Vincent Motorcycles

Very few motorcycles have carved a mark in history like the Vincent V-twin, from its arrival in 1946 and up to the present day. On the road, in club racing, in drag races, or competing for land speed records, it dominated the motorcycle world, leading to the famous catchphrase coined by the factory: “The World’s Fastest Standard Motorcycle.” It was a FACT – NOT a slogan. Images such as that of Rollie Free, in swimming trunks, laying flat on his works-modified Black Shadow and taking the American motorcycle land speed record at Bonneville in 1948, have now passed into posterity. In fact, the big Vincent was so ahead of its time, that it continued to compete successfully – almost arrogantly – in racing until the mid-1970s, against modern bikes. No other motorcycle in the world can claim this kind of achievement.

Following the premature ending of Vincent production, Fritz Egli’s 1967 Egli-Vincent was the first chassis completely redesigned for a Vincent in 21 years. Egli’s machine inspired numerous builders for several generations and this book traces, holistically, the story of all those motorcycles in the broad context of the classic and modern history of the Vincent.

Understand how the flame of passion still burns brightly today.