Description
This motorcycle is Lot 322 - To be auctioned by Bonhams at The Spring Stafford Sale (The International Classic MotorCycle Show) on 26th & 27th April, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Auction Timings:
Lots 101 - 147 are to be sold from 14:00 on Saturday 26th April 2025.
Lots 201 - 410 are to be sold from 11:00 on Sunday 27th April 2025.
Public Viewing:
Available 26th & 27th April 2025 from 09:00 until 17:00, at The Stafford County Showground (The International Classic MotorCycle Show).
Lot 322
The Connoisseurs Collection
1951 Vincent 998cc Black Shadow
Registration no. LOL 125 (see text)
Frame no. RC8976B/ C Rear frame no. RC8976B/ C (restamped)
Engine no. F10AB/ 1B/ 7076
An older restoration
Acquired for the collection in 1994
Kept on static display
Requires recommissioning following a period of inactivity
Ever since the Series A's arrival in 1937 the Vincent v-twin has been synonymous with design innovation, engineering excellence, and superlative high performance. Above all else it was the latter that captivated motorcyclists, whether they could afford one or not. The appeal of the Vincent, and the Black Shadow in particular, lay in its ability to out-perform just about every other vehicle on the road, and in the early post-war years there was nothing to compare with it. This was a time when the average family saloon was barely capable of reaching 70mph, and not until the advent of Jaguar's XK120 was there a production sports car that could live with the thundering v-twins from Stevenage. With a top speed approaching 120mph and bettering it in the Black Shadow's case, the Vincent v-twin was quite simply the fastest road vehicle of its day.
This Black Shadow was last reported to the Vincent Owners' Club by a previous owner back in 1983 so has been an unknown for the last 40 years. The VOC advises us that engine 'F10AB/ 1B/ 7076' and upper frame member 'RC8976B/ C' are from a Series-C Black Shadow despatched to Kings in Birmingham in June 1951. It should be noted that the number on the rear frame appears to have been restamped. The Vincent was first registered in the UK on 11th August 1951. The last tax disc expired in July 1984 and the last V5C was issued in February 1993, at which time there had been three recorded keepers in the UK. The machine was acquired by the collection in January 1994 and has an export marker against its registration in the DVLA and HPI databases. Accordingly, prospective purchasers should satisfy themselves with regard to this motorcycle's registration status prior to bidding. An older restoration, the Vincent has been on static display for many years and will require recommissioning and safety checks before returning to the road. Sold strictly as viewed.
All lots are sold 'as is/ where is' and Bidders must satisfy themselves as to the provenance, condition, age, completeness and originality prior to bidding. Visit the Bonhams Motorcycles website for all pertinent auction information.
