Hi, I hope no one minds a new boy asking a few ignorant questions. I'm a Vincent virgin doing some research prior to buying my first. What's the view on Godet Egli Vincents? They look magnificent (in my humble and ignorant view) but I'm concerned they are viewed as a new bike and hence not thought of as a "true Vincent". Am I better to buy an original Vincent and put up with everything that comes with an old bike?
Advice, comments and counsel welcome on what to buy.
Cheers,
Steve
Steve,
I've never ridden a Godet Egli, but having ridden modern bikes for 30 years and now being re-united with a Rapide in the stable as well I have the chance to ride them back to back so have a few views that I hope will be helpful.
Firstly there is a Godet Egli coming up for sale in the H&H Auction next week I think if you fancied having a go.
My father always brought me up to believe that a properly put together and fettled Vincent is a very reliable machine. I've seen lots of evidence of this in my short time back in the VOC, and saw Guy Stanford from Canada at our local meet a couple of weeks ago who had ridden his rebuilt Shadow for 3 months solid and over 8000 miles with just 1 fouled spark plug and a broken clutch cable - so there should not really be any reason why you would need to "put up" with unreliability if that is part of what you refer to under the old bike reference.
My own Rapide has been upgraded when recently rebuilt with 12volt electrics, electronic ignition, series D centre stand and an electric start. I've only done 2000 miles so far running the engine in but she has been totally reliable and a pleasure to own and ride.
Equally so there are a whole load of enthusiasts who enjoy the challenge of a roadside breakdown and I've heard of just about anything and everything being replaced at the side of the road - including the big ends.
I think my Dad was right though - properly fettled there is no need for them to be anything other than thoroughly reliable - but if you ride something 50 plus years old and the components are all original you should expect that you'll have the occasional issue.
In terms of running cost, one thing to bear in mind is what it is going to cost you over time (may or may not be of importance to you) - if you take care, get someone to help and advise you who knows what they are about in terms of Vincents and buy well then you are highly unlikely ever to suffer depreciation and may well have an appreciating asset to pass to your family at some point - worst case scenario it will help you in your retirement should you need it, I'm not sure what the secondhand market for the Godet Egli will do in that respect. As I said, you're call about whether it is an important factor or not.
To riding - well I have to admit to being amazed. As I said I have ridden mine back to back with modern bikes, Harley, Ducati and Honda. It handles amazingly well, the torque has to be felt to be believed even against the 1350cc Harley and is a pleasure to ride. Personally I would not choose to tour on one as an unfaired bike is, in my view, unpleasant above 80 mph for long journeys. I love mine best on fast sweeping A and B roads around England when the sun is shining.
I couldn't stop laughing recently when I was riding cross county to a favourite tea stop, picked up a modern Honda Pan European behind me and set off in a fairly spirited but far from flat out run. After about 20 miles of the twisty stuff we stopped and the guy came in behind me. He had been easily able to catch me on the straights but couldn't keep up through the bends - he was rather surprised.
Foibles - OK so it has four drum brakes and they take a long time to settle in and also it took me over three months of ownership to get them tuned to stop the bike properly - even now they are no match for the huge discs on a Ducati - but you adjust your riding style to suit. There is no excuse for a spongy response with the lever coming back to the bar though - they are much, much better than that. The original road tests suggested circa 30 feet at 30mph.
I can't think of much more than that - a properly put together and maintained machine should be oil tight, handle well, perform superbly and rapidly, a lot of fun and look and sound superb - I can't recommend one highly enough.
If you like the attention - then wherever you stop, from petrol station to traffic lights to tea shop to motorbike store - people want to come over, look at it, photograph it and talk to you about it - I haven't yet been to fill up at the Petrol Station without someone coming over.
Spares - you will not believe the ease with which you can get both parts and advice on what to do with them, plus a range of specialists who are doing upgrade components from twin leading shoe brakes through electric starts, 12 volt ignition, big bore kits and more - you can do as much personalisation and more that you would with a Harley.
The VOC is a good club on the whole would be my view - like everything in life there are good points and bad points, there are one or two dubious people who maintain their membership but with a little care you can steer clear of them - but my own personal experience by far is that all the people I have met have been friendly and united by a common passion for the Vincent and happy to chat with you and offer their advice. My local section, the West London, has been very welcoming.
So, which one to buy - there's the question.
I'd suggest you go along to your local section and get involved, have a look at each of the models at a rally or run, see what takes your personal fancy - some people love the early HRD Series A, Comet or Rapide the Series C Rapide or Shadow is a pretty well sorted bike but the D is a different bike and has a whole range of fans all to itself. Rapide or Shadow - well Shadow has the possible edge in many people's minds but will likely cost you more. The Rapide does everything I ask of it to be honest (although I have to polish the engine a lot). Enclosed D, Prince or Knight - again a matter of preference and Black Lightning is a matter of availability and your cash - plus I think you'd probably be unlikely to ride it on the road. So in summary, go have a look at them all, talk to some members and see what takes your fancy most and suits your pocket.
Oh - and whatever you buy it is "buyer beware" - I would thoroughly recommend that you get the help and advice of someone who knows their Vincents and can talk you through what you are planning to part with your hard earned cash for - remember just because it looks nice and shiny on the outside that is no guarantee on what the internals are like. There are a range of well know people who work on Vincents and a handful of receipts from some of them with an honest and trustsworthy seller with a story that stacks and proper history for the bike is a good investment in the short-term. I know a chap who bought a stunning looking Black Prince at auction sold as "fully restored" and he paid top money - the bike is now with a proper engineer, engine in bits being properly rebuilt using new parts to get it to run!!
Unfortunately some people look at what they believe to be a relatively high price achieved at auction over the last two to three years and immediately think every Vincent is worth that kind of money - it is just not the case. Appraise your potential purchase properly and work out what it is likely to cost you to have it put the way you want it, or put right, when you buy it - take that into consideration.
In some respects you may be better off buying that pile of parts in the H&H auction next week, all original, one bike, all matching numbers but it requires a TOTAL internal and external restoration which will cost in excess of £10K in my view - but then at least you will have a completely restored bike with known history and you will know what the condition of each and every component is on the machine. Be careful who you choose to do the restoration work for you - there are people to use and people to avoid - join the VOC and ask around, look at bikes that have been restored and ask the owner for a recommendation - you'll soon learn where to trust your machine and where not.
If I can be of any further help, if you want to chat anything through, please e-mail me on
metcalfe_stuart@hotmail.com and I'll send you a telephone number.
Hope that's helpful, come on, get involved, join the club, ride a Vincent and have loads of fun.
Regards
Stuart
