From the Classifieds: 1948 Vincent HRD Black Shadow

Just because the COVID-19 pandemic is reining in our riding at present, it doesn't mean we've stop lusting after motorcycles – and when it comes to this stunning 1948 Vincent HRD Black Shadow currently listed for sale on bikesales, 'lust' is the word…

Vincent HRD was founded by Phillip Conrad Vincent in 1928, when he purchased the defunct motorcycle brand HRD from OK-Supreme. Vincent promptly began building Vincent HRD models using engines from other manufacturers, including single-cylinder powerplants from the likes of JAP and Rudge.

In 1931 the fledgling company, based in Stevenage just outside London, was joined by Australian engineer Phil Irving, who initially designed a 500cc OHV single-cylinder engine known as the Meteor, along with a race derivative, the Comet.

Irving was instrumental in designing and developing the 998cc V-twin that first appeared in the Series A Rapide of 1936, before he left Vincent HRD to work for Velocette in 1937. But Irving returned to Vincent in 1943, then applying his formidable talent to the Series B Rapide and then the Series B Black Shadow, both of which continued with the company's signature cantilever rear suspension.

The 'HRD' was dropped from the company from 1950, the marque continuing simply as Vincent.

The Melbourne-based seller says this 'Series B' 1948 Black Shadow has matching engine and chassis numbers plus authentication documentation from Britain's Vincent Owners Club.

It recently underwent what appears to be a painfully meticulous full restoration and has 744 miles (1190 kilometres) on the clock.

In 1948 the Series B Black Shadow was known as the world's fastest production motorcycle, capable of speeds of up to 125mph (200km/h). It was immortalised in Rollie Free's top-speed and near-naked run on a tuned Black Shadow at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats that same year, the effort inspiring the development of a lightweight race version, the Vincent Black Lightning.

Lying prone and wearing nothing but a bathing suit, Free achieved 150mph (240km/h) on the salt flats to set a new American motorcycle land speed record – and in doing so became the subject of one of the world's most famous motorcycling images.

Produced in very limited numbers, the seller of this Black Shadow says they can ship this exceptional example worldwide to whomever may be fortunate enough to acquire its ownership.

And the asking price? Well, if one must dwell on such trivialities, the bike is listed for a cool quarter-million bucks. That may actually represent some good buying for offshore (and cashed-up) collectors in particular, given the recent slide of the Australian dollar due to the COVID-19 chaos.

And to give a little perspective, an even rarer matching-numbers Vincent Black Lightning is currently listed by auction house Bonhams with a price guide of $A680,000 to $A840,000.

Well, even if it's well out of reach for most motorcyclists, it's still nice to dream, isn't it?

Click here to view the listing, and here to here to see all Vincent HRD listings on bikesales.

bikesales has not physically inspected the motorcycle featured in this article; while bikesales and the wider carsales group of websites go to significant lengths to ensure the safety of both buyers and sellers of products listed in our classifieds, all the usual precautions apply. For hints on what to look for when buying used, see our guide, Advice: How to buy second-hand.