Not a Monster

slob · 20-04-2018, 10:05 PM

but awesome!

Visiting a North London DIY superstore to get some bits and bobs to fix my mum’s garden fence, I came back to the car park and found this, being used rather than just a museum piece

bigredduke · 20-04-2018, 10:34 PM

Gorgeous! And probably worth more than most of the cars in the car park.

Never ridden a Vincent, definitely on my bucket list.

Mr Gazza · 20-04-2018, 11:34 PM

Not a Monster, but always a legend.

I remember reading in a comic, back in the seventies (Paraphrasing) "Is the new Ducati 750GT the next Vincent Black Shadow?"

Well just look what we ride today...

Pedro · 21-04-2018, 08:15 AM

A 1948 Series A HRD Rapide sold not so long ago for £300k....

Bloody lovely!

Albie · 21-04-2018, 09:32 AM

I never realised how small they actually are. I saw that 300k one on the motorbike show the other week. Beautiful.

utopia · 21-04-2018, 01:56 PM

There will be plenty of those at East Kirkby in a few week's time.

An english teacher at my school used to have three Vincents .. a Rapide, a Comet and a fully faired one (Black Knight ?). He regularly rode all of them to school.
He also had a Commando, a 650 BSA, a Bantam Scrambler and the first Guzzi I had ever seen.

This was in the 60s and the v twin Ducati was yet to be developed.
But he was a sensible guy, so no doubt he had one of those later too.

slob · 21-04-2018, 03:01 PM

If you’re not already aware of them, check out irvingvincent.com
They’ve built a few really special race bikes based around slightly larger vincent motors

damien666 · 21-04-2018, 07:45 PM

My dad sold his 500 comet about 15 years ago. Would have been nice to have inherited that eventually. Says he’s leaving me his silk 700s instead!. I think i need to learn summat about tempremental two strokes!

ChrisC2925 · 22-04-2018, 10:13 AM

Surprised anyone would leave that unattended in a car park in London! My old boss had one and the only reason I didn't get a go was he gave in to one of his neighbours pestering for a ride and he put it through a hedge at the end of the road, so never let it out of his sight again.

slob · 22-04-2018, 10:24 AM

I suspect local scrotes would’t know what to do with it or its value. As long as its not parked in the same public spot regularly its probably much safer than a grotty pizza delivery scooter.

Flip · 22-04-2018, 04:40 PM

When I raced with the CRMC in 2012 there was someone who regularly turned up to spectate on one- I never saw the chap but the bike was usually lent against a wall when parked up- it looked beautiful in its well used oily covering.

There was also a chap from this way (Worthing if I remember correctly) who raced an Egli framed one with the club - that was a beasty.

Mr Gazza · 22-04-2018, 06:03 PM

There used to be one or two Vincents on the road in the mid Seventies when I first set out on a little motorbike.
I think there was one in particular that I met quite a lot whilst riding about for the sake (love) of it. It didn't matter that I was on a crappy little bike, the gentleman on the Vincent always gave me a wave.
I so admired his riding style and still aspire to it today. Always travelling at a respectable rate and yet never looking like he was in a hurry. Always with a perfect , relaxed riding posture, well positioned in the road and always in full command of his mount.
A true gentleman of the road.

They hot them up for racing these days too..

utopia · 22-04-2018, 07:27 PM

My favourite vincent was probably a supercharged Comet drag bike called "Mighty Mouse" which was run by a guy called Brian Chapman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nexai2NkM9s

Nasher · 22-04-2018, 08:06 PM

My father loved Vincents, but never owned one.

If we ever saw one at a show he'd get upset about all the Vincent engines he saw go to the bottom of the sea. He told me they used to use them to power unmanned target boats when he was in the Navy. I don't know how true it was, but he believed it.

Nasher

22-04-2018, 08:10 PM

Beautiful bike.

I agree with it being safe in London. Bike thieves don’t have a market for bikes that value, plus their lack of education would mean they’d likely oversee it.

20-04-2018, 10:05 PM	#1
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,733	Not a Monster but awesome! Visiting a North London DIY superstore to get some bits and bobs to fix my mum’s garden fence, I came back to the car park and found this, being used rather than just a museum piece

20-04-2018, 11:34 PM	#3
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,964	Not a Monster, but always a legend. I remember reading in a comic, back in the seventies (Paraphrasing) "Is the new Ducati 750GT the next Vincent Black Shadow?" Well just look what we ride today... __________________

21-04-2018, 08:15 AM	#4
Pedro Ciao, come stai? Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Somewhere Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 4,158	A 1948 Series A HRD Rapide sold not so long ago for £300k.... Bloody lovely! __________________ Monster 1200R! KTM 990 SuperDuke

21-04-2018, 09:32 AM	#5
Albie Fanactical volunteer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Kent Bike: M900 Posts: 9,034	I never realised how small they actually are. I saw that 300k one on the motorbike show the other week. Beautiful. __________________ http://albies93m900.blogspot.co.uk/

21-04-2018, 07:45 PM	#8
damien666 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Leeds, West-Yorks Bike: S4Rs Posts: 497	My dad sold his 500 comet about 15 years ago. Would have been nice to have inherited that eventually. Says he’s leaving me his silk 700s instead!. I think i need to learn summat about tempremental two strokes! Last edited by damien666; 21-04-2018 at 07:48 PM..

20-04-2018, 10:34 PM	#2
bigredduke Nothing to see here Join Date: May 2005 Location: brough Bike: M1100evo Posts: 1,550	Gorgeous! And probably worth more than most of the cars in the car park. Never ridden a Vincent, definitely on my bucket list.

21-04-2018, 01:56 PM	#6
utopia No turn left unstoned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: leicester Bike: M750 Posts: 4,559	There will be plenty of those at East Kirkby in a few week's time. An english teacher at my school used to have three Vincents .. a Rapide, a Comet and a fully faired one (Black Knight ?). He regularly rode all of them to school. He also had a Commando, a 650 BSA, a Bantam Scrambler and the first Guzzi I had ever seen. This was in the 60s and the v twin Ducati was yet to be developed. But he was a sensible guy, so no doubt he had one of those later too.

21-04-2018, 03:01 PM	#7
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,733	If you’re not already aware of them, check out irvingvincent.com They’ve built a few really special race bikes based around slightly larger vincent motors

22-04-2018, 10:13 AM	#9
ChrisC2925 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Ormskirk Bike: M600 Posts: 244	Surprised anyone would leave that unattended in a car park in London! My old boss had one and the only reason I didn't get a go was he gave in to one of his neighbours pestering for a ride and he put it through a hedge at the end of the road, so never let it out of his sight again.

22-04-2018, 10:24 AM	#10
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,733	I suspect local scrotes would’t know what to do with it or its value. As long as its not parked in the same public spot regularly its probably much safer than a grotty pizza delivery scooter.

22-04-2018, 04:40 PM	#11
Flip Registered User Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Beachtown Bike: M900 Posts: 2,188	When I raced with the CRMC in 2012 there was someone who regularly turned up to spectate on one- I never saw the chap but the bike was usually lent against a wall when parked up- it looked beautiful in its well used oily covering. There was also a chap from this way (Worthing if I remember correctly) who raced an Egli framed one with the club - that was a beasty. __________________ You're perfect, yes, it's true- But without me you're only you!

22-04-2018, 06:03 PM	#12
Mr Gazza Lord of the Rings Join Date: May 2013 Location: Norwich Bike: M900sie Posts: 5,964	There used to be one or two Vincents on the road in the mid Seventies when I first set out on a little motorbike. I think there was one in particular that I met quite a lot whilst riding about for the sake (love) of it. It didn't matter that I was on a crappy little bike, the gentleman on the Vincent always gave me a wave. I so admired his riding style and still aspire to it today. Always travelling at a respectable rate and yet never looking like he was in a hurry. Always with a perfect , relaxed riding posture, well positioned in the road and always in full command of his mount. A true gentleman of the road. They hot them up for racing these days too.. __________________

22-04-2018, 07:27 PM	#13
utopia No turn left unstoned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: leicester Bike: M750 Posts: 4,559	My favourite vincent was probably a supercharged Comet drag bike called "Mighty Mouse" which was run by a guy called Brian Chapman. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nexai2NkM9s

22-04-2018, 08:06 PM	#14
Nasher Registered User Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Portsmouth Bike: M900 Posts: 1,518	My father loved Vincents, but never owned one. If we ever saw one at a show he'd get upset about all the Vincent engines he saw go to the bottom of the sea. He told me they used to use them to power unmanned target boats when he was in the Navy. I don't know how true it was, but he believed it. Nasher __________________ Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell is afraid I'll take over.

22-04-2018, 08:10 PM	#15
Miky Guest Posts: n/a	Beautiful bike. I agree with it being safe in London. Bike thieves don’t have a market for bikes that value, plus their lack of education would mean they’d likely oversee it.