Bryan Fuller is one of those who can cast magic on anything with wheels and tires. He’s a next level fabricator who learned his skills with legends like So-Cal Speed Shop and Chip Foose, and today he’s topped the custom tree in the US Ky.
Despite his regular TV job, he still buys stuff in his Atlanta, Georgia store — and he’s aiming higher than ever. This incredible Vincent has been three years in the making and it’s one of his coolest builds.
“The first time I was exposed to these odd-looking engines, I thought they were overrated,” Bryan told us. “But after a few decades in the custom industry, my view on Vincents changed. These motorcycles are masterpieces that combine engineering, art and speed — far ahead of their time.”
The story of this build begins in 2019 when Fuller customer Shaun Lamb purchased a remanufactured Vincent Series C 1000cc engine. He arranged for it to be delivered Moto is more complete workshop.
In addition to the engine, Bryan received “a nice pile of parts” including a state-of-the-art 12V charging system, electronic ignition, basic wiring and gauges, and an electric starter. “The parts list also includes a reconstructed Egli frame with an oil tank integrated in the top tube, and a swingarm…with some trivial shocks.”
“When the parts came out, we had a full inventory and started the simulation process,” says Bryan. ‘Shaun likes our’Misty Green ‘Norton Commando from a couple of years ago, but the frame pattern wasn’t quite ‘there’ for either of us. ”
Bryan removed any parts that didn’t work and started redesigning the entire foundation. First, the rear frame area is too wide and bulky, and doesn’t match the neat little tail that Bryan had in mind.
So he removed the pipe from the oil return tank and built a new Chromoly tube in its place. Fox shocks are now suspended behind.
He then took Ducati’s Imola-style fuel tank design and integrated it with a compact crank. “This is a necessary function; we wanted to get at least two gallons of gas capacity while keeping the large tubular oil tank. “
The center sections of the pitcher and tail begin to act as a 5-inch wide strip of aluminum. Bryan then sprays water on a custom death for his Pullmax [metal shaping] machine to keep the shape consistent in front and back.
“This is a great way to get started and keep the design cohesive. The tail and saddle come together quite well after some tweaking and tweaking. ”
Next is the stainless exhaust, using a 1¾ inch hose rolled on a tricycle roller to get the long pieces. “U bends are then made on one bend and joined together to create the rest.”
“In the head area it was very tight, and since the top ridges were all threaded, we needed to be extra careful not to strip them. We’ve made a special tap to pursue topics at a time. “
Windshields are much higher tech. “The idea was to be able to look directly at the bike and look directly at the guts of the trefoil and the headlight area,” says Bryan. Dallas-based 3D printer Adam Tulin took Bryan’s cardboard samples and created (as far as we know) the first printed motorcycle windshield.
Bryan notes: “It took a couple of sample prints to get everything done. “Adam nailed the design and we even integrated the headlight brackets at the factory into the print — which made assembly very easy.”
Shaun requested that a Smiths tachometer be fitted on the bike to match the original. Bryan didn’t have the device on hand until very late in the build, but a 2-inch roll of duct tape served as a placeholder.
The birdcage frame uses lathe-made wood panels and a ¼-inch steel rod that is carefully bent into the profile. “There’s a lot of back-and-forth adjustment, disassembly, retraction, and making sure each hole aligns just right. This screen is as tight as you can make it. ”
Brass and triplet are magnesium units spawned from Argentina, provided by Shaun. “I was worried the rough finish would look weird with this highly polished machine,” says Bryan. “So we powder coated and then painted the side panels so the visible parts matched best.”
A more complex job is printing the oval titanium runner and stack. “Custom-made intake manifolds can take some time, and metal finishing is always a long process,” explains Bryan. “We printed several models out of plastic to get the placement right.”
“Metal printing is an amazing technology that we are using more and more in our projects. I have yet to find a single impurity in the stack of parts that we have made so far.”
After a bit of ingenuity for the lines of the tank and crankset, Bryan sketched out the idea of a seat cover with flying boots with Fuller Moto employee Cato. “We had an old leather jacket to use as the seat material. I love how the designs come together — I don’t remember how I’ve seen another design. ”
The compact tail unit hides the electronics and a battery compartment, and Bryan sprayed water on a clear ‘spear’ that runs atop and around the cylindrical taillights. It’s a neat see-through trick that adds a sense of magic in the dark.
As with all Fuller Moto projects, almost every lanyard on the Vincent is replaced with ARP stainless 12-point screws. (“This project is even more difficult to trade than usual, due to the combination of Whitworth, Standard and Metric lace patterns and sizes.”)
After a few years of hectic work, everything is ready to be painted and polished. “Our in-house paint shop painted a beautiful, flawless black flat paint. Chastin Brand helped with the logo and stripes. ”
Bryan said that the name ‘Black Lightning’ was an easy choice: “One of the few names in the Vincent family that is not used, as far as I know.”
‘Black Flash’ just finished her US tour, and she’s now ready for a real makeover. “I get chills at the thought of walking down an open road, turning on the gas and seeing that the Smiths are headed for the red line!” Bryan said.
And who won’t? The Black Flash is as close to motocross art you can get — and a great homage to classic Egli cafe racers.
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