The designation Thruxton refers to Britain’s fastest racing circuit. Located in Hampshire, the Thruxton circuit started life as an airfield, until the beginning of the 1950s, when it was turned into a highspeed racecourse.
Velocette was around at a time when bikes used for motorcycle competition had to have been derived from a production model. The company, founded by John Goodman therefore always had racing in mind whenever a new model was commissioned—The Venom Thruxton is no different.
Very interestingly, Founder John Goodman went through a couple of name changes himself, having started life as Johannes Gütgemann, before settling on John Taylor then finally to John Goodman.
Goodman’s Velocette brand competed against the world’s manufacturers in some of the most important motorcycle races at the time and gained notoriety on merit —something which regularly boosted the company’s sales figures.
Based on its Venom model, the Thruxton was unveiled a year later at Earls Court with an imposing power figure of 41hp, which was considered very daunting for a motorcycle. A redesigned cylinder head and the use of bigger valves gained the Thruxton its popular mantle of “a road-going racing bike”.
Designed by Bertie Goodman, the Venom Thruxton was produced until 1971, when Velocette closed its doors due to financial difficulties during the oil crisis.