Next Rocket model

[IMFASTTOO]

You didn't burst my bubble because the fact is the Bonnie I owned in 1960 that I bought when it was new in 1959 was faster than either of my Vincents. It was also faster than a BSA Super Rocket in 1960. In 1960 BSA lightnings were dirt bikes and didn't have lights. In 1960 there was no such thing as a Gold Star Twin. Gold Stars were 500 singles when I rode one.By the way 1000cc aint a big deal, its 61 cu inches and even Harleys had 74 cu inches since 1936. Try to keep in your limited memory that I am talking about stock bikes. I didn't have any modified bikes with Sonny Routt stuff or anything else. I was just lucky to have the bikes. I think Vincents are overrated and if it wasn't for a guy in a bathing suit going 150 mph on the salt flats nobody would remember them.

SO tell me about your VINCENTS Dave so yours were slow ? and your only talking about bikes up to 1959 well our bikes were newer than that and faster than that 59 BONNY of yours and there were several BSA lightnings riding around in our area with lights we had 4 that rode with our group the the only fast Triumphs were all modified in an attempt to keep up I know I was building them I had the national record with my 1961 XLCH HARLEY SPORTSTER AND people do Remember the VINCENTS because they would run 150 MPH on the SALT FLATS and a lot faster than that on the asphalt

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

LIGHTNINGS were the fastest bike BSA made in 1960. They were actually scramblers when new and did not have lights. The Super Rocket had lights but it was slightly less HP than a lightning. I'm sure guys got lightnings and added lights to them at some point, as I remember they did not have a generator as the LUCAS mag handled the ignition. My Vincent Shadow was a 1950 or 1952 and it was bone stock, I bought it used. It ran good and back then it was pretty quick but like I said in a street race my Triumph was faster, it also shifted quicker. My other Vincent was a 1948 RAPIDE that was flawless with Bramton forks. Of course the Rapide was not as fast as the Shadow. My Bonnie was a 1960, it had the double down tube frame while the 59 Bonnie had a single downtime frame. The Bonnies came with a cam called Q cams are in 59 and 60 no other stock bike beat them. The problem with them was they were buzzy on long freeway rides and would vibrate. Back then the normal freeway speed was 65 or 70 in California. A vincent LIGHTNING RAN 150 on the salt flats, VERY FEW LIGHTNINGS WERE EVER MADE. Also Rollie Free rode it with a bathing suit on and the picture became famous. A triumph TR^ with two carbs ran 214 mph on the Salt Flats back then but it was in a streamliner. The guys I rode with were all around 17 to 20 years old and we didn't ever race at a real drag strip. We raced each other on the streets or over twisty roads like old Toping Canyon. I quit riding British bikes in 1961 and instead rode Bobbers which were just stripped down Harleys. Harley's and Indians were cheap and the Harleys could be ridden long distances and even though they leaked a lot of oil and the engines were loose they somehow always seemed to hold together good enough to make it home. I rode a 48 Knucklehead Bobber from Los Angeles to Houston in 62 and packed my girlfriend on a little pinion pad, I was 20 years old. I have fast bikes today and thats cool but I like the long trips with my friends better than anything else. I rode my V8 Chopper with no windshield and on a public hi way that leaves Vegas and goes to Laughlin at 152 mph last year just for fun but I don't normally ride like that. I'm 73 and really pretty lucky that its still no big deal for me to ride any motorcycle made.

 

[IMFASTTOO]

LIGHTNINGS were the fastest bike BSA made in 1960. They were actually scramblers when new and did not have lights. The Super Rocket had lights but it was slightly less HP than a lightning. I'm sure guys got lightnings and added lights to them at some point, as I remember they did not have a generator as the LUCAS mag handled the ignition. My Vincent Shadow was a 1950 or 1952 and it was bone stock, I bought it used. It ran good and back then it was pretty quick but like I said in a street race my Triumph was faster, it also shifted quicker. My other Vincent was a 1948 RAPIDE that was flawless with Bramton forks. Of course the Rapide was not as fast as the Shadow. My Bonnie was a 1960, it had the double down tube frame while the 59 Bonnie had a single downtime frame. The Bonnies came with a cam called Q cams are in 59 and 60 no other stock bike beat them. The problem with them was they were buzzy on long freeway rides and would vibrate. Back then the normal freeway speed was 65 or 70 in California. A vincent LIGHTNING RAN 150 on the salt flats, VERY FEW LIGHTNINGS WERE EVER MADE. Also Rollie Free rode it with a bathing suit on and the picture became famous. A triumph TR^ with two carbs ran 214 mph on the Salt Flats back then but it was in a streamliner. The guys I rode with were all around 17 to 20 years old and we didn't ever race at a real drag strip. We raced each other on the streets or over twisty roads like old Toping Canyon. I quit riding British bikes in 1961 and instead rode Bobbers which were just stripped down Harleys. Harley's and Indians were cheap and the Harleys could be ridden long distances and even though they leaked a lot of oil and the engines were loose they somehow always seemed to hold together good enough to make it home. I rode a 48 Knucklehead Bobber from Los Angeles to Houston in 62 and packed my girlfriend on a little pinion pad, I was 20 years old. I have fast bikes today and thats cool but I like the long trips with my friends better than anything else. I rode my V8 Chopper with no windshield and on a public hi way that leaves Vegas and goes to Laughlin at 152 mph last year just for fun but I don't normally ride like that. I'm 73 and really pretty lucky that its still no big deal for me to ride any motorcycle made.

YES DAVE we are lucky to still be out there riding these new bikes and having fun I had a ball racing and riding all those old bikes I had back then you had the older Vincent BLACK SHADOW and the Rapide of course was a lot slower than the SHADOW I had a 1952 SHADOW that ran good and a 1955 series D BLACK SHADOW with all the lightning factory parts ,cams valve springs,big valves,Hi comp pistons ,factory ported heads ,bigger carbs,and 2inch straight through twin lightning racing pipes all the mods done by the factory rep GENE AUCOTT and this old vincent did run well it was the fastest street bike in our area for years It would wheely by just turning the throttle in the first three gears and would rev to 8500 rpm and the thing would fly on the Highway and would just run away from all the cars and bikes on the top end IT was a cool old bike and I wonder where it is now ?

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

It was probably purchased by a collector for a ton of money and sits in a collection somewhere until the next collector offerers a ton more money than the first collector bought it for. Thats what happened to all my old classics. I don't collect anymore because I'm to old so I just ride which keeps me you

 

[Jag]

103,500 dollars could buy a lot of Rockets.

 

[TriumPhil]

It was probably purchased by a collector for a ton of money and sits in a collection somewhere until the next collector offerers a ton more money than the first collector bought it for. Thats what happened to all my old classics. I don't collect anymore because I'm to old so I just ride which keeps me you

Oh, Christ! Looks like ol' Dave blew a gasket mid-word while bangin' on his his keyboard.

You still with us there, old timer?

 

[Paul Bryant]

Oh, Christ! Looks like ol' Dave blew a gasket mid-word while bangin' on his his keyboard.

You still with us there, old timer?

Where do you get all these animations Phil ?

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

We are leaving for Los Angeles the morning for another wedding reception. We got married today on our V8 Chopper and had a reception earlier here in Vegas where we live. Here is a picture of us with the minister.

 

[cusso ken]

103,500 dollars could buy a lot of Rockets.

Just think a lot of them were cannibalised for the engine to be put in sidecar speedway outfits and the frames went to the tip, but that's the same as a lot of 32/34 Fords that were used at the speedway, now steel bodies are worth big money

 

[alpental]

We are leaving for Los Angeles the morning for another wedding reception. We got married today on our V8 Chopper and had a reception earlier here in Vegas where we live. Here is a picture of us with the minister.

Congratulations! What a wedding photo