720,000 mile Vincent under hammer
Added on Wednesday, February 9th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments
720,000 mile Vincent under hammer
A 1955 Vincent with a staggering 720,000 miles on the clock is set to go under the hammer at this year’s 31st Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show.
Originally bought as a temporary run-around before trading up for a car, Stuart Jenkinson, from Whitley Bay, North Tyneside has taken the classic a staggering 721,703, equivalent to the moon and back three times, across 30 different countries.
But Stuart, a retired chemistry lecturer, is finally waving goodbye to his trusty Vincent, which is expected to fetch as much as £40,000 when it goes under the hammer at the Bonham’s auction during April’s Carole Nash International Classic Motorcycle Show in Stafford.
Mr Jenkinson bought his new 998cc Black Prince from St Andrew’s Motors in Newcastle’s Gallowgate for just £385 in the year that Winston Churchill resigned from power and, other than the original manufacturing tester, is the only person who has ever ridden the bike.
Fondly nicknamed Vinnylonglegs, the model is believed to be the most well-travelled Vincent motorcycle in existence, having regularly completed 3,000-mile touring trips.
“As any long term owner of a bike or car will understand, selling Vinnylonglegs after 56 years and almost three-quarters of a million miles is going to be a serious wrench,” Mr Jenkinson told the Newcastle Journal.
“I’ll just have to make do now with the memories of all our wonderful trips. To me this feels like selling a child.
“Being a lecturer, I would have a lot of time off in the summers and would spend the time on long touring holidays seeing some of Europe’s great sights.
“I only intended to keep the bike for four or five years then trade up to a car but it didn’t quite work out like that.
“In its day the Vincent was the ultimate machine and it was a joy to ride. Sadly, I don’t really have the strength it takes to move it in and out of the garage any more so it’s time to let it go to a good owner.”
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