The magazine for fans of classic and twinshock trials, motocross & enduros

Book review: May 2010

This month's book reviews by Classic Bike Guide.

We have teamed up with Amazon UK to allow you to purchase many of them on-line at reduced prices.

If you have a title you'd like us to review, please drop the CBG team a line from our contact page.

American Dream Bikes

Regular CBG correspondent Alan Cathcart has carved out probably the most admired and respected niche in motorcycling, in that he gets, nay invited even, to ride every kind of motorcycle, anywhere in the world. As such he has compiled a book of his American rides – which believe it or not, is not all about Harley-Davidson, though naturally the marque does feature.

It’s a terrific hardback, sizing in just a little wider than A4, has 240 glossy, full colour pages and includes some quite breathtaking machinery. Foreword is by comedian and petrol head Jay Leno.

Here’s a few of the machines featured – Confederate Hellcat, Confederate Wraith, Ducati Ultra Motard, Indian Chief, Buell Formula Xtreme racer, the Korean powered Fischer MRX650, Roehr RV1250, the electric Vectrix Superbike, HD XR1200, the V-twin Honda powered Vincent Black Lightning, Mert Lawill Street Tracker, the Kenny Dreer Commando, South Bay 1150 Triumph Bonneville Mirage, Tularis 800cc two-stroke twin but the best must surely be the Roland Sands KRV5 Tracker – a 1914 styled board racer lookalike, with upside-down forks, disc brakes and a V5 MotoGP engine!

It’s published by Parker House

ISBN 978 1 935350 01 9.

Price is $40.

Buy from Amazon: American Dream Bikes: Leading Edge Motorcycle Design and Technology

Motorcycle Survivor

Another one here from Parker House. Motorcycle Survivor – Tips and Tales in the Unrestored Realm is compiled by Kris Palmer, who’s already completed similar books in the car world.It’s an American book which heralds the beauty of the unrestored motorcycle and puts forward a strong case for leaving unmolested machines just as they are. The early chapters argue that preservation is better than restoration and the patina tells the history which is lost immediately restoration begins.

He takes a look at potential market values of both unrestored and restored machines, though draws the line at running on original tyres! Several surviving unrestored machines are profiled, such as several from the Steve McQueen collection which went to auction a few years ago.

There’s an interesting piece about a young American who took a road trip across Europe on an unrestored B44 BSA which he bought in Switzerland and the latter chapters take a look at individuals and their respective machines and collections, all of which are original and unrestored.

It’s a hardback 91/4in tall x 61⁄4in wide, is a straight 200 pages and contains many colour and mono photographs. Easy and enjoyable reading.

ISBN 978 0 9817270 9 7.

Price is $30.

Buy from Amazon: Motorcycle Survivor: Tips and Tales in the Unrestored Realm (Survival)

India - The Shimmering Dream

Subtitle is ‘The first overland journey to India by motorcycle in 1933’ which is self explanatory. It’s the story of an obviously wealthy young man by the name of Max Reisch, who, as a 20-year-old student in Vienne, during 1933, decided to ride to India, with his friend Herbert Tichy on the back of his Puch two-stroke.

It was initially published in German in the late 40s and has been out of print almost ever since. It has been translated into English by one Alison Falls and conveys a tale of the different cultures, the burning deserts, the diseases, the lack of roads or even paths in certain areas, indeed the journey was deemed impossible as the Middle East was thought to be impassable, certainly by motorcycle.

Reisch went on to become a successful explorer and travel writer, being the first to use an insulated ‘camper’ van.

It’s a softback 91⁄4in tall x 6½ in wide, with 216 pages, incorporating some terrific period images. It’s published by Panther Publishing Ltd, 10 Lime Avenue, High Wycombe, Bucks, HP11 1DP. Tel 01494 534778.

ISBN 978 0 9556595 9 1.

Price is £12.95 plus postage (UK £3.10. EU £4.65 RoW £7.75)

Buy from Amazon: India: The Shimmering Dream: The First Overland Journey to India by Motorcycle in 1933