Vincent motorcycles
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Vincent Series C Black Shadow
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| Vincent Engineers (Stevenage) Ltd. | |
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Formerly called
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Vincent HRD |
| Industry | Manufacturing and engineering |
| Fate | Bankrupt |
| Successor | Harper Engineering (Stevenage) |
| Founded | 1928 |
| Founder | Philip Vincent |
| Defunct | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England |
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Key people
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| Products | Motorcycles, three-wheelers, pumps, amphibious vehicles, drones |
Vincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. The business was established by Philip Vincent who bought an existing manufacturing name HRD, initially renaming it as Vincent HRD, producing his own motorcycles as previously with bought-in engines. From 1934, two new engines were developed in 500 cc and 1,000 cc capacities. Production grew from 1936, with the most-famous models being developed from the original designs after the War period in the late 1940s.
The 1948 Vincent Black Shadow was at the time the world's fastest production motorcycle. The name was changed to Vincent Engineers (Stevenage) Ltd. in 1952 after financial losses were experienced releasing capital to produce a Vincent-engined prototype Indian for the US market during 1949. In 1955 the company discontinued motorcycle production after experiencing further heavy financial losses.
The Vincent remains one of the most prestigious brand, well beyond the time it stopped manufacturing motorcycles in December 1955. Numerous builders of specials indeed maintained the v-twin very competitive with special frames such those made by Derek Parkin in the early 1960s or Fritz Egli from 1967, not to mention the most famous bitsa of all, The NorVin, an hybrid of Norton Manx frame and Vincent engine. Even today re-creation of this mythic machine are possible since engines are remanufactured by craftsmen such as Patrick Godet or Ken Horner (Irving-Vincent) enabling the Vincent to keep up with much modern gears.
Vincent Motorcycles, "the makers of the world's fastest motorcycles", began with the purchase of HRD Motors Ltd less the factory premises, by Philip Vincent in May, 1928.
HRD was founded by the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC) pilot, Howard Raymond Davies, who was shot down and captured by the Germans in 1917. Legend has it that it was while a prisoner of war that he conceived the idea of building his own motorcycle, and contemplated how he might achieve that. It was not until 1924 that Davies entered into partnership with E J Massey, trading as HRD Motors. Various models were produced, generally powered by J.A.P. engines.
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Wikipedia