Rudge-Whitworth

The Complete Story By Bryan Reynolds ISBN: 978-1-84797-687-1 158 pages hard cover RRP: $54.99 Available from Pitstop (1800 622422) www.pitstop.net.au

Although their Coventry company was closed during WW2, Rudge remains one of the most highly respected British names, and with good reason. The company was renowned for quality and innovation, such as the Multi model that used expanding and contracting belt drives and which won the Isle of Man TT in 1914. Their four-valve head also kept the marque in front on the track and the works teams cored many TT and Grand Prix wins. Expensive as they were, the road-going Rudges were prestigious and coveted machines, and still are. This book tells the complete Rudge story, which began in 1860, and lasted until the company was taken over by EMI in the late 1930s, by which time sales had slowed to just 1300 bikes in the final production year. Very well illustrated, this book is the definitive tome on the marque.