@ coster Garda are down south i live up north - we have psni (thats police service northern ireland)   @ Blade - horses have right of way over everything on the road including pedestrians   @kaz - thats just reminded me i was in  the post office one day parked the TL outside a little old dear came in and said "ooooo is that your bike dear and do you ride it?" when i said yes she said "its lovely- im 84 and my husband still takes me on his bike once a year on a classic run hes 85". so being polite i asked her what bike does he have. She said "a Vincent Black Shadow, hes owned it from new but id swap it for yours." "So would i" I said! So not all little old dears are scared.... some are scarey!                                                                                                                                                                             

It was quite common back in the 70s to get a lot of attention from the police and also be refused entrance in pubs etc. Not experienced either for years now.                                                                                                                                                                             

Vincent Black Shadow at 85  Bl**dy hell I'd have trouble picking it up and I'm still a relative youngster. There is a lady in our club who still rides at age 80 (she's been riding since the early 1950's) although she had to downsize from her 1200cc V Twin to a lighter 500cc a couple of years ago......but she still overtakes all the blokes though and beats them to the pub  Lady Bikers...nothing new !

Who was the folk singer who wrote a song about a Vincent Black Shadow? The was a woman in the song called Red Molly                                                                                                                                                                                 

There ya go 1952 Vincent Black Lightning Written by Richard Thompson Appears on   Rumor and Sigh   (1991)two letter words: live 1994   (1996)Action Packed   (2001)live from austin tx DVD & CD.../FONT>   (2005)"RT" Disc 2 - Finding Better Wor.../FONT>   (2006)Walking On A Wire, Disc 3   (2009) Oh says Red Molly to James "That's a fine motorbike. A girl could feel special on any such like" Says James to Red Molly "My hat's off to you It's a Vincent Black Lightning, 1952. And I've seen you at the corners and cafes it seems Red hair and black leather, my favourite colour scheme" And he pulled her on behind and down to Boxhill they did rideOh says James to Red Molly "Here's a ring for your right hand But I'll tell you in earnest I'm a dangerous man. For I've fought with the law since I was seventeen, I robbed many a man to get my Vincent machine. Now I'm 21 years, I might make 22 And I don't mind dying, but for the love of you. And if fate should break my stride Then I'll give you my Vincent to ride""Come down, come down, Red Molly" called Sergeant McRae "For they've taken young James Adie for armed robbery. Shotgun blast hit his chest, left nothing inside. Oh come down, Red Molly to his dying bedside" When she came to the hospital, there wasn't much left He was running out of road, he was running out of breath But he smiled to see her cry He said "I'll give you my Vincent to ride"Says James "In my opinion, there's nothing in this world Beats a 52 Vincent and a red headed girl. Now Nortons and Indians and Greeves won't do, Ah, they don't have a soul like a Vincent 52" Oh he reached for her hand and he slipped her the keys Said "I've got no further use for these. I see angels on Ariels in leather and chrome, Swooping down from heaven to carry me home" And he gave her one last kiss and died And he gave her his Vincent to ride.                                                                                                                                                                              

Bloody Hell, wheelbarrow, well done. Richard Thompson will go into lastfm.com   Cheers                                                                                                                                                                             

Vincent Black Lightning - extremely rare and sought after "works" Vincent 998 cc racing bike as used by Rollie fFee at Bonneville in the famous photo with him at +150mph just wearing his swimming trunks. Last one at auction sold for circa £125,000 I recall. Gorgeous looking bikes.
                                                                                                                                                                             

Wow WB that's lovely though brought a tear at the same time  Well done ....Pen x                                                                                                                                                                             

Wheels, that brought back a few memories!
Loadsa versions out there in cyberspace, the original http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxKTzwaEa2o and a couple of good covers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW-w0KgE-8s and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlylarCRayI

Yep, red hair and black leather...that'll do me too                                                                                                                                                                             

Talking of changing appearances!   By about the end of the seventies I had had enough of being pulled by the old bill regularly, or the customs whenever I returned to the UK.   Simple answer in the end. I had the long hair cut short and dressed less radical.   Today I don't think it makes so much difference as it did then but funnily enough I never got pulled or searched again and have kept looking reasonably 'straight' ever since. I don't like that I was 'pushed' into it and would have preferred to dress and look how I wanted, but it did cut down on the hassles!   I also ride 'straight' looking bikes without modifications and 'touch wood',  cannot remember ever being stopped!   Everyone is an individual though and they can and should look and ride exactly how, and what they want.   In my case though inside hadn't changed, just the public persona!                                                                                                                                                                             

you can still be individual without looking individual as you have proved                                                                                                                                                                             

Don't pull wheelies, well not in front of the fuzz anyway.