The Jack Ehret Land Speed Record-Setting 1951 Vincent Black Lightning Auctioned For $929,000 In Las Vegas Returns To Collector In Australia

After setting a top auction price, the 1951 Vincent Black Lightning motorcycle is returning home to Australia where it set a national land speed record 65 years ago. The Vincent became part of Australian motoring history after Jack Ehret rode it into the record books in 1953. Forty years later his son, former sidecar racer John Ehret, was the last person to ride the motorcycle in competition. The 1,000cc motorcycle was bought at auction last week in Las Vegas by an undisclosed Australian businessman for $US 929,000.

In 1952 Jack Ehret began his quest to break the Australian land speed record held by rival rider Les Warton. After a year of preparations, technical challenges and a battle to obtain permission from local authorities to stage the event, on January 19, 1953, he succeeded. Ehret averaged a speed of 141.5 miles per hour (227.7 km/h) over two runs on a quarter-mile stretch of road at Gunnedah in north-eastern New South Wales. In 1999, two years before his death, Ehret sold the motorcycle to an Australian buyer who occasionally toured it around the rally circuit. Then the bike was sent to France in 2014 and mechanically restored but retained its original factory paintwork and years of patina. Ben Walker of Bonhams auction house said the motorcycle attracted such a high price due its rarity, with only 19 remaining in existence. (photography @ Ehret)

3 Responses to “The Jack Ehret Land Speed Record-Setting 1951 Vincent Black Lightning Auctioned For $929,000 In Las Vegas Returns To Collector In Australia”


  1. 1 Nick Schmidt Feb 13th, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    I love that bike and would pay alot for it if I had the money but $900k haha.

  2. 2 IanJH Feb 14th, 2018 at 12:16 am

    Whoever brought this bike has more money than sense!

  3. 3 Richard Lee Feb 17th, 2018 at 4:50 pm

    Who ever bought this bike will be a part of Australia’s racing history. For a good reason. Unlike the assholes that close former racetracks and even allow factories to be built on them.
    Mercedes hold your head in shame.
    Brooklands is sacred land.

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Cyril Huze