Easy rider: After 56 years and 700,000 miles it's finally time to sell my motorbike... for £40,000

When Stuart Jenkinson paid £385 for his Vincent Black Prince motorcycle in 1955, he thought he would only keep it for a year before swapping it for a car.



But now, after a 56-year romance on the road that saw them travel more than 700,000 together, Mr Jenkinson, 83, is finally going to part with the bike he calls 'Vinnylonglegs'.



The 998cc machine, which has covered the length and breadth of Europe, is set to land its owner a windfall too, because it is expected to sell for £40,000 when it goes under the hammer at auction.



Good runner: Stuart Jenkinson, 83, is finally hanging up his leathers and selling his beloved Vincent Black Prince after 56 years and more than 700,000 miles

For many years Mr Jenkinson and wife Anne led touring holidays on the continent, which accounted for about half of the bike's incredible mileage.



From 1962 the couple travelled to Greece at least once a year for their holidays, but Anne gave up riding pillion after a crash in Yugoslavia 15 years ago.



Mr Jenkinson has taken the bike through Germany, Belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, Czechoslovakia, Montenegro, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Hungary and Greece.



His longest tour was a three-week mountain jaunt to Greece that clocked up more than 2,355 miles out of its current total of 721,703.



He enjoyed the continental roads where he could push his machine up to 120mph - but he says he rarely gets to 100mph any more.



Mr Jenkinson's touring business continued until 2008, but now he says he doesn't have the strength to pick up the bike if he were to drop it.



Newly purchased: Mr Jenkinson pictured with the bike in 1955

With much regret he has decided to sell it and give up motorcycling for good. Instead he will drive his VW Passat.



The former university lecturer from Whitley Bay said he has had about 100 crashes, mostly when driving to work in snow-covered Northumberland.



When I bought it I never dreamed I'd still be riding it,' he said.



'I thought I'd have it for about five years then buy a car.



'It was my third Vincent and I loved riding it so I kept it.



'At first I just used it to drive to work on, but then I started going abroad.



'From 1962 my wife Anne and I started going to Greece for our holidays. We'd also go away for weekends.



'Then in 1980 I retired from my job and set up a touring company, taking motorbikes around Europe.



'It was on these tours that I clocked up about half the mileage.



'My wife always came until about 15 years ago when I threw the bike down the road with her on it.



'It was in Yugoslavia and there was a big thunderstorm and we were on a narrow country road with agricultural debris on it.



'We were only going about 30mph and I came to the crest of a hill and suddenly realised there was a sharp bend and I braked and the wheels locked and we slid along on our backsides.



'We weren't hurt and after we got back Anne didn't do any more tours on the bike.



'I never wore a crash hat until you had to; when I got it I just had goggles.



'It has been rebuilt three times and I have modified it for touring and done all the work myself.



'It must be one of the most travelled bikes in the world and has gone through hundreds of tyres.



'I am very sad to be selling it - it's like selling your child. I really hope it will be bought by someone who will ride it rather than going to a museum.



'In the last few years I have lost a lot of strength in my arms and shoulders and I can't pick it up any more.



'Once I weighed it with myself and my wife and all our camping gear on it and was about 750lbs.



'I don't think I could ever ride another bike - I've only had Vincent's.



'Rather than get a lighter bike I think I'm going to give up and just use my car.'



'I call it "Vinnylonglegs" because it is a Vincent and because it has done so many miles.'



The bike is to be sold by Bonhams on April 24 at the International Motorcycle Show in Staffordshire.

