Hi I discovered my dad's old motorbike the other day and I would like to find out a bit more about it. It has Vincent clearly on part of the engine and HRD on the other. I have looked through all the pictures I can find of old Vincent motorbikes but none of them look the same as this one. I am maybe thinking my dad was building a custom bike and just using a Vincent engine maybe. If any body could help me identify any parts on the bike that would be a massive help. Thanks Gary
Is it a Vincent?
- Thread starter Firevxr
- Start date
Definitely a HRD/Vincent engine. The engine number will determine when it was made and there fore which it is. The frame is another story though. No idea what it may have been originally. So I would say your assumption that your father was building a custom is correct.
Steven
Steven
Hi there Gary, Sorry your last picture is the top of a cylinder head......Engine number is on the left side crankcase, just bellow where the front cylinder joins the crankcases....Should read F10AB/xxxxxxxx Whatever after that. If it has /1/ It is a Rapide engine, and if it is /1B/ it is a Black Shadow engine. They are very similar except the Rapide engine was a cast alloy finish with polished covers, and the Black Shadow was painted in Gloss Black.....the Shadow engine was slightly higher spec than the Rapide. See how you go.....Cheers.....Greg.
Nice find Gary, But I would not use the frame, Looks like Trouble !! Good Luck, Bill.
Yes, definitely an attempt to build a Special. The forks and wheels are Norton but the frame maybe rigid Triumph, the worst possible choice! Mind you, there are some useful bits there-e.g. Smiths Chronometric speedo and rev counter, a Miller Ammeter and a pair of pukka Amal racing handlebar levers, not to mention that Vincent engine.
I should have added that REV is an Essex registration number, I wonder if that refers to the frame or the engine?
It looks more like a modified rigid Norton frame than a Triumph, the numbers should help.
There is a nice frame on E/bay, Egli style, If you can sort out frame numbers !! only £1650, In Dorset U.K. I think they are Maylem Frames but not sure, Cheers Bill.