Today, we are familiar with the motorcycle in many forms; it ranges from the low-powered pizza delivery moped, to scooters, small commuter bikes, powerful sports machines and tourers, all the way to MotoGP racers. In the modern era, mass-produced motorcycles tend to be Japanese, with the 'big four' manufacturers - Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and Kawasaki - dominating the market. However, it wasn't always so. Until the 1950s, and even into the 1960s, British makers and designers ruled the roost, with names such as Scott, Rudge, BSA, Norton, Vincent and the mighty Triumph leading the way. In this book, enthusiast Colin Jackson tells the story of these incredible machines and the men who rode them, charting the 'golden age' of British motorcycles from its earliest beginnings as little more than a bicycle with a tiny engine, to the fast, powerful machines we recognise today.

After a botched spinal operation left her partially paralysed aged forty-five, Bizzie Frost found herself unable to enjoy the active and invigorating lifestyle she loved in Saudi Arabia. That was until six years later when her husband proposed they buy a Harley-Davidson. An invitation to join friends on a 2,500km ride to Oman was irresistible and they bought their Road King - Maridadi. Travels with Maridadi is an epic account of adventures on a Harley-Davidson in Saudi Arabia, a country rarely visited by outsiders during the thirty years that Bizzie called it home. Riding pillion with her airline captain husband, Frosty, she travelled thousands of kilometres across the deserts and mountains of the Kingdom, as well as other Middle Eastern countries. Her stories and photographs breathe life into the scenery, people and culture of the Kingdom, and convey the freedom and healing power of motorcycling on the open road.

Classic British motorcycles were more than simple machines, they were a cultural phenomenon that lasted half a century. From the early days of motoring, British innovators led the way, building some of the world's most famous motorcycles, as well as some of the best performers. At one point, the rest of the motorcycle world followed Britain's lead, and by the late 1950s, the British were by far the largest producers of motorcycles in the world. However, barely a decade later, the British motorcycle industry was almost bankrupt and in utter disarray. Illustrated with over 150 photographs, this book explores the rise and fall of the British motorcycle industry, looking at its history through the years and then at the motorcycles themselves by brand, giving the complete story of these amazing machines. 150 illustrations