The Vincent Black Lightning is the rarest of the r...

Vincent Black Lightning

Vincents have at all times been sought-after bikes, and possibly probably the most fascinating of all of them are Black Lightnings.

Solely 31 have been constructed by the manufacturing unit within the interval from 1948 to 1952. They have been obtainable to order race machines based mostly on the Black Shadow prime of the road street bike and featured such gadgets as magnesium engine components, rear-set foot controls, single seat and alloy guards.

Excessive efficiency engine components included uprated conrods, metal loafer gears, polished rockers, “Mark II” cams, bigger inlet ports, racing carburettors and manual-advance magneto.

Output was 95 hp, up 25 hp on the Shadow’s determine whereas weight was lowered by 45 kg from the Shadow’s 170 kg. Prime velocity was round 240 km/h relying on the state of tune – a 12:1 compression ratio may very well be specified for operating on methanol for example.

This explicit 1952 Sequence C bike was initially bought by Prince Bira of Siam (Thailand), a famous racing automobile driver of the time. It was quickly offered and imported into Australia in 1953 by South Australian racer Gordon Benny and used for sidecar racing (each tarmac and speedway) in Victoria and South Australia.

Sometimes his passenger Dean Hogath would race it solo after the sidecar had been eliminated. The outfit gained (amongst many different occasions) the 1957 South Australian Sidecar Grand Prix.

The bike was later offered to West Australian Tom McQuade who fitted the motor to his speedway sidecar outfit. Ian Boyd ultimately obtained the motor and entrusted the late David Bowen with restoring the bike.

Fortunately McQuade had stored many of the authentic components together with the body and cycle-parts! It’s now part of Ian’s Vincent assortment in Western Australia.

As a late footnote the Black Lightning design was utilized by the manufacturing unit as the premise for the Picador energy plant for use by ML Aviation’s Queen Bee remote-controlled goal drone.

An uprated crankshaft and big-ends, Scintilla magneto, double-speed oil pump and mechanical gas injection have been the principle modifications made. An oil tub chain major drive and a bevel gear drove the two-bladed propeller at a 2:1 discount from engine velocity.

On account of ML being unable to totally kind the electronics the programme was cancelled in 1953 after two yr’s improvement. Vincent constructed 42 Picador engines throughout this time with the ultimate six by no means being began. Quantity 41 can be in Ian’s assortment and is one in every of three identified to nonetheless exist.

Vincent Black Lightning Specs

Vincent Black Lightning Gallery