No comments about Racing Minicycles (Winning Streak).

No comments about Competition Car Data Logging: A Practical Handbook (Competition Car).

3 comments about Ducati: The Official Racing History.

1. Even if you own every other Ducati book ever written, this is THE book to own! In association with the Ducati factory, this book shows their bikes in the factory museum. Well written with new information and exceptional photographs unlike any other Ducati book I own. Features the factory race bikes with some excellent info and photos of the standard bikes. Text is in English and was printed in Italy. EVERY motorcycle enthusiast should own this book. The best book bargain out there when purchased on Amazon. I was so impressed I bought two of them!



2. This book is detailed and high quality. Excellent for a coffee table piece. It is an inch thick, lot of content. Great value for the price.



3. I bought this book at Amazon.com because I just had to have it. I'm no Ducatisti, but I can appreciate Ducati racing history and I'll check out a Duc when I find one to look over the carbon fiber, expensive gold bits, and the chicken strips on the tires. And the famous Ducs are all here in this book for me to eye whenever I want. You get the usual development and racing history of each model in this book, but best of all, you get great pictures of vicious old Italian racers in black leathers and big 2-page layouts of the famous racers like Mike "The Bike" Hailwood's 900, Lucky's 750 F1, Doug Polen's 888 Superbike, and Foggy's 916. These pictures let you really get in there to inspect honest rock chips, race scrapes and battle scars. I took one star away from my rating because the text reads like a corny, congratulatory sales brochure, but it is the "Official Racing History" from the constructor so what do you expect? This book is pure motorcycle porn. If you love sportbikes or motorcycles in general, you need this book. It's worth every penny. Enjoy the ducs, but Ride Red.

No comments about Foggy on Bikes: Learn to Ride Like a World Champion.

No comments about Niall Mackenzie: The Autobiography.

No comments about Hizzy: The Autobiography of Steve Hislop 1962-2003.

No comments about The BMW Story: Racing and Production Models from 1923 to the Present Day.

2 comments about Harley-Davidson Racing, 1934-1986.

1. Allen Girdler covers it all in this book. It has a lot of technical information as well as the history and background of flattrack racing. Lots of black and white photos. This is a must have if you are a fan of Harley Davidson racing and flattrack racing in general.



2. Alan Girdler has started from the beginning and lead me through the WRs, KRs, XLRs and into the XRs in a way that makes clear sense. I wouldn't have minded knowing how many of the given models were built, but given the way Girdler describes Harley record keeping, perhaps even they don't know! Anyway, if you are a dirttrack fan, you'll like this book.

2 comments about Motocross and Off-Road Motorcycle Performance Handbook (Cyclepro).

1. I bought this book on the recommendation of Dirt Rider magazine who listed it as one of their 20 'must have' products of 1997. They're not wrong. This book is a concise and well written guide for the home mechanic. While it doesn't have the detailed frame by frame guidance of a manual specifically for your bike, it's got lots of good information on how your bike works and why. Topics covered vary from basic maintenance and bike setup through to maintaining forks and transmission disassembly. For tasks such as shock rebuilds that your average owner is not likely to perform in their garage, the approach is to make you an informed consumer of specialist services. Both two strokes and four strokes are covered. There is a chapter which I think many owners will find very useful on best value mods for your bike. The four Japanese manufacturers are covered, with most MX bikes from 92-96 listed. The KDX200 (83-96), RMX 250 (89-95) and some XR tuning tips are also included in this section. If you're into off-road motorcycling you're likely to find this book very handy to have.



2. Well written and good direction

3 comments about Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle.

1. This is an excellent reference for someone who wants to know about any brand of motorcycle. There's something in there on all of them!

   I like everything about the book. The photography is great and there's some really good background information, too. My criticism of the book lies in the selection of the particular bikes that have any meaningful coverage devoted to them. Certain marques are overly represented where others are ignored or get very light coverage. Too many Ducatis, for example, and not enough early Kawasakis. Too many Ariels and not enough bikes from companies like Benelli, a company that sold zillions of lightweights. The other thing is the specific bikes chosen to represent certain companies. I would like to have seen a little more thought given to those that were the most significant models.

   That's my only real criticism. The authors' interests were reflected in this book.

   But again, in summary, it's the most complete work of its type I have ever seen, and I have spent many hours enjoying it. It's also nice to have whenever anyone talks about a particular bike-- you can look it up in the book and in many cases, find a picture.




2. This book is an unbeatable resource for tracing the history of motorcycle and scooter brands and models. Over 1000 are photographically illustrated with notes, and a directory covers every known motorcycle brand and model, listed alphabetically under country of origin. Whether your interest is in classic models, racing motorcycles, or stylish new machines, you will find them all here.

   "Before the automobile there was the motorcycle. And even after . . . the motorcycle put the world on wheels." Automobiles were made for the rich until Henry Ford came along. For everyone else, the motorcycle was the thing.

   The first part of the book features wonderful photographs (always a side view, and sometimes front and back as well; for racing machines there are usually racing views; and mechanical views where innovations occur) along with brief descriptions of the manufacturer and model. Here are some of the motorcycles featured: Adler MB200; AJS Model D; Aprilia RSV 250; Ardie TM500; Ariel Square-Four; Armstrong MT 500; Ascott-Pullin 500cc; and Autoped (a motorized child's scooter) -- and those are just in the A's.

   Motorcycles with two pages of coverage include the Bimota TESI 1D; BMW R32; Harley-Davidson JD28; Henderson; Hilderbrand & Wolfmuller; Honda CB750; Indian Scout; Kawasaki ZZ-R 1100; Norton Manx; and Triumph Speed Twin.

   My favorite profile was of a reconstruction of the original Daimer Einspur, the first motorcycle.

   Other motorcycles that received one page of coverage included: ABC, Ace, Adler MB200, Ariel Square-Four, BMW Rennsport, BMW R1100GS, Brough Superior Dream, BSA Bantam, BSA Gold Star DBD34, Buell S2-Thunderbolt, DKW SS250, Excelsior Auto-Cycle Model K, Honda 50 Super Cub, Indian Single, Kawasaki Z1, Laverda Jota, Megola Racing Model, MV Agusta 350 GP, MZ RE125, Ner-a-Car Model C, NSU Kompressor, Pope, Rokon Trail-Breaker, Scott 3 3/4, Sunbeam Model 90, Suzuki GT 750, Triumph 3TA, Vespa 150, Vincent-HRD Series C Black Shadow, and Werner.

   Just to show you the kind of detail available to you, let me share the one-quarter page listing for the Zundapp GS125. This machine had a capacity of 124cc, and power output of 18bhp@7,900 rpm. It weighed 100 kg, and the estimated top speed was 65 mph. "The letters GS stand for Gelande Sport -- Gelande meaning 'terrains.'" This bike was a favorite in Enduro-type events in the U.S. in the 1970s. This machine had good off-road capabilities with fair speed when necessary, in a form that was legal for on the road as well. Enhanced versions of the 1972 bike photographed "won the world 125cc Motocross Championship in 1973 and 1974." The photograph notes that the Zundapp engine was also sold to other manufacturers, and points out the high-level exhaust system and the head lights.

   The directory is a real treasure trove of information. Did you know that Bulgaria, Ireland, Israel, Romania, South Africa, and South Korea have each had one motorcycle brand?

   Here is a listing for an early U.K. bike: "Silva 1919-20 Early scooter with front-wheel drive provided by a 118 cc atmospheric-inlet-valve Wall Auto Wheel." Also, if a designer left one manufacturer for another, that is noted. So you can see the development of one person's work, as well as that of a firm.

   Clearly, a limitation of any work like this one is the availability of models to photograph. Mr. Wilson was fortunate to have the assistance of The Motorcycle Heritage Museum in Westerville, Ohio for this purpose. But you may be disappointed because your favorite model is not here. That is an unavoidable weakness. You don't see all the old automobile models when you visit the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village either.

   I am very impressed with what has been accomplished in this book. It is hard to imagine doing more in a volume of this size, and at this price level. I encourage you to give the book to your friends who love motorcycles.

   After you have finished enjoying the book for the first of many times, I suggest that you review the development of motorcycles. Has your own riding taken advantage of all of those advances? Perhaps you need more than one motorcycle so you can engage in a fuller range of activities. Here's a good place to start thinking about what your next motorcycle will be.

   If you love Harley-Davidsons, I also recommend Mr. Wilson's outstanding book, The Ultimate Harley-Davidson.

   Enjoy the freedom of the open road!




3. The photos and content is very good but in several instances the most relevant models are not mentioned or illustrated. i.e. Matchless G50,M.V. Agusta 750s. Ducati 750SS roundcase. It seems that the authors preferences, easy of access to a machine (for photos) or conveniences are sometimes sacrificed for the important item. In general it is a very good general info book. Shows some really strange machines.