The Indian has been the iconic image for American big V-Twins down the years, due in no small measure to the motorcycles designed by Charles B Franklin - the Indian Scout and the Indian Chief. Charles Franklin was born and raised in Ireland where he quickly became involved in motorcycle racing during the pioneer years. He rapidly established himself as Ireland's first big star of racing and was the first to represent Ireland in international motorcycle competition. In the Isle of Man TT he consistently finished in the top eight, and in 1911 claimed second place, a remarkable achievement in itself. But it was when he moved to Indian in the USA, where he became the Chief Design Engineer, that his genius really flowed. His designs catapulted Indian back into the forefront of motorcycle design in the 1920s and '30s and his racing engines and motorcycles won much glory for Indian against stiff opposition. Franklin introduced remarkable improvements in sidevalve combustion chamber design that pre-dated the work of Ricardo. He championed an holistic approach that popularised new features such as the semi unit-construction `powerplant', helical-gear primary drive, double-loop full-cradle frames and a host of other improvements to the early motorcycles. This book not only chronicles his life but also sheds much new light on the history of Indian motorcycles and the often turbulent times of the Indian Motorcycle Company itself. A much needed book for all Indian fans and all who love the history of the classic American V-Twins.

The number of athletes who have died competing in the sport of motor racing, including amateurs and professionals around the world, stretches into the thousands. Despite the danger, drivers continue to compete day in and day out for the thrill and joy of the race. In Taken by Speed: Fallen Heroes of Motor Sport and Their Legacies, Connie Ann Kirk pays tribute to professional racing drivers who died while competing in the sport they loved. Covering tragedies from 1955 to the present, Kirk carefully reflects on the legacies of the racers and the impact of the tragic events, including on safety regulations, innovations, and on society as a whole. Drivers and incidents covered in this book include the 24 Heures du Mans race of 1955 where over 80 people died; the 1964 crash at the Indianapolis 500 that stopped the race for the first time in history; and the tragic losses of racers Ayrton Senna, Dale Earnhardt, Alberto Ascari, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Gilles Villeneuve, Francois Cevert, Dan Wheldon, Justin Wilson, and Jules Bianchi. Taken by Speed features exclusive interviews with legends of motor sport-Mario Andretti, Derek Bell, Sir Stirling Moss, Bobby Rahal, Brian Redman, and Sir Jackie Stewart-who raced in the sport's most dangerous era. It also includes timelines of safety improvements in the sport and key moments in motor sport history. Using motor sports as its lens, this book explores moving stories of what it means to pursue a life's passion with unwavering drive, commitment, and courage.

Jenson Button is one of the greatest racing drivers of his generation. His seventeen years in Formula 1 have seen him experience everything the sport has to offer, from nursing underpowered cars around the track to winning World Championships and everything in between.

Here, Jenson tells his full story for the first time in his own honest, intelligent and eloquent style. From growing up as part of a motor-racing-mad family under the guidance of his father, John, to arriving at Williams as a fresh-faced 20 year-old, to being written off by some as a playboy and his fight back to the very pinnacle of his sport. Jenson's World Championship victory for the unsponsored and unfancied Brawn GP team is one of the most extraordinary against-the-odds sports stories of the century.

Jenson's book lifts the lid on the gilded and often hidden world of Formula 1. He reveals his relationships with some of the biggest names in Formula 1- Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso as well some of the most colourful characters like Flavio Briatore, Ron Dennis, Frank Williams and serial winner Ross Brawn. Above all, he puts you right inside the cockpit, in the driving seat, travelling at over 200 miles per hour, battling the fear of death, showing you what happens when it goes wrong at high speed and allowing you to experience the euphoria of crossing the line first.

Gifted with a rare blend of superior ability and unshakeable nerves, Michael Schumacher is the outstanding Formula One driver of his generation. Over the past 15 seasons he has won an unprecedented seven world drivers' championships and in the process has captured the imagination of fans all over the world. For all his success, Schumacher is also a controversial figure, feared for his ruthless tactics and despised for using extreme methods in pursuit of success. From his first Grand Prix with Jordan to his Benetton world championships and his attempt to win back Ferrari's crown, this is a thorough and engaging look at Schumacher's entire racing career. The story behind Schumacher's record five consecutive world titles is uncovered, and his impact on the racing world as a whole following his retirement is examined. Frank, honest, and adroit, this is an in-depth look at the life and career of a champion.

A collection of characters, drivers, champions and mechanics who animated Formula 1's glorious Sixties. In this unique book, the first of a series that decade by decade will review the history of motorsport's ultimate championship through to the 2000s, it is above all the portraits that speak, giving a face to men who have truly written the history of the blue ribbon series. All thanks to an incomparable repertoire of previously unpublished photos accompanied by texts by Gianni Cancellierii, one of the leading motorsport experts. 7 February 1960, Bruce McLaren wins the GP of Argentina at the wheel of a rear-engined Cooper that the year before had carried Jack Brabham to the World Championship title. This was the first great novelty of the decade: in order to be successful the cars had to have their engine behind the cockpit. Then, in 1961, came the 1.5-litre engines and even Ferrari followed the rear-engine trend. This was an epochal revolution. A decade was underway that would see great feats, great victories and great tragedies and of course great drivers of the calibre of Phil Hill, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, John Surtees, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart and many others. However, in this ""gallery of faces"" there are also designers, team managers, mechanics, women in the pits as well as the ever-varied world of the tifosi. Formula 1 Portraits is all this and more besides, an overview of motorsport's most important category, the book that should be on the shelves of every F1 connoisseur as well those of all the young neophytes approaching this enthralling world for the first time.

The Moto Guzzi Sport & Le Mans Bible celebrates the iconic Moto Guzzi V7 Sport and Le Mans sporting motorcycles of the 1970s and 1980s. It tells the story of these classic bikes, which were among the first Superbikes to combine Italian style, handling, and performance.After struggling to survive during the 1960s, Lino Tonti was given the opportunity to create the V7 Sport Telaio Rosso, in 1971. It was so successful that Moto Guzzi shifted to specialize in building sporting motorcycles.Covering all models produced from 1971 to 1993 (V7 Sport, 750S, 750S3, 850 Le Mans, 850 Le Mans II, 850 Le Mans III, 1000 Le Mans IV, 1000 Le Mans V), descriptions of model development year by year, full production data, and 160 photos, this is the essential Bible for all enthusiasts.