Vincent Black Shadow and C bikes having 1⅛" Amal 289 carburettors and Series D bikes having 1⅛" Amal Type 389/10 units. While other contemporary motorcycles tended to be polished and chromed, founder Philip Conrad Vincent (PCV) decreed that the Black Shadow engine itself be black. The engine's signature colour was achieved by applying a "pyluminising" coating of chromate anti-corrosion primer over which a layer of Pinchin & Johnson black enamel was added. The part was then baked in an oven for 2 hours at . Although some have claimed that the black finish increased the rate of heat rejection from the engine, its
The Black Major 1987 "Storm Shadow" story where, acting upon a tip-off, Cobra Commander dispatched Storm Shadow to eliminate the Black Major. He barely escaped with his life and was not heard from again. In 2010, the Red Shadows were the main adversary featured in the Official G.I. Joe Collectors' Club Convention Set. The set featured a new, G.I. Joe-style version of the Black Major as one of the figures in the set, and the file card information stated that the Black Major was in charge of the Red Shadows. In 2013 The Black Major and his Red Shadows returned in the IDW