The Black Falcon attempts something many designers would avoid, reimagining an icon in both motorcycle and industrial design – even fine art – the 1952 Vincent Black Shadow. Falcon Motorcycles is the talented group who had the bravery to take on the risk of altering this historic machine. The six-person team took to their work with an eye towards making something beautiful even more endearing to the eye. The fruit of that intense labor is the Black Falcon before you.
The Black Falcon begins
As you look at the Black Falcon, some of you may find that you already know Falcon Motorcycles, some of you may not. They are a very rarefied group which began when Ian Barry and his fiancé, Amaryllis Knight, thought it wise to open a special customizing shop in Los Angeles.
Most of their work to this point has involved the Triumph marque; and the two bikes they have already created, The Kestrel and The Bullet, both based on Triumphs, graced the pages of numerous motorcycle industry rags and made appearances at several bike shows – and nearly every set of eyes looking upon them knew they were something special.
The Black Falcon began life as a box full of parts that also happened to contain the engine from a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow which had been sitting in the bedroom of a former motorcycle racer for 35 years. Unfortunately, most of the parts were seriously rusted and almost useless, making the task of building a bike far more difficult.
And, of course, there in that box in front of the team stood the true difficulty – staying true to the well-worn Vincent attributes of adjustability, flexibility, and outright performance – they were the sportbikes of their time. The Black Falcon also had no choice but to adhere to the Falcon Motorcycles tradition of design progression and extreme attention to detail to even be considered one of theirs.
Drooling over the Black Falcon
The Black Falcon is purely a vision of simplicity and timeless elegance, and you must really see it in person to appreciate the amount of thought and work that went into its creation. It took an entire year to build it; the brakes, shocks, frame, exhaust and fuel tanks were all hand fabricated at the Falcon shop. In fact, just about everything except the wheels and a tiny ‘Made in England’ plaque were created just for the Black Falcon. Even the fasteners have been carefully chosen to not only hold things together, but to look good and right on the bike.
The donor Vincent engine around which the Black Falcon is based had, at one time in the past, been modified for drag racing, a common use of Vincent motorcycles back in the day, and one which the Black Falcon is also setup for, should you want to do so.
However, the machine is perfectly comfortable on the street as well; it could easily be a daily rider for someone with the money. The entire 1000cc pushrod V-twin unit was overhauled; every part in it was closely inspected and improved, where possible, with an eye for performance and reliability. Barry has stated that they may have given the Black Falcon an extra 35 horsepower in the process.
Black Falcon features
Up close with the Black Falcon reveals the details which Barry and the Falcon Motorcycles crew built into this machine. A falcon’s claw (the avian variety) has been carved into the fuel cap, the alloy cylinders are done in a bronze alloy, and there are two quick-disconnect fuel tank configurations – one for the road and one for the drag strip. Those rather sculpted handlebars rotate easily forward and back and can be locked into position using only a small lever, and the footpegs, gearshift and brake levers can all be adjusted without tools.
Even the solo seat pan can be moved back and forth for that perfect geometry, making the Black Falcon a flexible mount indeed. It’s not something you expect from a custom like this, especially one this lovely.
The Black Falcon legend
If first indicators are worth anything, the custom bike and Vincent aficionado crowds are both completely enamored with the Black Falcon. Praise has come from all corners of the motorcycle industry and even beyond; designers of all stripes are fascinated with the machine, its look and the many fine details incorporated into it. Will the Black Falcon become a legend? Something we all wish we had seen in person before it went to its new owner? We don’t know…
However, the work of Falcon Motorcycles, and especially Ian Barry, has managed to gain an enormous amount of attention, and they keep proving why they deserve it. The Black Falcon is only number three in their Concept 10 series, so more will be coming, but probably not soon – it takes time for perfection. The Black Falcon is a work of art and its beauty is forever; so, the real question here is whether Falcon Motorcycles can do one better…
