Hello ladies and gents this is the viking telling you that today we are talking about
VINCENT RAPIDE
The Vincents made between 1936 and 1955 were the superbikes of their era and few companies since can claim to be so innovative. Bikes bearing the name were among the vanguard to use foot-operated gearchanges, for instance, and later models adopted a frameless design using the engine to double as the chassis. Strip a Ducati Panigale of its bodywork and there’s more than a hint of Vincent in its layout underneath. While there are two rear shocks, they’re mounted right next to each other, effectively predating later monoshock layouts by a few decades, too.
Basically, Vincents – and most models shared the same set of ideas – were years before their time. Were they influential, though? The evidence says that the firms rivals didn’t copy the layout back in their heyday, but perhaps that’s because it was just too advanced. It’s clear that even modern bike designers occasionally take a sideways glance at a Vincent when they’re deciding how to go about doing things.
The Vincent Rapide is a line of standard motorcycles designed and built by the Vincent HRD motorcycle company at their works in Great North Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England. The model debuted in 1936 and was built until 1939. Production resumed in 1946 and ended in 1955. Four major versions were built, labelled Series A through D (The Series D designation was never officially used by the factory).
Whilst working in his office at Stevenage in 1936, designer Phil Irving noticed two drawings of the Vincent HRD engine laying on top of each other in a "V" formation. Irving realised that the 23½° rearward set of the engine's idler would allow a 1 litre 47° V-twin engine to be built using the same cylinders, heads and valve gear as the Vincent single.:17 The new crankcase could even be built on the existing jigs. When company owner Phil Vincent saw the drawing he was immediately enthusiastic, and a few weeks later the first Vincent thousand had been made, with Meteor upper engine parts mounted on new a crankcase.:93, 94 This first Vincent V-twin engine was installed in a frame originally built for a record attempt by Eric Fernihough, who no longer required it
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