One of the all time classic motorcycle marques has to be Vincent. The company and bikes were named after the founder: Philip Vincent. But it was another name that adorned the fuel tanks of the first bikes: Howard Raymond Davies (HRD).
Davies was born in 1895 in Birmingham, England. After moving with his parents to Wolverhampton during his early teens, he attended Wolverhampton Municipal Grammar School.
After graduating from school, Davies secured an apprenticeship with another famous motorcycle company, AJS. A typical English apprenticeship at the time consisted of the apprentice being allocated to the various departments within a manufacturing facility, and gaining experience in each. However, Davies' main interest was racing.
Test Rider
Ironically, AJS was not interested at that time in racing, they were more concerned with their street bike production. For the young Davies, the racing team at Sunbeam motorcycles was where he wanted to be, but the two companies had a "no poaching" agreement. To get around the problem, Davies found employment at Clyno motorcycles as a test rider before moving to Sunbeam.
Before long, Sunbeam had recognized Davies' riding talents and entered him as part of their Scottish six day trial team. Although his machine broke down on the 4th day, Davies remained at the event until the end, promptly getting fired upon his return to the factory for taking unauthorized time off!
Davies Gets 2nd in the TT
After a brief spell at Diamond motorcycles, he eventually returned to Sunbeam and rejoined the racing team. As part of the Sunbeam team of 1914, he finished 2nd in the senior TT, helping Sunbeam to win the team prize.
During the First World War, Davies joined the British army, spending twelve months in France as a dispatch rider before joining the new Royal Flying Corps. After flight training he was again posted to France where he joined the Squadron 34 flying RE8 aircraft doing artillery spotting.
The precarious nature of military flying at the time soon took its toll. He was shot down twice: the first time he managed to return to his unit, but the second time he was captured and became a prisoner of war. However, due to mix ups, he was initially listed as missing, later to be classified as killed in action, which led to an obituary being published in the Motor Cycle.
Appointed Competitions Manager
After the war he returned to England and continued his career in motorcycles, again riding in the 1920 TT, but this time for the AJS company. He was appointed competitions manager with the company later that year. With AJS he created a very successful race and competition department and had many riding successes, including TT wins, a gold medal at the six day trial, and world records set on the Brooklands circuit.
For some time, Davies had wanted to manufacture his own bike, and in 1924 he set up the H.R.D. company. The bikes featured 345cc JAP (J.A. Prestwitch Co.) engines and Burman gearboxes. They were produced for three years before financial troubles forced the company to close.
Vincent Acquires HRD
After HRD, which was later acquired by Phil Vincent, Davies had a number of jobs within the fast growing British motor industry. Eventually he started another business as a manufactures agent for both car and motorcycle manufacturers.
In his later years he attended TT rider's reunions and often visited the Mallory Park race track in Leicestershire, England. He died in 1973 at the age of 78 and was cremated at the Robin Hood Crematorium in Solihull, England.
Sources:
"Vincent HRD History," http://www.myvincent.co.uk/history/hrd.php
Walker, Mick. Motorcycle: Evolution, Design, Passion. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.