Vincent for Sale. One careful owner and just 721,703 miles

FEW bikes cover more than 3000 miles per year and most are ready for the crusher by the time they hit 50,000 but this 1955 Vincent Black Prince is still going strong after nearly 3/4 million.

Owned from new – that's 56 years – by Stuart Jenkinson, who's never let another soul ride it, the Black Prince is up for auction at Bonhams on April 24 at the Stafford show.

Originality nuts will probably be shocked by the bike's modified fairing, disc brakes, updated frame and non-original fuel tank, but despite three total rebuilds and endless updates there's more history ground into every pore of this bike than any spotlessly restored, low-mileage classic can dream of.

Averaging nearly 13,000 miles a year for its entire life, it's been to Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, Czechoslovakia, Montenegro, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Hungary and Greece.  In fact it's been to Greece more than 40 times, acting as the lead bike in the motorcycle tour business Jenkinson started back in 1980. He still reckons it's good for over 120mph, too.

Says Jenkinson: “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. I’ll just have to make do now with the memories of all our wonderful trips.”

The bike is expected to reach between £35,000 and £40,000 by the time the hammer falls. Not bad for a worn-out old nail.

Jenkinson is pictured below on his bike back in the day and in the present day too.