Motorcycles: general interest Books

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Book SynopsisThere has been plenty said and written about scooters over the years, but until now there has been no definitive look at the culture surrounding our chosen way of life. Many authors have written about mods and the infamous and often over-hyped beach battles of the 1960s, but hardly any have tried to capture the atmosphere of the modern scene in print. We still owe the original mods for fuelling the imagination of past, present and future generations and for leaving a rich scooter heritage behind them. Although the mod way of life was the spark which lit the fuse for many of us, the majority of scooter riders have evolved into lifestyle scooterists. We may not dress in a particular style, our scooters may not be adorned with lights and mirrors, but we still burn with the same passion as our scooter riding ancestors. It's over sixty years since the first Italian scooters rolled off the production lines, but there is still a buzzing and vibrant lifestyle surrounding them. The small capacity machines have overtaken the lives of thousands of us, often to the detriment of everything else we hold dear. Careers, relationships and families have suffered for this overwhelming and expensive addiction. An addiction to which there is no cure. We live and breathe the sickly sweet smell of synthetic two-stroke oil and worship at the altar of our chosen gods, Lambretta and Vespa (or occasionally Gilera and Italjet). Our hands are permanently ingrained with the oily 'tattoo's' of a thousand engine rebuilds and our major organs have suffered the long term effects of our hedonistic lifestyle. Including interviews with well known scootering personalities, over 150 colour photographs of award-winning custom scooters, best-selling scooter models, and information on rallies and events, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in these fun machines.Trade ReviewIt's over sixty years since the first Italian scooters rolled off the production lines but there is still a buzzing and vibrant lifestyle with the humble scooter as its nucleus. The small capacity machines have overtaken the lives of thousands of devoted scooter enthusiasts, often to the detriment of everything else they might hold dear. Careers, relationships, and families have been known to suffer because of an overwhelming and expensive addiction to the scooter experience. An addiction to which there is no cure for needing the sickly sweet smell of synthetic two stroke oil and worship at the altar of our chosen gods, Lambretta and Vespa (or occasionally Gilera and Italjet). All too many devoted scooter enthusiasts are permanently ingrained with the oily tattoos of a thousand engine rebuilds and with major organs having suffered the long term effect of a scooter orientated and hedonistic lifestyle. Including interviews with well known Scootering personalities, over 150 colour photographs or award winning custom scooters, best selling scooter models, rallies and events, Scooter Lifestyle will have an extraordinary appeal for anyone interested in these fun and all-to-addictive machines! – Midwest Book Review.

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Book SynopsisNow in paperback! The BSA Bantam is one of the definitive postwar British bikes, perhaps THE definitive British lightweight built after World War II. It was certainly the most popular, with over 400,000 built over a 23-year production run - in the first four years, production broke all records. Yet it would die a lingering death, production fizzling out in the early 1970s as a neglected model of a manufacturer more concerned with building big, fast road-burning bikes. The Bantam might never have happened without World War II. The prewar DKW RT125 was offered to the Allies as reparations, taken up and produced in the USA, USSR, even Japan! In East Germany it was revived as the MZ, and in Britain it surfaced publicly in 1948 as the BSA Bantam, a very simple little 123cc two-stroke, with rudimentary electrics, no rear suspension and a lot of charm.The little bike became part of Britain's social history. Thousands of people learnt to ride on a Bantam, or had their first pillion experience on one, or rode one delivering telegrams for what was the GPO. Although many of those learners progressed to bigger, faster bikes, then gave up two wheels for family life, they won't have forgotten the Bantam, which explains why there's such a thriving Bantam community to this day - the club, the racing club, the spares specialists, and restorers, owners and riders all over the country. This might not be Britain's most glamorous motorcycle, its fastest or most flamboyant, but the Bantam is probably the most loved.Trade ReviewAuthor Peter Henshaw has written an excellent book with contributions from former Bantam development engineer Michael Martin and information from Mike Jackson and Peter Glover. - Jonathan Hill - freelanceTable of ContentsIntroduction & acknowledgements1 Origins2 D1: starting out3 D3: good morning, Major4 D5: Super Bantam5 D7: was bigger better?6 D10: high-compression, short-lived7 D14/4: brave face, troubled family8 B175: the final Bantam9 Make it fly!10 Adventure by Bantam11 Living with a BantamAppendices1 Model profiles2 Road test data3 Year-by-year changes4 Bantam contacts5 Engine/frame numbersIndex

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Book SynopsisIn June 1978, 11 years after he quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing, Mike Hailwood returned to the Isle of Man TT races, probably the most prestigious, and certainly the most demanding, road race in the world. On a privately entered V-twin Ducati he won the Formula One race, beating the works Hondas of Phil Read and the late John Williams, and breaking the lap and race records. It may have seemed a fluke; it was certainly a fairy tale that continued into 1979, when he was fifth in the Formula One race, despite losing top gear and his battery, first in the Senior, and second by only 3.4 seconds in the Classic - probably the finest and closest-fought race the Island has ever seen, Hailwood proved, if anyone doubted, that he was still the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. This book, written by his manager and friend, Ted Macauley, is the account of his dramatic comeback, from the original wild idea to his final race. More than this, though, it is a study of a remarkable man in a remarkable world, and of the races, the machines, and the men who ride them.Trade ReviewThis book I couldn't put down! Coinciding with this year's 40th anniversary celebrations at the IoM Classic TT of Mike Halewood's incredible win on the Ducati, Veloce has published this new edition of 'Mike the Bike - Again,' now in paperback and with some previously unpublished photos. If you were, or indeed still are, a fan of Mike, this is an ideal volume for you. An excellent read, a 'must have' for any sports fan, highly recommended. - Desmo. The full story is an interesting and enlightening read about the man many believe was the greatest rider of all time. The new publication is a soft-back A5 of 106 pages including quite a number of black and white and colour images. - Isle of Man Examiner. I could not put it down until I'd read the last page, and neither will you. - Nacelle. Impressively informative and nicely illustrated with both black and white and colour photo, this book is a must read for all dedicated motorcycle fans. - Midwest Book Review. With 40 glossy photographs to reflect the anniversary, virtually all of them about Mike's comeback, the book traces the build-up to the amazing event that drew record crowds to the TT when Mike had just ended an 11-year Formula 1 career. - Old Bike Mart.Table of Contents1. A spirit reborn 2. Disguised among the amateurs 3. The bandwagon begins to roll 4. The hard way back 5. A frightening dawn 6. A fairy tale come true 7. Senior drama 8. Here we go again 9. The unforgettable finale

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Book SynopsisSlow Burn tells how the superbike racing motorcycle developed out of the roadgoing sports-tourer to become one of the most successful competitions in all forms of motorcycle sport. As well as offering world championship class competition in its own right, superbike racing has been a highly competitive training ground for grand prix riders as well as helping manufacturers, distributors and dealers develop and improve their motorcycles. Superbike racing is to the motorcycle industry what touring car or NASCAR competition is to the car world - race on Sunday, sell on Monday. All the big names were drawn into the sport during its formative years and have been there ever since - Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, Ducati and Aprilia have all used superbike racing to test their street bike designs. And some of the biggest riders in the sport - Wayne Gardner, Wayne Rainey, Kevin Schwantz and Eddie Lawson all started out on big, unruly superbikes, learning how to power slide their way around the world's toughest tracks. It's all in superbike - and it's all in Slow Burn.Trade ReviewA history of superbikes and superbike racing from 1970 to 1988 [covering] new engine technologies, the introduction of new frame designs, the biggest names and racing stars if the era and the tracks and the major events they competed in. - British Dealer News. You do not need to be a pure racing fan to get something from this book ... whatever your interest - be it road or race - it is well worth a read - Ian Kerr. Written most engagingly and enthusiastically, hardly a stone is left unturned of the Superbike racing era of the 1970s and 1980s, its glory years in almost every respect. - Iain P W Robertson - Freelance. a great read to pass your lockdown weeks away. - BSN (BikeSport News). "Slow Burn: The Growth of Superbikes and Superbike Racing 1970 to 1988" by Bob Guntrip is a unique and impressively informative sports history. - Midwest Book Review.a very good book about a dramatic period of racing - Mark Holman - Freelance. well worth a read - Heavy Duty Magazine. Guntrip covers the fascinating backstory, the uncommon technical details, the politics and maneuvering that happened off the track as well as on. - Ultimate MotorCyclingTable of ContentsIntroduction: this isn't the future but you can see it from here 1 Rising son As the 1970s dawned, the four-stroke seemed likely to disappear from international open-class racing altogether; but not before a final flourish - in a new class - led by Britain's last ailing giants 2 Green on blue Brazen, brash, irritating to the ear and very fast, the first big-bore two-strokes began to appear in 1972 and Paul Smart was right there when it mattered 3 Tomorrow, the world Yamaha's trim, purposeful motorcycles have formed the backbone of racing for half a century; but there was never a time that emphasised their potential quite like the mid-1970s 4 Kenny Back in the Florida sunshine for Daytona '76, Yamaha unveiled four new projectiles that got everyone talking and helped to define Kenny Roberts' career. And then there were those BMWs 5 Pushing on an open door Finally, F750 had its world championship for 1977 - but it came too late to be much more than a one-make, one-model competition. Little wonder the alternatives were gaining ground 6 Warriors for the working day If Honda's CB750 wasn't immediately the stuff racing careers were built on, Kawasaki's Z1 and the Suzuki GS1000 were a different proposition - and just the thing for harassing two-strokes 7 Long-distance confirmation While Yamaha did as it pleased in the dying years of F750, other marques began to see possibilities in the European zest for endurance racing, Honda prominent among them 8 Formula one Problem: the TT is stripped of its world championship status after 1976. Solution: the TT stages its own world championship, and offers one path to cheaper racing 9 Welcome to the jungle At Ontario in 1973, it was called Superbike Production. Soon it would become AMA Superbike and routinely offer some of the world's tightest racing - just ask Eddie, Freddie and Wes 10 All change Another decade, another recession: 1000cc motorcycles are too powerful and too thirsty, so Wayne Rainey and Joey Dunlop showed how to make the right impression with a 750 11 Honda enters, Honda... The progress of the world's biggest bike maker through the 1980s paralleled the evolution of Superbike racing itself: uncertain beginnings, growing strength - and a very grand finale 12 All together now As TT-F1 grew stronger, the Superbike World Championship assumed shape and substance; and there could only be one winner

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Book SynopsisThis new edition of Ian Falloon's classic book on the history of BMW Motorcycles brings the story right up to date, and now includes all models from 1923 right through to 2019. Over the past 80 years, BMW motorcycles have provided a unique alternative to those of other manufacturers. Some motorcycles may have been faster, certainly others were cheaper, but with their emphasis on quality and reliability, none have emulated the practicality of a BMW. With its commitment to ease of serviceability, the BMW motorcycle has become the preferred choice for hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists around the world. BMW motorcycles are made to be ridden, and if the journey includes a mixture of straight roads and corners, there is no better motorcycle. Factor in the best range of factory luggage and accessories available, and the success of BMW motorcycles isn't surprising. Ownership of a BMW is also generally a long-term affair. Because of long model runs, the designs are so well developed there seems little need to update on the whim of fashion. This is most definitely a refreshing change from the current trend towards instant obsolescence. Falloon is a prolific author and one of the world's foremost motorcycle historians with years of experience. His other BMW books include BMW Boxer Twin Bible, BMW R90S, and the Complete Book of BMW Motorcycles.Trade ReviewThis impressive book is a treasure trove of information and is a delight to the eye ... A great gift for any BMW enthusiast.The BMW Club Journal --- This is a treat for BMW fans but this is a book that also deserves to find a wider audience. Bike Rider Magazine --- Fans of the brand will love having such a comprehensive resource on company history. UltimateMotorcycling.com. --- The photography is first class, as you would expect in such a high quality book that will appeal to BMW owners and casual enthusiasts alike. - Old Bike Australasia. --- you won’t find a better book! ... A substantial volume in looks and content; although this is no coffee table book it is impressive enough to fulfil that role. - Norm Mort - FreelanceTable of ContentsChapter 1 Beginnings: from aircraft t motorcycles Chapter 2 Highs and lows: the 1930s, the Second World War and post-war reconstruction Chapter 3 Single cylinders Chapter 4 Post-war twins Chapter 5 A new generation of boxers Chapter 6 The K-series Chapter 7 The new boxer (updated) Chapter 8 2004-2009 Chapter 9 2010-2019 Appendices Index

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Book SynopsisBill Snelling reflects on his lifetime passion for two-wheeling in this entertaining, motorcycle-themed autobiography. He recalls the decades of motorcycling mayhem, mud and madness that have characterised his 70-odd years iliving the dream, from the early days at Arthur Lavington's Velo shop to pounding the long-distance trials and the many race circuits he has ridden. Bill admits he was better off-road than on tarmac, but, he did win one race! He went on to work for Motorcycle Sport magazine, and as a despatch rider, before moving permanently to the Isle of Man. A great read for anyone interested in British motorcycle sports.Trade ReviewAn absolute must for any rider - Triple --- a book to browse at you leisure - Roadholder --- very interesting - On The Level --- Motorcycles, Mates and Memories is an ideal example of what a motorcycle-themed autobiography can be ... brings the golden years of British motorcycling to life. ... this book would be a welcome present any time of year. - Fishtail (USA) --- Bill Snelling's book is all about motorcycles, mates and memories. It is exactly what it says on the tin, and, similar to all his previous publications, is an interesting, light-hearted but factual read. - Isle of Man Examiner --- It is an excellent read from start to finish, written in a humble and self-deprecating style and easily dipped in and out of. It should be at the top of everybody's reading list! - Ian Kerr --- A fascinating and interesting read - Old Bike Mart --- Not surprisingly, after such an eventful life, Bill has compiled many anecdotes of bikes he has ridden and people he has met, resulting in a very good and entertaining read. - Jonathan Hill - freelance --- a great little book busting with nostalgia. - Sump --- full of anecdotes ... a pleasant book to read detailing in a concise way a very full life packed with motorcycling, and is proof that characters abound in our sport. - Fishtail --- Not surprisingly, after such an eventful life, Bill has compiled many anecdotes of bikes he has ridden and people he has met, resulting in a very good and entertaining read. - Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group --- Subtitled "Recalling sixty years of fun in British motorcycle sport", this small softcover book is that and more. - Bike Rider Magazine

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Book SynopsisIf you remember off-road stars like the Rickman brothers' Vic Eastwood, Lew Coffin, and John Avery, then this is a must-have book for your collection. They're big names who brought the thrills and spills of the golden era of motorcycle sport to a whole generation. For the author, it's a personal trip down memory lane, as he was lucky enough to see many of these men and women at the height of their racing careers. Seventeen of the rider profiles in this book originally appeared over a three-year period in the pages of The Classic Motorcycle magazine, but the profile on the Rickman brothers – two of scrambling's true greats – has never been seen in print before. Accompanied by a totally new set of over 100 stunning photographs, this is a book that will evoke fond memories for all who share the author's love of motorcycle sport in a golden age.Table of ContentsFOREWORD by Tim Britton ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS JOHN AVERY – HIGH FLYER LEW COFFIN – GRASS GREAT COLIN DOMMETT – A STUDY IN LONGEVITY BOB RAY – ARIEL ACE BRIAN CURTIS RON LANGSTON – GREAT ALL-ROUNDER TERRY COX – FOUR-STROKE FAN DEREK AND DON RICKMAN MARY DRIVER – AT THE TOP LEVEL ARTHUR AND LYN PULMAN – PRIZE PAIR BILL BROOKER – COMPETITIVE BUSINESS CHRIS CULLEN – CULLEN TIME BILL GWYNNE – OFF-ROAD PRINCE MIKE GUILFORD – GUILFORD’S GUILE KEN SEDGLEY – TWO-STROKE STALWART VIC EASTWOOD – MULTITASKER NEIL & PAUL JARMAN PAT LAMPER – MASTER OF THE MUD INDEX

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Book SynopsisBuying a classic bike is an expensive business and mistakes can prove costly financially and in time, effort and stress. Wouldn't it be great if you could take an expert with you? With the aid of this book's step-by-step guidance from a marque specialist, you can! BMW's GS series is one of the world's milestone motorcycles, in production for over 25 years. It pioneered the adventure sport, category big bikes that are capable of travelling off-road, in many ways, it's the Range Rover of motorcycling. And it's now more popular than ever, thanks in part to the massive publicity surrounding Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman's round the world trip, on GS'. This book is a complete guide to buying one of these iconic bikes secondhand: what to look for (10min and 30min evaluations); spares prices; guides to auctions and paperwork; lists of useful contacts in the GS community; and just as important, consideration of whether it's the right bike for you.You'll discover all you need to know about the GS you want to buy...Working step-by-step through the bike's strengths and weaknesses. This books unique points system will help you to place the bikes value in relation to condition whilst extensive photographs illustrate the problems to look out for. This is an important investment - STOP! don't buy a BMW GS without this book's help. One hundred colour photos, useful appendices and expert advice mean this book could save you 1000's.Table of Contents1 - Is it the bike for you?; 2 - Cost considerations; 3 - Living with a BMW GS; 4 - Relative values; 5 - Before you view; 6 - 10min evaluation; 7 - Key points; 8 - Serious evaluation; 9 - Auctions; 10 - Paperwork; 11 - What's it worth to you?; 12 - Do you really want to restore?; 13 - Paint faults; 14 - Lack of use problems. 15 - The community; 16 - Vital statistics.

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Book SynopsisThis book takes a look at some of the fantastic British motorcycle-based custom bikes around the globe. From the old to the new, it shows that when it comes to customising British bikes, things go much further than the simple chopped Triumph parallel twin. A celebration of all things 'custom Brit,' it is the only book devoted entirely to the British custom motorcycle, revealing the innovative, fresh approach to British-based custom bike building. Whether you're a Brit-bike devotee, or a fan of the custom motorcycle scene in general, this book is for you.Trade Review100% Biker Seal of Approval ... I'm pleased to recommend 'British Custom Motorcycles' ... a full page photo of Spirit of Endeavour's engine cries out to be snipped out and framed! ... well worth a perusal 100% Biker Magazine follow[s] an excellent format which is hard to criticise because it works so well. Excellent photography is backed up by concise text and the quality of the presentation and layout works well ... once again it gets top marks for showing that not all custom machines need to be based around an American V-twin. So this latest tome is definitely worth having on the book shelf to complete the series on unusual custom machines from around the world that showcase innovative engineering and design. Inter-bike.co.uk essential for British bike fans Back Street HeroesTable of ContentsChapter One: AJS - Hesketh Chapter Two: Indian (UK) - Panther Chapter Three: Royal Enfield - Sunbeam Chapter Four: Triumph Chapter Five: Velocette - Vincent Chapter Six: Japanese built Brit customs Chapter Seven: Indian built Royal Enfield customs

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