1953 Vincent Black Shadow Series C

• Fastest production motorcycle of the 1950s.

• A sophisticated luxury and performance motorcycle with superb brakes and suspension.

• The engine case is a structurally integrated frame component.

Perhaps only two motorcycles, the Vincent and the Brough Superior SS100, both British with 1000cc V twin motors, can lay claim to being the ultimate performance motorcycles of their era.

This bike, engine number is F10AB/1B/8679, and frame number RC 10579 B is a beautifully restored mid-production example of a Black Shadow. Today, with values for the best examples exceeding $100,000, the Vincent Black Shadow (or any other Vincent/HRD motorcycle) is at the top of the list for most dedicated motorcycle collectors and enthusiasts.

The UK-manufactured Vincent Black Shadow was created on the same basic platform as the Vincent-HRD Rapide which was launched in 1936 and manufactured for only 3 years before World War 2 interrupted production.

In 1946 a heavily revised Series B model was introduced, followed by the Series C in 1948 and the high-performance Black Shadow version. Utilizing a pushrod-valve V-twin engine, postwar Vincent Series C motorcycles compiled an impressive list of speed records including the Motorcycle Land Speed Record in 1948 and 1955. The performance was a result of high-compression pistons and stronger engine valve springs which allowed higher RPMs to be run without engine failure.

As for the frame and chassis, Vincent created engine cases that were utilized as a stressed member of the frame, eliminating the conventional tube frame of the Series A model. Suspension components consisted of Vincent’s patented “Girdraulic” front fork and a triangular rear frame member attached to dual spring-boxes with a central damper bolted directly to the engine castings, as did the seat support and footrests. Before disk brakes became commonplace on motorcycles, Vincent outfitted the Black Shadow with 4 brake shoes per wheel, two on either side, both front and rear, to maximize the stopping power of such a fast and heavy machine. There’s a myriad of engineering and design details that could (and does) fill a book. Although the Vincent maintained a respectable reputation into the 1950s, it never fully modernized from its prewar appearance despite being one of the most expensive bikes on the market, with fewer than 2,000 produced between 1948 and 1955.

Vincent Specifications:

Engine Displacement: 998cc (61 cu in)

Horsepower: 55 hp

Dry Weight: 458 lbs

Top Speed:125 mph

Brakes: Mechanical 4-shoe front and rear

Suspension: Hydraulic damped girder front fork; Trigonic single shock swing arm