Falcon Motorcycles finally revealed their latest creation, the Black Falcon. It’s a hand built Vincent powered machine with perfect workmanship and incredible attention to detail wherever you look. The praise from all quarters has been lavish and practically automatic and I can’t find fault with any of it. The bike seems perfect from end to end, sculptured and polished hand adjustment knobs everywhere, one off pieces in every nook and cranny, it’s about as far as the six man build team working over a full year could take it. It’s art, it’s jewelry, it’s a tangible demonstration of the builders’ skills, it’s even functional with a top speed alleged to be in the 150 mph range, what more could anyone want? The bike is already sold, something I believe happened long before it was built, somewhat like the patrons of the renaissance who financed works and kept the artists and sculptors employed, so why am I having such a hard time forming an opinion about it?
Maybe the difficulty lies in wondering whether the Black Falcon is really a motorcycle at all. The owner may have every intention of riding it whenever possible, though my hunch is it will sit on display. There’s nothing wrong with that, I hang art on my walls, too, but this should be something more. Perhaps it needs to be ridden and proven as a motorcycle to show all of those exquisite pieces won’t break after 20 miles of bumps and vibration. They look plenty durable, but we may never know.
Restored and put on display after a year or two on the road would add to the credibility of what this bike represents. The original Vincents were ridden hard, raced, abused, rebuilt, restored and now find themselves objects of desire because of their proven ability to perform while looking good. The Vincent engine, to my eye, is one of the best looking motorcycle powerplants ever produced, and they still race them. Those low mileage vintage bikes everyone tries to find for their collection are pristine examples of the ones that were run until they expired. If a particular vintage motorcycle had never been proven in some way, would anyone want one now? Would it be a great motorcycle or just a curiosity?
The Spruce Goose, the enormous wooden flying boat built by Howard Hughes, barely lifted off from the water just one time and then never flew again. Was it ever really an airplane or merely a museum curiosity? Motorcycles like the Black Falcon, if never run but only put on display, run the risk of a similar fate and that would be a shame because this motorcycle seems very capable of being so much more. Dust and grime take nothing away from a beauty like this, they add value no one can bolt on in the workshop. Let’s hope some future photos show this bike on the road with the owner all smiles, bugs on the engine and dirt on the wheels. If he cleans it up and parks it afterwards, I think we’ll all understand.
Link: Falcon Motorcycles
Amaryllis Knight asked if I would include the video below in the post:
DWolvin says
Agreed! I see a few sixties BMW’s at the shop where I go, and the thing that I love about them is that they are in great shape, but were ridden there. The little road dirt and bugs shows real love (to me).
Guy Procter says
Loved this, thank you.
DW says
The H-4 Hercules or “Spruce Goose” is not an amphibian, it’s a flying boat.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
Yes, you’re right, it had no wheels for land operations. Post has been corrected. Thanks.
mule says
Paul, I agree 100% with your assessment of this bike. In the big wide world of bike building there is a wide variety. From the current trend of rat-rides to the far away, thin aired, high rent district square in the middle of Fine Art City. Ian is clearly at the top of the art pyramid. How it relates to actual motorcycling in the real world, I’m not really sure. Or if it relates at all. Will this bike go 150mph? I’m thinking not. That’s a big number and it gets tossed about in today’s motorcycle world like empty Starbuck’s cups. Is this bike beautiful? Hell yes it is. Does it look like jewelry? Of course. As pretty as it is, I can’t imagine anyone ever even riding it down to the corner pub or coffee shop. It has to be ridden a few miles to give it any credibility at all, but I don’t think that is this bike’s intent. I believe Ian is on a path creatively that will take him even further down the road that this bike is on. That is, to an unbelievable level of jewelry-bikes. Is that his goal? Apparently so. The 3 bikes he’s done so far belong in a museum where you have to pay just to look at them. They are that pretty for sure! I’ve looked at them and I’ve touched them. For free!
There now exists a place in the motorcycle world for jewelry bikes built to a ridiculously high standard and currently Ian is the only resident.
The only problem is……..they don’t appear even remotely comfortable and I’ve seen Ian toodling around the greens on them and the contorted riding position doesn’t do the builds justice. The priority with the builds is very clear and has been achieved. I’m just a little unclear on how it relates to the real world of motorcycling.
Jack T.Jr says
Hering him talk in that video it doesn’t seem his “goal” is to build jewelry bikes like you say, is that something you are making up or do you have reasoning behind the thinking? I seen him ride them too at a show once, I think where you were entered for custom class with him, and on a few videos floating about the Internet and I don’t see where you’re getting the image of contorted body positions or him “toodling around”. Youtube has ones of him looking like he’s going 100MPH in salt flats or city river runs which is more than I’ve seen one of yours or very many bikes running at in person. Vincent engines even before they have been hot rodded were built to sustain easily 100+ mile an hour if you are talking about a Triumph at 150 it would be like tossing an empty paper cup I agree, but a tricked Vincent is inside the range of possible. My opinion is that’s as much about real world of motorcycling as a “streetracker” yamaha and for me maybe in some ways more because it also inspires and feeling lifted from the world of every day is a reason why I ride motorcycles. I do like your bikes you make also though, it’s just a different thing and one isn’t more real than the other.
Phoebe says
At the very least, bikes like these can serve as an inspiration for others. Let’s face it, most people cannot build a bike like this…but they can inspire us to do the best we can on our own builds, and perhaps take things in a direction we hadn’t previously considered.
mule says
Pheeb, That’s what I meant, but you said it much better!
Phoebe says
Aw thanks! =)
By the way, I totally agree with what you posted above.
Ken says
Phoebe, I believe, is exactly right. Just because very few will never create a work of art as incredible as Picasso, he still serves as inspiration to artists, art lovers, historians and even the average person lucky enough to see his artwork close and in person. As amazing as Ian’s work looks on my screen, I bet its dumbfounding in person.
Jed R says
Yawn, predictable article trying to find problems with something that people dig. I know the owner of one of these bikes and he rides it harder than I ride mine, with the attitude of “what’s the point if it’s not going to be ridden”. I heard Ian won’t even build bikes for people that won’t ride them which is what made me respect him a while back when I was somewhat on the fence. The only problem I can see is that the owners have a hard time parking anywhere and that you get bike builders like Mule leaving downer comments. It’s easier to criticize than to do it your self I guess.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
It’s pretty obvious, you’re new here, …
Jed R says
Yeah. Been lurking for a while but this one made me want to speak out because I know something about the subject matter. Normally I’m a silent observer/ learning.
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
As should be quite plain from my post and Mule’s comment, too, we both have immense respect for the fantastic work done on this bike. Taking random shots at someone’s build is something we don’t do on The Kneeslider. If this bike is ridden hard as you indicate another owner does with his, then there’s no issue anyway, it’s the entire point of my post.
I might add, in an email exchange I’ve just had with Amaryllis Knight, co-founder of Falcon Motorcycles, she said “I think it’s an interesting and good question to ask people.” If she has no problem with the post, especially with the honest ideas expressed, I’m guessing it’s worthy of consideration.
mule says
I might add that talking to and listening to Amaryllis, she takes a ton of pride in the builds! And it sounds like she gets her hands dirty too! Good job!
Amaryllis says
I did indeed email Paul saying it was an interesting question to ask  his readers. I do understand how people could look at our photos and  think that we’re all about aesthetic, even though that is not the  goal or reality.
The goal set by Ian was for the craftsmanship in the engine and it’s  internals to be the equal to Ian’s on the rest of the motorcycle. There is no practical or  rational advantage to balancing reciprocating and rotating masses to  exactly 1/10th of a gram, but that’s what was done in order to  allow it to achieve it’s fully potential and be the best it could  possibly be. The engine has almost 1000 hours of his labor in to it,  8 months being fully dedicated exclusively to the project.
Original Picador spares were sourced for the Black Falcon, from  Big Sid and others, (the Picador was the Vincent aircraft drone  prototype that the twin was actually born from as far as initial development, and it had to be more extensively modified for  durability… to be run at ‘full chat’ for a 24hr period). We also used spares from both Gunga Din (Vincent’s only factory  racer) and Sid’s Rattler which he used as a template to make new  parts specifically bound for the Falcon, with our own signature, in order to increase oil flow, make them stronger, and lighter etc.  There is nothing in this engine, not even the cases, which has not  been modified in some way for functional improvement.Â
Additionally,  Ian developed new functions for the both the engine and the bike as a whole… the low expansion bronze cylinder  muffs for example, that will cure a common issue with Vincents  regarding the sleeves moving in the original alloy cylinders,  building up carbon and then leaking. He engineered and made our own  front double-sided, four leading shoe brake which he fabricated in house, using locomotive cylinders that have about double the braking power than the Vincent Lightning single leading shoe originals. He engineered modern  internal gas shocks for superior handling, made our own Girdraulic forks (shorter, lighter, perfect alignment using needle rollers on  all bearing surfaces), six-position adjustability of handlebars and  seat for rider preference… I could go on and on, but I think you  get the point ;)Â
Again, I appreciate Paul’s article and the question posed behind it, Â I think it’s an important one to ask. And I think the reality of this machine, Â as a “machine” not an “object”, will be apparent when we film it running, we’re excited to share it.
Jack says
Are you still using “yawn” in a web comment? That was old after the 1st time someone used it.
powermatic says
Oddly, I get weary of posters who expect their favorite bikes to be free of even the mildest critiques, no matter how lavish the praise otherwise. A true work of art should never be universally loved and accepted-to create art is to assume the risk of backlash and negativity from others since you are pushing the envelope of your own personal boundaries. Otherwise, it’s just a mundane oil painting hanging on the wall of a Holiday Inn, whose greatest aspiration is to offend no one.
This bike is obviously gorgeous, clever, and meticulously built to a high degree. My feeling is that it borrows too heavily from the Steampunk ‘movement’, and I would have enjoyed seeing an artistic vision towards more of an unknown. Still, the Vincent motor naturally aligns itself with the whole ‘The Time Machine’ vibe, so I can understand why the builders went in that direction. Also, the above vid would have been a perfect opportunity to see and hear it run: if a bike ain’t a bike unless it has been ridden, it’s definitely not a motorcycle if the engine won’t at least start. Not saying it doesn’t or won’t, but it would be nice to see evidence. Not to mention enjoy the exhaust note. Plus: trying to project the performance parameters of a one-off bike such as this is a fool’s game. Only a track test will show whether or not it will top out at 150. Or even the newly revised 140.
A beautiful bike, and I know I’d be elbowing people out of the way for a closer look. Congrats and respect to the build team.
B50 Jim says
Absolutely gorgeous! Let’s hope it’s a work of art that the owner takes out for the occasional ride, at least. If not, why bother to even put any innards in the engine? Just use empty cases and bolt on the shiny bits.
Bikes can be beautiful and roadworthy. I’ve seen a Crocker in person; it was a fabulous piece of craftsmanship yet fully intended to be ridden and ridden hard. There’s no reason the Falcon can’t take a few trips on the road. About that 150-mph claim…. yeah, I doubt it, too. 120 seems more likely, unless Rollie Free is somehow still available.
Jackson says
FYI, the engine was been built by Stephen Pate of Restoration Werks with the help of Big Sid Bibberman – one of the all time greats when it comes to Vincent racing history, and a legend in the world of tuning and getting an engine just right. Sounds like as much attention was put toward the engine as the form, if you do your homework you’ll discover that every moving part has been balanced to the 10th of a gram and made lighter/stronger.
hrd says
Speechless, what a bike. The fact that Stephen Pate with Big Sid advising were a part of this project should give the readers solace that this bike is definitely meant to FUNCTION — they’re not the kind of guys who do beauty for beauty’s sake. Doesn’t sound like Mr. Barry is either. A window into the thought process  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQV-tLbi4iA
Stephen Pate says
Hey Man… Hold on there… *I* totally do ‘beauty for beauty’s sake’ too! I like ’em pretty!
Hahaha!
Thanks for the kind words.
ps. nice moniker!
rohorn says
Paul,
I’ll bet there is a rich history of use, abuse, and neglect on an awful lot of the parts here, especially the engine – does THAT make it more motorcyclicious?
I find it a little disconcerting that the more skill, vision, talent, and work a person puts in a bike, the less of a bike it must be. Is there a median standard that appeals to most, where if it is lowbrow enough, it makes us feel better about our own bikes and/or the ability to fantasize about doing it ourselves if the computer (or wife and daughter) lets us?
Mule,
Since when does dressing up a perfectly good motorcycle as a “street tracker’ make it a more practical? Or in most cases, more comfortable?
I’d rather look at this once in a while than another overdose of cafebobtrackers.
Steve says
I like it! The level of craftsmanship is impeccable, and the fact they can be ridden (and hard) shows that the thought process
todd says
I don’t think it’s as hard to build this as many are saying. According to the write up six people spent more than a year on this. That’s more than 13,000 hours. If I put more than 13,000 hours into polishing my carburetors and fabricating bits they’d look pretty nice too. I think the primary source of beauty on this bike was one that existed long before the build began; this is a Vincent. Otherwise if you start out polishing a turd…
Yes, this is a nice bike but I’m not sure that the end justifies the means. At a shop rate of $100 is this bike 1-1/4 million dollars nicer than a stock Vincent?
-todd
JT says
How about if you make your own cylinders and then shape and polish them, like they did with this bike?
Nicolas says
It is a beautiful bike, indeed. Beautiful.
Now, to join what Todd and others said before, from my humble and uneducated turd-polisher point of view, I’d suggest that this beauty is the less you can expect from a talented team of builders fueled with the right amount of green. But building a bike that would be (almost) as nice as this one but “affordable”, that would transcend the talent into genius …
Jim says
Define “affordable.” This word gets thrown around often when discussing one off and small production bikes, but without the context of what the commenter defines as “affordable,” it is trite.
Sick Cylinder says
Personally I don’t understand it – why would anyone do that to a Vincent and why would anyone want to ride that rather than a real Vincent?
It reminds me of the Dolce and Gabbanna Bugattis you see driving round London – the ones which have a body half done in chrome and half finished in purple vinyl wallpaper.
Yes it costs a shed load of money, involves creativity, is very expensive and is ultimately pointless.
To my mind motorbikes are not pointless trinkets to be consumed by people with more money than sense – I would be happier if the designer and his crew stuck to making clocks or jewellry. .
I hope those aren’t original Vincent parts – I know you can now get replica
Paul Crowe - "The Kneeslider" says
I’m told the engine on the Black Falcon is built above Black Lightning specs. They’re expecting 70 to 75 hp on pump gas, about as much as they can reasonably do without going to methanol. After break in and tuning, they figure 140 mph should be a real number considering a standard Shadow could manage about 125. The Black is much lighter, too. Guess we’ll have to wait and see, but the fact that this work is under way makes me think we may have a real motorcycle here. Very nice!
dannyb says
going 150 isnt all about motor. the bike has to hold together, and with so many “hand tightened” pieces, it seems as if this could one could rattle apart pretty fast. many if not most parts need more pounds per square inch than the human hand can summon up.
rohorn says
I think I just found my next favorite example of internet wisdom….
mule says
Is 75 hp enough to take a naked bike to to 150mph? I remember the Confederate Wraith was going to go 150 at Bonneville and did something like 117mph. And that thing had 120+ hp. Love to see this jewel tearing down the track at 150mph!
Jackson says
Mule, take in to consideration that the stock Vincent Black Shadow could easily maintain a constant 100 mph with an average top end of 125 mph, and this engine has about 35hp above stock. In 1948 Rollie Free raced his Black Lightning at 150.313 m.p.h. on the Bonneville Salt Flats. If pretty much everything on this bike has been strengthened and lightened as described, and the engine is beyond lightning spec, then 150 doesn’t seem outrageous. Confederate projection has nothing to do with it. Locking pins and other methods deal with issues of vibration/hand tightening. This is one of the most considered motorcycles I’ve seen, and I’d bet safety and vibration at high speed have been taken into consideration.
mule says
Not to be misunderstood, I love this bike and as well as the other Falcon builds. That is a fact.
But I’d like to add this. Tuning, dyno readings, land speed records, projected top speeds vs actual top speeds are cruel and unforgiving to optimistic wishes. Achieving light weight is another Grim Reaper.
Statements like “That bike did that so this bike should do this”, are many times crushed hopes when taken to the track or plugged into the dyno. If this bike does what’s predicted, I will applaud loudly. Also, going fast at Bonneville (Rollie), is much harder due to altitude and traction, so 150 at sea level on pavement. Maybe. If this bike were to be run on a back road somewhere and radar’d, maybe it could bust 130.
Ponder this one. Would a state of the art XR750 Harley making 95-108hp with low bars go 150? Has it been done?
Paul Adams says
It is possible and there are several records in the Bonneville record book to prove it. The 1st prototype Wraith which ran in 2004 at Bonneville did not prove to run as well as expect due to conditions and tuning of the particular motor it was running. I would have to check but I believe the best speed it ran was in the low 130’s that year. I was not on that particular crew but the Wraith did return to the salt and did take and still has the 2000 A-PF record which was set in 2008. That year the Confederate Wraith had an average speed of 166.459 mph in the timed mile. The Black Falcon is a beautiful machine and I look forward to seeing it tearing down the track as well.
mule says
Awesome job! I stand corrected.
Stephen Pate says
History says it is, over and over again.
I’ve had a well sorted out stock Shadow up to 134mph, indicated on GPS.. and a couple specials like Big Sid’s Vincati, up at or past that and not even breathing hard. Seriously… just cruising along with a LOT of throttle left to go, sitting upright, etc.
After riding faster and harder than anyone else has, I have no doubt that the Vincati would hit about 150mph here on the road, around sea level, if I had a safe environment to run it in.. track, etc.
100mph is just possible on a stock Shadow coming out of second gear… so keep that in mind. Of course… it all depends where something is running. 140mph on the salt… not with out a lot of tuning work, but the *engine* would be capable of it.
140… not really that much of an ambitious claim, frankly.
I hope to see it tested out someday. Would make me happy.
hoyt says
Very nice piece, Paul. It is refreshing to see a relatively open discussion (minimal rants) surrounding such an intense effort & execution. Inspiration, economy of scale, aesthetics, durability… all have merit.
It will be interesting to see if the remaining builds have the same overall geometry as the first three.
hoyt says
I’m just glad people have the means & determination to take things to x degree so there are tangible levels to discuss and then reset higher when more determination and skill are revealed
Sam Chidester says
If the owner doesn’t run it at Bonneville a la Rollie Free he hasn’t got a hair on his patootee.
Claymore says
It’s a motorcycle all right. It’s the idea of the motorcycle put into physical form. The Black Falcon comes close to what I occasionally see in my minds eye, in place of my 31 year old Suzuki. (The old bike I bought cheap because it is all I can afford) It’s the same way a kid’s Radio Flyer is an Indy car for a few shining moments.
dannyb says
Making claims that it can go 150 is like saying “my dad is tougher than your dad” on the playground, its never gonna be proven as i doubt the owner or builder would take this on the salt to find out.
That being said, These are incredibal works of art and genius (minus the useless act of chopping off a 70’s unit transmission to make it appear a 50’s as in the last bike he did). I for one, would love to have one in my garage, though no doubt this bike sold for more than my entire house and garage put together. Are you going to ride the bike cross country, probably not but i think most RIDERS would find it impossible not to hop on this bike occasionally and blast it down a country road.
No doubt this bike sells for what some of those “top end” god awfull easteregg/fishing lure colored long bikes that was popular with those with money a few years ago. This concept is WAY better, and i lookforward to see the next 7 bikes he builds and if he can keep this level of genius up without becoming repetititve.
Deanna says
The little front fender is somewhat odd when so much effort was put into so many other fantastic metal parts.
Jon says
Paul and Mule, Well said, well written. I enjoy the jewelry bikes and the craftsmanship that comes with them. It’s an art form. Glad to have folks building them, however the current trend with builders seems to be all about the visual appeal, not riding comfort. The ‘new rage’ in cafe bikes proves my point….some are stunning eye candy, but I would never own one due to the board like seats. As the ecomomy continues to struggle my attention turns towards folks who can create, invent, and engineer amazing rides out of very little. It’s like the early days of hot rodding, the average Joe didn’t have alot to begin with, but made some amazing steel and iron.
mobilus says
If this bike cost $10k and was sold by the thousands, nobody would be asking themselves whether it’s a real motorcycle. Six guys working on this for a year… I can’t imagine what the build price was. What’s a fortune to me might have been a weekend’s income to the guy who commissioned the bike. I’ll bet my house that the owner’s riding it. Charlie Sheen didn’t spend a fortune on hookers so he could look at them.
Tim says
I’d rather ride this than what Charlie’s been riding. Just saying.
mobilus says
I’d rather ride the bike as well. If I had Bill Gates money and dropped a few hundred grand to have something like this built…. I’d be out on the road with it the day it was delivered.
Jon says
Just one more thought that I hope Paul will write about. Some in our motorcycling community treasure the bikes that have low mileage and museum quality. Purchases are made, heated shops warmed up, and blankets thrown over their new ride. Years pass by, miles avoided like the plague, and then new buyers sought. The intended purpose for the machine never met. Is this a crime or saving grace? Are you more inclined to perfection or worn history? Sounds like a great article that needs to be writen….with photos of course. JF
James McBride says
This is a high water mark, yes it’s a motorcycle, it’s a gorgeous, functional work of mechanical art.
I just hope it’s ridden.
FREEMAN says
Interesting article here but this one is a no-brainer for me.
Regardless of what the owner does with it, this is a motorcycle in the purest sense of the word.
Bolleke says
Greet motorcycle I love its a very nice piece of work, its like a Cartier, but what if you crashed are there any spare parts?
Gunner says
This is inspiration for all of us. Perhaps not to try building anything like this ourselves, but to get ideas and simply prepare ourselves for the next nights in the workshop dungeon. I haven’t seen a Falcon in real life, but I have seen a few of the Egeland creations (http://www.seservice.se/mainpage_en.htm) and they always have an impact, of love or hate or excitation. And somewhere at the back of my cave, there is an unused JAP engine from the late ’20s, a JTOR race engine once bought as a spare part for my father’s sidecar racer. I wonder if I ever will have the courage to bring it to life, to put in a frame and use it. That’s exactly why the Falcons and Egeland creations are so important, they make us think and perhaps push us forward to have a go at something we never thought possible.
Tim says
I remember watching a Biker Build Off years ago and someone (Matt Hotch) used a Vincent engine in his bike: they said it cost $85k USD!!.
Really interested to read the posts about the motor construction.
Oh and to answer Paul’s question: “Is it a motorcycle?” Yep.
Tim says
I was really hoping that video would include footage (and audio) of the thing running.
Or of Ian doing a big smoky burnout outside the factory on it…… sorry, I’m still 17 at heart.
Nortley says
Even a dirt bike looks unreal out of the crate and pimped and polished on the dealer’s floor, so I think we can dismiss the lack of patina on this new bike. But, going back a bit, suppose some discouraged newbie takes his new, freshly crashed Vincent back to his dealer, offs the remains for a song and takes up golf. The dealer’s son, who has been watching the coming of the bobber, claims the wreck and comes up with something like the above. There isn’t much to the Black Falcon that could not have been done when Vincents were current, had the vision existed. All it needs now is some miles.
Casey says
Personally, The aspect I love most about this bike is how it get’s everyone talking.
I know it really get’s me thinking, thinking about 6 guys toiling away obsessively for a whole year and then getting paid a pittance for that effort, well in a relative sense at least.
If the bike sold for $750k then i’m assuming:
A. Cost of doner parts-~$30k?
B. Cost of facilities,tools,consumables-$50k min.
C. Cost of any outside processing,plating,ect.-$10k
Conservative total=$90k
So, the remainder is $660k / 6 Guys = $110k per/guy(average).
Of course I am assuming A LOT, and $110k per guy is a pittance at this level of skill.
But it’s fun to think about what-if’s.
On the other hand, If it were 6 guys working less than crazy hours and the bike sold for $1M then it starts getting interesting.
Skizick says
I love the bike’s looks. My question would be, How can one spend so much time and energy on such a piece of mechanical art and not protect such and investment with some sort of artful aircleaners. One pebble down the throat and kaput! Those carb openings look like baby bird mouths ready to swallow whatever comes in range.
Bowery says
They’ll probably put an embossed “f” velocity stack screen on the inside of the stack like on all the Falcon stacks. Not sure why not in the photos.
Decline says
If a bike is built to only be displayed, I’m often left wondering why it was built to work to begin with. If you go into building what you know ahead of time will essentially amount to a “sculpture” why waste a working engine on it? Why not just dream up something fantastically fictitious and mount it. I see lots of 3D prototype mock ups I love, it doesn’t detract from them that it doesn’t run or uses non-existent parts. Might make me wish it did run but it is what it is.
So it becomes a waste, a waste of time and resources and talent to build a beautiful running machine that never will. Even if it falls apart, it was made to run, let it run. Let it run as hard as it can, as long as it can. Cultivate a relationship with it. Take it places, show it road.
Now excuse me, I must go wipe the dust off my untried thoroughbred race horse that I have bolted to my wall.
Big D says
Almost anything powered by Vincent is alright in my book. I’d be honored to have it parked in the garage.
Sure is easy on the eyes….
Rick says
A motorcycle is not just one thing.
Two bikes come off a production line. one is ridden, dropped, left out in the rain, rusted, forgotten. Its identical sibling is gold-plated, chrome plated, show painted, and put in a Lucite display case above a bar. They are both still motorcycles.
They just have different stories.
Idealgiant says
Listen, I ride a 99 KLR 650, so it goes without saying that I am more of a function over fashion kind of guy. However, as an aspiring builder, I love to see things like this bike. Yes, I would like to see it going 150mph, but I would stand in a museum and stare at it just the same. I think it is awesome and it is definitely cooler than the big stretched out Teutelcycles of the world.
Rob says
Is it art or is it a motorbike. Both would be appreciated. Intent of the builders I think was to build a bike. What people do with it is up to them. Bike with dust, dirt and street cred is cool. Going into a museum and finding an unridden beauty is why I go there and love that experience too.
Who wouldn’t love to find a bike in this condition boxed up in the back of some old shed? Anyway I hope the Falcon remains unridden until I find it in that shed. In the meantime hands off.
fluke says
The Spruce Goose analogy doesn’t really hold up. The plane was designed and built with the purpose of being used and abused in a theatre of war, just the war ended before it was finished and it was just completed and test flown to cock a snoop at all Howard Hughes detractors who said it never could. It became a museum piece by accident afterwards.
But I have been having issues with this bike too. I think the quality and design is amazing and full credit should go to the Falcon crew. But it just seems way too perfect to me. That perfection actually detracts from its appeal as a motorcycle.
also, people keep talking about the skill of the Falcon guys, but 6 guys a whole year? I wonder how many other shops could do the same if they could spend 2 weeks working to perfection every single part. More than a few methinks. Falcon actually did it though.
As a bike to inspire others? yes , it does that in spades, whilst also making me feel sad that I could never find the time or acquire the skill to come even half as close to such quality. Falcon have proven they can, now I would love to see them reign back the fettled to perfection element of the next bike to make it more motorcycle and less rolling art.
Then, perhaps I am just more than a little jealous.
FREEMAN says
Perhaps instead of asking whether this motorcycle is real or not, one should ask if the owner is a motorcyclist or not. The motorcycle can’t ride itself. Doesn’t make it any less of a motorcycle, no matter what it looks like or performs like or ultimately ends up being used for. And you cannot fault the motorcycle for that. To imply that there must be something wrong with this motorcycle or the builder because it’s so nice is just ridiculous. And let’s all face it: the owner can and will do whatever they want with it. That’s their right. Afterall, they paid for it.
Phoebe says
An excellent point!
Zipper says
I still say “WHOOMP” ..Z
Vinnie says
Come on now, we are all motorcyclists here. Almost by definition we are irrational and impractical. We could all own simple practical motorcycles and be perfectly happy,
but we are passionate about motorcycling to the point of blindness. Which makes life worth living! This is exactly the kind of build that inspires and reassures our passion! I can tell you for a fact that everyone who reads this site would (or has) spend all the money they can on motorcycling. If we had the money we would all have a bike like this, and even though it looks beautiful, I bet it sounds and smells even more amazing!
I also don’t see how top speed it relevant here, 140, 150 mph, if it could only go 60 mph and run on c16, it doesn’t make this any less of a motorcycle! I say bravo and cant wait for what Falcon dreams up next!
Sick Cylinder says
I’ve read the extra posts and I still don’t understand it – what is the point of making a motorcycle inferior to the bike it is based on in every respect except shinyness?
And 150mph – the original bikes did 120 mph with a sensible riding position – Rolie Free had a unique riding position!
JT says
Hmmm. If I’m understanding what I’m reading it’s not inferior in engine function: it’s above Vincent Lightning specs
Not inferior in braking power: it double the braking power with a new double leading shoe front brake
Not inferior in suspension: modern gas shocks
Not inferior in heat dissipation: bronze alloy cylinders that also prevent carbon build up and leaking
It has superior drag prevention, handling and zero side play due to girdraulic front end re-engineered with needle bearings
Improved Seat adjustability and handlebar positioning and more.
What makes you think it’s inferior in every respect? Maybe you’re not reading the same posts I am?
mule says
JT, everyone out there in the hobby of motorcycling has opinions has opinions and passions. Bummer that they aren’t all absolutely identical. Some people like the whole concept of this build and some don’t. I like it, but don’t get my panties in a bunch if others don’t like it. Relax. It’s just a motorcycle. It’s never gonna cure cancer, end hunger or create world peace. It’s just a cool bike thats ultra pretty. Did you help build it?
Platkeyboy says
I agree with Paul, Mule, and “Decline.” Yes, it’s beautiful. Yes, it should probably EVENTUALLY end up being a showpiece somewhere, but it would be an enormous waste of time and resources if it wasn’t first ridden, and ridden HARD, given the exacting build quality of the engine.
For those of you who disagree, and think it would be just fine to have this thing collect dust somewhere, take a look at the post by Amaryllis and think for a second. There is a difference between an oil painting or clay sculpture and a purposeful machine. The painting and sculpture are pieces of art and art alone. Someone who bought such a machine with the intention of merely parking it is doing a disservice to the thousands of hours spent building it, as well as the INTENTION OF THE DESIGNERS, given what Amaryllis said. So, we now know that it is indeed a real motorcycle, and Paul has expressed the same after learning about the impressive engine details. I, however, have a different question: If someone buys such an awesome motorcycle, but doesn’t have the cojones to use it the way it was meant to be used, is he (or she) a “real” MOTORCYCLIST? I would tend to think not.
P.S., When you implied that Falcon is in a class by itself, I quickly thought of Stellen Egeland and his Hulster 8 Valve (which he ran on a dirt track after winning a couple of awards, haha). Anyway, thanks for bringing this new Falcon to our opinionated attention.
akumabito says
I think it ought to be used properly.. After all, why go through the trouble of rebuilding such a legendary engine to such high specs if you’re not planning on using it? 99% of the showbikes out there use a polished engine picked from a catalog. Any ‘custom’ fabbing seems to be limited to the filter housing, or the exhaust.. the rest comes straight from the Harley-clone manufacturers.
Chris Saddler Sam says
the greek agrees too!
😉
T-Ray says
Just so pretty. Normally I’d be all for riding it but I’d happily park this in my bedroom. And close the door.