History of Motorcycles [Paperback]

Mick Walker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2000

A history, a reference, a visual powerhouse: if the sound of a motorcycle revving up starts your heart racing, delving deep into motorcycle lore will just add to the excitement. With 200 photos of the models you love to see, a thorough look at the backgrounds of the finest machines, and bios of the great names, here's the definite leader of the pack in motorcycle books. It takes in motorcycling from its early, hesitant start, focusing on all the pioneers of the sport; moves through the war years and after, when Japan emerged as a major manufacturer; presents the thrill of grand-prix and road racing; and checks out today's newest, high-performance road machines and tourers. The makers whose top-of-the-line cycles appear include Harley-Davidson, BSA, Norton, Indian, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Triumph. Also covered: classic retros, customizing, speedway, the TT races, and world speed record machines.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mick Walker has written numerous books on motorcycles as well as managing a motorcycle race team for Cagiva.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Hamlyn (August 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 060060036X
• ISBN-13: 978-0600600367
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,075,522 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting nonlinear and visual presentation, November 1, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: History of Motorcycles (Paperback)

If you are a visually oriented, nonlinear reader, then this is a great book. Organized roughly chronologically, this book presents a wealth of information. Entries typically take a page or two, and are profusely illustrated. While this book isn't encyclopedic in nature, it is surprising the amount of information that is contained.

The one thing that might put some people off is that the book is somewhat British in orientation. It is not that the book focuses unduly on British bikes. Quite the opposite, in fact, since there is a lot of information on European, American, and Japanese motorcycles. Instead, the British orientation shows in the topics covered, and the basic viewpoints. For example, there is a section on "green lane" riding, which covers the past-time of riding along old right-of-ways in the UK (in case any American readers aren't aware of this, there is a whole tradition and body of common law regarding the rights of the public to use traditional passage ways, even when those passages now cross private land). Don't be put off by this comment, it is only a small quibble, and anybody that regularly reads any of the British classic bike magazines will be completely at ease with this book.

As I said at the beginning, this is a great book if you like books with lots of sidebars and illustrations. I read enough dry, academic stuff at work (I'm an academic), and so I enjoy seeing books with good material AND good presentation.