British Motorcycles of the 1960s and ’70s

British Motorcycles of the 1960s and ’70s PDF

Author: Mick Walker

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-01-20

Total Pages: 65

ISBN-13: 0747811040

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For the first half of the twentieth century, Great Britain led the world in motorcycle design and production, exporting its products to countries all over the globe. However, by 1960 this once-great industry had fallen into what was to be a terminal decline. During the 1960s and '70s Britain still manufactured a wide range of machines, but a combination of poor management, lack of investment, foreign competition (notably from Japan), and the arrival of the small, affordable car conspired to sound the death knell for most British motorcycles by the end of the 1970s. Mick Walker uses a host of colourful illustrations to explore the models produced by British companies and their foreign competitors, and explains what the industry did to fight its ultimate demise.

Big British Bikes of the 50s and 60s

Big British Bikes of the 50s and 60s PDF

Author: Steve Wilson

Publisher: Herridge & Sons Limited

Published: 2016-01-11

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781906133603

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In the 1950s and '60s the British motorcycle industry was at its postwar peak, with its large-capacity high-performance bikes in strong demand all over the world. AJS/Matchless, BSA, Norton, Royal Enfield and Triumph were all making 100mph-plus big twins, with the king of them all, at least into the 1950s, being the mighty1000cc Vincents, while among the ton-up singles were the BSA Gold Star and the Velocette Venom and Thruxton. In this book veteran motorcycle writer Steve Wilson reviews the top-of-the-line bikes of all these manufacturers, first giving an introduction to the motorcycling scene in the period, with a particular look at the emergence of the Rockers, the black-leather too-fast-to-live-too-young-to-die bikers who developed a culture all their own, inspired indirectly by Marlon Brando behaving badly on his Triumph Thunderbird in the banned-in-Britain 1953 movie The Wild One. Then the motorcycle makers are dealt with alphabetically, with their big bikes described in detail and their performance, handling, strengths and weaknesses discussed. In addition to a wide selection of archive photographs, specially commissioned colour photography features examples of the outstanding bikes of the period: AMC/Matchless CSR 650 twins and their Norton Atlas-engined 'Hybrid' siblings, BSA A7SS 500, Gold Star singles, AIO Super Rocket and Rocket Gold Star 650 twins, Norton SS 500/600/650 twins, Velocette Venom and Thruxton 500, Royal Enfield Constellation 700 twin, Triumph pre-unit 500 and 650 twins and unit Bonneville 650, and finally the Vincent 1000 vee-twin.

Classic British Bikes

Classic British Bikes PDF

Author: Mirco De Cet

Publisher: Southwater

Published: 2015-07

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781780194141

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This book deals with the golden age of the British motorcycle, featuring 100 machines shown in over 200 photographs. It offers a chronological survey of British motorcycles from the pioneers of 1900 through to the end of the 20th century. It features all the famous marques, such as AJS, Brough, BSA, Douglas, Greeves, Norton, Panther, Royal Enfield, Rudge, Scott, Sunbeam, Triumph, Velocette, Vincent and Zenith. Each entry includes information about the history of the bike, with specification panels detailing years in production, engine type, bore and stroke, capacity, gearbox, brakes, transmission, power, weight and top speed. From the beginning of the 20th century, the British motorcycle rapidly gained in reliability and sophistication. It began as a plaything of the leisured classes, until the war forced it into a utilitarian role. When peace returned in the 1920s, it was poised to fill a demand for mass transport, ushering in a golden age. Divided into four sections - The Pioneers, Vintage Days, The Classic Era, and Endings and Beginnings - this book profiles 100 of the best-loved machines that shaped a century of motorcycle design. It includes all the famous marques, each one illustrated with identification photographs, making it a book every bike enthusiast will want to own.

Off-Road Giants! (Volume 2)

Off-Road Giants! (Volume 2) PDF

Author: Andy Westlake

Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd

Published: 2022-03-10

Total Pages: 328

ISBN-13: 1787118630

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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.

Classic British Motorcycles

Classic British Motorcycles PDF

Author: Colin Jackson

Publisher: Fonthill Media

Published: 2017-05-17

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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In the modern era, mass-produced motorcycles tend to be Japanese or Italian, with the ‘big four’ oriental manufacturers dominating the market. However, this wasn’t always the case. Until the 1950s, and even into the ’60s, British makers such as Scott, Rudge, BSA, Norton and Vincent ruled the roost. These legendary companies sold their bikes around the world, winning racing championships and setting speed records as they went. They, and many smaller British firms like them, are motorcycling’s founding companies. This is the story of those pioneering firms, whose engineers – many self-taught ­­– were fired by racing ambition, commercial rivalry, patriotic duty and, above all, a passion for innovation. Superbly illustrated with over 150 colour pictures, many previously unpublished, Classic British Motorcycles is a captivating and highly informative account of the men, machines, race meetings and world events that shaped the development of the motorcycle from its bicycle origins. Illustrtations: colour photographs throughout

Racing Line

Racing Line PDF

Author: Bob Guntrip

Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd

Published: 2015-10-09

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13: 1845847938

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Racing Line is the story of big-bike racing in Britain during the 1960s – when the British racing single reached its peak; when exciting racing unfolded at circuits across the land every summer; and when Britain took its last great generation of riding talent and engineering skill to the world.

The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today

The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today PDF

Author: Ian Falloon

Publisher: Motorbooks

Published: 2019-10-08

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0760366020

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The ultimate reference for Triumph lovers and fans of British motorcycles, The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today collects all of the motorcycles from this iconic brand in a single illustrated volume. In this revised and updated edition, you'll find the all-new Bonneville lineup introduced for the 2016 model year as well as other Triumphs through 2019. Originally formed as a bicycle company in 1885, Triumph produced its first motorcycle in 1902, which was simply a bicycle fitted with a Belgian Minerva engine. From there, the company, in various iterations, went on to build some of the most iconic motorcycles of all time. Written by respected Triumph expert Ian Falloon, this luxurious reference covers all of the major and minor models, with an emphasis on the most exemplary, era-defining motorcycles such as the Thunderbird, Tiger, Trophy, Bonneville, and new machines such as the Speed Triple, Thruxton, and Daytona 675. Detailed technical specifications are offered alongside compelling photography, much of it sourced from Triumph's archives. The Complete Book of Classic and Modern Triumph Motorcycles 1937-Today also features important non-production models and factory racing and speed-record-setting motorcycles that have become integral parts of Triumph's stellar reputation. This is a book no Triumph fan should be without!