PWL695

Albervin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
That is the plate that was on my Rapide when I purchased it here in Australia in 2001. Just wondering if someone has "stolen it". When I purchased my Comet in 1984 the dealer (Jim Gleave) said I wouldn't need the logbook so he kept it. He did give me a Midland tank cover though that is now worth a tidy sum according to E-bay. I will have to dig out that plate number to see if it is in current use. I did keep the logbook of my Shadow and notified the UK authorities so it should be good if it ever returns. Lessons learned over the years!!!!
 

Peter Holmes

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hmm, Sounds like Jim, no longer with us of course, but I am sure he would have made very good use of the spare legit logbook, in the words of Monty Python, "say no more" Jim's health declined somewhat when he managed to run over himself with a Transit type van, he was trying to single handedly start one of his for sale bikes by wedging the accelerator of his van down and in gear, with a piece of wood to drive a set of rollers, whilst sitting on a motorcycle, also on the rollers, and trying to start it, probably for some poor unsuspecting customer, the van wheel jumped out of the rollers, still with the wood jammed on the accelerator and in gear, Jim fell off the bike and ended up trapped under the van after being run over by it, he did survive, Atlantic motorcycles continued for quite a while after, but I think the incident took its toll on Jim, I can almost hear Alyn saying "could not happen to more deserving person"
I did miss out on one bargain at Atlantic Motorcycles, a rather beautiful Series A Twin, it featured in the Atlantic Website for a few years, when B-C Rapides were approx £20k and Shadows a little more, the Series A at Atlantic was up for £100k, I expressed astonishment but Jim assured me it was a veritable bargain, turns out on this occasion he was correct.
 

Simon Dinsdale

VOC Machine Registrar
VOC Member
VOC Forum Moderator
Alyn, first I assume you are refering to your series B Rapide.

PWL 695 was originally off a 1950 series C Black Shadow, so technically you could say your Rapide stole the number plate, as it certainly didn't belong to it. So why it was displaying that registration when you bought it in Australia I don't know.

I have just done a DVLA (UK vehicle registration authority) search and the registration is now on a Nissan car so it look like it was sold on at some point in the past which can be done legally in UK through the DVLA. Of the original Shadow, only the engine appears to have survived in an Egli frame sold by Bonham's in the UK in 2016.

As for Atlantic Motorcycles, nothing is surprising there.

Simon
 

Albervin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Alyn, first I assume you are refering to your series B Rapide.

PWL 695 was originally off a 1950 series C Black Shadow, so technically you could say your Rapide stole the number plate, as it certainly didn't belong to it. So why it was displaying that registration when you bought it in Australia I don't know.

I have just done a DVLA (UK vehicle registration authority) search and the registration is now on a Nissan car so it look like it was sold on at some point in the past which can be done legally in UK through the DVLA. Of the original Shadow, only the engine appears to have survived in an Egli frame sold by Bonham's in the UK in 2016.

As for Atlantic Motorcycles, nothing is surprising there.

Simon
As always Simon, I knew I could rely on you to come up with some Jazz! I guess Bill Forbes (the previous owner) "transferred" the plate from his very original and low mileage Shadow to this Rapide. OR something else entirely. Seems a bit strange though to transfer plates between Vincents. Anyway it is not of great importance here. The Rapide's claim to fame is it took part in a Trans Australia trip with Sir Mark and Glyn Baxter back in the 1990s. Recorded by the national TV broadcaster and available on YouTube. It is the bike that needed a run and bump due to a dodgy magneto (replaced before I bought the machine). After twenty years in my ownership no run and bump has been required. Thankfully!
 

Albervin

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hmm, Sounds like Jim, no longer with us of course, but I am sure he would have made very good use of the spare legit logbook, in the words of Monty Python, "say no more" Jim's health declined somewhat when he managed to run over himself with a Transit type van, he was trying to single handedly start one of his for sale bikes by wedging the accelerator of his van down and in gear, with a piece of wood to drive a set of rollers, whilst sitting on a motorcycle, also on the rollers, and trying to start it, probably for some poor unsuspecting customer, the van wheel jumped out of the rollers, still with the wood jammed on the accelerator and in gear, Jim fell off the bike and ended up trapped under the van after being run over by it, he did survive, Atlantic motorcycles continued for quite a while after, but I think the incident took its toll on Jim, I can almost hear Alyn saying "could not happen to more deserving person"
I did miss out on one bargain at Atlantic Motorcycles, a rather beautiful Series A Twin, it featured in the Atlantic Website for a few years, when B-C Rapides were approx £20k and Shadows a little more, the Series A at Atlantic was up for £100k, I expressed astonishment but Jim assured me it was a veritable bargain, turns out on this occasion he was correct.
Peter, thanks for the input :) It did make me smile a bit. I did own another ex-Jim Gleave machine as well. A Series "A" Comet. It was an absolute cracker (amazing). It did belong to a former long term VOC member and photos of it have appeared in several books and magazines. I sold it a couple of years ago to buy my Shadow. The drama of the "C" Comet was played out in MPH in the mid 1980s when a man called Ted threatened to sue me. When presented with the evidence all went quiet. Those were the days my friend when an error of judgement only cost a couple of thousand pounds. I think Jim and Ted made many enemies whilst they made many thousands in profit.
 
G

Graham Smith

Guest
@Albervin

I thought you might be interested in this photograph that has recently come to light.

Graham

IMG_1774.png
 
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