Today’s vehicle is a 1955 Vincent Black Shadow Series D motorcycle owned by Jon Bucher that I photographed at Golden Cove the mostly British Cars and Coffee event located in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. It is finished in black with gold accents and features polished aluminum fenders, a black Naugahyde hinged two-up seat. The name Black Shadow was a reference to the black enamel finish on the engine, which stood out when other bikes at the time were typically polished or chromed. It is powered by a 55 hp, 998 cc, 50° OHV, V-twin engine, dry sump, air cooled, with a pair of 1⅛” Amal Type 389/10 carburetors mated to a 4-speed manual transmission with 7.2:1 final drive. Slowing this beauty down are drum brakes, 2-drums upfront and a single drum in the rear. The front suspension is a Girdraulic hydraulic damped fork. The rear suspension is swing arm with single Armstrong spring/damper unit. The electrics are by Lucas “The Prince of Darkness”
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The Vincent motorcycles were produced from 1946 to 1955 with a total of 11,036 units of those 1,072 were shipped to the United States. In 1955 the total number of Series D’s, in four different models, produced was 528 units of those 144 were Black Shadows. The MSRP was £400 in the UK or $1,116.00 in US dollars. The published top speed of 125 MPH with a 0-60 mph time of 6.0 Seconds.
The Vincent Black Shadow is noted as the most famous model made by Vincent. Rollie Free has been credited with being the guy who made the name Vincent a household word overnight. Rollie was the sort of guy who would wear a bathing suit “Speedo”, lay in a flat prone position and a borrowed a pair of sneaks to get that extra mile per hour on the Bonneville Salt Flats (see photo below). On September 13th, 1948 he set a new American Motorcycle Speed Record of 150.313 mph.
The Vincent Black Shadow qualifies as Fastest production motorcycle of the 1950s and the world’s first “Superbike”. This Black Shadow is 70 years old and is in exemplary unrestored condition. It is rare to find a Black Shadow in this unrestored, unmolested with its original patina. What a great motorcycle to take to bike shows, Bikes & Coffee events, or just having fun going through the S’s in the local canyons with like minded friends. Thank you for riding along. Frank
Photo Courtesy of Vincent HRD.