Motorcycles Books

This is an excellent book. It is well written, thorough, and well illustrated. Definitely worth the price to anyone interested in Triumph motorcyles or motorcycles in general. The author takes you on a historical tour of Triumph motorcycles from day one and brings you up to date (1997-publish date). There is a focus on the new generation Triumphs that are being built at John Bloor's Hinkley factory. You are given a 'virtual' tour of this factory and is processes, even introduced to special people that work there. You soon become aware that something very special is going on at this factory in England. And if you happen to own one of these new Triumphs, like myself, this book just re-enforces what you already know -- The Empire is Striking Back -- from Hinkley !

When people see me on my Triumph Bonneville Special or 825cc Tiger they say things like:

"Great bike, must be hard to find parts for..."

or sometimes you'll get:

"I used to have one of those..."

Which is really the more appropriate response since Triumph and American motorcycling go hand in hand. This book really made it clear to me why I love Triumphs. It gives detailed descriptions of models which were constructed specifically for the American market. There are great pictures of cross country races in the California desert and road races at Daytona. The author really captures the competative relationship between the East coast and West coast Triumph dealers (who had seperate race teams) with biographies of the riders, mechanics and team managers who made motorcycle racing from the 40's to the 70's so exciting. I learned as much about the racers as I did about the modifications they made to their bikes (and now I can make to mine).

Great book for anyone who races vintage bikes or just loves the sound of a parallel twin!

This has to be the definitive reference for restoration of Speedtwins and Thunderbirds. From the careful dating and engine number cataloging of upgrades and new features on these bikes to colour matching with modern paint systems this one has it all. Also included are many photographs and articles from original publications. A great read too!

I bought this book some years ago when I was considering restoring a classic Triumph. The book really starts with the 1937 Edward Turner designs, so if you are the lucky owner of one of the very early Coventry or Val Page designs, this book is not what you need. But for the other 99 percent of Triumph restorers, it's a good choice. Many period photos from the 1950s through 1970s. The book was written in 1981, so memories were still fresh regarding then-recent Triumphs. The book has 12 chapters: Early twins, Start of the Line, Military, Postwar Pre-Unit, Grand Prix, Unit Construction, After Meriden, The Trident, The Scooter Twin, The OHC Twin, Competition, and Specials. The real value for many restorers will come in the seven (!) appendixes: Specifications, Colours, Engine/Frame Numbers, Model Recognition, Production Flow Chart, Carburettor Settings, and Prices. The Specifications appendix includes roughly 75 specs per model for the 1960s-1970s twins. Colours cover all twins/triples from 1937 as far as I can see. If you like Triumphs, this is a good book; only a shop manual gives more information IMHO. Published by Osprey Press, London, 192 pages in total, ISBN 0-85045-403-4. Only drawback to the book is no index. As for myself, I wound up buying a Hinckley Triumph Tiger, more modern but a great bike!

The Eye-Openers books are terrific, and this one is no exception. My two-year old son is crazy about trucks and construction vehicles, and this book is right up his alley. The pictures are terrific! Each page displays a different truck and labels the different parts of the truck as well. Consequently, I know more about trucks than I ever imagined that I would, and my son can spot an air deflector from a mile away!

This was #4 of 4 TT related books I've been snatching up all year. So far it's one of the best for visuals, as you'd expect. The book is filled with pictures of more than just the 'big names' but a number of lesser knows. And some interesting pictures of rarely seen events. Nick Jefferies on a K100. The GTS1000 being caned by Mr. Linsdell. As well as a good selection of Britten and Norton rotary shots. There are a few factual errors in subtitles. They're not common. Definitely a good coffee table book worth looking through every now and then for years to come. I'm sorry to read the author wasn't planning to return to the IoM. He had a good eye for capturing the whole event.

I got this as a present and it has been very interesting reading. I have been through it, cover to cover, about three times. The front matter is an introduction to motorcycles and is not too exciting, although not without interest. The really good part is the A-Z of motorcycles, which introduces some rare brands I had never heard of. (I began riding in 1964, and I grew up with a number of the bikes in this book. So I was familiar with the names of Greeves, James, Francis Barnett, and many of the now defunct English manufacturers. But I had never heard of Bõhmerland!)

The latter part of the book is dedicated to Harley-Davidson. The sections on the history of the company and the development of various models was interesting. I didn't find the parts about the Harley lifestyle to be too exciting.

My tastes tend to prefer British bikes over others, and I currently ride a 1999 Triumph Tiger. For specific marques, there are many more detailed books (e.g. Roy Bacon on Triumph, Alan Cathcart on Ducati). But, as a general reference, I have not seen a book to match this one.

Keep the helmet side up!

My husband is, yes, 53, and heavily in love with... his new motorcycle! What do I buy for the man who is motorcycle crazy?! Saddlebags? Sissy bar? GPS??!!! I did get a watch from national geographic that includes weather, compass... but what else? This calendar hangs on his wall right near his desk at work, and reminds him that at the end of the day he can take a ride and just relax and unwind. He loves it. I will certainly look for the same calendar for next year!

Upper Mississippi Valley By Motorcycle by Kay Fellows is an informative guide for exploring the areas in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin surrounding the Mississippi river by motorcycle. Concisely covering all road systems from the Quad Cities in Illinois and Iowa, and the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Upper Mississippi Valley By Motorcycle knowledgeably informs readers of the most scenic and majestic roadways, the kindest people in the most friendly stops, and so much more that is useful when traveling all around the "Father of Waters" by motorcycle. Upper Mississippi Valley By Motorcycle is very highly recommended for all readers searching for an interesting and well authored mapping of the Midwest surrounding the Mississippi River for a fun and beautiful exploration from atop a motorcycle whether alone or in the company of others.

This book describes in detail every flat twin produced by Velocette between 1948 and 1971. From the front flap:

"Between these covers is the whole story of these curious, technically interesting machines which now like many black sheep have been drawn into a family of enthusiasts who appreciate fine intention and considerable manufacturing courage."

Includes separate chapters on each model such as the LE, Valiant, Vogue and Viceroy. Appendices list mechanical specifications for each model and year, factory color schemes, engine and frame numbering scheme, carburettor settings and original prices.

Loaded with photos, some from factory promotions, others from road tests, and many mechanical diagrams. Velocette Flat Twins should be required reading for any classic British motorcycle enthusiast.