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LEGENDARY MOTORCYCLES
Author and photographer Basem Wasef asked a question; what are the most historically significant motorcycles ever?
Which lead him on an interesting journey involving much research and many miles, eventually giving birth to this fascinating book. With a glossy front cover (or it was before I threw coffee all over it, though, like many of the motorcycles featured in this book, its weathered well) and an enthusiastic forward by biker and collector Jay Leno, this book promises to be a fascinating read, and it delivers.
Legendary Motorcycles is a collection of some of the world’s most historically interesting machines and the men who rode them, covering the world of film, racing and record breaking attempts, with some fantastic pictures throughout.
Here you will read about James Deans first and last bikes, T.C Christensen’s Hogslayer, Rollie Free on his ‘bathing suit bike’, Captain America of Easy Rider fame, Freddie Spencer’s amazing 1985 double championship on his Honda GP bikes, the Brough Superior SS100 which ultimately killed T.E Lawrence and of course the bikes of Evil Knievel. Just to mention a handful of the bikes whose histories are lovingly told in this book.
There are some beautiful pictures too, from ‘Von Dutch’s’ endless talent as a pinstriper and mechanic to a very naked Munro Special, the worlds fastest Indian.
Each bike is given about four pages, enough to dip a bit more than your big toe into the historical waters, but not so much to bore you with too many facts and figures.
If reading about carburettors, swing arms and other engine and frame related facts turns you on, you wont be left feeling let down. But if it doesn’t don’t worry, there isn’t enough mechanic speak to glaze your eyes either and even if the bikes don’t fascinate you, the people astride them certainly will.
Full of fascinating facts, poignant memories and funny moments, this is a well balanced book about the bikes you have wondered about and some you may never have heard of but probably should have. It may even surprise too.
As the only biker in the family I have received a fair few bike-fact-type-books for Christmas and birthdays, all of which will have been lucky to be thumbed through before resting forever on my book shelf. This book stands out not because I had to read it for review, but because I would have read it anyway.
My only complaint would be not hearing enough about the author’s personal adventure as he tracked down each bike. But then that’s not what this book is about.
The mad fools, the heroes, the tenacious, the gutsy, the clever, the talented and the entertainers are brought together here through one thing, their love of motorcycles, which Basem Wasef pays homage to beautifully.
Ezri.
Legendary Motorcycles – Basem Wasef
Hardback £25.00
Publisher – Motorbooks International
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