My friend John wanted the best when it came to motorized machines..... like his 300SL Gullwing for example. He was in his late 60's and when it came to motorcycles he had ridden them all and owned the best. He had me build him Rapide which
which knocked his socks off..... he'd cruse the Mass. Pike at 110 usually riding from his home near Boston to my shop in the Catskills. On day John decided he wanted another Vincent. This time a go fast special. He told me to build him the best ever
and price was no object. Believe me when I say I tried to talk him out of this telling him he had all the Vincent he needed right now. But, John talked me in to doing it even though in my heart I thought it a bad idea.
It was a huge undertaking and the damn thing nearly killed me when the first experimental dual feed big end seized. Luckily it chose to do this at idle just after a 100+ test ride. Perhaps this was a warning of things to come?
Just months after turning the machine over to John he was riding it home from his Law office in Brockton at speed as usual when he was broadsided by a Lady in a car destroying the machine and throwing John into a gutter about 35 yards away.
So, who knows, perhaps my original unwillingness to build such a thing should have been heeded..... perhaps the Vincent Gods disapprove of such meddling ..... the finger of fate surly had the last word at any rate. John barely survived ....
when I went to the hospital I kissed him goodbye as I have watched men die. But, somehow he made it minus a leg. Well, enough now .... that is the story. But to this day I still wonder why things happen as they do.
In a way I think I am trying to say that the now gone special I have shown you pictures of is something you don't need either.
which knocked his socks off..... he'd cruse the Mass. Pike at 110 usually riding from his home near Boston to my shop in the Catskills. On day John decided he wanted another Vincent. This time a go fast special. He told me to build him the best ever
and price was no object. Believe me when I say I tried to talk him out of this telling him he had all the Vincent he needed right now. But, John talked me in to doing it even though in my heart I thought it a bad idea.
It was a huge undertaking and the damn thing nearly killed me when the first experimental dual feed big end seized. Luckily it chose to do this at idle just after a 100+ test ride. Perhaps this was a warning of things to come?
Just months after turning the machine over to John he was riding it home from his Law office in Brockton at speed as usual when he was broadsided by a Lady in a car destroying the machine and throwing John into a gutter about 35 yards away.
So, who knows, perhaps my original unwillingness to build such a thing should have been heeded..... perhaps the Vincent Gods disapprove of such meddling ..... the finger of fate surly had the last word at any rate. John barely survived ....
when I went to the hospital I kissed him goodbye as I have watched men die. But, somehow he made it minus a leg. Well, enough now .... that is the story. But to this day I still wonder why things happen as they do.
In a way I think I am trying to say that the now gone special I have shown you pictures of is something you don't need either.