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Ten of the Greatest Motorcycles
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Sold for $53,371 on October 20, 2013 Fastest production motorcycle of its era. |
| 1947 VINCENT-HRD 998CC RAPIDE SERIES B | |
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Introduced in 1946, the Vincent-HRD Series-B Rapide was immediately the
fastest production motorcycle on sale anywhere, with a top speed of over
110mph. The basic design clearly had even greater potential though,
which would be realized later in the form of the Black Shadow and Black
Lightning models. In 1948 the Vincent range began to be up-dated to
'Series C' specification. The most significant changes made concerned
the suspension, there being a revised arrangement at the rear
incorporating curved lugs for the seat stays and an hydraulic damper
between the spring boxes, while at the front the new models boasted
Vincent's own 'Girdraulic' fork: a blade-type girder fitted with twin
hydraulic dampers. These advances began to find their way onto
production models during 1948 but it would be 1950 before all Vincents
left the factory in Series C specification. |
