Top 10 Coolest Vintage Motorcycles (Part-1)

Recently new motorcycles made to look vintage have become all the rage. This trend covers everything from cruisers to cafe racers to dirt bikes. While many of these bikes are really cool, they just aren't nearly as cool as the original.

Despite all of that show remarkable similarities, but nothing can match with following coolest vintage motorcycles,

10. Panther Model 100

The Panther Model 100 was a British motorcycle. Panthers were manufactured in Cleckheaton, Yorkshire from 1900 to 1967. Panther Model 100 was launched in 1932, the Model 100 continued through to 1963. While the engine and overall layout stayed essentially the same, the specifications steadily evolved over these thirty or so years.

During the early 1930s, Panther had signed a deal with London dealership Pride & Clarke to stock a number of their 250cc economy models, dubbed the ‘Red Panther’. While these cheaper models brought in much-needed revenue during the worst years of the UK depression, they were also relatively easy to assemble, at least compared to Panther’s ‘heavyweight’ models, like the Model 100.

1936 Panther Model 100. (Picture from: http://classic-motorbikes.net/)

This in turn led management to assign assembly of the Red Panther to unskilled labourers, allowing the experienced factory employees to concentrate on the heavyweights, ensuring Model 100s built during this period were of a high quality standard. Model 100s represented a big chunk of Panther’s overall sales at the time, despite their premium price, so it made sense to build them as well as they possibly could, not only to keep their existing customers but also to attract new ones.

This bike had a 598 cc, 6.5:1 compression ratio, 87 mm × 100 mm (3.43 in × 3.94 in), OHV sloper engine in a frame where the engine replaces the front down-tube. They were very stout and workman like. Top speed was around 70 mph, considerably slower than the other bike on this list.

9. Ariel Red Hunter

The Ariel Red Hunter name dates back to the Great Depression, and two of the great names in British motorcycle development are responsible. The first was Val Page, a brilliant engineer working for Ariel who developed a beefy 500 single back in 1926. It was so reliable that in 1929 two Brits put an Ariel with that engine between two 18-foot pontoons, rigged a drive to a propeller and rode across the English Channel to France.

In those years the Red Hunter line, epitomizing powerful singles, also included 250s and 350s, and all had rigid frames and girder forks. Following World War II the 250 was dropped, with the 350 NH and 500 VH carrying on the Hunter name.

1946 Ariel Red Hunter. (Picture from: http://www.yesterdays.nl/)

It should be noted that in 1948 a 500cc vertical twin, the KH, acquired the Red Hunter sobriquet, but twins were never considered in the same league as the singles. In the best British tradition, these postwar iron-engined thumpers had big flywheels and a relatively relaxed camshaft, along with a low 6:1 compression ratio, since the octane rating of the still-rationed pump gasoline was close to 70.

8. Vincent Black Shadow

The Vincent Black Shadow was a hand-built motorcycle produced by Vincent HRD from 1948. The series "C", which was introduced in 1949, had a 998 cc (60.9 cu in) 50 degree OHV V-twin engine running a 7.3:1 compression ratio.

The inspiration for the Black Shadow was Royal Air Force pilots flying over the factory, and soldiers serving in the war. The designers created a motorcycle that could be operated and maintained by men who had been injured in combat.

The clutch could be operated with just two fingers, and maintenance was made far easier than anything previously available. The reason for its name "Black" Shadow was that the entire bike (including the engine) was coloured black including baked enamel on crank-case and covers. The reason for the black on the crankcases is still disputed to this day. Some claim that the black colour was for looks, others claim that it had something to do with heat transfer and dissipation.

Vincent Black Shadow. (Picture from: http://theeco-senior.blogspot.com/)

Whatever the original reason behind the painting of the engine, it was very different from anything else at a time when everything was polished and chromed. There were a small number (about 16) of White Shadows, machines made to Shadow specification but with the plain aluminium finish of the Rapide. Fewer than 1,700 Vincent Black Shadows were made, all hand-assembled.

The Vincent Black Shadow is considered to be the ultimate dream bike by many people. It is extremely desirable and extremely expensive, selling frequently in excess of $60,000. Fewer than 1700 of these highly desirable bikes were made. They were popular race bikes and had astonishing performance for a production bike in their time.

7. Norton ES2

The Norton ES2 was a Norton motorcycle first produced in 1927. Norton made the ES2 from 1927-1964. It was a long stroke single originally launched as a sports motorcycle but throughout its long life it was gradually overtaken by more powerful models.

It remained popular due to its reliability and ease of maintenance, as well as the traditional design. From 1947 the ES2 had an innovative hydraulically damped telescopic front fork and race developed rear plunger suspension. From 1953 it had a single downtube swinging-arm frame and was uprated to the Rex McCandless Featherbed frame in 1959 and featured an improved AMC gearbox, revised cylinder head, modernised alternator and an 8-inch front brake with full width hubs.

1948 Norton ES2. (Picture from: http://www.classic-auctions.com/)

For 1961 the bike was further improved with the Slimline frame with upper frame rails narrowed and a slimmer tank. The last Norton ES2 was produced in 1964. It had very long stretch for such a traditional design. It was a Sports bike when it was initially produced but its performance was soon surpassed by other bikes. These bikes were well known for their reliability and how easy they were to repair. While the all look pretty old fashioned they were constantly updated during their production run.

6. Coventry-Eagle Flying-8

Coventry-Eagle was a British motorcycle manufacturer. Established as a Victorian bicycle maker, the company began under the name of Hotchkiss, Mayo & Meek. The company name was changed to Coventry Eagle in 1897 when John Meek left the company. By 1898 they had begun to experiment with motorised vehicles and by 1899, had produced their first motorcycle.

The motorcycles were hand built from components and finished carefully, Coventry-Eagle motorcycles proved reliable and by the First World War the range included Villiers Engineering and JAP engines.

During the early 1920s, the models changed depending on what engines were available and the company swapped between four engine manufacturers. The model Flying 8 was probably the most iconic bike of its time and bore a resemblance to the contemporarythe Brough Superior. During the depression of the 1930s, the company concentrated on producing two-strokes. Production continued until the start of the Second World War in 1939.

1925 Coventry-Eagle 980cc Flying-8 Sidevalve. (Picture from: http://classiccarweekly.wordpress.com/)

The most famous of Coventry Eagle's motorcycles was the Flying-8, which took its name from the engine's RAC rating of 8 horsepower. With its mighty JAP v-twin engine and muscular good looks, the Flying-8 was a worthy rival for the Brough Superior and a formidable Brooklands racing machine in the hands of privateers such as Bert Le Vack.

For 1926 the original sidevalve-engined Flying-8 was joined by a new overhead-valve version powered by the same 980cc JAP KTOR engine used by rivals Brough Superior in their SS100. It is said that the Brough and Coventry Eagle v-twins' resemblance was no co-incidence, the Coventry firm's Percy Mayo and George Brough having become acquainted while on active service during WWI.

1928 Coventry Eagle Flying-8 OHV Bike. (Picture from: http://www.bornrich.com/)

A new frame incorporating substantial engine plates was used for the ohv Flying-8, which featured both mechanical and hand-pumped lubrication, a Jardine three-speed gearbox, large (8" diameter) brakes and Royal Enfield wheels, the rear boasting its maker's famous cush drive. Sadly, the onset of the Depression would force Coventry-Eagle to abandon production of its more expensive models, the last ohv Flying-Eight leaving the factory in 1930 and the final sidevalve model the following year. (Jump to Next-Part.)  *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES]

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