An Age of Superheroes

This book is so good I have to hide it or I don't get anything done. Mat Oxley is my favourite writer (working in the subject motorcycles). He's been covering GPs, at the tracks, since the 1980s, as a rider he nearly won the Suzuka 8-hour, and did win a TT (250 production class), and he's even written for Sideburn.

For this book he interviewed Schwantz, Rainey, Lawson, Doohan and Gardner - the Superheroes who wrestled the most vicious road racing bikes in history. He also raided the archives of the best GP photographers of the era. The interviews form captions for the incredible photos. I pick it up, idly, then force myself to put it back down 35 minutes later having not done any work. It contains more than those five superheroes, though. There are amazing images of Randy Mamola, Kenny Roberts, De Radigues, Cadalora, plus the bikes, girls, team kit...
Put it on your Christmas list. And our mate Kar Lee did some illustrations for it too.
Amazon are selling it cheap. GI

Rainey Kawasaki

Wayne Rainey's Viper KX250. Look at the wild rear caliper hanger. Photo from Speed Junkies. Don't know where he found it.

Ascot

I am attaching a couple of cool photos/scans They speak for themselves, but a fast Arizona rider is shown, Art Fredenburgh. He ran out of Shell Thuet's camp, don't know exactly how much support he got but I know he had all the good stuff like Wayne Rainey and Eddie Lawson.

Later, Craig Martin