Illustrated Encyclopedia of Motorcycles

This is a history of the motorcycle from 1885 to the present day, including special features on sport and racing, touring, custom models, record breaking through the years, and motorcycles at war, in the movies and at work. It features an A-Z marque-by-marque guide with dynamic illustrations of every motorcycle augmented by authoritative and comprehensive text. It includes all the best-known bikes around the world, from BMW and Ducati to Harley-Davidson and Suzuki. It is a celebration of the motorcycle as a symbol of freedom, resistance, independence and the counterculture. It is a unique collection of over 600 photographs makes this an essential volume for all motorcycle enthusiasts. This book covers the whole world of the motorcycle from myth-and-legend to nuts-and-bolts in a single volume. It charts the evolution of the motorcycle from its first development by Daimler in 1885 to the superbikes of the 21st century. An A-Z section is a definitive marque-by-marque encyclopedia of models and manufacturers, both existing and defunct. Every major marque is illustrated with photographs, showing the beauty and originality of each machine. The book details the technical specifications of the machines, describes the key elements of their design, performance features and engineering standards, and their qualities and attributes.

Roland Brown was deputy editor of Bike magazine, and has tested motorcycles for more than a dozen magazines. He is the author of two previous books on motorcycles, is motorcycling correspondent of The Independent, and has contributed to publications including Top Gear, Car and Engineering. He raced motorcycles for more than ten years, competing at international level in the Formula One world championship and in endurance events, including the Le Mans 24 hours and the Bol d'Or.