc production model alongside the Popular for 1921. This Levis lightweight - a chain-cum-belt model equipped with countershaft gearbox - has been in the vendor’s hands for the past 20 years. Not used for some considerable time, the machine will require careful re-commissioning and the customary safety checks before returning to the road. It is offered with Swansea V5 and VMCC dating certificate to support the application for a more appropriate registration mark.