BOOK REVIEW - Collector Motorcycles of Australia
With a foreword by Malcolm Grant, Shepherd's Collector Motorcycles of Australia covers more than 450 Australian-owned classic bikes, over 400 pages in a well-presented 23cm x 26cm hardcover format.
After the opening chapter covering the period from 1885 to 1910, the next six are by decade (1911 - 1920, 1921 - 1930, etc.), followed by a chapter covering the 1970s and 80s, with Shepherd introducing each chapter with a snapshot of motorcycle developments and production around the world.
Some of the bikes featured in Collector Motorcycles of Australia come from museums, private collections and classic motorcycle dealerships, while others have been snapped at rallies, race meets and club gatherings around the country.
Every bike is photographed in colour, and while some pics are better than others, at least you're not guessing what rarities look like. The layout devotes a page to each bike in many cases, along with a paragraph or two covering the basics of the design, main mechanical features and model history. Some pages carry additional detail photos of a machine's engine, suspension and controls.
Fans of Australian-made bikes will be particularly pleased at the number of local classics that feature. Early chapters cover long-gone Aussie names like Lewis, Mallee, Kelecom, G.C.S., Kirmer, Invincible JAP, Balmain and Whiting (look out for more on the unusual, leaf-sprung Whiting in a future JUST BIKES).
Early examples of famous marques like BSA, Ducati, Triumph, Indian, Douglas, BMW, AJS and Harley-Davidson are featured, along with bygone overseas brands like Cleveland, Nimbus, Pope, Moto Reve, Excelsior, Rudge and Henderson.
There are oddities, too, like early 3-wheel forecars, a two-wheel-drive Rokon 'Trail Breaker,' Ishevsk Jupiter 3 from the USSR, Reliant van and British-built Invacar, which was designed to offer affordable and accessible transportation for disabled war veterans.
As well as being a showcase of the classic bikes in this country, the book is also an interesting chronicle of the history of motorcycle development, and the changing fortunes of various brands. British, European and American marques dominate the early chapters, while it's interesting to note that the first Japanese bike doesn't appear until the chapter covering 1961-70, but goes on to dominate the final chapter.
A must-have for motorcycle enthusiasts, and particularly for fans of Australian-made bikes, Collector Motorcycles of Australia is also a valuable reference work on Australian and world motorcycle history.
Written by Steven Shepherd and published by New Holland Publishing (Australia) Pty Ltd, Collector Motorcycles of Australia (ISBN 9781 7425 72260) is now available from specialist motoring and selected general bookshops for $45.00 RRP.
