|
Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Motor sports > Motorcycle racing
If you remember off-road stars like the Rickman brothers' Vic
Eastwood, Lew Coffin, and John Avery, then this is a must-have book
for your collection. They're big names who brought the thrills and
spills of the golden era of motorcycle sport to a whole generation.
For the author, it's a personal trip down memory lane, as he was
lucky enough to see many of these men and women at the height of
their racing careers. Seventeen of the rider profiles in this book
originally appeared over a three-year period in the pages of The
Classic Motorcycle magazine, but the profile on the Rickman
brothers - two of scrambling's true greats - has never been seen in
print before. Accompanied by a totally new set of over 100 stunning
photographs, this is a book that will evoke fond memories for all
who share the author's love of motorcycle sport in a golden age.
'I was never going to sleep in and take it easy, there were worms
to catch.' Breaking records on the world's biggest Wall of Death,
cycling 2,745 miles across the length of the United States (while
sleeping rough), attempting to be the fastest person ever on two
wheels and travelling to Latvia to investigate his family's roots,
it's been a busy year for Guy Martin. There's been some thrilling
racing too, including wild Harley choppers on dirt and
turbo-charged Transit vans through the Nevada desert. And don't
forget there's the day job to get back to in North Lincolnshire -
the truck yard and the butty van. Guy has done more in one year
than most people do in a lifetime, and with his gift for
story-telling, he takes you with him to the outer limits of human
endurance, and on a dizzying adrenalin high, all in a day's work.
In the many years since Joey Dunlop's untimely death, his stature
has only grown. One of the racing world's most successful riders,
and certainly its leading role-model, he is sorely missed by bike
enthusiasts everywhere. Joey Dunlop's racing career began in 1969,
and his yellow helmet and number 3 bike quickly became synonymous
with high-octane wins. He was one of the most exciting riders the
sport has ever seen, drawing huge crowds to the Isle of Man TT
races and to every other course he raced. Joey received an MBE for
his motorcycling prowess; his racing record remains unsurpassed:
twenty-six wins in twenty-five years at the TT races, and five
times World Champion. On 2 July 2000 the forty-eight-year-old rider
crashed during a race in the republic of Estonia. The death of Joey
Dunlop triggered an unparalleled emotional response as the sporting
world and his fans openly mourned his passing. He is still revered
as a motorcycling legend. This book looks at Joey Dunlop's legacy
and captures the rider, the family man, the winner, the
humanitarian - the person behind the legend that is the 'King of
the Roads'. With previously unseen photographs and updated
introduction and legacy chapters, this book is a real celebration
of Joey Dunlop's life and career from the public glories to the
private moments.
This book is part of the 50 Greats series, which collects short
biographies and statistics of the 50 greatest players on various
sporting teams or clubs throughout their histories.
The incredible rags-to-riches story of one of the world's greatest
motorcycle racers. From humble beginnings in 1930s London, to
winning six world titles, Jim Redman MBE is one of GPs most
extraordinary characters, and a true legend of motorcycle racing.
After migrating to South Africa, he started his racing career in
the mid-fifties, and was awarded an MBE in 1964 - a year that also
saw him win three World Championships in a single day, a feat, to
this day, matched only by Mike Hailwood.During the mid-60s, Jim was
THE man to beat on track, but a bad crash at the '66 Belgian GP
ended his racing career. Following this, Jim was involved in a
number of business ventures - including helping his two sons with
their own successful sports careers, and owning a champion sire
race horse - until, in 1995, he once again took up a career in
racing as a Classic Racer and Demonstration Rider.
In 1992, when Michael Rutter was just 20 years old, he followed in
his dad's footsteps and began a career as a professional motorcycle
racer. He has been racing ever since. This is his story of highs
and lows, survival, luck and persistence, set against the raw,
infectious atmosphere of the racing paddock. It is also a story of
growing up with a global superstar for a Father; Tony Rutter. Read
Michael's account of spending his childhood watching his dad's
career - from fighting for world championships to fighting for his
life after a devastating crash in 1985. Undeterred, Michael would
go on to build his own career and forge his own unique path. This
is the remarkable tale of how Michael has stayed competitive for 30
years, and stepped out of his 4-time world champion dads shadow to
add his own name to the list of all time greats of the sport.
Michael has started 431 British Superbike races, 20 World Superbike
races, and 16 MotoGP races while also competing in road racing,
where he has started 90 Isle of Man TT, 83 Northwest 200 and 24
Macau Grand Prix races. The Life of a Racer is a gripping journey
into the mind and life of someone who was born in to the race
paddock and who has been there ever since.
Casey Stoner, the two-time World MotoGP champion, tells his own
explosive story. Showing anything is possible when determination
meets talent, two-time World MotoGP champion Casey Stoner shares
his incredible journey from being a Queensland toddler with an
extraordinary ability on a motorbike to his decision to retire at
27 with nothing left to prove. For the first time, he tells of his
early family life, the development of his riding skills and why his
parents decided to sell everything and travel from Australia to
Europe to chase the dream and support his aim to become World
Champion when he was only 14 years old. As fearless with his
opinions as he is on the racetrack, Casey includes all the highs
and lows of his life so far: the real reason he left for Europe so
young, his thoughts on racing as it stands today, the riders'
hierarchy, the politics of racing, the importance of family, his
battle with illness and why he decided to turn his back on a
multimillion-dollar contract when he was still winning. And he also
lets us in on some of the new goals he has set for himself.
At last! A year-on-year account of the Isle of Man International
Scooter Rally, the brainchild of WWI veteran-turned-politician,
James Mylchreest Cain. Following a fact-finding mission to
Dusseldorf, accompanied by Peter Agg from Lambretta, the second
Rally went International for 1958, and was to grow in popularity
throughout the 1960s, attracting competitors from countries as far
and wide as Australia, USA, Rhodesia, Germany, Italy, Sweden,
Poland, Czechoslovakia and India. In addition to gymkhana and
endurance events, closed-road and circuit racing attracted fast men
such as Neville Frost, John and Norman Ronald, Ray Kemp, Andy
Smith, and Norrie Kerr. In 1971, the then chairman of the Tourist
Board, Bill Quayle, declared that the annual Scooterist week was
"the most important cog in the mosaic of Manx tourism." The
author's access to personal photographic archives, and Manx Press
pictures, combined with period reports and interviews with
competitors, builds a unique reconstruction of a hugely successful
event on the scootering sporting calendar: an event that was to
endure for 20 years and attract thousands of spectators.
Road racers are no ordinary mortals. Riding at extraordinary speeds
and desperate to win, they are locked in a life-and-death battle
every time they race. This book is a tribute to these icons and
their incredible speed, and to the energy and excitement of one of
the world's most thrilling sports. From Irish races to the Isle of
Man TT, from the Czech Republic to Spain, Stephen Davison -
described by MCN as 'the world's leading road racing journalist' -
follows the riders as they take on some of the most challenging
races in national and international road racing. But Road Racers
also looks to something deeper - to the fear that every rider has
to face down; to the steely strength that it takes to win; and to
the extremes of exhilaration and despair that define the sport.
With the kind of access to the riders that most of us only dream of
- including such greats as Guy Martin, John McGuinness and Michael
Dunlop - Davison's photographs and writing give an unparalleled
insight into what it means to be a road racer. Intimate portraits,
unguarded moments, family, fans and friendships, life and death -
this is the ultimate real road racing book. If you enjoyed this
book, you might also enjoy Stephen Davison's Beautiful Danger: 101
Great Road Racing Photographs, Between the Hedges: A Celebration of
Road Racing from the 1960s to the Present, Flying Finn: A Tribute
to Irish motorbike legend Martin Finnegan and John McGuinness: Isle
of Man TT Legend.
From the 1950s through to the 1970s, Hughie Hancox worked at the
Triumph Meriden factory in various capacites - a fitter, a member
of the famous Royal Corps of Signals Motorcycle Display Team, in
the experimental department (where he actually worked on the
prototype Bonneville), and eventually as one of the legendary
Triumph testers.This latter role provided countless unique
experiences with some of the most iconic British motorcycles ever
manufactured. The story of production testing at Meriden has never
before been published, and this intimate and pragmatic account
comes straight from a man who was at the heart of it. With many
previously unpublished pictures and service bulletins, plus helpful
advice on problems that still exist with the bikes today, this is a
unique book about a fascinating time and place in British
industry.
The Isle of Man TT - the world's most dangerous race - as seen
through the eyes of Cummins, Martin, McGuinness and Dunlop. THAT
NEAR DEATH THING is a life-affirming journey to the heart of the
world's most dangerous race. The Isle of Man TT is a throwback to a
maverick era that existed before PR platitudes and PC attitudes.
WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR-shortlisted author Rick
Broadbent gets inside the helmets of four leading motorcycle racers
as they battle fear, fire and family tragedy for a gritty sort of
glory. Guy Martin is a tea-drinking truck mechanic and TV eccentric
who 'sucks the rabbits out of hedges', but must now deal with the
flipside of fame; Conor Cummins is the local hero facing a race
against time as he battles depression and a broken body after
falling down the mountain; John McGuinness is the living legend
fending off the ravages of middle-age for one last hurrah; Michael
Dunlop is the wild child living with one of the most remarkable
legacies in sport. They tell their astonishing stories in a book
that provides the most rounded, intimate, behind-the-scenes account
yet of the last great race. Rick Broadbent has delivered the final
word on the Isle of Man TT, one that really gets to grips with an
event that continually pulls unsung riders and fans back year after
year to witness That Near Death Thing.
Experience the ragged edge of road racing ... In over 120 stunning
full-colour photographs, Stephen Davison gives a thrilling insight
into the road racing scene and the lives of the riders. Join him
for some incredible action from star riders such as John
McGuinness, Robert Dunlop and Ryan Farquhar. And find out what goes
on away from the adrenaline-charged race scene - the long hours at
the day job that pays the for the racing; the longer nights in
small, draughty sheds building the bikes; the banter of the
paddock; the struggle to overcome the pain of crash injuries; the
abject misery of defeat and the sheer joy of the podium. Available
for the first time in paperback, this is a vivid and uncompromising
portrait of road racing by the sport's number one photographer.
"Live to Ride "is pure adrenaline--a full-throttle exploration of
motorcycles that pushes to the limit, with heart-pounding accounts
of riding the greatest bikes of all time, all over the world.
"Live to ride, ride to live." For many motorcycle riders, these
words express life's guiding principle. Just take a look at the
patch emblazoned on the jackets of legions of riders. Whether
they're roaring down an empty highway on two wheels at an insane
speed, hopping on for a few mind-boggling loops of motocross,
joining in the "rolling thunder" of a veritable outlaw motorcycle
club, or just cruising on a Harley on a Sunday afternoon,
motorcyclists of all stripes share a common love of the freedom
that is riding.
Wayne Johnson, a lifelong motorcycle-lover and acclaimed writer,
takes us around the globe and onto the terrain where the most
extreme, thrilling forms of riding happen. Johnson shows where it
all began more than a hundred years ago when the first motorcycle
evolved from the bicycle and lands us on the track today with some
of the world's highest-paid athletes-- professional motorcycle road
racers. From there we go inside radically different competitions
like the vertigo-inspiring "Widowmaker Hillclimb" and the fastest
land racing on the planet at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Johnson
also offers an inside look at the legendarily secretive culture of
biker clubs with firsthand accounts of his own wild rides with an
outlaw club. In every one of these venues, you aren't just passing
through as an observer--you are on a bike, racing across new and
undiscovered country, the horizon your only destination.
If you have ever wondered what it's like to climb on a motorcycle
and feel its engine roar to life, or have actually done it and felt
the rush of flying off into the wild blue yonder, or have simply
been intrigued by this iconic part of American culture and history,
hold on tight for this irresistible, one-of-a-kind journey into
motorcycling.
Geoff Duke was the first man to win three 500cc world titles in
succession, the first motorcyclist to win the coveted Sportsman of
the Year award, and only the second motorcyclist to be honoured
with an OBE. Additionally, he set new standards of smoothness,
which remain unsurpassed to the present day, and pioneered the use
of a one-piece leather racing suit. Upon his retirement from racing
at the end of 1959, he was to remain closely involved in the sport
and at various times carried out the tasks of consultant, team
manager, clerk of the course - he was a true ambassador. Geoff
Duke: The Stylish Champion is lavishly illustrated with many
previously unpublished photographs, making it a must-read for any
motorcycling fan.
The story of a classic motorcycle racer who was fortunate enough to
be able to ride many of the best machines from the period, at the
highest level, and on many of the most famous road racing courses
in the world. There are tales of success, friendships, and the loss
of racing pals. Machine preparation and mechanical failures feature
heavily, and the story recounts the author's frustrations and joys.
Andy Reynolds maintained and built many of the bikes he raced, and
ultimately retired from riding to become both a machine scrutineer
and a sponsor. All aspects of motorcycle racing are covered in the
author's easy-to-read and entertaining narrative, and it is a
fascinating read for any motorcycle enthusiast. Come into the world
of Classic Racing Motorcycles - but bring your cheque book and
medical insurance!
Following in his late father's footsteps, Tai Woffinden made his name as Britain's most successful speedway rider ever. Known for his speed on the tracks and his quirky tattoos, he is a popular figure within the sport and beyond it.
With a vast array of titles to his name, including youngest ever Grand Prix World Champion, achieved at the age of twenty-three, Tai has come a long way from his Scunthorpe roots. His love affair with speedway began when his family emigrated to Australia while he was a child, where he became a local champion while still at school. He has not been without his share of struggles, however. In 2010, he lost his father, the popular speedway rider Rob Woffinden, to cancer, which, combined with issues within his team, resulted in a difficult season. Then, in 2019, during his defence of his World Championship, he crashed heavily during a race in Poland and was badly injured, breaking his back.
Such setbacks do not keep true champions down for long, however - Tai will be back, to dazzle his thousands of fans with his unique combination of flamboyant skill and raw courage. Told with his trademark honesty and directness, his autobiography provides an eye-opening insight into the life of one of speedway's greatest talents and most beloved stars.
In its early days, Rye House was known as a track where riders
could learn their trade under 'Queensberry' rules, but where the
rigidity of the rulebook was occasionally sacrificed in the name of
an enjoyable day's racing. This is the story of the first seventy
years of Rye House speedway and the personalities associated with
the track.
Injury. Adrenaline. Addiction. These are the things that fuelled
one man's race to international stardom as he pushed boundaries and
took life on and off the bike to the limits. Starting out as a
talented youth riding the desert tracks of California, his reckless
nature and incredible talent earned him a position in the rarefied
world of professional motorcycle racing. Despite the success in his
professional life, his personal life was crumbling around him -
John was battling with depression and temptation, which began to
threaten his career, health and marriage, ultimately bringing him
to a life of alcoholism, addiction and even smuggling. In his
remarkable memoir, one of the world's most renowned riders takes us
on a raw and unique journey to the extremes of fast living. John
'Hopper' Hopkins is an icon for motorsport fans worldwide. He won't
let anything hold him back. He has broken almost every bone in his
body (twice), suffered a bleed on the brain, and had a finger
amputated... yet he continued to race. Finally, at the age of 35 -
with his latest crash at Brands Hatch in 2017 putting him in rehab
for two years - he decided to hang up his helmet. Leathered tells
the incredible story of an unparalleled career. From bone-crunching
injuries and alcohol-fuelled antics to the breakdown of his
marriage, it unveils the true stories behind the lurid headlines.
In June 1978, 11 years after he quit Grand Prix motorcycle racing,
Mike Hailwood returned to the Isle of Man TT races, probably the
most prestigious, and certainly the most demanding, road race in
the world. On a privately entered V-twin Ducati he won the Formula
One race, beating the works Hondas of Phil Read and the late John
Williams, and breaking the lap and race records. It may have seemed
a fluke; it was certainly a fairy tale that continued into 1979,
when he was fifth in the Formula One race, despite losing top gear
and his battery, first in the Senior, and second by only 3.4
seconds in the Classic - probably the finest and closest-fought
race the Island has ever seen, Hailwood proved, if anyone doubted,
that he was still the greatest motorcycle racer of all time. This
book, written by his manager and friend, Ted Macauley, is the
account of his dramatic comeback, from the original wild idea to
his final race. More than this, though, it is a study of a
remarkable man in a remarkable world, and of the races, the
machines, and the men who ride them.
|
|