Member
Posted 30 June 2015 - 12:39
I shall not rise to this bait.
In hospital recently for some post op tests I re-read 'Rocker to Racer' yet again. I think for many ex-club/national standard racers it epitomises (well at least to me) the trials and tribulations of the sport that made us into what we are today - impecunious physical wrecks
I have just ordered one - £5.99 on Ebay with free postage 
!
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Posted 07 May 2016 - 15:14
Do you have a branch of The Works near you? Cheap book/stationery chain outlet in my local Intu.
Popped in today and they have back issues of Motocourse from 2009 - 2015 at £8 each, list price on the sticker is £40
Also a few back issues of a BSB yearbook and a few biographies of top riders (and Marquez 
) going cheap.
Member
Posted 21 November 2016 - 11:00
Just re-reading (about 40 years later) 'We Went Racing' by Charles Mortimer.
Running 2 7Rs and 2 500 Manxs for 1963 season
7R no 1690 - Start of season cost, £450 plus running costs for season £120
Manx no 9731 - Start of season cost, £200 (Griff Jenkins already owned this machine) plus running costs for season £250 (including a mid season big end failure)
7R no 4804 Start of season cost, £530 plus running costs for season £100
Manx no 1002756 - new machine cost £750 plus £50 rebuild after Manx GP
the latter two bicycles were used only for long races the Manx running in the hands of Joe Dunphy in the UGP and the Manx and 7R in the hands of Griff Jenkins in the MGP.
Replacing a Greeves Silverstone engine which had wrecked he crank and case - £25.
According to 'Hansard' national average Mens' annual income £312 3s which brings into context the cost of racing in 1963.
Member
Posted 21 November 2016 - 14:16
These figures just confirm why I went in to proddie racing in 66. Always remember looking in the 60’s at the beautiful Manx on display at Gus Kuhn motors shop Stockwell wishing I could afford to buy one, of course never thought at the time about the extra cost of running it.
Member
Posted 22 November 2016 - 00:42
Just goes to show that racing has never been cheap.
Member
Posted 01 August 2017 - 13:35
Has anyone here read both Julian Ryder's World Superbikes: The First 15 Years; and World Superbike Winners. The latter, from what I can tell after some extensive googling in japanese websites (!!!), is basically a biographical dictionary of all WSBK winners.
My question is whether does 'Winners' have enough different material (text+photos) to warrant its purchase by someone who already read 'The First 15 Years'. It's a very cheap book, but money is always scarce and I would rather not have two similar books lying around.
P.S. Julian was already very kind to answer me a very nerdy query about the different editions of his history of World Superbikes (First 10, First 15, FIrst 20 years), so I would rather not abuse his patience! 
Member
Posted 03 August 2017 - 11:58
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Posted 03 August 2017 - 12:36
Thank you very much subh, that's exactly the kind of insightful feedback I was looking for! I should get a copy then
Member
Posted 02 December 2017 - 04:26
Can anyone give me an insight into any of the books out there by Peter Carrick? There are enough second hand copies going on the obvious websites, but listings of course all leave out any useful info about the content. Titles: Motor Cycle Racing; Great Moments In Sport; Encyclopaedia of Motor-Cycle Sport. How comprehensive are they on the world championships and on race results? Do they cover anything like major race wins/winners from before 1949 (apart from the TT), or British/national championship tables etc? What about rider profiles, etc? Are they all about road racing, or is there stuff on trials/speedway etc? Many thanks.
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Posted 02 December 2017 - 10:07
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Posted 04 December 2017 - 11:46
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Posted 05 December 2017 - 03:40
My brother has, or did have that book. I have a vague feeling that I might have bought it for him one Christmas many years ago.
Member
Posted 05 December 2017 - 08:29
Yes still got mine got Eric Langton,s autograph in the Speedway section not a bad read Bill Lawrence
Member
Posted 20 December 2021 - 14:01
Serious book: Wim Raeymaekers' "Sempe Piu Forte" on Moto Morini.
Road and race. Hardback, dual Italian and English text.
Lots of interesting photos.
Properly researched in detail; well-written; obviously a labour of love - in other words, not the usual fare.
Expensive but well worth it. Go to his website and buy it.
Member
Posted 03 January 2022 - 16:06
A book I would recommend for those who are looking for some of the early GP results is Ron Maggs - The History of the World Championship Motorcycle Racing Volume 1 1949 to 1958. It has a comprehensive result listing of the GPs of all classes. I think it is self published and doesn't have a fancy cover etc, but the details of the results is great and I haven't found anything else that gives results of non point scorers in the classes not now run. I bought mine directly from him and I contacted him a few years back to see when volume 2 was coming out, but got no reply, hopefully he is still around and working on it. If anyone is interested I can give the contact details in the book, although it's old now - 2009.
I would also appreciate some assistance from the forum.
I have a copy of the "Race for Leadership". A Motocourse type book of the 1961 world championship published by Honda. Inside it is autographed and I have no idea who the autograph is from. An image of the autograph is here https://ibb.co/Gc8SGhP and I would be really grateful if anyone could give me an idea of the signature.
Member
Posted 03 January 2022 - 16:40
I think it says:
To Paul
Best of Every
- thing
Tony Godfrey
Tony Godfrey rode a works Yamaha in 1963 which might tie up with the publication date of 1962.
A mere shot in the foot (sorry dark)
Member
Posted 03 January 2022 - 18:32
Tonyed
Very grateful for the insight.
I can definitely see the "To Paul, best of everything" it seems obvious now, but I've looked at it for nearly 20 years and never saw anything close to that! The name is difficult to make out though. I always thought it was probably a Japanese name, but that was only from the Honda connection.
I have seen a copy autographed by Soichiro Honda for sale on eBay once, and it definitely isn't his autograph. His autograph was much more plainly written and so I think now that given Japanese script is much simpler than western script this is probably a western autograph.
Is this the Tony Godfrey think the autograph is from https://www.rideapar...racer-obituary/ ?
Edited by brands77, 03 January 2022 - 18:50.
Member
Posted 15 January 2022 - 17:50
A book I would recommend for those who are looking for some of the early GP results is Ron Maggs - The History of the World Championship Motorcycle Racing Volume 1 1949 to 1958. It has a comprehensive result listing of the GPs of all classes. I think it is self published and doesn't have a fancy cover etc, but the details of the results is great and I haven't found anything else that gives results of non point scorers in the classes not now run. I bought mine directly from him and I contacted him a few years back to see when volume 2 was coming out, but got no reply, hopefully he is still around and working on it. If anyone is interested I can give the contact details in the book, although it's old now - 2009.
I was able to trace and buy Ron Maggs opus. Indeed very interesting in giving a summary of every race in every category. Less impressed with his results lists, though. He seems to ignore the existence of Ken Armstrong (considering Armstrong to be always Reg), for instance, and I also noticed some slight incorrection with Italian names (like Arturo Artesiani or Felice Benasedo, whose family name is never right). Still a worthwhile acquisition, thanks for the tip.
Edited by nexfast, 15 January 2022 - 18:07.
Member
Posted 15 January 2022 - 19:18
If you are looking for books on results here are my recommendations for anyone looking for pre Motocourse (1976) stats.
As well as the Ron Maggs book there are:
Motorrad Weltmeisterschaft by Volker Rauch. This is a German yearbook that starts in 1968 and is written in german. It is pretty good, like Maggs some of the names and nationalities are not quite right for the early years, but overall it is pretty accurate. Many of the Aussies and Kiwis are listed as British, (possibly due to running under ACU licences?), but it does have a pretty comprehensive results list. I started picking them up a few years ago when they were cheap, but they have risen in price quite a bit recently. They are still being published now I think and are mostly available on German eBay or the Abebooks search website or zvab. It is about A5 size.
L'Annee Motorcycliste is a French Motocourse type book (and written in French), it started in 1969 and the results listing is also good, but it still has some errors too. It only lists points finishers, but does have grid positions from 1975 onwards. There were two English language versions in 76 and 77, entitled Moto Year. They also contain the Motocross and trials results for the year too. It is a big A4 size book, just like Motocourse.
Other have been mentioned in the forum before, but I will put them here for completeness.
Motorcycle Racing guide 1974 by SIL gives the 1973 results in detail, this also has Motocross, Trials and Speedway results for the year too.
Grand Prix Motorcycle Championships of the World 1949 - 1975 by Maurice Bula has listings of all points scoring finishers for all classes up to 1975.
The FIM Grand Prix Guide by Werner Haefliger is similar but only has the 125, 250 and 500 results. I know of 2 versions 1996 and 2005, but I think there are more recent versions available. The 1996 version is listed as the Marlboro guide.
There are also the MCN yearbooks which ran from 1975 through to 1980. These had loads of results from each year for the World and British championships.
I have heard there is a Dutch publication that started results from the late 1960s but I haven't been able to track this one down, probably as my Dutch language skills, to my shame, are non existent.
I hope this is of some use to anyone else interested in results and if I have missed anything please let me know.
Member
Posted 16 January 2022 - 12:52
The book "Racing Lines" by Bob Guntrip (sub-titled "British Motorcycle Racing in the Golden Age of the Big Single") by Veloce Publishing, contains the first six finishers at all UK National and International short circuit meetings (for 350cc classes and upwards) between 1960 and 1970.
It is a great book and a superb resource .
Edited by knickerbrook, 16 January 2022 - 12:56.
Member
Posted 16 January 2022 - 17:30
The book "Racing Lines" by Bob Guntrip (sub-titled "British Motorcycle Racing in the Golden Age of the Big Single") by Veloce Publishing, contains the first six finishers at all UK National and International short circuit meetings (for 350cc classes and upwards) between 1960 and 1970.
It is a great book and a superb resource
I was going to mention this book, amazing amount of work must have gone into putting it together.
Member
Posted 17 January 2022 - 09:09
Knickerbrook and Robin127, thanks for the tip on this. I had never come across this one. I've just ordered it from Amazon (before they stop taking my Visa card as payment.) Looking forward to it arriving in a couple of days.
Member
Posted 25 January 2022 - 08:44
If you are looking for books on results here are my recommendations for anyone looking for pre Motocourse (1976) stats
<....>
I have heard there is a Dutch publication that started results from the late 1960s but I haven't been able to track this one down, probably as my Dutch language skills, to my shame, are non existent.
I hope this is of some use to anyone else interested in results and if I have missed anything please let me know.
Thanks for the tips. I'll see how easy it is going to be to find the Volker Rauch and Année Motocycliste books.
I think the Dutch books you are referring to are the Grand Prix Wegrace series by publisher Peters' Motorboeken. The series started as Grand Prix 1967 with text by Jaap Deltenre and photography by Jan Heese. Various authors have been responsible for the text throughout the years, Heese's photography has been a constant until the series stopped in the mid-1980's. Results have always been limited to points scorers though.
In 1985 Hans van Loozenoord started the Wegrace Kroniek series, and in 1991 he continued with the annual Het Wegraceboek (later in co-operation with Henk Keulemans), which ran until 2015. Especially Het Wegraceboek has great photography (mostly by Yves Jamotte until his untimely passing in 2003). Resultswise for GP's there is less than Motocourse (full qualifying results were never included for instance), but the full points tables for all other FIM series (and Dutch championships) are a great reference for those interested in other classes.
You mention Maurice Büla's 1975 book. He also produced an updated version: Continental Circus 1949-2000, published by Chronosports, listing points finishers for all Grand Prix classes through to 2000.
Member
Posted 25 January 2022 - 18:04
The French readers and, in general, Hailwood and Honda fans here will be happy to know that Jacques Bussillet's long out of print, and extremely well-researched Hailwood et la Honda 6 has been re-edited and much updated. Mind you, it's the only modern book about the Honda 6's whose author went to the trouble of interviewing Irimajiri and Aika, as well as benefitting from documentation provided by them.
Price is a very (for today's standards) affordable 40€
https://www.cafe-rac...ailwood-honda6/
https://www.cafe-rac...bible-reeditee/
Edited by guiporsche, 25 January 2022 - 18:06.
Member
Posted 25 January 2022 - 18:38
Kabouer thanks for the info on the Dutch books. Great photography seems to be a trait with Dutch books. I have Jan and Hetty Burger's Continental Circus book (not to be confused with Bula's book) and the photos in there are really good, albeit in B&W, a mixture of track and paddock shots from the 70s and 80s.
Guiporsche thanks for the info on the Hailwood books. The cafe-racers site is has some other interesting titles too and including a Barry Sheene book by Buissillet.
P.s. Don't stick "Aika Honda" into a search engine as what you get back is nothing on Motorbikes!!
Edited by brands77, 25 January 2022 - 18:40.
Member
Posted 25 January 2022 - 19:32
Ooops, sorry about that.. or maybe not ;)
The Barry Sheene is an absolute must have. Bussillet was very close to him and portrays a very humane, candid view of Barry. A very well documented book, well produced.
You can get it from Fnac for nothing - 6.75€
https://www.fnac.com...-DVD-DVD-Zone-2
My hope is that Bussillet will update his biography of Agostini sometime soon. It's my favourite book on Ago and the MV's but if he gives it the update he gave to the Hailwood, then I'm a taker.
Edited by guiporsche, 25 January 2022 - 19:33.
Member
Posted 25 January 2022 - 20:19
If you are looking for books on results here are my recommendations for anyone looking for pre Motocourse (1976) stats.
As well as the Ron Maggs book there are:
Motorrad Weltmeisterschaft by Volker Rauch. This is a German yearbook that starts in 1968 and is written in german. It is pretty good, like Maggs some of the names and nationalities are not quite right for the early years, but overall it is pretty accurate. Many of the Aussies and Kiwis are listed as British, (possibly due to running under ACU licences?), but it does have a pretty comprehensive results list. I started picking them up a few years ago when they were cheap, but they have risen in price quite a bit recently. They are still being published now I think and are mostly available on German eBay or the Abebooks search website or zvab. It is about A5 size.
L'Annee Motorcycliste is a French Motocourse type book (and written in French), it started in 1969 and the results listing is also good, but it still has some errors too. It only lists points finishers, but does have grid positions from 1975 onwards. There were two English language versions in 76 and 77, entitled Moto Year. They also contain the Motocross and trials results for the year too. It is a big A4 size book, just like Motocourse.
Other have been mentioned in the forum before, but I will put them here for completeness.
Motorcycle Racing guide 1974 by SIL gives the 1973 results in detail, this also has Motocross, Trials and Speedway results for the year too.
Grand Prix Motorcycle Championships of the World 1949 - 1975 by Maurice Bula has listings of all points scoring finishers for all classes up to 1975.
The FIM Grand Prix Guide by Werner Haefliger is similar but only has the 125, 250 and 500 results. I know of 2 versions 1996 and 2005, but I think there are more recent versions available. The 1996 version is listed as the Marlboro guide.
There are also the MCN yearbooks which ran from 1975 through to 1980. These had loads of results from each year for the World and British championships.
I have heard there is a Dutch publication that started results from the late 1960s but I haven't been able to track this one down, probably as my Dutch language skills, to my shame, are non existent.
I hope this is of some use to anyone else interested in results and if I have missed anything please let me know.
This is definitely of interest - thanks. I have several of these myself. The two English language Moto Year books are 75 and 76 I think. The 1974 guide by SIL gives the 1973 results and 1972 also. I don't suppose the mystery Dutch publication is MOTOVIPS? It seems to be a one-off book from 1985, but I have that. If you search for 'motovips 85' you will see this listed on the vintagemotorcyclebooks .nl site. I also have a couple of useful second hand magazines, one with reports and result for Grands Prix 1975, and another from 1972 which even has the points tables for that year's British championships. I don't have these to hand at the present time, so cannot give more detail. Anyone interested in early WSB should look for the Superbike 1990 and Superbike 1991 books, which have results for 89-90.
Does anyone know of other review publications with British championship results pre-1976?
Edited by subh, 25 January 2022 - 20:26.
Member
Posted 16 February 2022 - 10:14
Subh I have had a dig around in my books and the best I can come up with is the International Motor Cycle Racing Book No 2 of 1973 by Ted Macauley. It gives the winners of the British Championships between 1958 and 1972 in the main classes, but no detailed results. I assume there is a No 1, but I don't possess it. If you want, when I have a bit more time, I can list the winners in a follow up post.
Edited by brands77, 16 February 2022 - 10:16.
Member
Posted 18 July 2022 - 09:53
If you are looking for historical information on Yamaha GP two-strokes one book I have found is titled; Yamaha - works wonders by Mick Stokes. It outlines the Yamaha two-stroke machines from their entry into GP racing in 1961 to the final end of the era in 2000. I am sure that there is a lot between the lines but it does show the extent of the work at Yamaha which must have gone on. I believe it is self published and access can be routed through 'facebook' Two-Stroke (GP) Racing Series.
Gary
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Posted 12 December 2022 - 08:08
Hi all , having been out of this for quite some time now , I never "gave up" and recently looked into the older days of MC racing again. See there are some news for me thanks.. Exactly what I am looking for are the complete results for the MC world championships up to 1968 . Can anyone help me here ? Some books has been published but never the complete results , sometimes the top 3 or 6 but...... and I would like to say I know that in some of the early years there were few starters in some races . so I am aware of results not always being a long row of competitors and their machines.
Member
Posted 13 December 2022 - 09:28
The Ron Maggs book should still be available. But as the UK is outside the EU the price to send it would be enourmos because the EU want tax as well as extra payment for anything !!!!,
Member
Posted 18 December 2022 - 11:38
The Ron Maggs book should still be available. But as the UK is outside the EU the price to send it would be enourmos because the EU want tax as well as extra payment for anything !!!!,
You don't need to buy it in UK. See here, for instance:
https://www.libreria...e/ron-maggs-en/
Member
Posted 21 December 2022 - 09:35
I have attempted to contact Ron Maggs in the past to see if he is working on or has finished a second volume, but had no reply. The first volume was self published I think, and his details are within the book. His website ronmaggs.com no longer exists as well.
I doubt he is working on a follow up since the first volume was 2009, but if anyone has any information I would be interested to find out.
Given his first book covered '49 to '58, I would presume the second book was going to cover '59 to '68 which would cover the gap in knowledge as Rauch's Motorrad Welmeisterschaft starts off in '68, albeit in German.
There was a Japanese website that held all of the finishers, including non point scorers, for the 500c GPs, but this seems to have disappeared. Does anyone remember this site and is it still around?
Edited by brands77, 21 December 2022 - 09:37.
Member
Posted 23 December 2022 - 18:36
Thanks for the infos to the Maggs book.
Member
Posted 24 December 2022 - 05:11
My book titled 'My Rapid Rise to Fame and Fortune' will be late to the publisher while I wait to rise to both fame and fortune. 
Happy Christmas and a goodly New Year
Member
Posted 29 December 2022 - 14:30
Just got the Maggs book, and first impressions are it's a fair effort, but don't expect too much. It doesn't have full results, and some fairly important details are missing (dates, for example, or starting numbers), and the race reports and season summaries are very minimalist, plus it suffers from some poor editing decisions. On the other hand, it's not expensive, so if you have an interest in the era, get it!
Member
Posted 31 December 2022 - 15:28
My book titled 'My Rapid Rise to Fame and Fortune' will be late to the publisher while I wait to rise to both fame and fortune.
Happy Christmas and a goodly New Year
To all those out there waiting with baited breath for the publication of my book 'My Rapid Rise to Fame and Fortune' I have abandoned it, left unfinished and unpublished. The final chapter was to cover my attendance at Buck House to be dubbed Sir Anthony a well deserved CBE for my 'services' to the brewing industry, however once again I have been ignored. Perhaps if I'd ben a politician responsible for bankrupting the nation, or a self serving industrialist recognised to 'services to his own wallet' or even a Premiershit footballer playing 90 minutes of football twice a week, it would have been at least Ermine for me. But, as a life of dedicated boozing, sacrificing my liver for the good of the countries licenced victuallers has proved to be insufficient I admit defeat. 
Member
Posted 03 January 2023 - 07:28
shame it would have been a wonderful read
Member
Posted 21 January 2023 - 19:57
Good information - thanks. Anyone seen or own his title Motor Cycle Racing?
https://images-na.ss...71SZZrMSiLL.jpg
Staring at a good copy of this in my book rack now.
During lockdown I had a sort through some of my stuff (to save my lads having to do it sometime) and found quite a few old titles - Prince of Speed, Hailwood by Hailwood, Jim Redman, Alan Carter, Niall McKenzie and some other compilations. I rang the bike museum in Brum to see if they wanted them 'gifting' for their shop or library if they have one. I was happy to drop them off.
Still no reply 
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