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Motorcycles are mythic, far more than mere transportation, but some are in a class of their own, truly legendary machines. There are the Triumphs: James Dean’s, Marlon Brando’s in The Wild Ones, the one Steve McQueen took over the fence in The Great Escape. There are Evel Knievel’s and Elvis’s Harleys, the Easy Rider Stars ‘n’ Stripes bike, and T. E. Lawrence’s Brough Superior SS100; Von Dutch’s Condor, Craig Vetter’s Mystery Ship, and Mike Hailwood’s Honda RC162. These are just some of the machines that have made motorcycle history, and that make this book a feast for the eyes and a fact-filled odyssey for the motorcycle aficionado. Illustrated with commissioned photographs and historical images, the book profiles the bikes--not just the models but the actual motorcycles--that have achieved legendary status in the last century. Their stories, told here in detail for the first time, make up the story of the motorcycle in American culture. ...
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More than any other sporting pursuit, racing is a test of both human and machine. This beautifully illustrated book is a celebration of that unique union of sweat and grease, blood and gasoline, courage and fear, elation and terror, triumph and tragedy. Through vivid, human detail, writer and photographer Basem Wasef brings to life more than two dozen racing legends, including the story of Mario Andretti and the Lotus 79 that he drove to the 1978 Formula 1 world championship--a triumph trumped by the tragic loss of his teammate, Ronnie Peterson. We ride along with the incomparable Stirling Moss as he pilots his Mercedes-Benz SLR to an improbable victory at the 1955 Mille Miglia. And we feel our teeth rattling and our bones shaking as we race for nearly seven grueling hours with Ray Harroun in his Marmon Wasp, en route to a controversial win at the very first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Filled with fascinating stories of humanity and machinery, this book is a must for all race fans. ...
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