09-09-2021, 06:18 AM
Speaking of "Other Bikes," I am reminded of my favorite bike I never had, but ALMOST did, a Vincent Black Shadow. I am sure some of you have had a bike you just missed getting, or had the chance to, but didn't. The Black Shadow came into my life, almost, in about 1971, when Scott Guthrie a friend who had a small bike repair shop in Tallahassee, put me in touch with his friend who had a Vincent Black Shadow and needed $300 quick. He rode the bike to my place and I really liked it. I had the money but we were expecting a baby any minute and that money would pay the hospital bill. Could have borrowed it, but needed a day to think about it, so I told him I'd get back to him tomorrow, but by then he found a way to get the cash and he kept his bike. Remember, in those days $300 was a month's pay for a lot of people. We were paying $65/month on a 1968 VW we had bought NEW for $1720 (it had an FM radio!). I thought about naming the kid Vincent, but she wasn't a boy, so I didn't even get that. So, what are some of your bikes that got away?