Unusual Motorcycles

By François-Marie Dumas Published by Haynes ISBN: 978-0-85733-261-5 208 pages hard cover RRP: $49.95 Available from Pitstop Bookshop (02) 8445 2330 www.pitstop.net.au I expected this book to be farrago of wacky ideas copied from here and there over the years. Wrong. Unusual Motorcycles is actual a quite fascinating collection of designs that dared to be different, and in some cases were quite successful. One thing comes through strongly; that when it comes to engineering, thinking outside the square never stops. Of course, some concepts work better than others, and there are some outlandish efforts in this book. There are chapters on Japanese clones of European designs, wooden bikes, two-wheel drive, tank-track bikes, scooters, rocket-powered bikes and individual manufacturers such as Souplex and Böhmerland who simply refused to conform to conventional thinking. Extensive space is given to unique racing designs that came about in the incessant quest for the competitive edge. Altogether, a really interesting book that graphically illustrates that there is no such thing as ‘normal’ when it comes to motorcycling design.