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.

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 Superbly illustrated with over 150 colour pictures, many previously unpublished, Classic British Motorcycles is a captivating and highly informative account of the men, machines, race meetings and world events that shaped the development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

Classic British motorcycles were more than simple machines, they were a cultural phenomenon that lasted half a century. From the early days of motoring, British innovators led the way, building some of the world’s most famous motorcycles, as well as some of the best performers. At one point, the rest of the motorcycle world followed Britain’s lead, and by the late 1950s, the British were by far the largest producers of motorcycles in the world. However, barely a decade later, the British motorcycle industry was almost bankrupt and in utter disarray. Illustrated with over 150 photographs, this book explores the rise and fall of the British motorcycle industry, looking at its history through the years and then at the motorcycles themselves by brand, giving the complete story of these amazing machines.

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!

Classic British Bikes is a lively, colorful review that covers Triumphs, Nortons, Vincents, and all the rest from design through production. A full century of British motorcycle history This work, which profiles the most important bikes since early 1900 in 250 color photographs, describes how motorcycle technology developed throughout the period and highlights all the significant events and important personalities of the time. Contains technical data and competition successes.

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.