Although American motorcycles were his main focus, the late AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer John Parham collected Vincent twins and singles, as well as other British bikes, for years. This 1954 Rapide is one of 10 Vincents owned by Parham that he displayed at his National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa.

The Vincent brand is best known for being the motorcycle that Hall of Famer Rollie Free rode when he set the American one-mile land speed record in 1948, averaging more than 150 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Free rode a highly tuned Vincent Black Shadow while wearing a tight-fitting swimsuit to reduce weight and lying fl at on the Vincent to cut down on wind resistance.

The 1950s Vincents featured a Girdraulic front fork—a blade-type girder fitted with twin hydraulic dampers—in place of the telescopic front forks used by competing brands. The Girdraulic fork is said to have provided exceptional lateral rigidity and resistance to front-end twist during hard braking.

The 998cc V-twin Rapide produced 45 horsepower, delivered to the rear wheel via a diaphragm clutch and a four-speed transmission. The Vincent also features an advanced swingarm design, and the chassis uses the engine as a stressed member.

The standard Rapide was capable of 110 mph to 115 mph, placing it among the fastest performance road bikes available in the 1950s.

This bike highlighted Parham’s induction at the 2015 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame ceremony in Orlando.

Following the gala presentation, it returned to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, where it will remain on loan until it returns to Anamosa.