This book is the fifth in the Mick Walker Racing Motorcycle series. It covers the Grand Prix Motorcycles from Japan.

Under very different political regimes for a considerable period, East and West Germany produced some highly innovative & competitive racing machinery. German motorcycles were often in the vanguard of technical progress & were good enough to win world titles. In this respect, the top names in the solo categories were NSU and Kreidler, while BMW, Fath, Munch, & König did the business on three wheels. Like Japan, Germany was faced with rebuilding a shattered country following World War II. Like the Japanese, they overcame all the problems not only to create an economic miracle, but also to construct world-beating motorcycles. Germany's success contributed to the development of the sport in a wide variety of ways -- engineers, machines, riders, circuits, & even record-breakers.

A fifty year motorcycle racer shares insights into life and death from the seat of a racing motorcycle.

Mick WalkerÆs Italian Racing Motorcycles Mick Walker. This much enlarged and heavily revised edition looks at both major and minor players throughout Italy who have produced racing motorcycles of significant interest. Among the legendary Italian motorcycles included in this volume are Aermacchi, FB Mondial, Bimota, Moto Guzzi, Ducati, Garelli, Bianchi,Laverda, Gilera, MV Agusta and Parilla. Well done! Sftbd., 8 1/4"x 11", 256 pgs., 683 b&w ill., 86 color.

As this book explains, the Japanese did not suddenly become proficient in the design and development of motorcycles when they first appeared in Europe at the end of the 1950s. Instead, the Japanese had been involved with motorcycles since the beginning of the 20th century. True, early Japanese motorcycles copied Western design - a trend that continued for several years after WWII. But soon they designed a succession of highly innovative machinery, not only to the Grand Prix world's benefit but to the paying 'over-the-counter' customer, too. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha, plus Bridgestone and Tohatsu, have all built and sold racing motorcycles which the public could also buy and enjoy.

While the history of European ompetition motorcycles has been largely dominated by Italian, British, and German marques, other builders around the continent have also played significant roles from the turn of the century to present. Arranged by nation, this book examines more than two dozen important marques, including Bultaco, CZ, Elf, Husqvarna, KTM, Ossa, Peugeot, and many others. A wealth of rare photography, including a special color section, includes candid shots of the top personalities and the bikes both at rest and at speed.