Well I haven’t found anything half as cool as two big clocks on a Vincent; I’m yet to ride her, but guess they’ll act as a bikini fairing!
Damage to my knee is the biggest setback to getting her on the road so far. My knee was recovering from a serious incident when I first started the Vincent. That activity was too much and caused a setback in recovery and stern words from my wife but within days it buckled backwards again (like the original injury) under the force of a falling gent’s head at the market. Crazy bad luck. Sleeping and walking are getting less painful again and it may already be possible to start the Vincent, at cost of further recovery setback, associated pain and compromised sleep. Can you understand the temptation? My wife said she’ll divorce me if I wilfully damage it again and has offered to learn to start the Vincent. She’s a lean (50kg plus) fit running enthusiast. The Vincent has really good compression and while having easy cranking with spark plugs out is still fairly stiff with decompressor engaged. A fair match for my wife? I’m seeking a roller starter but might have to build one.
The local Vincent community is small. The motorbike tyre shop owner gasped when I said what my proffered wheel was off- “is that the Vincent everyone is trying to buy?”. Someone asked him to inspect it with a view to purchase, he refused and it’s not for sale anyway! He said there is another Vincent in town, he’s had two through his workshop over the years. He admonished me for preparing it for the road, saying it should be in an air conditioned glass case in a museum. Another mechanic and enthusiast explained to me that this was jealousy, and that he too is jealous with a lifelong dream of owning one. And sounded me out on the likelihood of this coming on market.
It is a pitty I didn’t get to talk with David Bowen before he passed away. He was in contact with the owner over the years, repeatedly trying to buy this machine back again. The owner is frustrated that time has erased his memory of details given by David about this bike. He’s amazed at the interest this community has in his bike and the helpful advice offered.
David probably fitted the concentric carbs as the owner recalls nothing about the change. He probably bought the bike from David before 1966, when decimal currency was introduced. He spent a weekend at Don Tilbrook’s place getting the Tilbrook sidecar fitted. He transported the Vincent by truck to and from Adelaide for that. It got prizes at bike shows with sidecar attached. He recalls getting the centre stand fitted, presumably after the chair was removed. I’m yet to attach the sidecar. I’m guessing the centre stand, which has a long handle, has to come off to fit the chair. However, the chair has had one upper strut replaced with a curvaceous one. Maybe that’s for the centre stand handle? We’ll know more when we put them together, but there’s another problem-.
The bike resided in the living room for 30 odd years, with the chair outside. It might be possible to wriggle the chair inside, but not to ride out! How long does it take to fit and remove this chair? The bike belongs inside. My friend wants me to ride it for his pleasure, as long as it comes back at night. There is no secure parking with chair attached. He is a gun collector who promises a “warm” welcome to intruders inside his house.
The most recent cause of my becoming dismounted was fitting road tyres to my dirt bike then (of course) seeing what dirt it could handle. A thin clay slick took the front out from under me before I realised what happened. That historic Vincent hard front tyre might be similar on bitumen. To ride it solo, I’d want fresh rubber. The current front tyre still has the moulding feathers on centre tread, holds air and has scrubbed up well with no cracks. (the bike tyre shop owner, who thinks it should be in a museum, didn’t want to disturb the historic tyre.) The sidecar tyre still has the ink markings on it’s tread. I’m thinking for initial running just use the old tyres at low speed with sidecar stability, then source a front tyre next year. Can you get 20 inch tubes, or do you put 21inch tubes in?
The nearest city is thousands of km away from here, so the internet contains the pool of local knowledge. Thanks!
, But I was lucky, Back then.