The Vincent Black Shadow is one of the world’s most legendary and collectible motorcycle models. But the $275,000 1955 Black Shadow Series-D Streamliner recently listed on eBay is in a category of its own.
Consider this ’55 Black Shadow’s history:
- The bike blasted down the Bonneville Salt Flats at over 200 mph
- It earned two land speed records
- Famed Bonneville racer Dave Matson modded the bike with his engineering wizardry
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Those world records happened at 1988 Bonneville Speed Week when Matson first set a new record in the MPS-AF-2000 class. That acronym stands for “modified, partial streamlined frame, altered engine on fuel, 2000cc.” Matson hit 225.643 mph and then peeled off the fairing to set a new mark in the M-AF-2000 (modified, altered engine on fuel, 2000cc) class at 210.357 mph.
These speeds were faster than any other motorcycle on the salt that year. Matson’s 210-mph run was the fastest recorded by any unfaired motorcycle at the time. Those records still stand today in the Southern California Timing Association motorcycle record books.
Customized to Handle Heat
It’s incredible to consider how Matson put up those numbers with what started as a stock 998cc 50-degree V-twin engine. Then, he converted it to a 1824cc fuel-injected firebreather with custom-made, heat-treated cylinder barrels. Of course, when you’re burning nitro, things tend to get hot!
Matson first brought his Vincent Black Shadow to Bonneville in 1959. Over the years, the engine was raced in 1653cc to 1735cc configurations.
Matson used street racing tricks and applied them to his record-breaking Vincent. For example, he used Jahns forged car pistons (made to his specifications) and ran Andrews camshafts and Carillo rods. His choice of tires reflects those influences. Seventeen-inch Goodyear drag racing tires ran in front, while 15-inch Firestone Bonneville anchored the rear.
Other engine wizardry included cutting the valve pockets so he could use different custom-designed valves. He also made the rings.
A Black Shadow Like No Other
Matson wisely accumulated a vast collection of original Vincent parts back in the 1950s when they were cheap. And if he couldn’t find a specific part, he fabricated it.
You won’t find another Vincent Black Shadow engine like this anywhere. Ditto for the Matson-made exhaust with its oversized tubing and bulky aluminum mid-pipe. They were built to withstand the extremes of spent 90% nitromethane and 10% alcohol methane.
The faded original Vincent badge and weathered salt-licked black tank provide a glimpse into the past. But the engine and frame were repeatedly revised. The motorcycle has seen many different configurations as Matson used to modify it almost yearly in his quest to find the magical alignment between man, motorcycle, wind, and salt.
Stretching the frame allowed Matson to lay down on the tank, feet kicked back, his prone body tucked in as tight and aerodynamically as possible. The quest for slippery aerodynamics also led to the use of a handmade, aerospace-grade alloy fairing to shroud the front end. The sleek, complementary custom tail section is reportedly made of leftover metal from NASA.
The 1955 Vincent Black Shadow Series-D on eBay was once the fastest Vincent in the world. We wish it could talk—so it could tell the tale of making motorcycle land-speed racing history. The next best thing? To straddle the tank and imagine the thrill of being on the salt flats. That privilege will be bestowed upon this extraordinary bike’s next owner.
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