The Greatest Motorcycle Photo

Rollie Free, laying horizontally on his bike to reduce wind resistance, broke the world’s speed record for a motorcycle at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, September 13, 1948. Not only did Rollie Free set the world speed record for a motorcycle back in 1948—he looked darn good doing it. The key to setting the record for Free was cutting down on wind resistance. So when the 47-year-old accelerated his Vincent HRD Black Shadow, he positioned his body to be as horizontal as it could. Also, he wore only swim trunks as he whipped across the hard pack of the Bonneville Salt Flats. His plan worked to perfection, setting a record of 150.313 miles per hour. The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame calls the picture of Free’s record-setting ride “one of the most famous photos in the history of the sport.” LIFE staff photographer Peter Stackpole’s image of Free is also one of the most popular prints in the LIFE photo store. In LIFE’s coverage of the event the magazine actually used a different photo ... Read full article.