1953 Vincent Series C Rapide

Although not a factory original color, the most famous blue Vincent was a Series C Rapide set up for competition and owned by the late legendary Southern California racer Marty Dickerson who was setting land speed records at Bonneville into his ninth decade.

The blue bike featured here is the result of many years of customization and enhancement by two skilled and enthusiastic owners whose primary goal was to improve the overall riding experience. Adherence to originality took a back seat to functionality, and in the lexicon of the classic vehicle world, this beautiful machine would be considered a “restomod” (restored + modified).

Vincents then and now

Vincents have always been at the upper end of the motorcycle price range, and between the end of World War II and the shutdown of the factory in the mid ’50s, they embodied the finest of British motorcycle engineering and stood at the pinnacle of performance. Thanks to the achievements of Rollie Free at the Bonneville Salt Flats and other speed demons, Vincents were justifiably marketed as the “World’s Fastest Standard Motorcycle.” They were well-designed, robust and are still used today for touring by many owners. The marque is supported by a large International Owner’s Club and benefits from broad availability of spare parts from the club and specialist suppliers.

Nearly 70 years after production ended, Vincents today sell for premium prices due to their rarity and collectability. The spectrum of buyers ranges from those who regard Vincents as motorcycles to be ridden to others who see Vincents as potential investments. For the latter group, originality is extremely important and such owners resist making any changes which may potentially reduce the future value of their 2-wheeled assets.
For those owners who regard Vincents first and foremost as fine motorcycles to be ridden, correctness is secondary to such things as comfort, performance, safety, durability and ease of service.

The backstory

The brilliant blue bike featured here retains the classic lines of a Vincent twin, enhanced by its stunning non-stock paint job, while incorporating numerous subtle functional modifications. It’s a custom motorcycle that embodies the combined vision and skills of two very talented San Francisco-based enthusiasts: Pete “The Painter” Misthos and Dennis Magri.

In 1988, Pete saw a 1953 Series C Vincent Rapide advertised for sale in the San Francisco Chronicle classified ads for $10,000 as a basket case. He’s restored over 1,000 motorcycles during the 42 years he’s been doing business at Underground Colors and wasn’t intimidated by the pile of parts. In addition, his specific experience with Vincents is deep, having painted 62 of them over the years.

The pile of parts had been part of a large collection of bikes in the East Bay and when Pete took possession, about a third of the essential bits were missing. After he spent an additional $8,000 buying the missing pieces, Pete began assembling the bike. The engine’s key specifications (bore, stroke, cams, etc.) were kept pretty much stock but numerous other changes were made to the rest of the bike along the way.

Pete preferred the look of the touring version of the Rapide with its painted valanced fenders to the more common sporting version of the bike which has narrow, unpainted fenders. He managed to source a correct valanced rear fender and when he couldn’t locate a genuine front fender, he fabricated one from 18-gauge sheet metal.

When I asked Pete why he chose the bike’s color he laughed and told me that being of Greek descent he believes that, like the country’s flag, everything is better in blue. He recalls this specific shade of dark blue was used on some British Sunbeam cars. The bike’s bare metal parts were acid-etched, epoxy-primed and shot with polyurethane paint.

Thanks to the meticulous surface preparation and skilled application of the final coats, the finish has held up remarkably well for over 30 years and still looks deep and lustrous. An example of Pete’s consummate skill and overall attention to detail are the tank logos; they’re not decals — Pete hand-painted them and all the gold in the tank striping and the logo is gold leaf, not gold powder in lacquer as the factory used.

Vincents have elegant lines, especially the touring models with their painted fenders. The curvaceous tank, fenders, chainguard and the rest of the bodywork is nicely accentuated by the deep blue hue which complements the alloy engine and gearbox.

The blue bike is bartered

In 1992, Pete traded the blue Rapide for 16 motorcycles belonging to his good friend and fellow San Franciscan, Dennis Magri. Part of the deal was a promise that Pete could ride the Vincent whenever he wanted.

I’ve known Dennis since the late ’70s. I was living in San Francisco and had just bought a Norton 750 Commando which was running like a drunken 3-legged donkey with hiccups. A friend of mine, who rode a Royal Enfield 750, introduced me to Dennis, an ex-Air Force mechanic who owned several classic motorcycles. He took me under his wing and schooled me in arcane skills such as synchronizing multiple carburetors, checking point gaps and setting ignition timing.

I moved across the Bay to Oakland in the early ’80s, then to Texas in the mid ’90s, and, over the years, I lost touch with Dennis. I’d heard that he’d opened a shop, Magri Motorcycles, in San Francisco but I’d had no contact with him until I ran into him at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering in 2018. It was great to see him again after more than three decades. Although we chatted briefly, we were both busy at the event and didn’t have much time to talk.

Fast forward five years to the International Vincent Owner’s Club (VOC) rally in Cambria, California, in September 2023. I was happy to see Dennis again and this time we finally had some time to get caught up. I was able to get a close look at the three bikes Dennis brought to the rally: a beautiful Vindian he’d built (a Vincent Rapide engine in an Indian chassis), a lovely non-standard red Vincent Rapide and the striking blue bike featured in this article. I’d seen the Vindian and the red bike previously at the Quail Gathering but the dark blue Series C Rapide was new to me and was jaw-droppingly beautiful.

Improvements ensue

Following on the cosmetic upgrades completed by Pete, Dennis continued to refine the bike by making a series of mechanical improvements during his ownership of the bike. Some modifications were more ambitious than others, but all are relatively inconspicuous.

The outer gearbox cover was sliced horizontally, just above the level of the exhaust pipe. This intrepid modification allows removal of the outer cover to replace the kickstart return spring or access the gearshift adjusters without having to disturb the exhaust system. There’s not normally any oil behind the outer cover so the modification doesn’t lead to any leaks.

The stock Vincent twin servo clutch has been replaced with a Ducati-type multiplate clutch. The stock clutch pushrod geometry was modified to provide additional lift and the use of adjustable clutch springs allows uniform separation of the plates when the clutch is activated.

Custom carburetor mounting adapters designed by Dennis allow for good sealing and easy mounting/dismounting of the carbs. The original Amal 276 carbs have been replaced with new 30mm Amal Premier Mk1 Concentrics which are more compact, provide better idling, easier starting and have better parts availability. The carbs breathe through a pair of K&N conical pleated fabric pod filters.

Dennis designed, fabricated and installed a simple, yet effective, latch system that prevents accidental opening or loss of the stock sliding tool tray under the saddle.

The distance piece under the rear of the gas tank which prevents vibration and cracking of the tank was modified and improved. The stock hollow tube-and-rod assembly was replaced with a self-centering solid rod that’s internally threaded on both ends to accept socket head cap screws.
A Laney Thornton-designed damper made by Works Performance controls movement of the front Girdraulic forks while the rear suspension comprises the stock Vincent combination of dual springs and a hydraulic damper. The footrests were from Michael Breeding (mikesindianparts.com) and are longer than stock and feature folding footpegs. They make the seating position more comfortable for those with longer legs.

The charging system consists of a 12-volt Alton alternator and Podtronics rectifier/regulator. The stock main fuse in the wiring system has been replaced by a resettable circuit breaker (which can also act as an anti-theft device). The taillight and brake light are LEDs which are brighter than the stock bulbs and draw less current. NGK spark plugs are fired by a rebuilt stock Lucas KVF magneto, which works well.

A Vincent Series D-type engine breather cap was fitted to the top of the engine. A reed-type one-way breather valve from a Yamaha XS650 is attached to the breather hose which terminates near the rear drive chain so that oil mist from the breather lubes the chain.

The front rim is a 19-inch WM2 (stock was 20-inch WM1), and the rear is an 18-inch WM3 (stock was 19-inch WM2). Twenty-inch-tires have become scarce and the bike handles nicely with the slightly smaller wheels. Rims are chromed with the center sections painted in blue with dark red pinstriping on the outer edges. Spokes are polished stainless steel.

The side stand was bought from Jim Mosher (Performance Indian). The bike retains its original pair of stock forward-mounted left and right side stands but the addition of the Mosher stand, which is mounted mid-chassis, makes the bike much more stable when leaned over.

When asked about the motivation behind the various modifications he made to the bike, Dennis explained: “Changes weren’t made for styling purposes. I’m a great fan of function over form, which is not to say that a functional change can’t also be elegant. Every modification made was intended to take an already great design a little further in terms of functionality and ease of service.”

People dig the blues

At the 2023 International VOC rally, there were only three blue Vincents present — the one featured here, a Marty Dickerson tribute bike and a Rapide-based special recently built by Keith Martin and his team at Big D Cycle in Dallas. The blue bikes attracted a lot of attention and garnered heaps of compliments from rally attendees — the Big D bike even won the People’s Choice award. Popular opinion seems to support the notion that Vincents look good in blue!

Pete and Dennis weren’t constrained by concerns about asset appreciation or originality when they built this machine. Their striking creation honors the original intent of another pair of enthusiasts: Phil Vincent and Phil Irving, originators of Vincent motorcycles, whose goal was to produce machines that provide their riders with the best possible riding experience. It’s been said that Phil Vincent was more interested in making motorcycles than making money and his products were built to a high standard, not a low cost.

Stock Vincents are elegant, staid, reserved and dignified. Compared to its understated black and gold siblings, this blue Rapide is bold, vibrant and proudly stands out. It makes a strong statement about individual expression superseding conventionality. If the two Phils could see this beautiful machine today, more than 70 years after it left the factory, I’m 99% sure they’d approve. MC