Motorcyclist.

By any measure it’s the most famous motorcycling photograph ever.

Riding a lightly modified Vincent Black Lightning, a descendant of the iconic Black Shadow, putting out some 85hp from its 1000 cc V Twin motor, the wonderfully named Rollie Free (1900-1984) determined that his racing leathers were costing him speed on previous runs, where he maxed out at 147 mph. So he stripped down to bathing cap, trunks and sneakers and had at it, prone on the machine.

Bonneville, Utah, September 13, 1948. 150.313 mph. Protective gear optional.

Free’s record setting speed was on a machine which you could buy off the shelf. I would guess that the mufflers were removed and the Lightning had slightly hotter cams than the already fearsome Black Shadow.

The V Twin motor was known as ‘The Plumber’s Nightmare’, and you can see why:

Plumber’s nightmare. ‘HRD’ stands for Howard R. Davies, the founder of the Vincent factory.

Reminder, if any was needed, that there are two kinds of British motorcycles. Those that leak oil and those which will. But there was only one Rollie Free.