Eugene Goodman

Eugene Goodman was the co-founder of the Velocette motorcycle company with his father John Goodman.

Eugene was born in Birmingham. His father had a small shop on Great Hampton Street in Birmingham selling and making bicycles and fittings.

After the war the company name was changed to Velocette as this had become a recognised brand. In 1925 Goodman had a breakthrough when his 348cc overhead cam prototype was entered in the Isle of Man TT, which was one of the most famous road races of the time and a great 'proving ground' for motorcycle manufacturers. In 1926 Alec Bennet won the TT on a Velocette KTT. For the next forty-five years a series of very successful motorcycles followed. In 1971 rising development costs and the owners' racing expenses took their toll on the company's bottom line and they went into voluntary liquidation.