At one point, this highly-sought after 1939 Vincent HRS Series-A Rapide that will be at Stafford Bonhams auction almost made it to the scrap yard.
But luckily for the sake of preserving motorcycle history, Harry Lloyd rescued the bike in 1959. And the price? A mere $12 and an Amal TT carburetor. Lloyd then restored to bike, and mostly used it for “family trips” in the UK.
Following a decade of use, the chain snapped, and the bike was dismantled and stored in a garage in Liverpool. The Vincent HRS would sit for another 10 years but when Lloyd arrived at the garage, the lock-up garage was under new ownership. The padlocks were removed, and Lloyd’s bikes – including the HRD Series-A – were being loaded into a skip.
And now, the Vincent HRS Series-A Rapide – one of around 65 remaining in the world today – is expected to sell at Bonhams Stafford Sale April 26 for an estimated $255,000 – $302,000 (£220,000-260,000).
The Vincent Series-A twin offered is the penultimate machine dispatched from the marques Stevenage factory before the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, Bonhams says.
“In 2007 restoration of the Vincent finally began, but sadly Mr. Lloyd passed away before seeing the finished rebuild. No doubt he would have been very proud of the finished machine,” said Ben Walker, International Director for Bonhams Motorcycle Department.
“Seven years of restoration have resulted in a magnificent motorcycle completed to Concours standard. Owned by the same family for the past fifty years, Bonhams Stafford sale offers a rare opportunity to acquire this highly desirable machine – one of the holy grails of the motorcycle world and a must for any major collection.”
