Tweet
Copy_of_Copy_of_Oct07_9.jpgOct07_5.jpgCopy_of_Oct07_15.jpgCopy_of_Oct07_10.jpgCopy_(2)_of_Oct07_4.jpgAt another thread in this small world of Vincents postings on the AMCA forum, discussion of discovery of a Vincent Bonneville bike arose.
In conversations with a friend here is Hawaii about things mechanical, we somehow as when people discuss their gear head experiences and things mechanical, got onto Jaguar cars and he advised, I used to rebuild these some time back in California.
We talked about what it would be like having a Jag V-12 engine in a bike frame and both agreed it would be one heck of a bike for some serious top end fun.
Then I broached the subject of Vincents and he dropped a bomb " I have one and have had it for years".
Here in Hawaii to hear something like that got my heart racing because of the fact that this has been something of a closet pursuit of mine, 1st to hear one of these bikes and then to see if a ride is possible and to go on from there myabe an acquisition.
In this case my friend said no, no interest in selling the bike, it is my nest egg. I asked him when he thought he would be interested in letting it go. Like a marriage vow, till death do us part.
Not wanting to wish death on anyone the conversation moved on about the bike.
All he could advise me is when he purchased the bike, he brought it to his brothers house, oiled it up, fueled it up and tried to start it. He said I could not get it cranked over, so my brother who is bigger than me got it started.
He then said he went for a ride and was checking out what the performance of the bike is like, then realized he was well over 100 MPH in little time, heading to an intersection facing a red light. He was not able to haul the bike down and sped through the intersection unscathed.
That event scared him badly enough to park the bike, and this machine has not been ridden since.
The bike is well stored, so there is no fear of this decaying further but maybe dirty, dusty and a palce for spiders to build their webs.
But gee, to hear about one of these sitting and not being used seems to be a Vincent mortal sin.
This bike is equipped with big throat Delorto's carbs and heavens knows what else. He did advise that either the bike is running 2 front heads or 2 rear heads to accomodate the Delorto's and as you can see by the fuel tank configuration what had to be done to run these carbs.
My friend advises me he has no info on the bike what so ever, as this was not so much a barn find as it was a infrequently used shop find as the person who built the bike either had the bike at this shop and sold it to the shop owner as he lost interest or it was the shop owner who built the bike from back in the 50's as this is a 46 Rapide, and then lost interest and passed away leaving the bike in an estate that languished for several years.
So the above is speculation and not fact from the current owners lips and just that, speculation.
I had to ask permission to post images of this bike and with that was asked "If anyone knows anything about this bike that info would be wonderful to know".
As is the case with a lot of these bikes that have changed hands, many sat and languished, the owners history is often times lost to time.
In conversations with a friend here is Hawaii about things mechanical, we somehow as when people discuss their gear head experiences and things mechanical, got onto Jaguar cars and he advised, I used to rebuild these some time back in California.
We talked about what it would be like having a Jag V-12 engine in a bike frame and both agreed it would be one heck of a bike for some serious top end fun.
Then I broached the subject of Vincents and he dropped a bomb " I have one and have had it for years".
Here in Hawaii to hear something like that got my heart racing because of the fact that this has been something of a closet pursuit of mine, 1st to hear one of these bikes and then to see if a ride is possible and to go on from there myabe an acquisition.
In this case my friend said no, no interest in selling the bike, it is my nest egg. I asked him when he thought he would be interested in letting it go. Like a marriage vow, till death do us part.
Not wanting to wish death on anyone the conversation moved on about the bike.
All he could advise me is when he purchased the bike, he brought it to his brothers house, oiled it up, fueled it up and tried to start it. He said I could not get it cranked over, so my brother who is bigger than me got it started.
He then said he went for a ride and was checking out what the performance of the bike is like, then realized he was well over 100 MPH in little time, heading to an intersection facing a red light. He was not able to haul the bike down and sped through the intersection unscathed.
That event scared him badly enough to park the bike, and this machine has not been ridden since.
The bike is well stored, so there is no fear of this decaying further but maybe dirty, dusty and a palce for spiders to build their webs.
But gee, to hear about one of these sitting and not being used seems to be a Vincent mortal sin.
This bike is equipped with big throat Delorto's carbs and heavens knows what else. He did advise that either the bike is running 2 front heads or 2 rear heads to accomodate the Delorto's and as you can see by the fuel tank configuration what had to be done to run these carbs.
My friend advises me he has no info on the bike what so ever, as this was not so much a barn find as it was a infrequently used shop find as the person who built the bike either had the bike at this shop and sold it to the shop owner as he lost interest or it was the shop owner who built the bike from back in the 50's as this is a 46 Rapide, and then lost interest and passed away leaving the bike in an estate that languished for several years.
So the above is speculation and not fact from the current owners lips and just that, speculation.
I had to ask permission to post images of this bike and with that was asked "If anyone knows anything about this bike that info would be wonderful to know".
As is the case with a lot of these bikes that have changed hands, many sat and languished, the owners history is often times lost to time.
Comment