Does anyone know who made the un-stamped rims that were supplied on some
early Flashes and Lightnings?
Nobody knows where the unmarked rims for some of the Lightnings and Flashes came from. I asked John Bland, who ordered all the parts for Vincent, but he could not remember. He did remember sourcing them in Italy, but he could not remember the manufacturer.
According to John Bland, Dunlop would have had a trademark on the rims as they were working under strict trademark rules in the U.K. So would Boranni, being a licensee of Rudge for the Knock-off wheels, they generally complied with the U.K. trademark rules. There were no trademark rules in Italy and no trademarks were required for their home market or export markets.
These shallow shoulder rims were used by other race bikes of the period and they may be noted in the history of other marques, but to date, no manufacturer's name has emerged.
David