Randy Garver’s Godet Egli Vincent

 

Malaunay, France, a small picturesque farming village of some 6,000, hugs the banks of the Cailly River some 12 kilometers north of Rouen. Situated in the Haute-Normandie region of the country, its economy is humbly described as one of “light industry” and no doubt that would include the more heavyweight activities that transpire behind the doors of Godet Motorcycles, the facility found at 28 Route d’Eslettes.

 

Inside the workshop you will find Patrick Godet, a craftsman/artist in the Old School sense of the term. While his brother is an acclaimed painter in the Impressionist style, Patrick both expresses and impresses with his own “kinetic art,” the restoration of historic racing motorcycles, his primary passion the Vincent.  He practices what he preaches, having toured Europe aboard his own Vincent Black Prince and a member of the Vincent Owners Club since 1974. In fact he was the youngest section organizer in the club having founded the Section de France in the 1970s. While his own first Vincent was a Norvin, a Norton frame/Vincent engine hybrid, he moved up to a factory Black Shadow that he upgraded to the high performance specifications of the legendary Black Lightning. His factory Prince “D” also won the English Concours award in 1979. He was however more into “go” rather than “show,” and began racing Vincents in the early 1980s achieving a high rate of success. (He also raced a Manx Norton, a Matchless G50 and a Seeley G50.)

 

 

 First introduced in 1928, the British made HRD/Vincents motorcycles saw the end of the factory line in 1956, but their charisma never faded, in fact only intensified over the years. Patrick Godet, one of the marque’s leading exponents, embarked on their resurrection in the early 1990’s when he was able to re-import a batch of Vincents that had been languishing in Argentina. By 1994 he started his own enterprise specializing in Vincents as well other classic racing machines.

 

 

Meanwhile the Swiss motorcycle designer, Fritz Egli had been re-vitalizing the 1950s Vincent, having started his career as a motorcycle designer in 1967. While a devoted fan of the Vincents, he found the dated chassis not up to modern performance par and so designed his own frame and suspension upgrades around the vaunted Vincent motor. Egli Vincents would go on to win the over-500 cc Swiss Championship in 1968, the bikes also raced to success in England. (Some 100 were produced between 1967 and 1972, but eventually, original Vincent engines grew scarce and Egli began utilizing his superior chassis for other power plants, including Kawasaki, Suzuki and Honda CBX1000, again transforming their potential as he did for the Vincent. In addition, Egli chassis have also taken on Ducati and Laverda powerplants.)

 

Patrick Godet, following all these developments, and after a great deal of thought and consideration, set out to create an excellent of the Egli Vincent, with most of the work done ‘in house’ so as not to compromise his standards and employing only the highest quality parts available. When he felt he had achieved his goal, he brought one of his Godet Egli Vincents to Switzerland for Fritz Egli’s examination not knowing what kind of reaction he would get, perhaps seen as a “French upstart usurper.” But he saw his effort more of an homage to Vincent in general rather than an invasion of Egli’s territory.

 

 

 

All concerns evaporated when Fritz Egli upon seeing the bike expressed his delight with the quality, finish and authenticity of Patrick’s machine. So impressed in fact, that Patrick gained permission from Fritz Egli to use the name Egli on his Vincent engined machines, the only person to whom Fritz Egli has awarded that accolade. That vote of confidence was echoed not only by its being embraced by the international Vincent community but also when the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao invited the Godet Egli Vincent to be part of the display of Motorcycle Design Icons. Today, two models are offered, the solo “Café Racer,” and the twin seat “Sport GT” seen here. (Randy’s bike came with both the solo café seat and the touring two-up seat, so he can convert when necessary.)

 

Again, it must be noted that these are ground-up restorations using newly manufactured parts authorized by Vincent Owners Association, the price tag close to an original Vincent. Randy Garver will tell you, having ridden both the original Black Shadow and the Godet version, that he can now utilize his Godet bike as a daily rider as it is so competent and thoroughly roadable. And yes, it does have an electric start.

   

“It’s the story of Beauty and the Beast retold,” jokes Randy Garver from his home in Ojai, CA, next door to Santa Barbara. “The bike is definitely the beauty, and with my size I would be the beast.” That would be a double entendre as the Vincent was also known as “The Snarling Beast,” a moniker well-earned. As to the story behind Randy’s realization of his dream motorcycle, we learn that in “real life” Randy is a highly successful landscape architect catering to an upscale L.A. clientele, and the bike is a gift to himself, a reward for decades of work and perseverance.

 

His quest for the ultimate motorcycle reaches back decades and includes a wide spectrum of both modern and vintage machines, from a super fast167 HP Bimota SB6 to a BMW touring bike to a 1937 Indian to a collection of Nortons including a Kenny Dreer model, specifically the  body style prototype for the brand new Nortons. There was also a 1952 Vincent Black Shadow Series C purchased several years ago that literally got things rolling.  Randy found that the engine overpowered the brakes and suspension and made the ride a bit on the scary side. “But t didn’t detract from one of the most beautifully designed motors I had ever seen. It was always in the back of my mind.” He began researching various offerings of various Egli permutations built overseas, but found they were not up to snuff. Then he was able connect to Patrick Godet who had gained a great deal of respect racing in England as did his bike. Says Randy, “He was a dream to work with, sending me photos every week on the bike’s progress. It was really exciting to watch as he built the motor and the frame, every element reflecting his commitment and his passion for what he creates.”

 

The original commitment to the bike began in 2009 and about a year later, in February 2010, it arrived at the Port of Los Angeles in a beautiful designed crate, completely assembled and ready to go. When asked his first impressions upon throwing his leg over the bike, Randy replies, “I came from a place where I used to collect Packard automobiles. I was drawn to them for the sound they made as much as the sight. So when I fired up the Godet Egli Vincent, it was the same sensation, the engine meshing, the tune of the exhaust system. It was the sound of hand built quality. And once I got on it and starting riding, the bike was equal to the music it made. I had opted for what Patrick calls the Surtees five-speed transmission and it’s geared very high like track bike, and as such I can ride with friends who have modern bikes. Every aspect is remarkable, every component. It has the Ceriani front end, the four shoe Fontana brake, and of course the 998cc Vincent engine Patrick has put together…it’s a goer. I push a button, it starts immediately and I go on a fabulous ride. ”

 

Randy paid a tans-Atlantic visit to Patrick Godet’s shop in France during the bike’s build, adding his input to choice and style of appointments, the bike literally tailored to his tastes. Randy and Patrick would be meeting again but on Randy’s home turf as Patrick and his wife vacationed in California in November, 2010 during which time Patrick added upgrades to Randy’s bike without any additional expense. Patrick would be visiting another of his customers, Jay Leno who purchased the café model of the Godet Egli Vincent.

 

 

2009 Godet Egli-Vincent GT

 

 

Type: ohv V-twin 

Bore and Stroke: 84 x 90mm 

Capacity:  998cc 

Carburetors: 30mm Amal Concentrics 

Transmission: five-speed, wet multi-plate clutch

 

 

Type: Egli style oil bearing spine type

 

 

Gas tank: 15 liters

Suspension: Ceriani GP forks, Maxton rear 

swinging arm rear with Maxton damper units  

Brake: Fontana 4Leading Show front drum 

Tires: Avon 3.50 x 19in front; 4.10 x 18in rear 

Wheelbase: 1445mm (57 inches) 

Weight: 172kg (379lb) 

Seat Height: 725mm (28.5in)