Customer Reviews

Motorcycle Road & Racing Chassis: A Modern Review of the Best Independents

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3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

being an engineer and fan of custom sport bike chassis, I read this book with great anticipation. As a pictoral and light history of the covered companies, the book succeeds. As a detailed reference book, or a book that would provide any kind of in-depth technical detail, I was sorely disapointed.
The book is well illustrated, and the author provides some insight into the different companies, but I consider it a light brushing rather than a thorough look at each.
Also, contrary to the publisher's description, I did not find any "full specifications" for ANY chassis, and only a general specification for P&M chassis. Additionally, although the book has a first printing in November 2007, most chapter references seem to predate 2001 except brief paragraph notes at the end of some chapters telling if the company is still in business or not.
I was also disapointed to find that other than a printed ad in the back of the book, there were no names, addresses, web sites, or phone #'s for any of the 15 companies included.
As an interesting quick look at the companies, the book succeeds. As a detailed reference for someone looking for "a valuable refference for the trade" the book is mediocre at best.
I would buy the book from the understanding that it is written with the depth of a magazine article rather than an in-depth textbook on the history of the companies involved.
I hate to sound harsh in reviewing the book, but I have to give the book a C+.

The book is visually appealing, with high quality paper stock and some great photographs of handcrafted manchines. The book's written content suffers by comparison; there is too much filler in the form of engine specifications (how is this relevant in a book dedicated to chassis design/construction?), not enough content related to chassis specifications or construction, and some grievous editing errors. I would also have liked to learn more about the men who built/build these machines, the stories behind the bikes, but I can't necessarily count this as a fault, as the title hasn't strictly promised this. I don't regret buying it, but I have a more than casual interest in chassis design.

The book covers several chassis in a very superficial way, just overall photos and very incomplete commetary, just descriptions of the photos: I AM SEEING THEM! I was expecting more detailed drawings and photos of the different chassis, not photos of complete bikes where the frame is obscured. Also ROB NORTH is only mentioned in passing. WHAT? He made one of the most important chasssis , up there with the featherbed! Was very dissapointing. Also the printing of some photos is really bad. In all only as the most superficial reference book.

Great in-depth work on small independant firms who built chassis for race bikes during the 1960's - 1980's. Probably the only book detailing Hejira Racing Developments.