Passionate motorcycle owners polished their pride and joy to display at the annual Historical Motorcycle Club of Queensland annual rally in Bundaberg on Saturday.
For almost half a century Historic Motorcycle Club of Queensland’s Burnett area member Ken Schmidt has had a love affair with his 1947 Vincent HRD.
Ken purchased her in 1975 and raced her in a number of local and state competitions for almost a decade.
Now, the 1947 Vincent HRD is one of the star attractions at events like the Historical Motorcycle Club of Queensland rally.
“I raced her until 1984, I won the local title and went on to Queensland title, but I never won that,” Ken said.
“I then put it away and then eventually started to make parts and add them.
“Back in the day I paid $1000 for it, nowadays you couldn’t buy even a part for it for a $1000.
“They have a 150 mile per hour speedo, they could fly and do that as it was the fastest standard motorcycle in the world at the time.”
Speaking proudly of his historic motorcycle Ken said it was very rare to own a 1947 Vincent HRD.
“I have seven bikes, this one will stay in my family forever,” Ken said.
“Ask my wife – I don’t sell motorbikes, I buy them!”
What’s in the Vincent HRD name
Ken said Howard Raymond Davies was an English motorcycle racing champion, motorcycle designer and originator of the ‘HRD’ marque which later became Vincent HRD motorcycles.
“He was the fella that was the only person to win a senior 500cc race at the Isle of Man, but on a 350, and because of that he became a bit of a star,” Ken said.
“Because of that he decided to make his own motorbikes. But because he was a motorbike racer and not a businessman, he went broke.
“Along came a fella called Phil Vincent, who designed a suspension for motorbikes, and he wanted to start making bikes, so on his father’s advice Vincent went and bought an old name and he started with that. He bought the HRD name, and it became the HRD Vincent.
“They later when they started to export to America, there was confusion about the HRD with people thinking it was a Harley Davison, so then they changed it to the Vincent HRD.”
The Historic Motorcycle Club of Queensland (HMCCQ) is an enthusiasts’ Club of more than 1300 members who take pride in keeping motorcycles 30 years and older, on the road.
The Club was originally formed in September 1970 and now comprises of 15 areas across Queensland.
