Branchville Repairs Rare Vincent Black Shadow

By Bud Wilkinson of  RIDE-CT.com

There is no other motorcycle on the planet that possesses the mystique of the Vincent Black Shadow. Fewer than 1,700 were built between 1948 and 1955, which is when the British manufacturer went out of business.

It was a Black Lightning race version of the Black Shadow that Rollie Free rode when he set a world speed record of 150.313 miles per hour at Bonneville in 1948. “Life” magazine captured the moment with one of the most famous motorcycle pictures ever taken. It showed Free stretched out flat on the rear fender, riding the bike while wearing a bathing suit and sneakers. So what was a Black Shadow doing under a cloth in the service department at Branchville Motors in Ridgefield today?

(Photos by Ben Armstrong)

The short answer is waiting for its owner to claim it. The 1954 Black Shadow Series C has been at Branchville Motors for a few weeks for some minor repairs, a fact that dealership owner Alex Gifford hasn’t been broadcasting out of concern that gawkers might start appearing. He did graciously invite RIDE-CT.com to visit today, however, and the reaction on this end after the cloth was removed was simply, “Wow!”

With its blacked-out 998cc motor, which puts out roughly 55 horsepower, and salad plate speedometer, the hand-built Black Shadow melds meanness with art. As you might have already guessed, it will be the subject of this Saturday’s RIDE-CT column in “The Republican-American” newspaper, but I couldn’t resist posting some pictures beforehand.