The Vincent Black Shadow

Tim Kingham looks at the iconic Vincent Black Shadow.

Despite only nine years of production, Vincents continue to be ridden regularly in rallies, hard in racing, and certainly well beyond the normal lifespan of a motorcycle. This book tells the Vincent story from 1946 until the present day, including the stories of those significant individuals who helped to make Vincents such legendary machines.

Read Matthew Biberman's posts on the Penguin Blog. "If you believe it is possible to fall in love with a motorcycle, you will love this book." -Jay Leno When Big Sid had a heart attack and gave up the will to live, his son Matthew Biberman panicked. Impulsively, Matthew promised his father that they would build a Vincati together. This fusion of two legendary motorcycles, the Vincent Black Shadow and the Ducati GT, a Vincati was considered near-impossible to build. But if anyone could do it, Matthew knew his father could. Big Sid was the mechanic to see about repairing Vincents for nearly sixty years. But now, Sid was old, busted up and broke. Matthew, despite sharing his dad's passion, had become a Shakespearean scholar. The two men hadn't spoken in years-but called a truce to attempt a shared dream. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance meets Shop Class as Soulcraft, in this heartfelt memoir that shows how two very different men built a legendary motorcycle, and along the way, discovered what it means to be father and son.

It’s every motorcyclist’s dream. A friend or acquaintance says, “You know, there’s an old bike that’s been sitting in this garage for years.” The hunt is on. And rather than the usual worthless Hondazukimaha pile of hopeless oxidation, at the back of that barn you find a genuine classic, the motorcycle collector’s dream. The Vincent in the Barn tells forty such stories--tales of motorcycle hunting dreams come true. From Ducatis in basements to Vincents abandoned in sheds, Harleys in barns to Brit bikes moldering behind urban garages, these are the stories that fuel every motorcyclist’s fantasies. The only difference? They’re true. See Tom Cotter, author of Motorbooks “In the Barn” series, interviewed by Jay Leno on JayLenosGarage.com: http://www.jaylenosgarage.com/video/jays-book-club-the-hemi-in-the-barn/1237422/

No other British motorcycle matches the style, performance or engineering ingenuity of the Vincent. This book concentrates on the post-1945 1000cc B, C and D Rapides, the Black Shadow, Black Knight and Black Prince, and the 500cc Meteor and Comet singles. There is also information on the special-order Grey Flash and Black Lightning racing models.

Break into that barn - you know you want to - there might be a vintage Harley inside. If you won't break in, Tom Cotter will; amazing motorcycles await. Driving down a country road, a flash of chrome catches your eye as you pass an old farmstead. Next time you roll by, you slow down and focus on a shed behind the house. Could that be? Good lord, it is! Hard on the brakes, quick reverse, and pull in the drive. Yep, it's a vintage Triumph Bonneville peering forlornly from beneath a tattered cover. You've just begun the journey that fuels the dreams of every motorcycle collector: the long-forgotten machine, rediscovered. The Harley in the Barn offers forty-plus tales of lost Nortons, hidden Hondas, dormant Indians, and busted BSAs, all squirreled away from prying eyes but found by lucky collectors just like you. Author Tom Cotter is not only a barn-find master, he's also master of discovering the collectors with the best stories and the most outlandish finds. In The Harley in the Barn, all those great stories are told. If you can't pass a padlocked garage without wondering if there's a great old bike stashed inside, this is your book. Hell, this is your life.

“Bestseller Vincent returns to a world of syndicates, bindings, magic, and blood in the engaging sequel to Blood Bound . . . an action-packed conclusion.” —Publishers Weekly Kori Daniels is a shadow-walker, able to travel instantly from one shadow to another. After weeks of confinement for betraying her boss, she’s ready to break free of the Tower syndicate for good. But Jake Tower has one final job for Kori, one chance to secure freedom for herself and her sister, even if it means taking it from someone else . . . The job? Recruit Ian Holt—or kill him. Ian’s ability to manipulate the dark has drawn interest from every syndicate in the world, most notably an invitation from Jake Tower. Though he has no interest in organized crime, Ian accepts the invite, because he’s on a mission of his own. Ian has come to kill Tower’s top Binder: Kori’s little sister. Amid the tangle of lies, an unexpected thread of truth connecting Ian and Kori comes to light. But with opposing goals, they’ll have to choose between love and liberty . . . “Fast-paced, action-packed . . . It is very difficult to put this book down . . . Rachel Vincent fans should not miss this one!” —Fresh Fiction