The lightweight motorcycle was a game changer back in the 1920s. It was a simple soul: efficient and built for real roads. In the years after the Great War, these were the motorcycles that helped to define everyday motorcycling. This 1923 Levis Popular, owned by Lewis Brown, is a fine example – an honest, usable survivor from a time when less truly meant more.
Words: Rich Orriss
Photos: Hazel Priest
Founded in 1905 by John Osbourne, Levis initially set out to manufacture bicycles before pivoting toward motorcycles. The first Levis motorcycle was designed by Bob Newey at the Norton Works, though it was rejected by James Norton. Undeterred, Newey partnered with the Butterfield siblings to form Butterfields Ltd. in Birmingham. This would be the company that would go on to produce Levis motorcycles.
Their first successful model, a 211cc two-stroke, quickly established a decent reputation amidst the thriving British motorcycle market. There were but a few equivalents out there in the lead up to the First World War – one of the most notable being the 250cc Triumph LW Junior. These little bikes were popular due the smiles-per-mile that were on offer to the normal person.
Production at the Levis Works in Stechford ran from 1911 through to 1939. After the First World War, thousands of returning servicemen who were now familiar with mechanised transport wanted affordable mobility of their own.
And Levis provided it.
Their lightweight two-strokes were economical, easy to maintain, and capable of handling poor roads. While larger machines remained expensive and complex, the lightweight class became the backbone of British motorcycling, and in particular for those who were short of a few bob.
In order to understand the appeal of the Popular, it is worth stepping back into the early 1920s, when the idea of the “lightweight” motorcycle was still taking shape. In the years immediately following the war, motorcycling expanded rapidly. For many riders, particularly newcomers, the lightweight offered a far more accessible alternative to larger machines. Manufacturers like Levis recognised this early. By focusing on small-capacity two-strokes, they produced motorcycles that were cheaper to buy, simpler to run, and simple by all accounts to maintain at home.
The absence of complexity was central to the appeal. As this 1923 machine demonstrates, even a gearbox could be considered optional. What mattered more was reliability, and the ability to keep going over long distances and poor roads.
Levis’ reputation was not built on utility alone. In 1920, the marque dominated the Lightweight class at the Isle Of Man TT, taking the top three positions with their 247cc machines. Further success followed in 1922. If the racers liked them, the boy racers liked them, and by the mid-1920s the lightweight was a popular motorcycle that had some authority behind it.
It was from this period that Levis adopted its enduring slogan: “The Master Two Stroke.”
A contemporary view from the 1920 Olympia Show, reported in The Motor Cycle, offers a valuable insight into how these machines were regarded at the time. The standard Levis model – 211cc, single-cylinder, two-stroke – was notable for its simplicity: single-speed transmission, belt drive, drip-feed lubrication and minimal complication. Yet what drew particular attention was not its specification, but its economy. At a time when two-strokes were often criticised for high fuel consumption, Levis challenged the assumption. An officially observed test recorded figures as high as 320 mpg over a controlled run (officially observed by the A.C.U.), while the company confidently guaranteed 120 mpg, suggesting 150 mpg was achievable in regular use. Equally important was flexibility. The single-speed machine could “two-stroke” from as low as 6 mph up to 35 mph or more, reinforcing the firm’s faith in the simplicity of direct drive.
Alongside it, the 247cc sporting model – the size that had just secured victory at the TT – was offered at £68. Mechanically similar but with increased capacity, it featured thoughtful touches such as easily removable tank and frame sections for maintenance, and a distinctive lubrication system feeding key engine components individually.
In essence, the Popular was not a stripped-down machine – it was a refined one, built around a clear philosophy: keep it simple, and make it work.
We all love a lightweight. They have bags of character, and when they have stood the test of time for over a century, that charm is amplified. This 1923 Levis Popular 247cc is exactly that – a machine that carries the same frame and engine it left the Birminham factory with – and wears its maturity with quiet confidence.
What strikes you most about this particular machine is not what it has – but what it doesn’t. “In 1923, a lot of things were optional extras,” explains owner Lewis Brown, “including a gearbox, believe it or not.” This example was ordered without one. It is a single-speed, direct-drive machine, requiring a bump start – something that quickly becomes part of the parcel with the ownership.
“The bike is a fantastic runner,” Lewis says. “A true lightweight machine, so very easy to handle.” That lightness – both physical and mechanical – is the essence of the Popular. With little to go wrong, it delivers a riding experience that feels direct and unfiltered.
This Popular is a very honest old bike – used, maintained, and enjoyed. “I bought the bike from a well-known vintage motorcycle dealer eight years ago,” says Lewis, “and it has not let me down once.” That reliability is no accident – early Levis machines were built for daily use on roads that were often little more than rough tracks, and that purpose still shows.
As a pre-war lightweight with original components, the 1923 Popular sits comfortably within the world of vintage motorcycling events. It is eligible for runs organised by the Vintage Motorcycle Club and the Sunbeam Motorcycle Club. But its real appeal lies in usability. This is a machine that invites participation, and once you can get your head around a running start, it all becomes part of the joy of owning a machine like this.
Levis’ early success was built on a simple philosophy: make motorcycles that work and make them well. The Popular 247cc embodies that approach and offers something increasingly difficult to find: a genuine connection to the earliest years of everyday motorcycling.
This motorcycle is currently for sale. Any enquiries are to be directed through The Girder Club by clicking here.
an article by The Girder Club
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