The top section Is the advert wording I created when I was selling it, ie. the good bits.

This is the Sport GT version of Godets Egli, rather than the Cafe Racer, with handlebars mounted on top of the yolks rather than clip-ons. The rider still leans forward into the wind but the bars are sufficiently raised to give a comfortable riding position. The footrests are not so far back, but apart from that the basic spec of the two bikes are the same.

It is to the latest spec. and is supplied with an extra St./St. exhaust (with Cats.) + spare side panels & airfilters to comply with Euro 3 requirements.

It is built from all new parts, incorporating many improvements from the original 998CC Vincent engine including Patricks latest cylinder head design that is largely responsible for allowing an 80 year old design to pass modern emission & noise controls. The crankcases are new, strengthend and modified to take a Harley starter motor powered by an 18 AH AGM Harley battery. Earlier versions used a Grosset starter which was easily damaged.

The multi-plate clutch is driven by a triplex chain to a 5 speed gearbox and then by sealed 'O' Ring chain to the back wheel.

The gearchange is on the traditional right hand side, one up & four down. That was my choice, most are left hand change.

The alternator is an Alton, charging via Podtronics regulator/rectifier, to a Grosset electronic ignition.

Mikuni VM carburettors are fitted.

98 BHP. It is quick, but with lots of low down torque. Not as torquey as a Harley but with more power. You really don't have to rev it, whatever speed you're doing just open the throttle, it goes & it's easy to ride in traffic. The riding position was spot on for me, 80 MPH for mile after mile was no problem. It came with bar end mirrors which I changed as they were too wide for filtering through traffic.

The frame & swinging arm are faithful reproductions of the Egli Vincent frames from the 1960s & are nickle plated. Fritz Egli allowed Patrick to use his name, not given to any other makers. The main frame under the tank is 100MM CDS steel & carries the engine oil.

The hubs & brakes are magnesium, to Patricks design based on Fontana 4 leading shoe 230MM at the front & 180MM twin leading shoe at the rear.

Maxton shocks & Avon Roadrider tyres.

All fastners are St./St. as are the spokes laced to Borrani Ally. rims.

The clocks are electronic, 5.0" for the speedo & 3.0" for the tacho.

It comes with single & dual seats a St./St. Luggage rack and a St./St. paddock stand.

Why I sold it.

I kept it a few months & did about 1500 miles but decided it just had to go.

The problem I had I've listed below. Some them I fixed, others I could have fixed but some not.

1/ Forks: At first I thought the springs were just too hard, Francois (of Godets) promised a softer replacement set but they never arrived. It turned out that they were not centralized in the yolks, loosening everything off & bouncing up & down a few times made them much more compliant but they were still too stiff, & the bike never handled as well as it should.

The front mudguard hit both the horn & the exhaust system (& left a dent) so it looks like they were just too short. I was never happy with the high speed stability, on a motorway over 80 or so it felt 'nadgery'- not stable at all. I think 1 1/2" or so in the stanchions might have cured this also the fact that it stood very upright on the sidestand.

2/ Clutch: It dragged hot, it dragged cold, making riding in traffic a pain as it was impossible to select neutral when stationary. Maybe it was fixable somehow but I'd spent a lot of time & money trying to fix a similar dragging multiplate clutch on my Rapide & didn't fancy the same exercise. Not good enough on a new bike of any type. ( I gave up with the multiplate clutch on the Rapide & had the original clutch rebuilt, much better - It works like a clutch should).

3/ There was too much buzzing vibration through the handlebars.. With the small std. Vincent grips my hands were tingling after 50 miles on a motorway, much more vibration than on my Rapide, it was slightly improved by slip on over grips.

4/ The tank was too small. It looked at least 3 Gallons but with the massive cutaway underneath it only held 2 gallons giving a range of 80 miles max. Not even enough to get to Brighton 80 miles away. I chose the tank so can't really complain, but if I'd known how small it was I'd have had another. The reserve was only 5 or 6 miles.

5/ The back brake was much too powerful, being too easy to lock the back wheel even in the dry & not easy to modify to give less pedal leverage..

6/.The chokes were a pain. The front was easy, just a knob to pull down, but as rear carb lives behind the side panel there is a lever made from bent rod that has to be pulled down. This has to be gripped firmly between two fingers which means it can't be done from the saddle, the bike has to be stopped & put on the sidestand, at which point the sidestand cut out switch stops the engine.. You then get off, take your glove off & bend down next to the bike to find the lever to pull it down. Put your glove back on, start the bike again & off you go. There is a cable choke conversion available for these carbs but it won't fit as the carb top is too close to the frame.

7/ The headlight sometimes came on with the ignition & sometimes when the dipswitch was moved. There was also a superflous pilot light. The ignition switch was a nasty Chinese version with 3 positions but you could only take the key out in one. The third position was wired for parking lights but you couldn't take the key out in that position. A cheap switch that needed replacing.

8/ It felt harsh at low speeds & low revs, I don't think that the std. Vincent 'D' type engine shock absorber as fitted is up to 1330CCs,

9/ No brakelight switch fitted to the rear brake - an MOT failure.

10/ The gearchange was stiff with little travel. I modified the linkage to give more travel which improved it but it still wasn't good. Francois said it was the first RH change with 1 up 4 down (which I requested) that they had done & there was a problem because of .....?. He may not have done one before but Patrick certainly had.

It was quite an experience, buying, collecting, owning & selling this bike but I wouldn't want to do it again.

The chap I sold it to also passed it on.

Pazon Electronic ignitions & Magneto replacements