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To call your book ‘The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle’ as Hugo Wilson has is a big claim. Does it live up to the name? Bob Pickett finds out

Click here for more info or to order this book The book is split into two sections: the Photo Gallery and the Reference Section. The former is filled with superb photographs by Dave King, and takes a selection of models from marques around the world. This section runs in alphabetical manufacturer order, making it easy enough to track down your chosen subject. Hugo Wilson provides a short introduction of each manufacturer covered in this section, then follows up with a short model history for each bike photographed.

I would recommend taking two goes at this section – first time, just look at the pictures (they are worth the price on their own). Then have a second, in depth run through, taking on board Wilson’s words. The amount of information he manages to include within a couple of paragraphs is amazing and each fresh read seems to throw up little gems you missed the last time around.

There is a suspicion that certain models were chosen by pure availability rather than historic merit, but overall the bikes shown are the ones you would want to see..

The reference section has a wealth of detail which deserves no less than a thorough investigation. Wilson has researched the history of over 3,000 marques, sorted by country of origin.

The space and detail devoted to each depends on the life of the company, but if a manufacturer has a long and varied history, it will be here, with major changes or developments detailed and dated. Wilson has also ensured that where the same name has been used, if it is a separate company, each one is dealt with separately. Likewise, manufacturers with a chequered history of boom, bust and relaunch will have their story told as one company.

Finally, as if all of the above was not enough, a glossary of motorcycle terms (wonderful for both the anorak and the mechanical ignoramus) and a page of contact details for a number of the major current manufacturers rounds off the vast and impressive body of information.

So does ‘The Encyclopedia of the Motorcycle’ live up to the name? Certainly. There are books out there that deal with a smaller part of the subject in greater depth certainly, but this book is the work of an expert writer and researcher. Buy it. It is worth every penny.

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