(ABOVE: Big Sid's recently restored 48 B Rapide at the 1996 North American Vincent Rally in Boone, NC. Ye ol editor's trusty Honda Hawk GT is parked in the background.)

Nothing then available, or EVER before offered such marked advance in every performance parameter, certainly not in the full litre class, and at any price. Never before had such power and speed, handling and braking, great strength and sidecar capability with full provision for two-up riding, along with a whole host of rider friendly features--all carried within a quite compact wheelbase of 56 inches, and at all-up weight of little over 450 lbs.

With an easy cruising speed up near the maximum of most of its competition, and much more available to any savvy tuner, top speed could be anything one might desire, and many were to experience the fast fleeting image of that peculiar STOP taillight emblem as they were left far behind, a sport I personally enjoyed, and often.

Such were the Vincents' ability to whip and otherwise humiliate riders of lesser machines that a legend rapidly grew from coast to cast that they were unbeatable, had killed all their owners in 'orrible wrecks at great velocity, and even more incredibly were actually outlawed in America! That's no joke--many fully believed that it was against the law to own one.

There were those lads who eagerly spread the conviction of unbeatable top speeds by actually going from one town to the next beating races with the fastest bike or car in town and rarely ever losing. And as the local fast gun got blown away while his pals watched in slack jawed disbelief, time after time, so a modern legend was begun, told time and again over a cold beer, at gypsy tours, and in nearly every biker clubhouse across America: "Don't fuck with 'em, you can't win a race against one of them Vincents." And most unusually, there was great truth in this tale, real substance rather than lies.

One of those adventurous lads was a young fellow by the name of Marty Dickerson, still hale and hearty today, with many a great tale to tell of dusty western roads, wind whipped sand and a stream of beaten, broken bikes left behind his stock Rapide. Many a bored and stroked Harley was pushed home after seeing all to clearly his dwindling tail light and tasting bitter defeat. After having campaigned his Vincent in such a manner in many street drags, Marty accompanied Rollie Free out to Bonneville in 1950 where he watched his friend steer John Edger's modified Shadow to a new American Land Speed Record. Inspired by this performance, Dickerson returned to Bonneville the following year to go after the Class C record. He raced his B Rapide with Lightning cams and pipes, but the bike did not perform fully as expected and Marty only achieved a speed of 129mph. Still, it was good enough to take the Class C record, though it was then in turn captured by Sam Parriott on an Ariel Square Four. But then the following year, 1953, Dickerson fitted his Rapide with larger carburetors and altered the gearing, and in this state of tune, he regained the record with a timed speed of 147mph.