Colin Seeley

The machines, The magic, The man

This new publication comes with an immediate disclaimer - I put it together, so while I have of course read it, I did it while I was collating it.

Colin Seeley died earlier this year, leaving behind a legacy as one of those people who'd done so much; he'd been a racer, a dealer, a manufacturer, a team owner, plus all manner of nonmotorcycling activities too, including running a Formula 1 team (for his teenage associate Bernie Ecclestone, no less) and superbly successful charity, in honour of his late first wife Joan.

This book doesn't pretend to be the definitive story of Colin's life, works and career; he'd already done that himself, with his two-volume autobiography, published in 2006 (part one) and 2009.

What we have here is a largely pictorial work, drawing on the fabulous Mortons Archive, especially some of the lovely Nick Nicholls' work- there's some great colour action pictures, including Mike Hailwood in action on a Seeley G50 in the late 1960s and like-mounted Ron Chandler, also resplendent in colour, at the bottom of

Bray Hill.

There's plenty more too - including the great-looking Seeley Hondas of the 1970s - and some more modern pictures of Colin too, including when he was reunited with his father Percy's Series A HRD Rapide at Stafford.

Having been fortunate to know Colin for the last decade and a half - during which we discovered we'd attended the same primary school, coincidentally! - it was lovely to put together, looking through some great images and finding out some brilliant facts.

Call 01507 529529 or www. mortonsbooks.co.uk to order; it costs £7.99.