A light-weight suction base unit for an upright cleaning apparatus that comprises: a suction base body; a left base support operatively associated with the suction base body, such that there is a first gap between a portion of the left base support and a portion of the suction base body; and a right base support operatively associated with the suction base body, such that there is a second gap between a portion of the left base support and a portion of the suction base body; characterised in that the base unit further comprises: an electric motor mounted within the suction base body such that a portion of the electric motor sits within an annular opening in a rear wheel; a brush roll cavity body operatively associated with the suction base body to form a brush roll cavity having a brush roll cavity intake and a brush roll cavity discharge opening; a brush roll mounted within the brush roll cavity; a brush roll gear operatively associated with the brush roll; a drive gear affixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor; and a drive belt that runs from the drive gear attached to the electric motor to the brush roll gear to cause the brush roll to rotate, and in that the drive belt resides outside of the suction base body and at least a portion of the drive belt is covered by the right base support, and in that a user is permitted to view a surface being cleaned through the first gap and the second gap. a suction base body; a left base support operatively associated with the suction base body, such that there is a first gap between a portion of the left base support and a portion of the suction base body; and a right base support operatively associated with the suction base body, such that there is a second gap between a portion of the left base support and a portion of the suction base body; characterised in that the base unit further comprises: an electric motor mounted within the suction base body such that a portion of the electric motor sits within an annular opening in a rear wheel; a brush roll cavity body operatively associated with the suction base body to form a brush roll cavity having a brush roll cavity intake and a brush roll cavity discharge opening; a brush roll mounted within the brush roll cavity; a brush roll gear operatively associated with the brush roll; a drive gear affixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor; and a drive belt that runs from the drive gear attached to the electric motor to the brush roll gear to cause the brush roll to rotate, and in that the drive belt resides outside of the suction base body and at least a portion of the drive belt is covered by the right base support, and in that a user is permitted to view a surface being cleaned through the first gap and the second gap. an electric motor mounted within the suction base body such that a portion of the electric motor sits within an annular opening in a rear wheel; a brush roll cavity body operatively associated with the suction base body to form a brush roll cavity having a brush roll cavity intake and a brush roll cavity discharge opening; a brush roll mounted within the brush roll cavity; a brush roll gear operatively associated with the brush roll; a drive gear affixed to a rotating shaft of the electric motor; and a drive belt that runs from the drive gear attached to the electric motor to the brush roll gear to cause the brush roll to rotate, and in that the drive belt resides outside of the suction base body and at least a portion of the drive belt is covered by the right base support, and in that a user is permitted to view a surface being cleaned through the first gap and the second gap.