From Michael Scott, author of Haynes’s highly successful biography of Barry Sheene, here is a fabulous series of character studies of the premier motorcycle racers, from bomber pilot Les Graham, who won the first 500cc World Championship in 1949, to American, Nicky Hayden, boasting the Number 1 plate in 2007 MotoGP, and on to the 2007 champion. Famous names like Mike Hailwood, Giacomo Agostini, Kenny Roberts Senior, Mick Doohan and Valentino Rossi are studies, but so are lesser-known heroes who rode the storm to brief glory.