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 Series C is a numbers-matching example with Vincent Owners Club factory build sheet documentation. A previous owner had the bike from ’78 to ’12, and the current seller has taken 6 months bringing it back to life after an extended period in storage. Whil many small parts were replaced in this process, the seller has all the original parts that he’ll include with the sale (except for gaskets).
Find this Rapide for sale in Seal Rock, Oregon with bidding up to $39,200 and the reserve not yet met