Vincent black shadow on Top Gear.

Nightfall · 03-18-2010, 01:18 AM

So I was watching Top Gear tonight and it's the episode where they reveal that Michael Schumacher was the stig and they were racing a Vincent Black Shadow against a Jaguar XK120 against a period steam locomotive all the way up to Edinburgh, Scotland all the way from wherever they were in England.

My fantasy bike from way back is the Brough Superior but I honestly might like the black shadow even moreso after seeing this episode, man that bike is awesome! What's also cool is that the XK120 is one of my dream roadsters.

good stuff ... felt like sharing.

Nightfall · 03-18-2010, 01:33 AM

Brough Superior circa 1933:

Vincent Black Shadow circa 1949 (I think):

Jaguar XK120 circa 1950:

dsmgixxer · 03-18-2010, 07:19 AM

link?

TheTon · 03-18-2010, 08:12 AM

I would rather have the Jag. And I love old Brit bikes. Now if that was a Norvin, or an Egli Vincent..

Saml01 · 03-18-2010, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightfall

My fantasy bike from way back is the Brough Superior

good stuff ... felt like sharing.

Lies. You want one because Lawrence of Arabia had like 6 of em.

---

Id love to find an old vincent in a barn or something, it would be like a dream come true.

baller30 · 03-18-2010, 12:05 PM

Love thos bikes, but jaguars are absolute crap.

TheTon · 03-18-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baller30

Love thos bikes, but jaguars are absolute crap.

No

baller30 · 03-18-2010, 12:41 PM

I didnt say they werent nice and works of art, but they are built like crap. They always have issues with them

TheTon · 03-18-2010, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baller30

I didnt say they werent nice and works of art, but they are built like crap. They always have issues with them

They're British.

Nightfall · 03-18-2010, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saml01

Lies. You want one because Lawrence of Arabia had like 6 of em.

---

Id love to find an old vincent in a barn or something, it would be like a dream come true.

Not really ...

More because they were built very well, were great for riding across countries, look awesome, are plenty fast, and the character in a really cool anime rode one lol

Nightfall · 03-18-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baller30

I didnt say they werent nice and works of art, but they are built like crap. They always have issues with them

Ginger kid is right, you are wrong, I SAID GOOD DAY, SIR!

Saml01 · 03-18-2010, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightfall

Not really ...

More because they were built very well, were great for riding across countries, look awesome, are plenty fast, and the character in a really cool anime rode one lol

I know, i was trying to be sarcastic.

When they sold them back in the day they advertised them as "The Roll Royce of Motorcycles".

True Story: Brough made the advertisement without Rolls' permission. So instead of being dicks about it Rolls actually went to the Brough factory and examined the bikes. They basically felt they shouldnt be associated in any way to any company unless the machines matched their standards.

jk750 · 03-18-2010, 03:54 PM

Brough was the first real Superbike. The Vincent was the second. Both bikes were basically unmatched for a period of about 20 years. That's an eternity in motorsports.

PhilB · 03-18-2010, 05:53 PM

There's a guy in our local antique motorcycle club that has two Brough Superiors. They're definitely cool. I've ridden behind one of them for a while on some rides; very fun to watch and listen to.

My motorcycle dealer worked at the Vincent factory in 1951, raced them and ran them at Bonneville back in the day, still has a couple of them, and is even now involved in an effort to take the overall motorcycle speed record (currently 360 mph) with a streamliner powered by two supercharged Vincent engines (pic attached below).

PhilB