Classics
British V-twins
Following the American and European V-twins it only seems fair to look at British V-twins . BSA , AJS , and Matchless all made V-twins between the two World Wars , but after this point it seems the parallel twins became more popular . It was 1982 before a new classic British V-twin appeared , in the shape of a Hesketh . Perhaps the most revered of British V-twins were the Brough Superior , and Vincent . These were in a class of their own , and
Words & photos : Rhys Jones
Black Lightning engine detail
1951 Vincent HRD Black Lightning
remain so in classic motorcycle circles to this day . I have dug into my Ken McIntosh archives for a look at these remarkable machines . Ken was responsible for the restoration of the Brough and Vincent pictured .
VINCENT HRD
A 1951 Vincent HRD Black Lightning sold at Bonhams auction in Las Vegas in January for NZ $ 1.26m . If you can raise the money and want to buy a Vincent HRD Black Lightning , finding one may be as difficult as raising the money . There were only between 27 to 30 built between 1948 56 KIWI RIDER and 1952 ( some say 1954 ). How many have survived is open to speculation . Engines were removed and used for racing cars , speedway and road racing outfits , and , in some cases , restored back into motorcycles . How many replicas are there , and how many rebuilds have occurred ? Will we ever know ? In spite of this , after sixty years , the fascination with the Black Lightning remains , in fact probably more so than ever . The Vincent HRD Black Lightning has a special place in New Zealand motorcycle history . On a damp day in 1955 , on Tram Road , a temporarily