Product Description

Recounting the three weeks of blood, sweat, and tears that make up a 7,000 mile journey from the glitzy streets of Paris to the hinterland of northwestern Africa, this incredible tale highlights the most arduous and notorious off-road motorsports event on the planet, the Paris-Dakar Rally. Since its inception in 1979, the rally has attracted more than 3,000 participants from all walks of life. Fully detailing what is considered by many to be one of the world's top five adventures, this book reveals amazing true tales of danger, from blinding sandstorms to endless vistas of towering dunes. Enduring these incredible hardships with perseverance, tenacity, ingenuity, and sometimes tragedy, the adventurers profiled here truly embody the triumphs of the human spirit.

Customer Reviews (4)

ADVENTIURE OF A LIFETIME
AS YOU READ THIS BOOK YOU FEEL AS YOU ARE THERE THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES AND GREAT TIMES

Dakar
This was actually my first kindle book.

As a long time fan of Dakar it was never going to be difficult to hold my attention on this topic. the writer does a good job of detailing just how exhausting this epic event is. Some technical detail but nothing to put off the less mechanical.

Canadian Superstar
Lawrence Hacking proves that some of your life's goals can be done in your 40's.He studied,prepared,and attacked the Dakar Rally.

gutsy privateer
The author shows his gutsy determination to finish the Dakar. A great read for all of us Walter Mitty's . ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

YAMAHA All Factory and Production Road-Racing Two Strokes Fr
By Colin MacKellar.

Until someone writes a better book this will remain the TZ owner's bible. I have just about read the print off the pages of the chapters on the production TZ 250 / 350'sand the TZ 750 !!

Here we have a wealth of information for the TZ obsessed with excellent photos, and a brilliant text filled with pretty good (though far from complete) detail of the bikes concerned. At the back there is a great technical specifications list second to none.

I have learnt a hell of a lot from this offering and although it has a number of "holes" obvious to a die-hard enthusiast it is still a remarkably good starting point for someone becoming interested in old Yamaha 2 stroke production roadracers.

It was published by The Crowood Press and is now out of print after initial runs totaling around 3,000 copies. Expensive, but well worth the money.

Greg Bennett
www.tz350.com

A gem worth buying. Long live the TZ250!
This is an excellent book on the history of Yamaha in GP road racing! I don't think i have ever seen such a comprehensive and detailed account of EVERY aspect and step along the way in the development of Yamaha's 2-stroke racing programs.

Follow every design change from year to year, through the 1990's. This is a great book with no equal. Full of many photos and lots of interesting history, it is without a doubt one of my favorite Motorcycle related books!

All you want to know about motorcycle racing
This is an excellent book about motorcycle racingduring the last 40 years. It is very well researched, accurate and will provide plenty of information to seasoned racing enthusiasts as wellas new-comers to thesport. Definitely a must have. O. Rossi /Kaohsiung /Taiwan

The best!
This has to be one of the most comprehensive books on Yamaha racing. A few errors have been found in the book, but for the most part it is very well researched and chocked full of great pictures of some of the best riders in the sport. Past, Present and future. If you are into two-strokes, there is no better book. ... Read more

Product Description
This book traces the history of attempts to build the fastest motorcycles in the world. It explores the limits of power, aerodynamics, mechanical reliability, and traction, raising the bar of maximum speed for a motorcycle.

Author Tom Murphy leads a historic tour of this exciting sport and introduces us to the top names and many others who built or drove record bikes. He shows us the innovative hardware created by both backyard mechanics and heavily funded factory teams. And, he describes the number one enemy of speed, air drag, and how speed-hungry racers have dealt with it over the years. He even breaks down the costs to field a competitive machine--the results may shock you.

It's all here, with dozens of rare archive pictures showing the people and machines that have set the world records and made history striving to be the fastest motorcycle on earth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

This book delivers what it promises
The title of the book says it all.This book is a very good account of the men and machines that have attained the goal of fastest motorycle.From the early days, Bert Le Vack and Brough, Ernst Henne and BMW, through William Herz and NSU, all the way to the streamliners of Triumph, Don Vesco, and Harley-Davidsons, there is a wealth of information and photographs.You really get a feel for the dedication and effort involved in building a machine capable of going over 300 MPH, pushing tires and engines up to and past their limits.The day by day account of the setting of the current record, by Dave Campos and the EasyRiders HD in 1990, is a wonderful climax to the story.16 days of runs, crashes, worn out tires, transmission overhauls, engine swaps; even the nitrous powered push truck burned a hole in a piston.A most welcome addition to any motorcycle or land speed enthusiast's library.

A Feast of Fast
Anybody fascinated with going fast on two wheels will find it hard not to like this book. The Fastest Motorcycles on Earth is essentially a history, focusing primarily the period from 1960 onward. In addition to an awesome collection of period photos (lots of color) that you probably won't see in any other book, the writer's folksy style gives the whole book a sort of "behind-the-scenes" authentic feel to describing what it's like to go out and try to set a Land Speed Record from the point of view of the guys who've actually done it. Be careful, though...there's enough "how-it's-done" detail in this book that you might be tempted to sell the house and start building your own LSR bike...

The Fastest Motorcycles On Earth
I bought this book originally from the publisher because I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.The subject,Land Speed Record motorcycles,is exciting and fascinating.However,after reading it I was very disappointed.It ISfilled with some really wonderful photographs.That is perhaps its oneredeeming quality.The book lacks direction.It appears the author can'tdecide what he wants his book to be;a history or a how to book.Either wouldbe interesting but the book is too short to be all things to all people.Thebiggest problem I had with this book is the historical inaccuraciescontained within.Example:The author's explanation of how the HarleyDavidson factory motorcycle racing team got its nickname,"The WreckingCrew" is unlike any other description I've read.It came from theirdominance in racing,not the hijinks he describes.His sidebar history ofS&S Cycle and their longstanding involvement with Record settingmotorcycles is filled with inaccuracies as well.These are not arcaneaspects of history that were hard to document.I found the informationreadily available in books,magazines,etc.The very worst thing is the storyof the current world record holder.When I read it I immediately recalled asimiliar presentation of the same story told in a magazine many yearsearlier.It appears to be almost lifted verbatim from that magazine("InThe Wind" March 1991).I shudder at the implication but it wasglaringly obvious to me.I found it insulting that no one took the time toverify some of these facts.It makes the book appear to be slapped togetherand makes one wonder what other inaccuracies lurk within.The author has atendancy to handle a lot of information tongue-in-cheek rather than statesimple facts in an entertaining manner.I've noticed this in other booksI've read by him.I'd say the book's worth buying if for nothing else thanthe rich photography included,but don't expect much more. ... Read more

Product Description
Due to the demand from motorcycle enthusiasts, Mick Walker has teamed up with Redline Books to reprint his series of six Racing Motorcycle books. First to be published is Mick Walker's British Racing Motorcycles, but it is nothing like the original book published in 1990. This new edition is a high quality, 208 page book, which has been extensively updated and completely redesigned in a style which breaks the mould of motorcycle marque history book design. The text is typical of Mick Walker's detailed, yet entertaining style, and with over 400 photographs in colour and black and white, many of them previously unpublished, the book offers a wealth of information. It is both a work of reference and an enjoyable read. Models covered include the AJS Porcupine and R7, The BSA Gold Star, Manx Norton, Norton Commando and Rotary, Matchless G45 and G50, the Rocket 3 and Trident and many more, including a section on 'specials' and the garden shed engineers who developed their own exotic machinery for competition. Mick Walker's Italian Racing Motorcycles, the second book in the series, was published in November 1998. It follows a similar style, with twice as much text as in the original edition and over 800 pictures. Other titles will cover German, European, Japanese and American. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (13)

DS Motorcycling book
I have been riding for quite a while but picked up a few good tips from this book.A little something for everyone.Not as much "how to" as I was wanting, but a good read.

Excellent read for the widest range of rider skill levels
Mr. Adams covers every aspect of dual sport riding. This is a must read for riders looking for a guide to beginning the dual sport experience. Every area is covered from selecting the right motorcycle and riding gear to tuning the suspension and preparing for trailside repairs. Every rider skill level from the beginner to the racer looking to move on to dual sporting will find a wealth of extremely useful information. The basic and advanced riding techniques chapters are a short cut through the school of hard knocks (or hard rocks if you ride in Nevada).

Essential Reading for Dual Sport Motorcyclists
Mr. Adams has captured the joy of dual sport motorcycling. His skills, passion for the sport, and ability to communicate make this book a must read. The text is well written and very readable. There are photos and illustrations that add quality and clarity throughout. I am an experienced rider and I found many useful tips that have enriched my riding experiences. Less experienced riders will consider it an indispensible read that will save them much money and pain.

Superb Book!
Well written book that covers everything for one getting into Dual Sporting.I've been riding a long time and found many helpful tips.Worth every penny!

Light guide
Big pictures and big font make this a very light/shallow treatment of the subject.If you have ever ridden motorcycles most of this information is repetitive.If you are new to motorcycles and off-road riding, by all means get this book.It is well written and has good information.If you are a seasoned rider, look elsewhere or you will be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
This illustrated history, with sidebars providing easily accessible information on significant riders and teams, tells the full story of Kawasaki's involvement in road racing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very good Kawasaki racing history book
This is very good Kawasaki Racing history book from 2stroke era to present.

There are many pictures include. You can read all over world Kawasaki racing history.

Love the Book.
Love this book, I am a big Kawa Fan, Kawasaki Road Racers is a good read, lots of interesting people behind the racing teams and different efforts.
A little History of Kawa also, Some Lawerence coverage, I Wish there would be a Eddie Lawerence book. We also need a Revised version or something to this great book. I love the Ninja Bikes(known as Ninja In America).
Good Book with Great Pics for any Kawa' Fan.

Not bad if you're a Kwaka fan
This book details Kawasaki racing motorcycles from yesteryear to a couple of years back. There are good stories about the efforts of Kawasaki, privateers and racing teams. I wish there were more details, more nuts and bolts info on the bikes themselves. There is not much information on Eddie Lawson's racebikes, which was disappointing but then again this is not an Eddie Lawson book. Even if you look around on the net there isn't much info on Kwaka's compared to Honda. They make interesting stuff, and a lot of friends are addicted to the new Kawasaki KSR110 in Lime Green. ... Read more

Product Description
An extensive reference features a photograph gallery of classic motorcycles, a manufacturer listing that profiles every maker in the industry, design blueprints for special models, and production histories. 40,000 first printing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Excellent Reference for Motorcycle Fans New and Old
I've owned this book for probably 15 years, having bought it when it first came out.I was a teenager at the time, and there was no way my mum would have ever let me own a motorcycle.This book was, for the most part, the only way I could live out my fantasy of owning or riding one.A couple of years later, I'd grown out of my interest in bikes, and the book ended up in a box for a few years.

In the last couple of years my interest has been rekindled, partially out of the potential need for a bike and its awesome gas mileage (I drive 80 miles every day between work and various errands), partially out of the romanticism that comes with motorcycle territory.So this book found its way back to my bookshelf, and it gets read several times a week.I don't yet own a bike or a license (coming up with the cash for a decent working bike is a bit of a problem these days), but I'm once again living out my fantasy as best I can thanks to this book (and the Long Way Round/Long Way Down series and a couple of great biker vlogs I've been following).

As for the book itself, it's a lovely hardcover affair, packed to the gills with high-quality photos, descriptions of engine parts and sometimes a history of notable modifications made in production.They obviously couldn't cover all of the bikes made in the last 100 years, or the book would have been at least three volumes, but I think the writer did a good job of including most of the big "make the industry sit up and take notice" bikes, like the Honda CB750 and Kawasaki Z1, the Triumph Speed Twin, Indian Scout, etc.There are also plenty of interesting (sometimes comically so) bikes from smaller manufacturers that fall into the "also ran" category.The book also includes a glossary of motorcycle terms and a huge list of marquees, both well-known and not so much.

This book is recommended to anyone who has even a passing interest in motorcycles.If you don't know much about bikes, this book will help you understand some of the mystique and history behind motorcycles.If you're a seasoned rider, you'll still find yourself flipping through the pages and probably smiling as you remember your own personal encounters with some of the bikes you'll see here.

Hopefully you can find a copy, because I'm never getting rid of mine!

Very good but biased
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. Showssome really strange machines.

Tremendous Standard Reference for Motorcycles and Scooters
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 1919-20Early 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!

Best book of its type
This is an excellent reference for someone who wants to know about anybrand of motorcycle.There's something in there on all of them!

I likeeverything about the book.The photography is great and there's somereally good background information, too. My criticism of the book lies inthe selection of the particular bikes that have any meaningful coveragedevoted to them.Certain marques are overly represented where others areignored or get very light coverage.Too many Ducatis, for example, and notenough early Kawasakis.Too many Ariels and not enough bikes fromcompanies like Benelli, a company that sold zillions of lightweights.Theother thing is the specific bikes chosen to represent certain companies.Iwould like to have seen a little more thought given to those that were themost significant models.

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

But again, in summary, it's themost complete work of its type I have ever seen, and I have spent manyhours enjoying it.It's also nice to have whenever anyone talks about aparticular bike-- you can look it up in the book and in many cases, find apicture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Triumph's ARE an American legend and the photo's prove it.
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! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

My thoughts on BMW Racing Motorcycles: Mastery of Speed
This book is really good history of BMW's racing teams especially in the 1940s-1960s. There are lots of interesting black and white pictures of old racers and their bikes. Good book, I enjoyed it......

Buy It!
This definitely belongs in every BMW fan's book collection. Even if you are not a big racing fan you will enjoy the historical facts and the great pictures.

Oldest established motorcycle racing outfit
No manufacturer has a longer racing record than BMW, with factory involvement not just in motorcycles of many sizes and classes but also in the arcane (some say the most exciting) sidecar race category. BMW started winning German national championships in 1924 and took the sidecar world championship for 20 consecutive years--1954-1974. Their bikes also did brilliantly in the Isle of Man in the hands of greats such as Walter Zeller, Georg Meier and the Helmut Dahne, holder of the Nurburging motorcycle lap record (7'49.71")on an RC-30. BMW is still racing, in 2008.

This excellent book starts with the company crashing to earth in 1919 after WWI, forbidden to continue making aero engines and denied its technological roots by the Treaty of Versailles. It proceeds through Europe's great road and off-road races to the era of the `kompressor' (supercharger), to the Munich factory's devastation by Allied bombing in WWII, shown in photos.

Allen and Gardiner have created what is probably the most complete, definitive collection of data and photographs of BMW's racing endeavors, and done it with style and wit. Beautifully produced, in `horizontal' format, the book includes many great historical photos of the men and machines that have made the marque among the most respected in all of motorcycle racing. There is, however, only one diagram--a frontal drawing of the original R.32, BMW's epochal boxer twin of 1923--where the technically inclined reader thirsts for more.

The Butler & Smith era in the U.S. is described in detail, including Udo Gietl's frame achievements that delivered Superbike success, extends to the off-road (e.g. Paris-Dakar) wins, even '07 Pike's Peak, with Gary Trachey on a `Megamoto,' and to the emerging era of the current HP2. Noted (without photo) is the 1997-1999 achievement of Dave Morris, three-time Singles winner in the Isle of Man on BMWs. No mention--a pity!--is made nor photo shown of BMW's rumored MotoGP bikes, seen in magazines in 2006 with Luca Cadalora in the saddle, nor of the evolutionary camshaft and valve work on the four-valve boxer oilhead engine (like its predecessors, notoriously wide and restrictive of lean angle, irrelevant in their brilliantly successful racing sidecars).

This book arrives at a time when BMW is finally, after too long a hiatus, returning to serious national racing in the U.S. with its new HP2, already racing in MotoST and world endurance events in the hands of Brian Parriott and Nate Kern. Soon we will see its even newer World Superbike sibling, the transverse-four S 1000RR, reportedly due in the SBK series in 2009.

For about 25 years, since Reg Pridmore won the U.S. Superbike Championship in 1976, BMW produced a series of increasingly detuned and boring `air-head' bikes that disappointed hard-core race and sport-bike enthusiasts. The shaft-drive K bikes were little better, despite half-hearted attempts via the bloated K-1 and too-late/too-heavy current K offerings. The book, dealing only with racing, tactfully avoids mentioning these machines. Only with the oil-head R1100S in 2000, a machine that evolved into the HP2, did BMW inch back slowly to its racing roots. Can they keep up the commitment, financially, technically, and by attracting great riders? Time will tell.

... Read more

Product Description
Here is the full story of Ducati's involvement in road racing, from their first successful racer, the 98cc Marianna of 1955, to the four-valve V-Twin World Superbike machines which have dominated in World Superbike racing since the late eighties, becoming the most successful of all racing Ducatis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Antique Motorcycle Book
This is a great book for experienced collectors of antique motorcycles as well as novices.It has information and pictures that will help you understand if you are a novice and provide historical information and photos if you are researching a bike in the antique motorcycle racing venue for restoration or purchase. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Just a pamphlet ?
This book is little more than a brochure. More information is available by just browsing the Net for "Enduro". The book contains information like "riders may even have to ride over rocks and hills", and sentences like "The suspension system is the system of springs and shocks on a motorcycle". You won't learn much by buying this book. ... Read more

Product Description
In addition to pro tips and step-by-step photos on jumping, cornering, braking, starting, training, and more, this popular dirt rider's bible has been fully updated to include the very latest techniques in full-color photos. All-new information features data on four-stroke bikes, as well as updated information on the latest body positions, bar set-ups, and jumping techniques that reflect the current emphasis on front-wheel landings. Up-to-date advice makes this an essential guide for today's off-road racers and riders. The author is Jeremy McGrath's personal trainer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good for used & great information
I received this used book expecting wear however that wasn't the case.It arrived not only quickly but in excellent shape.The book itself is packed with some good riding techniques for beginners.It also contains some great tips to get you started.

Room for improvement
I'm having a hard time reading this book.I think the gems of information are in there, but I'm having work pretty hard to get them out.Why?Formatting: low contrast color choices.In some places, dark text on a dark background makes for difficult reading in low light.Clarity: the author(s) repeatedly fail to define terms precisely.I'm left to guess what they mean.A how-to book shouldn't leave the reader wondering.Ego: they seem to worship Jeremy McGrath.Call him infallible.It feels like a primary school clique to me.Bad science:For example, pg.41, tip #5: "Carry most of your weight on the footpegs to lower your center of gravity."Based on my understanding of basic physics, changing the position of where the rider's weight is supported has nothing to do with where the rider's center of gravity is.Sure it's good advice, carrying the rider's weight on the footpegs drastically improves the bike's handling, but the authors' explanation of the physics is complete nonsense.It leads me to question all other explanations.I imagine the authors know their stuff, but they've got a lot of room for improvement to communicate their ideas in print.

Book Full of Great Riding Tips
This proved to be a very useful book to me.The authors of this book broke down the various aspects that are required to ride a dirtbike efficiently and safely.After I read through this book, I could critique my riding technique and make corrections.I immediately noticed results the first weekend out in the woods.My speed was increase and my comfort levels went up.At the conclusion of that ride, I noticed that I was less tired than usual and could have went back out for more.I've become a better rider as result of reading this book.I would recommend it to anybody wanting to become a better rider.

AWESOME!
This is just a gorgeous book, I had the old Gary Semics manual, it was black and white photocopy stuff, this new book has all the Gary Semics stuff with updates and many sections covering different terrains, bikes and setups. The pictures are outstanding, I showed it to my dirtbike buddies and everyone wanted to buy their own copy. They usually copy the stuff so that says a lot about the quality. The information is of the highest quality, Gary Semics is maybe the top motocross teacher in the world, and his "47 absolute techniques of motocross" WILL make you a better rider even if you just ride for fun with your friends. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Worth every penny!
This is an excellent book for improving your skills and preventing the spills. The pictures and instructions are so well written that anybody can understand and apply the techniques. A huge variety of topics for both trail riders and motocross racers, this book has plenty to offer all riders at any experience level. The chapters and subjects are well organized and easy to read. You will not be disappointed.. ... Read more

Product Description
A brief history of motorcycle racing accompanies descriptions of different kinds of events such as enduros, cross-country racing, scrambles, drag racing, speed trials, and hillclimbing competitions. ... Read more

Product Description
Compared to racing done elsewhere in the world, the American Motorcyclist Associations Grand National series is challenging, unique, and baffling to outsiders. To have any chance at all of becoming the Number 1 rider, riders must have the well-rounded racing skills to enable them to, over a single season, find their way around dirt tracks of four varying lengths, shapes, and speeds, plus paved road circuits like Daytona. Because each surface and track requires a bike to be set up quite differently, contestants must be able to compete on essentially five different dirt and road model motorcycles. Complicating matters further, these bikes cannot be one-off factory specials specifically designed for each type of racing, but instead are based on more-limiting stock machines. All things considered, Grand National racing is one of the most demanding and exciting motorcycle racing on the planet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Such, Such Were the Days
At best this book is loosely organized, with racers coming into and out and into the text again without a whole lot of respect for chronological order.It's also written in a breezy, slightly stream-of-conscious way that seems to be a deliberate attempt to avoid a pedantic history of the Grand National races.

It's a little off-putting at first, but give it a chance.Part of the time dislocation problem in the book is because of the nature of the Grand Nationals: there were five separate types of racing (albeit mostly dirt track-types) with overlapping racers and accounts. By the time I finished the book I was absorbed by Scalzo's accounts of the fights--oral, fist, track, and political--that tuners, riders, factories, and sponsors carried on in these races.And how about the plain gutsy riding of these masters of the craft?These racers were a wild combination of courage, skill, persistence, and exceedingly high pain tolerance, all for a sport that's never been popular in the U.S. and that for the most part paid poorly in the Golden Era.

Memorable is Gary Nixon's wrestling with his bike at 180 mph at Daytona in a strong wind, working loose the screws in his forearm's metal plate.Or Dick Mann's crash and horrifying "hospital" stay at some fly-blown midwestern dirt track.

The names that are resurrected in this book bring back memories to me.A teen in the early 70s and interested in motorcycles even before, it was great fun for me to read of these racers once again.The book also brings out the melancholy side to motorcycle racing; the riders who died or who were badly injured and left out to twist in the wind.I still remember Cal Rayborn's death.The Grand Nationals: they asked so much of the racers, and gave so little.

And yet Mulder and Markel and Resweber raced.Clearly fame and material goodies were not the main reasons they raced.

Interestingly, the last picture in the book is a color photo of the abandoned and closed Ascot Park, home of steeplechase and Number 1 plate legends.How could such a track go to waste, and later be paved over for some miserable commercial park?Scalzo's book brings back much of the bittersweet history and memory of the golden days of American motorcycle racing, "the days that are no more."Warts and all, this book is a worthy read and chockablock with great pictures, even those pictures not strictly of the era.

Must have missed that....
This book was very disappointing. The authors use of nicknames and other jargon is completely overdone. He spends more time trying to convince you that he was part of a privileged circle. He also focuses on a small handful of factory riders when racing was made up of many stellar privateers. But the beauty of the racing in that era was that all of the riders supported each other, partied together, traveled together and had a very close camaraderie that does not exist in racing today. It did not matter if you rode for H-D or BSA or Triumph or were a privateer - you were friends and stuck together. This author unfortunately does not capture the true essence of that era in racing. Read Gerald Foster's book instead.

Motorcycle Book
Delivery was timely as promised.The item was the exact quality promised.I would not hesitate to purchase from this seller again.

Nice pix, but.........
I'm afraid I have to agree with Mr. Noble and pvjim- the pictures are pretty cool but the text is not. Neither I nor anyone I know in the sport of motorcycle racing has ever heard the term "lime juicers"- Scalzo must have simply made this up. The story line jumps around and is hard to follow chronologically and the part about the Honda RS750 is simply completely wrong. I'm glad I bought the book for the pictures and because there is so little in print on the subject, but there are so many mistakes in grammar, spelling and historical accurracy that I could not in good conscience use this book as a source for any other article or book. Still, if you are 8 years old, the pictures are cool!

Grand National: America's Golden Age of Motorcycle Racing
A must havefor any fan of flattrack racing. Another example of the excellent writing of Joe Scalzo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Comprehensive review of the racing bikes
While Mick Walker does a good job of reveiwing the entire history of Japanese racing bikes, more technical information about the machines would have been appreciated. The author tends to focus a lot of space on the riders/events/results rather than a technical/specification analysis.
Overall, this book is a good reference, but it could have been much better.

Japanese Racing motorcycles
For motorcycle lovers this is the best book in years to explain how and why Japanese motorcycles influenced and changed our world. The modern four cylinder motorcycle engine started with Honda's 250 cc four cylinder racer from the early 60's (looks the same as todays engines). If you like small, complex, hi-tech engines (a 50cc twin, DOHC, 4 valve per cylinder racer that Honda multiplied into a 5 cylinder 125cc racer and again into six cylinder double overhead cam racer) this book is for you.It details it all with amazing photos and history of ALL of the Japanese brands all the way up to the current MOTO GP racers.Two stoke lovers will not be disappointed.It covers with amazing detail a technological era of racing and competition that shows clearly why racing improves a brand.My only complaint is that the book is not hardbound. ... Read more

Product Description
In an age where many high-adrenaline sports have become watered-down exercises in marketing, dirt bike racing remains intensely raw; a dangerous enterprise populated with a colorful, profane cast of daredevils. Theresa Ortolani applies an artist's eye to this unforgiving sport and the riders who pursue it, resulting in an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes window into this punishing competition.

Endurance: Down and Dirty Off-Road Racing offers embedded access to the races, the preparation, and a scope that spans three years worth ofWEC, GNCC and Enduro races across the U.S. and Europe. Ortolani traveled thousands of miles to more than 10 events in three different countries, in the process capturing Nathan Kanney's ascent from underdog privateer to KTM factory rider&151;an achievement that required beating world champions riding bikes three times the cost of his.

Endurance features world-champion racers includingJuha Salminen, David Knight, Mika Ahola, and Anders Eriksson, with cameo appearances by Travis Pastrana and Carey Hart. Among the interview subjects are Nathan Kanney,Antti Kallonen, Carrie Coombs Russell, Jason Weigandt, Jerry Bernardo, Kailub Russel, Cory Buttrick, and Anders Eriksson. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Endurance-Get It!
Coming from the off road industry as an "art guy" I end up seeing a lot of images and text. Coming across something like Endurance is a rarity! High quality images that keep bringing you back to the book over and over again and noticing something new every time. It really walks the fine line between full blown moto-book and art-house book with precision. You'll end up having to force your friends into buying their own copy because they won't be able to put yours down.

The intersection of the world's toughest sport and photographic art
Endurance is a photographic journey into the world of cross-country motorcycle racing.Theresa Ortolani has successfully captured the essence of this sport in book that gives us a peek into the racing, the people behind it, and the lifestyles of professional racers that endure inhuman conditions.

As an amateur cross-country racer myself, you would think I wouldn't get very excited about this book sine I have, "been there, done that." Not even close.

Turning the pages of this book, I found myself as excited as I have been on the starting line waiting for the "10 seconds" announcement that starts the race. The book gives credence to the skills, passion, and of course, extreme endurance required to succeed in the sport of off-road motorcycle racing. I loved the fact that this book accurately portrayed the emotion and spirit of the people in the sport. Anyone who now visits my home can look at this book and appreciate why I am so attracted to this sport.

If you are not a race fan or have not experienced this type of racing, you are in for a real treat. This book conveys the "energy" of the sport in such a way that you cannot help be mesmerized by its intensity.The physical and mental demands of this sport are beyond most mainstream sports. You will actually feel the intensity through this book. ... Read more