Archive for Items Categorized 'Motorcycles', only excerpts shown, click title for full entry.

NSU, The Complete Story

by Mick Walker

From knitting machines in 1873—by way of bicycles, motorcycles, and cheap but well-built small cars—to the futuristic, luxurious, world-class Wankel-engined Ro 80 passenger car in 1967 (that year’s European “Car of the Year” and also unofficial Car of the Decade) NSU was one of Germany’s pioneering manufacturers.

Iron Horse Cowgirls

by McKay & St. Vincent Vogl

A history of motorcycling in America and a social history as well. It also provides life lessons in how to prevail and overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The Scooter Bible: The Ultimate History and Encyclopedia

by Eric Dregni

Scooters are funny” says the author. So is this book, written by a card-carrying academic. The period ads alone are a hoot. If you never had a scooter, well, they never go out of style and especially today electric models are the thing to have.

BMW Motorcycles: 100 Years

by Alan Dowds

The book delivers just what the title promises but what makes it unusual is that the author, a motorcycle journalist no less, was initially a BMW skeptic, making his full-throated endorsement all the more worthy of consideration.

The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles: Every Model Since 1946

by Ian Falloon

From Pup to Monster and beyond, Ducati has come a long way. The name puts you in mind of high performance or, if you are of a technical bent, desmodromic valves. But it all started with a bicycle micromotor‚ in fact it started way before that with all manner of electric and optical gear.

Jawa – The Forever Bike

by Adil Jal Darukhanawala

You may recognize Jawa as a quintessential Czech brand but it not only had an even bigger life elsewhere, it wouldn’t have survived into the present without this foreign affair.

The Singer Story: The Cars, Commercial Vehicles, Bicycles & Motorcycles

by Kevin Atkinson

Everyone knows that Bugattis used distinctive flat-spoke aluminum wheels. So did Singer—but 20 years earlier. The curved front forks of a bicycle are a George Singer patent, and still in use today. If you don’t know Singer, you should.

Culture & Customisation: The Motor Scooter Story  

by Barry John

It’s not just nostalgia that keeps interest in scooters alive and well today. They are as practical as ever, economical to operate, take up little space, and now they even have zero-emissions electric motors. Plus, a brand-new racing series debuts this year, the eSkootr Championship.

Engine Design Concepts for World Championship Grand Prix Motorcycles

by Alberto A. Boretti, Editor

If friction and spark and power density keep you awake at night, cozy up to this book. A broad overview of WCGP racing and micro detail analysis of highly technical concepts

BMW Motorcycles of the Century

by Claudio Somazzi & Massimo Bonsignori

Market values, maintenance, model specifics, what makes one bike more collectible than another—it’s all here. If you don’t already have a BMW you’ll probably want one after reading this book!

Red Tape and White Knuckles: One Woman’s Motorcycle Adventure through Africa

by Lois Pryce

No fancy bike, no fancy gear, no fancy Adventure Tours outfit—just one woman and her little Yamaha taking on the Dark Continent. Sadly, no fancy photographs either—you’ll have to use your imagination.

Women Who Ride the Hoka Hey

by Abagail Van Vlerah

Picture it: the first Challenge went from Florida to Alaska, more than 8500 back road miles! Over 190 hours in the saddle. And you have to sleep outside! Things have changed since then—“Hóka-héy!” (Let’s Go! in the Lakota language) indeed.