Vincent?????

[Deans BMW]

What do you think?

http://www.vincentmotors.com/BIK/touring.php


http://www.vincentmotors.com/BIK/images/main_BlkLightST.jpg

[DarthRider]

Ah yes...the VinnieHonda.
It's a way cool bike in its own right, too bad they saw fit to steal - or buy - or whatever the name from another motorcycle.
Reminds me a bit of the new "Norton". (If that vaporware bike ever materializes)
And the new but newly deceased "Indian".
Or even my much loved new "Triumph"...another great bike in its own right with a name that belongs to it only legally.

Steal a vintage name and get lots of attention I guess.

Dave

[Fly]

Not sure about those saddlebags...

[Dallara]

Check out the fuel tank location!!!

Between the engine and the rear wheel, INSIDE the swingarm! :104:

Wow, but that's weird.

Cheers!

Allan (the unmighty dustar Dallara - NACD)

[fnfalman]

The bike is quite lovely. Very pleasing to the eyes without being too retro. But what about the rest of the components? Proprietary engine?

[DJ Down Under]

I'll have to go down and check out what's the latest with the local Aussie Vincent..when I was there last they'd made about four...all different.

Here's the the one I like....you should see the workshop..pistons..heads and engine bits everywhere...I was like a kid in a candy store.

DJ

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2314.JPG

[Dallara]

Now that Aussie Vincent has the RIGHT engine for a Vincent.

The other one is kind of attractive in it's own way, but I am kind of with Darth on this one... You can buy a name, and hope to have along the image, heritage, and fame, but no matter what it's just not the same.

How much do those Aussie Vincent's cost, DJ?

Cheers!

Allan (the unmighty duster Dallara - NACD)

[DarthRider]

FNFALMAN -
That's an RC51 lump in that puppy...nice engine choice.

The Aussie Vincent - I saw one race at Bonneville 2 years ago but it was much more "Vincent-ized" than this one. Everyone thought it was a real one until we talked to them. I don't know if they are copies, replicas, re-made old ones or what.
I've never owned a Vincent but know several guys who have. This is one of those bikes, for me at least, much better admired from afar.
I rode a *really* nice Black Shadow a few years ago...the actual one that Peter Egan bought and later sold. It was set up to perfection, good brakes considering their age & design and it ran smooth & quick. Good tight, accurate steering, light on it's feet. Performance was about like a well tuned 850 Norton.
Another time I spent a VERY pleasant day on my Norton as wingman with a different Shadow...what lovely sights & sounds on *that* Texas Hill Country ride!

Dave

[Ed K]

I dunno Dean... does not appeal to me...

[DJ Down Under]

Allan..I don't know how much they are...they're a work of art...every part made to the original spec..with some improvments..They have close contact with Irving Vincent's wife who's still alive...she gave them the offical ok (and them only) to do all this and use his name...he told my the story but I was too busy looking around for my ears to be working as well...my wife would agree and say..she can do more than one thing at a time..not like me..yeah right..:doubt:

Here's a few more pics..my old camera let me down a bit...I'll go back soon and ask how much and take more pics.

DJ

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2321.jpg

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2322.jpg

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2325.jpg

btw....here's a pic of a ridgie-didge Vincent that I saw on my way down to Phillip Island last year....love the dents in the tank for the bars to miss the tank.

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~djp1/mypic2323.JPG

[DarthRider]

My friend who owns an area Triumph shop does a lot of museum quality restorations on high end Brit bikes. He has done a couple of Vincents, a Rapide and a Black Shadow.
He says the most memorable quality of the Vincent is that it presents an almost unlimited variety of ways to get things wrong!
The myths & legends continue to grow and many are true but remember the Vincent was a bike built with total disregard to cost or price or ease of maintenance. It was intended from the start to appeal to wealthy individuals without regard for anything more than pride of Vincent ownership. All the finest bits and materials assembled in very mysterious ways. And in the days of very crude, albeit very effective engineering. An earlier model was not-so-affectionately referred to as "The Plumbers Nightmare". And the then typical Brit approach to maintenance engineering..."what does it matter if you have to remove the gas tank to replace a tail light bulb".
That's made up of course but here's a real example of that mind set: When I first replaced the rear wheel bearings on my Norton, I checked the *factory* shop manual and was laughingly surprised to see the first step is to remove the front wheel! They want you to use the front wheel spindle as a tool to drive out the rear wheel bearings. I used a socket and extension and I think it voided my warranty!

Bottom line, for me anyway: A Vincent is much like a swimming pool or boat. It's much better to have a friend who owns one rather than owning it yourself!
I'd rather admire them from afar and keep the legends and myths intact...

Dave