Vincent Grey Flash - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Vincent Grey Flash is a British motorcycle

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

made between 1949 and 1952 by Vincent Motorcycles

Vincent Motorcycles

Vincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. Their 1948 Black Shadow was at the time the world's fastest production motorcycle...

. Advertised as "By Black Lightning

Vincent Black Lightning

The Black Lightning was a Vincent motorcycle designed and built in September 1948 at the Vincent works in Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK, and produced from 1948 to 1952...

out of Comet

Vincent Comet

The Vincent Comet was designed and built at the Vincent works in Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England]. Developed from the Vincent Rapide by Australian engineer Phil Irving in 1935, it was one of four 499 cc single models...

" this 500cc single racer is very rare as only 31 were produced.

Development

Vincents had a close association with motorcycle racing and the Phil Irving

Phil Irving

Philip Edward Irving OBE, C.Eng., M.I.Mech.E., M.S.A.E., was an Australian engineer and author, most famous for the Repco-Brabham Formula One and Vincent motorcycle engines...

designed Vincent Comet

Vincent Comet

provided the basis for the Series C 499cc Grey Flash racer. Tuned and stripped down to 330 lb (149.7 kg) as a 500 cc version of the 1,000 cc Vincent Black Lightning

Vincent Black Lightning

The Black Lightning was a Vincent motorcycle designed and built in September 1948 at the Vincent works in Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK, and produced from 1948 to 1952...

, the new 'Flash' was capable of 115 mph with a power output of 35 bhp 6,200 rpm.

Prototypes were raced in late 1949 and the last model was produced in 1952. The small numbers produced mean that there was plenty of variation of the specification. Earlier models were finished with chrome on the fuel tank and lower fork link but towards the end of production in 1952 this was replaced by grey paint. As well as the Burman

Burman and Sons Ltd

Burman and Sons Ltd, of Ryland Road, Birmingham, England, manufactured Burman-Douglas steering gear.Their recirculating worm and ball design of steering gear was fitted to pre-war vehicles such as the Ford Eight and the Ford Prefect, the Bedford CA, plus many other vehicles - both pre and post-war....

BAR gearbox, Vincent also experimented with AJS 7R

AJS 7R

The AJS 7R was a 350 cc racing motorcycle built from 1948 to 1963 by Associated Motor Cycles, also known as the ‘Boy Racer’, first won victories for the factory, and then went on to win races for privateers when made generally available from 1954....

gearboxes but used Albion gearboxes for most of the machines produced.

Variants

The Grey Flash was produced in Racing, Dual Purpose and Road models, as well as Show models and a number of 'TT specials'.

Production

There is a debate about the number of Vincent Grey Flash motorcycles produced as although the official register lists thirty one, several are known to have been rebuilt. Many surviving Grey Flash motorcycles have been raced and modified to meet changing racing regulations or have been restored using the higher specification of the special show and TT machines for reference, so 'correct' examples are very rare.

Racing success

When he was 16 world champion racer John Surtees

John Surtees

John Surtees, OBE is a British former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and Formula One driver from England. He was 500cc motorcycle World Champion in 1956 and 1958–60, Formula One World Champion in 1964, and remains the only person to have won World Championships on both two and four wheels...

was an apprentice at the Vincent factory. He made his first headlines in 1951 when he gave Norton

Norton (motorcycle)

Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range...

star Geoff Duke

Geoff Duke

Geoffrey Ernest Duke OBE is a British multi-time motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion.Geoff Duke dominated motorcycle racing in the 1950s, winning six world championships and six Isle of Man TT races...

a strong challenge in an ACU

AutoCycle Union

The Auto-Cycle Union is governing body of motorcycle sport in Great Britain . Founded in 1903 and acquiring its current name in 1907 its aim was to develop motor sport through clubs and arrange touring facilities for members...

race at the Thruxton Circuit

Thruxton Circuit

Thruxton Circuit is a motor racing circuit located near the village of Thruxton in Hampshire, England which is used to host a number of motorsport events including British Touring Cars and Formula 3 racing....

In 1952 John Surtees set a new lap record on his first outing of the season at Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch

Brands Hatch is a motor racing circuit near West Kingsdown in Kent, England. First used as a dirt track motorcycle circuit on farmland, it hosted 12 runnings of the British Grand Prix between 1964 and 1986 and currently holds many British and international racing events...

and throughout the early 1950's was virtually unbeatable on his Vincent Grey Flash racer.

Museum exhibits

The National Motorcycle Museum (UK)

National Motorcycle Museum (UK)

The National Motorcycle Museum occupies an site in Bickenhill, Solihull, England and holds the world's largest collection of British motorcycles. In addition to over 850 motorcycles which cover a century of motorcycle manufacture the site has conference facilities...

has a fully restored Vincent Grey Flash which features a special large-capacity fuel tank designed for the Isle of Man TT

Isle of Man TT

The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle racing event held on the Isle of Man and was for many years the most prestigious motorcycle race in the world...

, which Vincent contested with four special Grey Flashes in 1950.

The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum

Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum

The Solvang Vintage Motorcycle Museum is a museum in Solvang, California. The collection includes a supercharged Vincent Black Lightning, and a rare Vincent Grey Flash one of four Isle of Man TT racing specials.-External links:*...

in Solvang, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

also has one of the four 1950 TT Racers which was owned by Ted Davis, Vincent's Chief Engineer. The exhibited bike has an experimental larger valve head and a large aluminium crank pin. Only one of the four Grey Flashes, (ridden by works racer Ken Bills), finished the race in 12th place.

The Australian National Motor Museum of road transport history in Birdwood, South Australia

Birdwood, South Australia

Birdwood is a town near Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the Adelaide Hills Council local government area.- Origin of the name :Formerly known as Blumberg, the German town name was anglicized during World War I, along with many others in the region in 1917...

has a 1950 Grey Flash.

External links

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