Bonhams found this Vincent HRD Black Lightning in a shed

Рет қаралды 58,005

7 ай бұрын

In this video we speak with Bill To and Alan Cathcart about this very rare find, a 1948 Vincent HRD Series C Black Lightning (998cc).
This bike as well as many others will be offered for sale in the Bonhams Spring Sale at The International Classic MotorCycle Show, Stafford, UK. The date of the auction will be 20 / 21 April 2024.
// VIEW THE BONHAMS SPRING SALE WEBSITE HERE:
www.bonhams.com/auction/29273...
// FOR ALL CHANNEL ENQUIRIES (INCLUDING SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING) please contact Alex Rollings - theclassicmotorcyclechannel@gmail.com
// ABOUT THE CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CHANNEL
The Classic Motorcycle Channel is for people who love classic, vintage and antique motorcycles. We are passionate about classic motorcycles and produce high quality motorcycle profile videos, restoration videos, restorer profile videos and also anything that takes our interest.
We also have a second KZfaq channel for workshop video logs and additional video content - ‪@TheClassicMotorcycleChannel2‬
// CHANNEL PARTNERS
- Alex Rollings - director and producer for the channel.
KZfaq: ‪@motofilmer‬
Instagram: @motofilmer
- Dave Mitchell - in house mechanic, presenter and producer. Dave also owns and runs a classic motorcycle workshop called Mitchell's Classics.
Website: www.mitchellsclassics.co.uk
- John Oakes - presenter and producer. John is a classic motorcycle enthusiast, rider and restorer and works closely with us on all our video content.
Instagram and Facebook: @classicbikeman
// A BIG THANK YOU TO
- Ben Walker, Bill To and Annika Morrill for helping us produce this video.
Website: www.bonhams.com
Instagram: @bonhamsbikes
- Alan Cathcart for taking the time to film with us.
- Kel Edge and Alan Cathercart for supplying us with the photos to include in this video.
- John Ehret and Peter Bender for the historial Jack Ehret Vincent HRD Black Lightning photos to include in this video.
- David Lancaster and Gerry Gerry Jenkinson from Speed is Expensive for supplying us with some photos and videos to include in this video.
Website: www.speedisexpensive.com
Instagram: @speed_is_expensive
- Godet Motorcycles for supplying us with the video of the Black Lightning to include in this video.
Website: www.godet-motorcycles.fr
- Tomasz Szczerbicki and Krzysztof Rotta for their photo of Woyciech and Andrzey Echilczuk.
- John Oakes for taking the time to film with us.
Instagram and Facebook: @classicbikeman
- Alex Rollings for producing the video.
KZfaq: ‪@motofilmer‬
Instagram: @motofilmer
#vincenthrd
#vincentblacklightning
#vincentmotorcycles

Пікірлер: 95

@my2cents395 7 ай бұрын

I just looked in my shed, just disappointment.

@jjnewman65 7 ай бұрын

😢

@Russell_and_Rosko 7 ай бұрын

I just opened my wallet...two moths flew out.

@hulking_presence 7 ай бұрын

These guys found it and you didn't because in their case someone put the bike into the shed in the first place

@ianhoyle8459 7 ай бұрын

I don’t need to look lol 🥹

@vincentl.9469 7 ай бұрын

@@Russell_and_Rosko some have sold for £100K or more-but you need to find the right buyer at the right time. often they dont sell for anywhere near what people ask for

@papachis9535 5 ай бұрын

During 1985, a friend of mine bought an old Rover 3.5 Coupe. We were around Swansea and cruised it all over the Gower and between Port Talbot and Swansea. On one occasion, blasting between Port Talbot and Swansea on the collector, we spied a speck in the rear view mirror. It was advancing, so we hit the gas. Very shortly a person on a bike passed us whilst we were at full throttle. We eventually caught it at some traffic lights. It was a Vincent.

@aumkar2 7 ай бұрын

Unbelievable! Phil Irving and Phil Vincent, the greatest duo ever! A Vincent! One day, one day!

@davidrohlader3498 6 ай бұрын

In early 1959, i was offered a 1938 Rudge TT 500, but at 5ft 10 inches, i could not touch the ground. Later thet year, i was helping a friend work on his 1949 Rapide, which had Lightning cams, carbs, straight pipes and a racing seat on a D series seat mount which put all the weight on the springs, which were sidecar springs, and in 1970 i owned this bike. In between, i bought one in 1961 out of and add in the paper. That was a 1951 C series Shadow. When i bought the Rapide from my friend, the deal included a 1953 Shadow in crates. Later sold both to a man who had a set of Brampton forks for the B series Rapide, completely restored it and won trophys at Vincent rallies.

@louischannel7008 6 ай бұрын

Man this makes me cry. For family reasons I had to sell my Vincent many years ago. I am 80 now still miss it. Best bike I’ve owned. 120 mph in 3rd with my wife on the back in NZ. ❤😂😂😂

@MHLivestreams 6 ай бұрын

I feel your pain, fella.

@UrsulavonB 3 ай бұрын

120 mph sitting straight up!!! I spent hours sitting in front of my dad on the Vincent...Foor pegs would drag laid over in curves shooting sparks!!! The bike was sold for $300 - $400.00 circa 1956. Most previous owners would scare 😱 😨 themselves and sell the bike.

@Splitscreen83 6 ай бұрын

Vincent. Absolutely spectacular. That kind of performance in 1950!!! Unreal 😎👍

@peterlarsen7779 Ай бұрын

My very first bike was a '66 Velocette MSS. I paid £1500 for it. It couldn't start, but dad worked on it and got it sorted. I enjoyed the bike though I _did_ have problems with it's clutch thanks to it's design. My biggest dream was to save up for a Vincent. At the time (the mid-80s) a Rapide could be bought for around £7000, and a Shadow for around £12.500. My mum told me, "if you buy another one of those old pieces of junk, you can find somewhere else to live!" I was just an apprentice at the time, soooo 🤷😞😞😞😞 I always regretted that! I was fortunate once to catch a glimpse of rither a Comet or Meteor go by with its distinctive exhaust note...

@mickeycrilly1839 7 ай бұрын

I have wanted this bike since I was a little boy I am 62 soon and still can’t afford it I also named my first dog Vincent and he was the nearest I ever got ha ha

@kdsowen2882 7 ай бұрын

My Dad had a Rapide in Britain , I own a bike the Japanese made after buying and stripping a Vincent ; A Yamaha TR1 XV1000 chain-drive ( TR1 = Touring Roadster 1000 ), which eventually-led to the shaft-drive Virago-Cruisers and The-Current Yamaha V-Star series of bikes . My bike has the mono-style shock and swing-arm , plus miniscule-frame bolted to the heads . They really-did copy a lot . Dave nz

@tednruth453 7 ай бұрын

"That's a fine motorbike"

@toasty1182 7 ай бұрын

Great bike. Great film again chaps. 👏👏👏

@mickgerard6696 7 ай бұрын

What a machine. What a story!

@Patshes 6 ай бұрын

The rear suspension looks very advanced for is age. Cool find! 🆒😎👍!

@bradkorando 7 ай бұрын

What a fantastic bike. Thanks for producing this video of it. I can't wait to see what it brings at auction.

@MHLivestreams 6 ай бұрын

Any British biker's dream. What a beauty.

@MegaTubescreamer 7 ай бұрын

whaat a machine and what a great tale , its an excellent homecoming too ! great video 👍

@user-ot7fc8jo8x 6 ай бұрын

Outrageously awesome! A fantastical dream 👍👌👏

@deepindercheema4917 Ай бұрын

The Black Lightning was knocked down at about £130,000 at Stafford in April '24. With fees and Vat on the 15% premium it came to about £149,000. I think that it was a great price for the winner considering the excellent history.

@AlbertDongler 7 ай бұрын

Want! (but can't afford)

@lilianecasner3336 7 ай бұрын

When I was 16 in 1961 at the bottom of are housing estate this fella had a Vincent combination,daily ride I used to sit and look at and think what a strange machine,I had a Norman sports,great times

@garyprince2867 7 ай бұрын

Thanks so much, what a great bike! Good to see Alan Cathcart - maybe conduct a long-form interview with him on his motorcycling life sometime? PS. There is a Lightning in a nearby Sydney motorcycle shop, with amazing patina!

@Vince1266 6 ай бұрын

What shop, I am in Sydney. I couldn't think of any likely shops I know.

@bobe3250 6 ай бұрын

Love the sound it makes!! Bet those riders back then had a blast

@maskedavenger2578 7 ай бұрын

Looks like a proper motorcycle 👍

@Steeps1969 6 ай бұрын

Superb!

@Charlie-Oooooo 3 ай бұрын

Imagine finding this in a barn! What a dream!!!❤

@eddiebradford1571 7 ай бұрын

That’s my other shed!!🤣😉 Great video guys and beautiful bike😍👍

@jackberglund309 7 ай бұрын

I have a 1950 Black Shadow actually built in 1949 and it has a plain timimg side cover and a HRD transfer on the steering head.

@pemj7360 6 ай бұрын

My dad had one of these during the 60s. He said handled like a bag of nails and you had to book an appointment to stop at the end of the road . But he loved it . If he only knew then what he knows now lol

@nickrider5220 2 ай бұрын

Alan Cathcart really knows his Vincents - wonderful information 🍻 The term icon is overused, the Black Shadow and Lightning are true icons ❤

@nickyfield137 6 ай бұрын

Those pipes. Just two simple curves but perfect

@ringo196 6 ай бұрын

The BEST V TWIN bike engine EVER made 🇬🇧

@user-iy6de7qi1r 4 ай бұрын

I've got a book, "A Vincent in the Barn" on mu shelf, that's about as close as I get to a Vincent these days. I've seen a couple in bike shows over the past years, three maybe four. Always a pleasure! Thanks.

@chrislaunders8283 7 ай бұрын

Interesting seeing Alan Cathcart riding the Ehret Ligntning, the front suspension is so supple, nothing like a standard Vincent which is pretty rigid unless a lot of work has been done to it.

@mickhardstaff6605 7 ай бұрын

December 1949 my birthday , what a preasent 😅

@markmathews6876 7 ай бұрын

so many Australian connections tied into these Vincents

@kdsowen2882 7 ай бұрын

The Two Greatest V-Twins ever-built came from 'Down-Under' : The Vincent and The Britten V-1000

@markmathews6876 7 ай бұрын

& not just the engines , the frames are also superb ,such a shame we lost Britten so early @@kdsowen2882

@zebop917 3 ай бұрын

You only have to say the name of the bike and it sends a shiver down your spine.

@steveh2544 7 ай бұрын

Ace 👍

@Tomasz.P___b 6 ай бұрын

The least likely destination for these motorcycles in the 1940s would be Poland. I'm from Poland, and I'm aware that before 1989, there were only a few British motorcycles, truly rare and unique.

@davesmith8568 7 ай бұрын

Lovely bike for a moment thought it may have been Richard Thompsons 1952😂

@paulstokes393 7 ай бұрын

Red Molly is still thrashing it around 😅

@davesmith8568 7 ай бұрын

@@paulstokes393 she had better be

@stuartcarter3649 6 ай бұрын

Just checked my shed also, haaaa my Harley is still there !!👍🇦🇺👍

@NedKelly1967 6 ай бұрын

My Grandad had a HRD 😊 and a Matchless 500 single

@dilligaf700 28 күн бұрын

Sean Rowe sang a song about this bike. It's called "Vincent black lightning". Check it out you might like it.

@collyernicholasjohn 7 ай бұрын

Pipes r unreal. 150mph for a naked air cooled twin? 😳

@ScottishTeeVee 4 ай бұрын

30 odd years ago, I was standing at a bus stop in Falkirk, I had just dropped by motorbike off for an MOT at Jim Allans Motorcycles. I was standing with my bike helmet etc and a very old lady asked where my bike was, I explained, she listened. Then she says, "I have a motorbike in my shed, it was my husbands. He was killed on in many years ago, the handlebars are bent, but not much more damage, I keep it as he loved it" after a bit of chat I asked what kind of motorbike it was "A Vincent Black Shadow.." Even 30 odd years ago, I said to her that it must be worth a few thousand, but she said it would never be sold. She will be long dead now, but I often wonder what happened to her husband's motorbike.

@cedhome7945 7 ай бұрын

Best barn find I had was a CB 400/4 .... hoping for a Vincent but a mint 10.k honda was a great for 175 quid push it away .new battery and plugs and away she went ....... keep hunting people!

@MHLivestreams 6 ай бұрын

400/4 is quite the classic now, pretty revvy little machine, well done, fella! I got a 95 gsxr 750 for £400 a few years back.. Have a great day.

@plunder1956 6 ай бұрын

Must be a nice shed.

@galwegan4081 6 ай бұрын

i ran outside to look in my shed , dont even have a shed .. sad day

@wighatsuperreggie 7 ай бұрын

Strange. They cut to the factory where it was tuned. And the mechanic looks just like the interviewer...

@nihilmiror6312 6 ай бұрын

So, actually the owner found Bonhams. 🤔

@theodavies8754 2 ай бұрын

13:1 isn't something I would try but the dynamic psi would make it near impossible to start warm. I did 155 on a naked bike in 1990 and it was nothing like the achievement of 150 40 years before. 200 with a fairing doesn't compare.

@stephenharper9754 7 ай бұрын

I noyice that the bike featured has the normal Black Shadow cylinder heads with 1 carburettor on the right and 1 on the left of the bike. Whereas most of the historical photo's and film show thw 2 caburettors on the left of the bike. My brother owned a Comet 500 back in the 60's and had 2 friends 1 with a Shadow and the other with a Rapide both of which had the carburettors 1 either side. I remember talks of using 2 front cylinder head to improve power, which would have meant both carb's being on the left of the bike. Therefore is this bike really a Black Lightening? Regards Steve Harper

@bryn494 6 ай бұрын

Just nipped to the shed to get a screwdriver and... :D

@user-cg7kr9gy6n 7 ай бұрын

Is that an artillery shell standing behind them?

@jfu5222 6 ай бұрын

Nice, but it's everyone's favorite. I'm more contrarian, give me a Cyclone or Flying Merkel racer for my unobtainable dream machine.

@charlesphillips8635 7 ай бұрын

And someone will pay a kings ransom for and it’ll never see the light of day again, let alone ride it!

@boataxe4605 6 ай бұрын

I can’t believe that it was legal to ride a motorcycle without a headlight.

@wainstones7381 5 ай бұрын

It still is if you have a daytime mot only.

@ThrottleAddiction 5 ай бұрын

I think the estimate is a bit under-priced.

@Cloudberry46 7 ай бұрын

I would have thought that a 1949 Vin would have HRD on the timing side casing?

@deepindercheema4917 7 ай бұрын

I have to listen again but I think Mr Cathercart? mentions magnesium engine castings. If this is the case then Vincent already had diecast tooling ready. Mr Harper thought the same when he first saw it in Poland.

@pashakdescilly7517 7 ай бұрын

Late 1949 machines were made as Vincents, not HRD.

@pashakdescilly7517 7 ай бұрын

@@deepindercheema4917 Vincent did not make magnesium castings for the Lightning, apart from brake plates.

@deepindercheema4917 7 ай бұрын

@@pashakdescilly7517 That makes better sense by getting mass and the CoG into the centre of the bicycle as per the book Motorcycle Engineering by P.E.Irving. The plates having screwed in scoops into the flat castings makes sense.

@pashakdescilly7517 7 ай бұрын

@@deepindercheema4917 These days you can get replica engine castings from various sources. At least one outfit makes a full set of magnesium engine castings.

@AaaaandAction 6 ай бұрын

12:37 I notice what appears to be a driven sprocket both sides of the rear wheel, can anyone explain this or am I seeing things?

@toasty1182 6 ай бұрын

That’s one size for solo then flip the wheel round for a different gearing for side car work 👍

@AaaaandAction 6 ай бұрын

@@toasty1182 Genius 🤪🤪🤪 thanks. Clearly no rotation direction tyres in those days.

@zoltankaparthy9095 6 ай бұрын

Real iron

@wiscgaloot 6 ай бұрын

Very sweet but not street legal and I expect it has no kickstart, has to be started with an external motor like most race bikes.

@thatdudeinorange5269 6 ай бұрын

This Vincent, and a B.R.M.V16 and nothing more is needed in a shed? Well maybe some barrels of methanol..

@kernowman7140 6 ай бұрын

Never to be ridden hard again poor thing .

@MHLivestreams 6 ай бұрын

I would be tempted to ask China to reproduce it!

@Aut0five Ай бұрын

anyone know what the hammer price was?

@tonydoggett7627 6 ай бұрын

If you like motorcycles like this, put a air cooled desmo Ducati in your shed for the future. 🦘🇦🇺

@fredflint1797 6 ай бұрын

Great article by Phil Vincent in Sport Quarterly (1970 I believe). He explained why he chose the v-twin configuration, side- by- side rods, dual carbs, and much more. I learned a lot as a youngster from his well thought out design and explanation. Still refer to his logic often, and I regret loaning that magazine out..