Amazing Vincent-Engined Motorcycle

[Mr. Boltneck]

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/05/a-vincent-black-shadow-for-the-modern-era/
Perhaps more "diesel" than steam, but the level of detail is lovely, and the design thinking is quite coherent. Lovely steel, aluminum, and bronze work, too. I'll take one good piece like this over a thousand candy-ass industrial-design "concept vehicle" CAD renders any day.

[Rockula]

My Dad had a Vincent in 1956. He took it apart to clean it...then went off on National Service in Kenya for two years.

When he got back he couldn't be bothered to rebuild it so sold it off in bits.

Who knows, it could've been this engine.

[Smaggers]

That is a stunner.

[Mr. Boltneck]

Back in the late 1980s, an Australian builder was making superbikes around remanufactured Vincent motors. I've seen Vincents described as a 1980s engine in a 1930s frame.

[HR]

Love Vincents.  super nero (vincent based sprinter) was clocked at a staggering 236mph. They were the best bikes ever built, how I wish I had one....sigh.

[Musist]

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/05/a-vincent-black-shadow-for-the-modern-era/
Perhaps more "diesel" than steam, but the level of detail is lovely, and the design thinking is quite coherent. Lovely steel, aluminum, and bronze work, too. I'll take one good piece like this over a thousand candy-ass industrial-design "concept vehicle" CAD renders any day.

That is absolutely stunning! I love those machines, the original designers really knew how to steal your heart, not just your money like nowadays!

Well found and thanks for the link, a pleasurable feast for the eyes.

[HAC]

Had a 1954 C-Series Shadow for one summer back in my biking days.. Always will remember getting used to the action of the servo clutch, slight slip, then wham, all in.. Traded off a couple Triumphs (500 Daytona, 650 Trophy) and a BSA A7 for it.. Fantastic bike, great on the highway, and could embarrass a lot  of the bikes that were new back then.. Kicking it over was not too bad, about the same as my old Harley ULH on a bad day... What really impressed me for a vintage bike was how well it handled, and the fact that the brakes were far better than they had any right to be, given its era.. Lovely sound, too..  Gave up biking the next year (got married... )

Cheers
Harold

[elShoggotho]

You made the wrong decision. Clearly, a marriage is reason enough to acquire or build a sidecar.

[HAC]

Ah.. well I chalk it up to having been in love and young at the time..(youth, you never appreciate what you have until years later when its gone)... Besides, still married to the same lovely lady (been together for 40 years now).. and I've driven sidecars... an interesting experience in the practical effects of newtonian physics. Would I still have the Shadow after 4 years? who knows.. I remember it well, though..
  If I had it now, I think I'd probably upgrade it to a Ducati clutch, a Grosset electric starter, and just  maybe either a set of Grimeca 4ls brakes or discs.. Other than that, not much..
Cheers
Harold

[aldebaran]

My husband, who loves him a bit of dieselpunk, is impressed. As for me, I can now appreciate Richard Thompson's song even more:

Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning	DQ

[akumabito]

That's an insanely sexy bike!

[Angus A Fitziron]

I don't understand why someone would put so much time, effort, money and above all passion into such a machine - but I am very grateful and heartened that they do. Monetarily they will never see a return on their investment except in the wonder and admiration of like minded people. I assume these bikes are built to be ridden? If so, I for one would love to hear what that stub exhaust sounds like. My recollection of a Black Shadow was one Sunday morning watching (and hearing) a couple come into a supermarket car park - even on the regular exhaust system it could be heard right across the car park and I just had to go across and investigate. I would also guess looking at the riding position in relation to the carburettor intakes, a backfire would be ... "interesting".

[von Corax]

I don't understand why someone would put so much time, effort, money and above all passion into such a machine

I believe you've answered your own question...

[markf]

For anyone not familiar with the original Vincent Black Shadow, the Hamster did a nice piece on it for Top Gear. markf

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_uYf0Knoeg

[HAC]

I don't understand why someone would put so much time, effort, money and above all passion into such a machine - but I am very grateful and heartened that they do. Monetarily they will never see a return on their investment except in the wonder and admiration of like minded people. I assume these bikes are built to be ridden? If so, I for one would love to hear what that stub exhaust sounds like. My recollection of a Black Shadow was one Sunday morning watching (and hearing) a couple come into a supermarket car park - even on the regular exhaust system it could be heard right across the car park and I just had to go across and investigate. I would also guess looking at the riding position in relation to the carburettor intakes, a backfire would be ... "interesting".

Vincents as an investment, generally tend to hold prices well. I know that a good one nowadays, nicely restored , can go for well over $50K.  While I may not bike anymore, I have never, and will never forget the "Summer of the Shadow".
  As far as backfires, if the timing was set properly, you shouldn't see one, unless you;ve done something silly with the advance/retard lever.. Vincents were built a lot like aircraft, in that they were very well engineered, over engineeered, one might say. As an example the clutch design (which is very different, in that it resembles a drum brake in operation) was designed for maximum grip , and yet could be operated with two fingers. The front brakes were almost modern design in being dual brakes, and compared to anything else from that era, were way beyond.
  Cruising at 80MPH all day was no strain at all for a Shadow (or a Rapide), and long runs on the highway were very comfortable, especially when you consider  the age odf the design..
Starting was interesting, as it did take a certain technique to get it right, but, it was better than any of the old large V-twins from Harley..




As an example of how well they were built. "Vinny Longlegs"  - a Black Prince with 721K miles on it is for sale at Bonhams..

http://www.bonhams.com/eur/motorcyclesstaffordpreview/#
Cheers
Harold

[bassspine]

ooo-errr that is absolutely fantastic. It would be a Brough Superior for me in my ideal world, but I'm being tempted by that beauty.