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The actual prototype Vincent Black Lightning ridden by Rollie Free in 1948 across the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah is now on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Anamosa, Iowa. If you attend Vintage Rally 2018 on June 23, 2018 you can enjoy a bike show, swap meet, special guests and the Rollie Free Vincent.
The famous and historic “bathing suit bike” will be on loan only until June 30, 2018, so we hope you’ll visit soon. It’s great to look at up close. |
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Many consider the image of Rollie Free in his bathing suit riding John Edgar’s HRD Vincent one of the most famous motorcycle photographs ever. The story of Rollie tearing off his leathers and deciding to improve his personal streamlining with a bathing suit, bathing cap and tennis shoes is stuff that not even Hollywood can dream up! Vincent enthusiasts will recognize that this is the bike that gave rise to the slogan “The World’s Fastest Standard Motorcycle” when it set a land speed record of 150.313 miles per hour.
The machine does not get shown often, mostly at west coast concours. The owner has graciously agreed to loan it for a display at the National Motorcycle Museum as part of the Museum’s current STREAMLINERSpresented by J&P Cycles exhibition. |
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The National Motorcycle Museum is located in Anamosa, near Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is open daily year around. On display are over 480 motorcycles from all parts of the world, board track racers from the golden era of American board track racing and a 1920’s service station plus bicycles, pedal cars and thousands of pieces of memorabilia.
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TWO NEW EXHIBITS RECENTLY OPENED |
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