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General Chat (Vincent Related)
Average age Vincent owner/VOC member - Number Vincents owned.
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<blockquote data-quote="andrew peters" data-source="post: 121573" data-attributes="member: 3776"><p>It is true that it's not easy to find the bike that will be Yours. I joined the VOC and it still took me nearly 4 years to find My bike.. I attended as many meetings as I could, my local section doesn't have regular meets and I live on an island so any meeting is a long way away... I found at least 4 bikes, in bits.. all owned by guys in their 'later stages of life' and those bikes had been in boxes at least 30-40 years! I can't say these guys will Never put those bikes together but I know 'restoring' a Vincent is a very expensive business, and I suggest many older owners really don't have the finance or even knowledge to put those bikes on the road. Actually I, personally, would warn against taking on a box of bits, I avoided this task, it can/will be Very expensive... probably cheaper to buy one ready to ride (I did that in the end... and still spent a ton of money getting the bike right and how I wanted) In the end my ''wanted'' Ad in MPH paid off. In fact I was offered a few to choose from, although all of them were many miles away from me and a couple on another continent... However this is where club membership is invaluable. One e-mail was enough to find a member who knew the bike and could vouch for its condition and the sellers credibility. So I confidently bought a very expensive bike totally unseen....</p><p>Now I speak as a 'Younger' owner.. I was 'only' 52 when I started looking for my Vincent.. I shouldn't say the local section was 'clicky' .. in fact they were very welcoming, however maybe I wasn't taken seriously? I didn't look rich? No, probably they just didn't know me, many members are of a slightly different generation, and of course many are old friends and I'm not even Canadian! Why would I be trusted to take away one of their 'babies'... I could be a chopper guy!</p><p>There are always going to be obstacles when trying to break into a circle of guys that have history together and history with their bikes.. I even suspect one of our local members is scared to sell his bike that he's not ridden since the 70's.. he is part of a group with a connection... he can't give that up... Another Vincent owner, he says he always wanted a Vincent... he bought it in boxes in 1979... he can't part with it, or afford to rebuild it! Another twin, not far from me.. not for sale.. it has to stay in the family... only one member of the family knows of its existence... in bits since 1968...</p><p>These are valuable bikes, and many Vincent owners don't need the money.. they are comfortable with their old bikes and memories, they were never cheap and these old bikes aren't in sheds behind terraced council houses... Vincent owners aren't just a generation or two away from todays motorcyclist. For many years finance has been the quick and easy way to get on two wheels, visit the dealer and without even a couple pay-stubs you can come out with a ride and a debt! You only need to look at the situation Harley Davidson is in as a manufacturer, they are seemingly stuck with their stereotype owner/buyer.. the grey bearded 'Biker'.. If they can't attract new younger riders then what chance does Vincent have... Our (Vincenteers) image, as many people may perceive is elitist, wealthy and ''better than you!" Our bike have status, yes, admit it... many riders simply don't even aspire to ownership, they think, they know, a Vincent is far beyond their reach. </p><p>How does anyone justify ownership and using such a valuable machine? is it really a better bike than, for example my BMW R90S? a Honda 750, a Kawasaki Z900, a Commando, or Bonneville... even a Honda Cub! a brilliant little bike and you could buy all of those bikes for the price of a Black Shadow.. and have just as much fun riding and mixing with real motorcycle enthusiasts.</p><p>Do we need a 'better' manual to help with the maintenance and repair of a Vincent? I'm not sure, I managed just fine.. I bought all the books, I have a computer and the big one, I have many good friends all over the world that will help me as much as they would as if I were a family member... I thank you all, at 7 o'clock I'll be banging spanners and metal drip trays in appreciation.</p><p>Obituaries.. Yes, of course.. they are family members.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="andrew peters, post: 121573, member: 3776"] It is true that it's not easy to find the bike that will be Yours. I joined the VOC and it still took me nearly 4 years to find My bike.. I attended as many meetings as I could, my local section doesn't have regular meets and I live on an island so any meeting is a long way away... I found at least 4 bikes, in bits.. all owned by guys in their 'later stages of life' and those bikes had been in boxes at least 30-40 years! I can't say these guys will Never put those bikes together but I know 'restoring' a Vincent is a very expensive business, and I suggest many older owners really don't have the finance or even knowledge to put those bikes on the road. Actually I, personally, would warn against taking on a box of bits, I avoided this task, it can/will be Very expensive... probably cheaper to buy one ready to ride (I did that in the end... and still spent a ton of money getting the bike right and how I wanted) In the end my ''wanted'' Ad in MPH paid off. In fact I was offered a few to choose from, although all of them were many miles away from me and a couple on another continent... However this is where club membership is invaluable. One e-mail was enough to find a member who knew the bike and could vouch for its condition and the sellers credibility. So I confidently bought a very expensive bike totally unseen.... Now I speak as a 'Younger' owner.. I was 'only' 52 when I started looking for my Vincent.. I shouldn't say the local section was 'clicky' .. in fact they were very welcoming, however maybe I wasn't taken seriously? I didn't look rich? No, probably they just didn't know me, many members are of a slightly different generation, and of course many are old friends and I'm not even Canadian! Why would I be trusted to take away one of their 'babies'... I could be a chopper guy! There are always going to be obstacles when trying to break into a circle of guys that have history together and history with their bikes.. I even suspect one of our local members is scared to sell his bike that he's not ridden since the 70's.. he is part of a group with a connection... he can't give that up... Another Vincent owner, he says he always wanted a Vincent... he bought it in boxes in 1979... he can't part with it, or afford to rebuild it! Another twin, not far from me.. not for sale.. it has to stay in the family... only one member of the family knows of its existence... in bits since 1968... These are valuable bikes, and many Vincent owners don't need the money.. they are comfortable with their old bikes and memories, they were never cheap and these old bikes aren't in sheds behind terraced council houses... Vincent owners aren't just a generation or two away from todays motorcyclist. For many years finance has been the quick and easy way to get on two wheels, visit the dealer and without even a couple pay-stubs you can come out with a ride and a debt! You only need to look at the situation Harley Davidson is in as a manufacturer, they are seemingly stuck with their stereotype owner/buyer.. the grey bearded 'Biker'.. If they can't attract new younger riders then what chance does Vincent have... Our (Vincenteers) image, as many people may perceive is elitist, wealthy and ''better than you!" Our bike have status, yes, admit it... many riders simply don't even aspire to ownership, they think, they know, a Vincent is far beyond their reach. How does anyone justify ownership and using such a valuable machine? is it really a better bike than, for example my BMW R90S? a Honda 750, a Kawasaki Z900, a Commando, or Bonneville... even a Honda Cub! a brilliant little bike and you could buy all of those bikes for the price of a Black Shadow.. and have just as much fun riding and mixing with real motorcycle enthusiasts. Do we need a 'better' manual to help with the maintenance and repair of a Vincent? I'm not sure, I managed just fine.. I bought all the books, I have a computer and the big one, I have many good friends all over the world that will help me as much as they would as if I were a family member... I thank you all, at 7 o'clock I'll be banging spanners and metal drip trays in appreciation. Obituaries.. Yes, of course.. they are family members. [/QUOTE]
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Average age Vincent owner/VOC member - Number Vincents owned.
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