I can remember when I became interested in motorcycles. My brother Steve told me the story of the legendary “Black Shadow.” I was about 12 years old. I never forgot it. It would be many years before I saw one.
I made my living as a motorcycle mechanic from 1974 on, and I have always been an enthusiast. Having opened my own shop, Full Throttle Powersports in Chestertown, Maryland, I spend my days servicing motorcycles. Sometimes, I indulged myself with my own project. One day, a patron had a 1982 Yamaha 920 Virago that had been rusting away in a barn. Rather than sending it to the local junkyard, they decided to donate the XV to my shop. At first, I was not sure what would become of the rusty old Virago. When I removed the key from the bike, I noticed it had a key fob from the first Yamaha shop I worked at … in 1982! I decided if I could make the bike run I would build something different from it. I thought, a V-twin and mono-shock rear suspension, much like the old Vincent. After a good carb clean and a new battery, I had the old XV sounding pretty good.
The Virago gets a facelift
The first order of business was the rear wheel. The Virago came with cast alloy wheels and that would not do. I had to find a way to adapt a spoked wheel to the Yamaha drive shaft. I remembered the Virago 535 had spoked wheels so I took a chance and ordered a XV 535 rear wheel from eBay. After studying the hub, I did some machine work and was able to bolt the drive flange from the 920’s wheel to the 535’s wheel hub. I would then get my hands on an 18-inch aluminum rim, but I needed the correct spokes. I spent a while learning and planning dimensions to have a set of custom stainless steel spokes made for me. When the custom spokes arrived, I laced up the aluminum rim and mounted a K70 Dunlop 4.00 X 18-inch tire. I was not trying to make an exact Vincent replica but something that may (on cloudy day) resemble the mighty Black Shadow.
For the front wheel, I used one from a 1980s Kawasaki KZ 1000 CSR and mounted a Vee Rubber vintage ribbed 3.25 X 19-inch tire. To get the authentic look, I made some “tommy bar” axle nuts from wheel lug nuts and 5/16-inch stainless rod.
I did not want a girder fork as I was planning to ride this bike at speed. I did not want the Virago’s leading axle fork either, so I went with a set from a 1981 Yamaha XV 920 Euro. I kept the dual front disc brakes for safety, but I added a set of black fork gators for the British look. I needed a seat that had a guitar shape. I found a reproduction seat for a 60’s Jawa 250 adapted nicely to the Yamaha frame with a handmade seat bracket similar to the Vincent set up. I did not duplicate the eccentric mechanism on the swingarm that Vincent used. I mounted the seat frame separate from the rear suspension. A set of black drag handlebars, some vintage British switches and a vintage choke handle would suffice for controls. The cables were handmade to fit. I wanted a better shaped fuel tank, so I got one from a 1980 Yamaha XS 400 Special. I fabricated new front mounts and hand-brazed those to the tank, then brazed in new mounts on the XV frame to accommodate the new tank.
With the bike all apart, I painted the frame, engine, swingarm and fork legs in gloss black enamel. As for the engine, I replaced the cam bushings Yamaha used with roller bearings. I also removed all the Allen head screws and replaced them with stainless steel cheese head fasteners, like what was used by Vincent.
For fenders, I used a set from a ‘70’s Norton Commando with custom-made brackets. I did something clever for the rear fender and fitted the front section on a hinge so I could change the rear tire a bit easier, similar to the Vincent. The front fender braces are hand bent from 3/8-inch steel tubing and adapted to the front fork with brass screws for that vintage look. Speaking of that vintage look, I used brass screws to mount a reproduction Miller taillight assembly. A 7-inch headlight assembly, also a Miller reproduction, was mounted to the forks with a set of aftermarket brackets. I was able to fit a vintage looking, white-faced ammeter in the headlight that functions and looks great.
I retained the Hitachi CV carburetors and rejetted them for use with a K&N air filter in the stock location, fitted with brass wing nuts. I used a set of Lucas ignition coils equipped with cloth covered wires. They were mounted with special brackets on the left side of the bike and in front of the engine. For the exhaust, I used a front head pipe from a ’90’s Yamaha XV 1000. It has a rounded profile similar to the Vincent. I adapted the rear head pipe to the system using a handmade coupler pipe. To complete the 2-into-1 system, I fitted a muffler from a Royal Enfield 500cc, but did some internal baffle mods for a more authentic sound.
My friend, Jay White, does my paint and body work. Jay filled in the side sections of the fuel tank, sanded, primed and painted the tank with four coats of gloss black enamel paint. I added some gold chrome pinstripe tape and some replica Vincent tank emblems. Finally, Jay sprayed it all with four coats of clear enamel paint.
I handmade a custom wiring harness using a circuit breaker and a lithium ion battery. The bike starts immediately, to my delight, idles nice and sounds great!
It runs very well. I have seen a top speed of 120mph, much like the original Black Shadow. I am amazed how many people approach me while at gas stations and talk about the “Legendary Vincent Black Shadow,” though mine is not original but a replica, it’s built to be “ridden, not hidden.” While I have the utmost respect for the original, I also like the fact that this bike is built, not bought. MC
