1952 Vincent Rapide Series C on display at the National Motorcycle Museum
in Anamosa, Iowa.
In 1950, Phillip Vincent forged an agreement with the Indian Sales Corporation to be his American sales agent. Indian was used to bright colors and thus requested something other than black. Vincent responded by hand spraying 107 Vincent Rapide Series C motorcycles in Chinese Red and shipped them to California and Canada.
The 1952 Vincent Rapide Series C was equipped with neat, often unique features such as the reversible rear wheel with a sprocket on each side to offer quick-change final-drive ratios. The unit engine and gearbox are a stressed member, with the two cylinders suspended from a spine, which doubles as the oil tank. The rear section of the frame pivots at the back of the gearbox, controlled by a double spring box and hydraulic shock under the seat. Full tool kits were also supplied.
Approximately 2,700 Vincent Rapide Series C motorcycles were made between 1948 and 1955, although Series B production coincided with the first couple years of the Series C.
