This 1952 Vincent Black Shadow was acquired by its current owner in 2003 and is powered by a 998cc OHV V-twin paired with a four-speed transmission. It is finished in black with gold accents and features polished aluminum fenders, a hinged rear fender, a stepped two-up seat, a Girdraulic fork, triple drum brakes, a chrome two-into-one exhaust system, dual side stands, and a rear-wheel stand. Owner’s and service manuals, parts lists, Vincent literature, spare and removed parts, a tool set, a Vincent H.R.D. Owners Club Certificate of Authenticity, and copies of the factory order form and check sheets will accompany the bike. This Series C Black Shadow is now offered on dealer consignment with a clean California title that lists the bike as a 1953 model.

The 1952 Vincent Black Shadow is finished in black with gold pinstripes and graphics. The black-painted frame system, in which the engine is treated as a structural element, features an upper member consisting of a fabricated steel box that doubles as an oil tank.

Equipment includes a stepped two-up seat and polished aluminum fenders, the rear of which is hinged, as well as folding passenger foot pegs, a rear lift handle, and three props consisting of dual side stands and a rear-wheel stand.

Black-finished rims measuring 19″ up front and 18″ at the rear are laced to dual drum-brake and single drum-brake hubs, respectively, and are mounted with Avon Speedmaster MKII front and Avon Roadrunner rear tires. Suspension consists of a Girdraulic fork and a triangulated swingarm, both of which are fitted with hydraulic dampers.

A chrome flat handlebar is clamped ahead of the adjustment knob for a friction-plate damper in the steering stem. Instrumentation consists of a Smiths Chronometric 150-mph speedometer as well as a Miller ammeter recessed atop the headlight bucket. The five-digit odometer shows 1,700 miles, a handful of which were ridden under current ownership. True mileage is unknown.

A chrome flat handlebar is clamped ahead of the adjustment knob for a friction-plate damper in the steering stem. Instrumentation consists of a Smiths Chronometric 150-mph speedometer as well as a Miller ammeter recessed atop the headlight bucket. The five-digit odometer shows 1,700 miles, a handful of which were ridden under current ownership. True mileage is unknown.

Power is transmitted to the rear wheel by way of a four-speed gearbox and a drive chain. Shifting occurs on the right with a one-up, three-down shift pattern.

The Vincent H.R.D. Owner’s Club Certificate of Authenticity lists 1952 as the year of manufacture along with frame and engine numbers that match those shown on copies of the factory order form and road test report as well as on the cycle, engine, and dispatch check sheets, photos of which can be viewed in the gallery.