The Vindec Special was actually built in Germany by Köln-Lindenthaler Metallwerke AG of Cologne. However, it is an interesting footnote in British motorcycling history because its distribution in this country was handled by the South British Trading Company with the assistance and advice of William Huntingdon ‘Billy’ Wells.
Wells had moved to London from his native Maine in 1902 as an agent for the steam-powered Stanley Steamer and when the car was not a success he moved to importing German-made Allright motorcycles which he rebranded as Vindec Specials. In fact, he might well have won the very first TT in 1907 on a Vindec Special were it not for three punctures on the final lap. He had been so far in the lead that it was while mending the third puncture he was passed by eventual winner Rem Fowler on a Norton. Another Vindec Special, ridden by JA Dent, did finish in fourth place.
The following year, in the first ever motorcycle race at Brooklands, Oscar Bickford came in second on his Vindec Special. In 1909, Messrs Vivian Olsson and Charles Talbert set a new motor bicycle and sidecar record from John-o’-Groat’s to Land’s End, using a 7hp VS with a Mills-Fulford sidecar.
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The Vindec Special had been first exhibited at the Stanley Show in 1903 where it was well received. Initially powered by a Belgian FN engine, that was later replaced by a 5hp Peugeot V-twin. In 1909, the name was abbreviated to VS to avoid confusion with the Vindec made by Brown Brothers.
However, despite its racing success and its championing by the motorcycling press, the Vindec Special was not a success. The South British Trading Company went out of business in around 1909, although the VS continued to be handled by a new distributor until 1914, by which time a German-made motorcycle would have scuppered any remaining chance of commercial viability in Great Britain.
by a shoemaker in the West Riding of Yorkshire. It was completely restored by Brian Frank and later sold by Yesterdays in Holland.
Billy Wells returned to the United States in 1909 where he met an old friend called George Hendee who too had gone into motorcycle manufacturing. Hendee persuaded Wells to return to England to set up a branch of his company, importing, selling and racing the new machines which were, of course, Indians.
