Iconic Motorcycles Codexery

Vincent Black Shadow

The world's fastest production motorcycle, announced in 1948 with a top speed of 125 mph.

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Vincent Black Shadow

Piero at Dutch Wikipedia · via Wikipedia: Vincent Black Shadow · CC BY-SA 3.0

The Vincent Black Shadow is a motorcycle built with a 998 cc air-cooled V-twin engine derived from the Vincent Rapide.[1] Its engine was painted black using a chromate primer and black enamel coating, a departure from the polished chrome of contemporary bikes.[2] The complete motorcycle weighs 458 lb due to extensive use of aluminium alloy.[3]

How it changed

Engineer Phil Irving and racer George Brown quietly built two prototypes after managing director Frank Walker refused to authorize development.[4] The prototype Black Shadow was completed on 16 February 1948 and was reported to reach 122 mph in a road test.[5] The engine had a compression ratio of 7.3:1, higher than the Rapide's nominal 6.8:1, achieved with different pistons.[5] The engine was mounted as a stressed member of the frame, eliminating the need for a downtube cradle.[5]

The 1948 Motorcycle Show at Earls Court in London served as the venue for the Black Shadow's official debut.[6] To build production Black Shadows, workers selected Rapide components by hand, then applied tighter tolerances and polished the ports.[7] Series B and C models were equipped with 1⅛ in Amal 289 carburettors, whereas Series D models received Amal Type 389/10 units.[5] According to official records, the total number of Vincent Black Shadows manufactured reached 1,774.[8]

A replica Black Shadow constructed entirely from new components was ordered by the Vincent H·R·D Owners Club in 2007.[9]

What the maker and period sources say

A 1949 test by the journal Motor Cycle called the Black Shadow "a connoisseur's machine" with speed and acceleration far greater than any other standard motorcycle.[6] Thompson's 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas mentions the bike several times.[10][11] A 1952 endurance record attempt at Montlhéry, France, involved four Black Shadows and achieved records including the 6 Hours and 1000 Kilometres.[2][12] Hunter S. Thompson claimed that sustained operation of the Black Shadow at its maximum velocity would "almost certainly" result in the rider's death.[10]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "1952 Vincent Black Shadow", www.nationalmcmuseum.org (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Harper, "Vincent Vee Twins – The famous 1000 series, plus 500 singles", Osprey Publishing Limited, 1985 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Duke, "Vincent Genealogy", Motorcycle USA, 1 April 2003 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Harper, "Vincent Vee Twins – The famous 1000 series, plus 500 singles", Osprey Publishing Limited, 1985; Harper, "Vincent Vee Twins – The famous 1000 series, plus 500 singles", Osprey Publishing Limited, 1985 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bickerstaff, "Original Vincent Motorcycle", Bay View Books Ltd, 1997 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Vincent Black Shadow Series C", www.realclassic.co.uk (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Bickerstaff, "Original Vincent Motorcycle", Bay View Books Ltd, 1997; Bickerstaff, "Original Vincent Motorcycle", Bay View Books Ltd, 1997 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  8. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Keane, "Recollection of Working at Vincents 1948–1950"; Furlong, "'Big Sid's Passion", March 1990, p. 58; Guyony, "Vincent Motorcycles: The Untold Story since 1946", Veloce Publishing, 1 December 2016; "1951 Vincent White Shadow", www.hemmings.com; Classic Bike, September 2002, pp.45–55 Accessed 20 December 2017. Spotters Guide:Vincent Twins "There is some disagreement among Vincent enthusiasts as to wheth (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  9. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "2007 Vincent Black Shadow; Vincent Owners Club Spares Co; 2007; CMM83", www.nzmuseums.co.nz }}{{Dead link, January 2026 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  10. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Thompson, "Song of the Sausage Creature", March 1995; "HST on the Vincent Black Shadow", www.vincent-hrd.co.uk (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  11. "HST on the Vincent Black Shadow", www.vincent-hrd.co.uk. facts only, no text reused. vincent-hrd.co.uk
  12. Wikipedia, "Vincent Black Shadow" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Lot 291 – The ex-works, Montlhéry speed record attempt,1952 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow", www.bonhams.com; Harper, "Vincent Vee Twins – The famous 1000 series, plus 500 singles", Osprey Publishing Limited, 1985 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Vincent Black Shadow (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

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Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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