55,000 miles on a 47 Vincent

ericg · Mar 19, 2019

Eddie, you mean your Suzuki clutch isn't as reliable as your Mikuni carbs on your old British bike?

Fast Eddie · Mar 19, 2019

ericg said:
Eddie, you mean your Suzuki clutch isn't as reliable as your Mikuni carbs on your old British bike?

Yup. Sure do.

My Black-Rap was built from a basket case with many parts missing, inc the clutch, so you ain’t gonna make me feel guilty!

Same with the carbs (two brass bodied front shadow carbs), I relegated them to shed ornements after the bike was nearly totalled by a fire on start up.

They’re motorbikes at the end of the day, gotta be rideable, reliable and where possible, free from the habit of spontaneous self combustion...!

At least that’s how I see it.

DBT · Mar 23, 2019

Fast Eddie said:
We all draw our lines in different places Eric. Just look at the carbs I have on my Commando (below)... you’ll hate them!

Look at Glens disc brakes and monshock!

When it comes to carbs, it is firmly function over form for me.

Unless you fit TTs or GPs or Gardeners or similar, there isn’t really any such thing as a ‘nice’ looking classic carb when you want 36mm and none of those would make for a nice, smooth running road bike. 1000 series mk 1 concentrics wouldn’t be much better as they have no choke or tickover. Mk2 concentric or Dellorto’s etc are no prettier than Mikunis.

The only carbs I’d have preferred to have tried instead of the Mikunis would have been some flat slide Keihin FCRs as fitted to my Commando because they are just SO GOOD. But even I would have to admit they would look out of place on an Egli Vincent.

When I see Mikunis on some bikes, like big Vins or Gold Stars, it says to me it’s a bike built for riding.

But that’s just me, as I said, we all draw our own lines.

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I've just put a deposit on a '49 Rapide that will soon be making its way back to Australia. It was built by Terry Prince to be ridden and has Mikunis and a rear mono-shock. I'm struggling with both of those things at present but take comfort in the fact it can always be taken back to stock. I think I'll just put some miles on it first and see how things go.

worntorn · Mar 23, 2019

DBT said:
I've just put a deposit on a '49 Rapide that will soon be making its way back to Australia. It was built by Terry Prince to be ridden and has Mikunis and a rear mono-shock. I'm struggling with both of those things at present but take comfort in the fact it can always be taken back to stock. I think I'll just put some miles on it first and see how things go.

Is this the bike that was for sale on the Bator site?
It will be full of good stuff, Terry really knows his way around Vincents.

Glen

Fast Eddie · Mar 23, 2019

DBT said:
I've just put a deposit on a '49 Rapide that will soon be making its way back to Australia. It was built by Terry Prince to be ridden and has Mikunis and a rear mono-shock. I'm struggling with both of those things at present but take comfort in the fact it can always be taken back to stock. I think I'll just put some miles on it first and see how things go.

I would ride it before worrying any further about these things...

DBT · Mar 23, 2019

worntorn said:
Is this the bike that was for sale on the Bator site?
It will be full of good stuff, Terry really knows his way around Vincents.

Glen

Yes Glen. It has been in the US for a couple of years having been passed in at Bonhams January 2017 auction. It hasn't left the US yet so I won't get to lay my eyes on the actual bike for a couple more months. At the ripe old age of 60, this is the realization of a 40 something year dream of owning one of these iconic machines.

Dan

55,000 miles on a 47 Vincent

ericg

Fast Eddie

DBT

worntorn

Fast Eddie

DBT

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