Jeff Decker reinvents Vincent Black Lightning

Back in the late ‘20s to the mid ‘50s, there was a British motorcycle manufacturer by the name of Vincent Motorcycles. Though the company folded in 1955 owing to financial losses, a few of its bikes made headlines for being the fastest production motorcycles of their time. We’re talking about the Black Lightning, a beautiful machine that could top 150 mph with a peak output of 70 bhp. Just 31 of them were ever made, further adding to their appeal. Now, Jeff Decker, a historian and artist noted for his sculptures of vintage bikes, has brought back the Black Lightning with a few personal touches that make it look fast even if it’s standing still.

The sculptor’s reinvention of the Black Lightning has received a bit of criticism from purists but there’s no arguing that his rendition is absolutely gorgeous. He built it using salvaged parts from the time when Vincent bikes were all the rage. The differences between the stock machine and what he’s constructed are in the ride height with his version sitting a foot lower than the original and the fuel tank which is narrower to the point that only the bars and footpegs extend beyond the engine’s width. He sourced the headlamp from a ‘70s Honda ATC which seems to have been the perfect choice and has done his reconstruction justice.

Decker’s version of the Black Lightning can touch speeds of over 100 mph, pretty impressive for a machine that’s so artistically crafted. The man behind the bike also doesn’t seem to give two hoots to the purists who cry ‘foul’ either. According to Decker, his plan was to strip a stock Vincent down to a slimmer and sexier version without the original seat and mudguards. His dream was also to make a street legal Black Lightning without all the stockiness of the original which he’s accomplished in spades.

Via: Bikeexif