"The Vincent Black Shadow is famous for a lot of reasons. Released in the late-40s, into an era of post-war austerity, it was groundbreaking, intimidating and fast enough to turn a pilot’s eyelids inside out. It made such "
Vincent Black Lightning
When you look closely at this bike, it gets only more beautiful. There’s something in the combination of chrome and dark steel; something about its exposed machinery – that tugs at the emotions.
We can’t claim to be experts on the Vincent HRD brand, but you can bet we are fully paid up, card-carrying devotees of its looks.
Apparently the Black lightning, all stretched out straightline form, magnesium alloy elements and such, achieved a Land Speed Record at Bonneville, piloted by Rollei Free (that’s Rollei stretched out in his trunks in the gallery). You can read about the details here.
But with a vehicle like this, it’s not about the statistics. It’s about the soul.
Look at the bearded fellah in the gallery above deep in the eyes. You can see what this machine means to him. it’s not about the sum total of pistons and pushrods, it’s about the emotions that are stirred up in the rider; it’s about the experiences that are shored up by riding a machine of such passionate design; it’s about something transcendent, something life-affirming in a thing made by human hands for consumption of the human heart.
If looking at this beautiful bike won’t brighten up your monday, then nothing will.
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Hosanna! Thanks for posting. My uncle had one. if only he hadn’t sold it…