The Pantah Desmodue brought Ducati into the modern world of motorcycles. They were immediately more reliable than the earlier bevels, and established a blueprint that continues today. The proliferation of models is such that it can be difficult to determine the exact specification of an example. This book provides a guide to all of the individual models, their attributes and pitfalls, and what to look for when purchasing. When new, the Ducati Desmodue twins provided state-of-the-art handling and performance, and they still can.
A definitive account of the popular Ducati Desmodue - the reliable, affordable, high-performance motorcycle range that boasts one of the most successful Italian motorcycles of all time, the Ducati Monster, and is still in development today. Including full production histories, comprehensive specification details and owners' experiences, this new book covers the history of Ducati and the rise of the brand in the 1970s and Grand Prix racing with Fabio Taglioni's desmodromic valve engine design. The world-beating TT2 and TT1 racers are covered along with the best-selling Ducati Monster, the Desmodue 900SS and the SportClassic range. With the Scrambler, and new Ducati factories in Thailand and Brazil, the Desmodue story is brought right up to date - a story based a wonderful corner of Italy, some very special motorcycles and the astonishing people who made it all happen. Fully illustrated with 211 colour photographs.
Many books have been written about British bikes and their racing history, but no one has devoted an entire book solely to the British-only custom motorcycle, and its chopper, cruiser, bobber and trike scene ... until now.
Many books have been published about Japanese motorcycles, but none has focused exclusively on the Japanese motorcycle-based chopper, bobber, trike and quad custom bike scene ... until now. Featuring stunning photography, this is a great book for Japanese bike fans, and fans of the custom bike scene in general.
Explores the design development and production of the Lotus Europa, Lotus's first mid-engined road car. It covers the Renault-powered Series 1 and 2 cars, the Lotus Twin Cam-engined versions, and the Type 47 racing models.
No motorcycle manufacturer is more closely associated with one type of engine than BMW: the air-cooled boxer twin or 'airhead'. It was included in BMW's very first motorcycle in 1923 and virtually every machine the company made, of every type, from radical road bike to TT winner, to land speed record holder, to 1970s style icon and even to the creation of an all-new adventure bike class with the R 80 G/S, right up to the mid-1990s. Phil West celebrates the success of the BMW airhead twin motorcycles. This book, with over 290 photographs, includes a history of the company pre- and post-War; the personalities behind the development of the bikes; profiles of each of the 'R' bikes in turn, including detailed specification guides and production numbers. These wonderful machines are regularly celebrated and now BMW itself is harking back to them with an all-new series of machines.
Associated Motor Cycles (AMC) produced some of the most iconic British bikes of the 1940s and 1950s. Badged as either AJS or Matchless, the range covered everything from plodding ride-to-work four-stroke singles, weekend racers, two-stroke motocrossers and full-blown Grand Prix contenders. Illustrated with over 200 photographs, this comprehensive account looks at the history and development of the single and twin-cylinder ranges; the racing bikes; technical details of all major models, and owning and riding AJS and Matchless bikes today. An invaluable resource for the AMC enthusiast and motorcycle historians, superbly illustrated with over 200 colour and black & white photographs.
Italian motorcycles have a place in history – and many enthusiasts' hearts – out of all proportion to the numbers that have been built. From Moto Guzzi becoming the first non-British marque to win a TT through to Ducati's achievements in MotoGP, they have also been at the forefront of motorsport despite being far smaller than, at first, the British and later the Japanese manufacturers. If the number of motorcycles built by Italian manufacturers is small, the sheer number of Italian motorcycle factories will surprise readers. Almost 600 marques were identified in researching this book, and there may have been thousands. This is partly because there were so many engines available off the shelf – many of them English – as well as a thriving accessory and component industry. A–Z of Italian Motorcycle Manufacturers only deals briefly with the grand marques Ducati and Moto Guzzi because there have been many dedicated books about them. Instead this is a definitive guide to the factories that have been less widely covered or, in most cases, never before in the English language. Some, such as Bianchi and Garelli, might be familiar: others, remembered for their racing achievements or uniqueness, such as Morbidelli, and many you may have never heard of. But if it was possible to establish when and where the factories were active, and at least a little about the motorcycles they built, then there is an entry for them. An appendix lists the other manufacturers that are lesser known, making this the most complete reference book of Italian motorcycles available today. This book is a complete guide to Italian motorcycle manufacturers, and an essential reference for anyone with an interest in these fascinating vehicles. Italian motorcycles have a place in history – and many enthusiasts' hearts – out of all proportion to the numbers that have been built. From Moto Guzzi becoming the first non-British marque to win a TT through to Ducati's achievements in MotoGP, they have also been at the forefront of motorsport despite being far smaller than, at first, the British and later the Japanese manufacturers. If the number of motorcycles built by Italian manufacturers is small, the sheer number of Italian motorcycle factories will surprise readers. Almost 600 marques were identified in researching this book, and there may have been thousands. This is partly because there were so many engines available off the shelf – many of them English – as well as a thriving accessory and component industry. A–Z of Italian Motorcycle Manufacturers only deals briefly with the grand marques Ducati and Moto Guzzi because there have been many dedicated books about them. Instead this is a definitive guide to the factories that have been less widely covered or, in most cases, never before in the English language. Some, such as Bianchi and Garelli, might be familiar: others, remembered for their racing achievements or uniqueness, such as Morbidelli, and many you may have never heard of. But if it was possible to establish when and where the factories were active, and at least a little about the motorcycles they built, then there is an entry for them. An appendix lists the other manufacturers that are lesser known, making this the most complete reference book of Italian motorcycles available today. This book is a complete guide to Italian motorcycle manufacturers, and an essential reference for anyone with an interest in these fascinating vehicles.
The Complete Book of Ducati Motorcycles, 2nd Edition updates the story, racing successes, and models offered by Italy’s greatest motorcycle manufacturer.
A full colour guide to British Fords built from 1945 to 1995. With an informative history, detailed model comparisons and technical information, it provides a comprehensive guide.
