TT Titans

The 25 greatest Isle of Man racing machines. Hardback 256 pages Published by Pen-and-sword.co.uk RRP: $47.41 Available from Pitstop Books Order Code: 51359 (02) 8445 2351 Free-call 1800 622422 www.pitstop.net.au Author Matthew Richardson poses the question, “If you had to chose twenty-five individual machines for a fantasy museum, which would they be?” He takes into account achievements like lap records and wins, technical innovations and so on, in both solo and sidecar, and the selection ranges from the bike that won the very first TT in 1907 – Charlie Collier’s Matchless – to Michael Dunlop’s 2014 BMW S1000RR. In between there are some obvious picks, like Geoff Duke’s Featherbed Norton of 1950, the Gilera on which Bob McIntyre achieved the first 100 mph lap in 1957, “Slippery Sam”, the T150 Triumph ridden to multiple wins by a variety of star riders, Mike Hailwood’s 1978 F1 Ducati, and the BMW outfit ridden to two wins in 1973 by Klaus Enders. There are also some unlikely selections, but considered on merit, they make sense to be included. Each chapter is accompanied by high quality photographs (many from the TT Fottfinders collection), and overall, the book makes excellent and thought-provoking reading.