Vincent Black Knight from the saddle and a single damper replaced the twin rear shocks. The frame was also modified with the strong steel 'backbone' was replaced with a single tubular strut bolted to the steering head (which proved much weaker). The Black Knight was launched at the 1954 Earls Court motorcycle show, together with the 998cc Vincent Black Prince (an enclosed version of the Black Shadow ) and the 500cc Vincent Victor (which never went into production as only the prototype was ever built). There was a lot of interest but much of it was critical, and the Black Knight/Black Prince models
Vincent Black Shadow use Ferodo's MR41 linings, which was new on the Shadows. The primary instrumentation on Series B and Series C Black Shadows is a Smiths chronometric speedometer that from 1949 on was a large unit mounted almost vertically. Speedometers on domestic models are calibrated up to 150 mph, while export models are fitted with a 240 kph equivalent. Series D Black Shadows do not use the 5 inch speedometer but rather a 150 mph version of the ordinary S576/L instrument. While the Series B Rapide was not designed to be a racer, PCV felt that steady improvement was necessary and drew