The baby brother to the legendary Black Shadow, the Vincent Rapide was sold from 1936-55 in 3 distinct ‘Series’. The final run was the Series C, which commenced in 1949. It offered the Rapide as a base model and the Black Shadow as the higher state of tune.
The Rapide’s 998cc V-twin was good for 45 horsepower – the Black Shadow got an additional 10hp. By the standards of the 50’s, this motorcycle was absolutely incredible. Top speed was about 120 miles per hour, and you got between 50-60 miles per gallon, to boot. MSRP was originally $1,250 – nowadays you’ll be lucky to snag one for less than 20 times that amount. For more information and a pleasant story about someone riding a Series C Rapide on the PCH in Big Sur, check out this article from Motorcycle Classics.
This specific Vincent Rapide Series C has been restored with a rebuilt top end and is numbers matching. As part of the restoration, new .040 oversized 9:1 pistons were installed and the heads were rebuilt. Everything is claimed to work perfectly. An aftermarket Vincent side-stand has been added to help with parking, but it’s otherwise stock.
Find this Vincent Rapide Series C for sale in Atlanta, Georgia with bidding up to $55,100 and the reserve not yet met