Officially licensed and published in the 60th anniversary year of World Championship motorcycle racing, this book presents a fact-packed and statistics-laden year-by-year history, concentrating on the premier class (500cc, then MotoGP) but not forgetting the other categories along the way. Beautifully illustrated and designed, written by acknowledged experts and featuring extensive data compiled by MotoGP’s official statistician – all these elements combine to create a history book with a difference.

The Harley-Davidson Source Book is the ultimate curated survey of the ultimate motorcycle. It details the most significant designs and models throughout the Motor Company's history.

Aimed at the enthusiast who would like to gain a greater understanding of technical and design issues facing MotoGP constructors, this fascinating book provides detailed analysis of the cutting-edge technology used in the sport’s premier class today. Each area of a racing motorcycle’s design is explained and separate chapters for each manufacturer trace the development of each machine over the years through to the detailed specification of the current version.

The second edition of this official Moto GP guide, aimed at racing and track day enthusiasts at all levels, has been expanded to include extra information and many new photos and quotes from today's Moto GP stars.

Ripped from his motorcycle by Colombian rebels and robbed of everything, adventure motorcyclist Glen Heggstad journeyed through South America, and the trip became a nightmare as he was forced to march through strange jungles carrying heavy equipment with assault rifles at his back. Even with all the hand-to-hand and sophisticated combat training Heggstad possessed, this chronicle shows that it was his shrewd thinking, precise planning, and a "do-or-die" last act of desperation that eventually secured his freedom. The shocking personal tale of an unimaginable journey through Central and South America, this travelogue details one man's capture by Colombia's rebel National Liberation Army and the eventual realization of his dream to complete his journey.

Arguably the world’s all-time greatest motorcycle road racing champion, Valentino Rossi is without a doubt the best--and the best-loved--in modern times. In What If I Had Never Tried It he tells his remarkable story for the first time. And as might be expected, the story he tells is fast-paced, full of surprises, action-packed, and always entertaining. The son of 1970s racer Graziano Rossi (whose number, 46, he wears when racing), Valentino was born in Urbino, Italy in 1979. Here he relates how he started racing as a teenager, first with karts and minimotos (minibikes). He then traces his rapid and seemingly inexorable progress--from the 125 class to the 250 class to the 500s and finally on to 990 cc four-stroke, now known as MotoGP--to become a seven-time World Champion in Grand Prix racing by the time he was twenty-six. As he describes starting his career as a clownish upstart, only to emerge as “The Doctor” so famed for his precision, Rossi’s crowd-pleasing character comes through in abundance. One moment a charismatic jokester, the next an insightful analyst, he is finally the single-minded, focused, strategic racer with split-second skills the rest of us can only dream of, giving us a glimpse of how one man has forever changed the face of motorcycle road racing.

'AN EXCEPTIONAL READ' - Motor Cycle News 'STUART BARKER IS TO WRITING WHAT VALENTINO ROSSI IS TO RIDING [...] A MUST-READ FOR ALL BIKE NUTS' - DAILY MIRROR 'At high speed everything becomes more difficult and more beautiful. When you're racing at 180mph, the semi-bends become bends, the little holes become big holes, everything becomes extreme and bigger. And then it becomes beautiful.' Valentino Rossi is an icon: the most successful and most loved motorcycle racer of all time, he has transcended MotoGP to become a symbol of courage, risk and daring. To race for twenty-three years at the very highest level of the world's most dangerous sport is unprecedented. But then, there has never been a motorcycle racer like Valentino Rossi. He is a modern-day gladiator, a man who still risks his life every time he throws a leg over a motorcycle. Yet for all his two-wheel talents, it is Rossi's endearing character that has seen him transcend the sport. His popularity is phenomenal. For Rossi, every race is a home race. He turns MotoGP grandstands across the world a sea of yellow - his traditional lucky colour. In more than two decades of Grand Prix racing, Rossi has seen it all. The deaths of rivals and friends, the glory of his unprecedented success, serious injuries, fabulous wealth, the greatest battles ever seen on two wheels, the infamous on and off-track clashes with his fiercest rivals . . . Using exclusive new interviews with those who have been part of Rossi's story from start to finish, critically-acclaimed and bestselling motorsport author Stuart Barker has produced the most in-depth book ever written about the Italian superstar - a tale of speed, love and loss, told in full for the very first time, in all its adrenalin-charged, high-octane glory.

A unique new reference work, this encyclopedia presents a social, cultural, and economic history of American sports from hunting, bowling, and skating in the sixteenth century to televised professional sports and the X Games today. Nearly 400 articles examine historical and cultural aspects of leagues, teams, institutions, major competitions, the media and other related industries, as well as legal and social issues, economic factors, ethnic and racial participation, and the growth of institutions and venues. Also included are biographical entries on notable individuals—not just outstanding athletes, but owners and promoters, journalists and broadcasters, and innovators of other kinds—along with in-depth entries on the history of major and minor sports from air racing and archery to wrestling and yachting. A detailed chronology, master bibliography, and directory of institutions, organizations, and governing bodies—plus more than 100 vintage and contemporary photographs—round out the coverage.

Bask in Formula One glory with this 240-page, large-format tribute to all 34 F1 World Champions, featuring exhilarating photography and expert commentary. Since the Grand Prix’s start in 1950, just 34 men have achieved the accolade of F1 World Champion. For the first time, legendary F1 commentator Maurice Hamilton and award-winning photographers Bernard and Paul-Henri Cahier bring the heroes of this iconic sport together, in a stunning photographic portrayal of the poise, skill and winning mindset that separates the fast from the furious, the elite from the talented. Formula One and its champions are brought to life with: An exquisitely written profile of each of the 34 F1 World Champions, with key details from the driver’s life and F1 career Stunning photography of the drivers and their cars, both on and off the track Historic interviews with the sport’s lost heroes, including James Hunt and Ayrton Senna Exclusive quotes from icons such as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg A foreword by Bernie Ecclestone, former chief executive of the Formula One Group Debate has raged over which driver is the best of the best. It is impossible to say. But that will not deter energetic and informed discussion, usually predicated on a personal preference swayed by affection. Each of these champions will have experienced and delivered pulse-raising performances many times over. With this handsome homage to the most ferocious of sports and the incredible sportsmen who drive at the edge in pursuit of greatness, it is time to choose your favorite F1 Champion.