1921 Levis 211cc Two-Stroke Motorcycle

The Levis Motorcycle Company (pronounced with a short 'e' and short 'i') was founded in 1911 by William Butterfield, in Stechford, Birmingham UK. The Butterfield brothers started out by building their own two-stroke motors, which quickly earned a reputation for their simplicity of operation, becoming one of Britain's leading manufacturers of two-stroke motorcycles along with Villers and Scott. The first Levis was designed by Bob Newey, and constructed at the Bradford Street Norton Works in Birmingham.

The company's two-stroke motorcycles did have some racing successes, winning the Lightweight TT in 1922, with riders Geoff Davison, R. O. Clark and Phil Pike. Levis did add a 247 cc and 346 cc OHV single four-stroke in 1928, adding a chain driven SOHC overhead camshaft to their 346cc engine a few years later. Levis ceased production in 1940.