Hunter S. Thompson once said that if you rode a Vincent "at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die." Never one to take his own advice, the journalist had several torrid affairs with the brand over the years. His attorney, Dr. Gonzo, suggested buying a motorcycle before their narcotic-fueled bender chronicled in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. In 1972, Thompson made a detour from the campaign trail, hopped on a Vincent, and took a raucous road test through California.
If you're headed to the Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction on January 25, take Dr. Gonzo's recommendation and put in a bid for the 1951 Vincent Black Lightning. Offered through Bonhams auction house, the bike in in its original running condition and broke the Australian land-speed record, at 141 mph, in 1953. If you're wondering how much cash to allocate for this one, consider the fact that the last Black Lightning sold at auction for $293,423 in 2008.
Only 34 Black Lightnings were ever built, and it's not hard to see why. They were custom orders stripped of any street equipment and topped off with an angry 998cc engine. These were the first superbikes of the post-war era. And in a time before helmet laws were widespread and molecular body armor was standard, only a small group had the nerve and the bankroll to mount one.
This article appears in the Dec./Jan. '18 issue of Esquire. SUBSCRIBE TODAY
