Vincent HRD series C 500cc 1954

TWO local bike enthusiasts have seen their Vincents rated two of the best of the iconic breed in the British Isles.

Martyn Lowndes and stepfather Bill Salmon have 14 British classics between them.

‘We call them our bikes,’ said Martyn, ‘although I’ve bought some and he has bought others.

‘And they can all be ridden.

‘We always ride the bikes to see what needs doing mechanically and then when everything is running right, we strip them down completely to respray them and fit new wheels.’

The pair have tasted show success before this year, winning the best British classic bike class at the Guernsey Classic Vehicle Club’s Saumarez Park show three times with their 1954 Royal Enfield Bullet 350, 1954 Vincent Comet 500 and 1932 BSA Blue Star 350.

And this year their V-twin HRD series C 1,000cc gave them their fourth win and what turned out to be the first of the bike’s four victories this season.

Work on the big Vinnie, which was bought two years ago, finished around this time last year – too late for the 2007 show season.

But they have not looked back after that early-summer win at the park.

The high point came at the Vincent HRD Owners’ Club’s Dorset rally where it was best twin up against ‘bikes from Wales, London – all over’.

Martyn also saw his and Bill’s bikes complete the double when their 500 Comet ridden by Tony Quin won best single class at the same show.

And, he points out, shows or no shows, the bikes are ridden, not transported.

‘We ride from the ferry to the shows and while we were there, rode out to Southampton, Winchester and other places.’

Vincent HRD series C 1000cc 1953

After that weekend they stayed over for the Tuesday Poole Bike Night and the twin was bike of the night – there were between 2,000 and 2,700 there – and the right to return for the end of season bike-of-the year show, which it so nearly won.

‘It came second to a custom bike. I know that we lost by just 13 votes.

‘All the old boys who know bikes voted for us,’ he said.

But the younger types who went for the trick paint and lighting of the custom bike must have outnumbered them.

Martyn is philosophical.

‘I came away with £350 – £200 in cash and the rest in vouchers for bike stuff.’

Previous show successes include a second at Eastbourne Lions Classic in 2006 with the 1954 Ariel 350 NH and in 2007 a best in year and best in show at Eastbourne with the 1948 Triumph Tiger 100.

And what next now the season is over for another year?

‘This winter’s project is the 1948 Ariel 500 twin-port single.’

• The V-twin – legend has it that Vincent’s chief engineer Phil Irving laid a side view of the single-cylinder Comet engine the wrong way round over another one and saw how the internals could be arranged to create a V-twin.