RUMCars Forum
General Category => Off Topic Lounge => Topic started by: richard on May 10, 2013, 08:24:15 PM
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well what a surprise ! a friends wife dropped in some books that dave no longer wanted ;) i wonder if he knows !! amongst them a 1964 copy (1st edition i think ) of The Worlds Motorcycles 1894-1963 .
this book is the bible for motorcyclists , for the first time here were company details and range reviews of NEARLY every motorcycle ever made ! i have never read or even seen a copy so am delighted . in the classic bike world it's always been a challenge to find a NAIT - not appearing in Tragatsch . don't suppose i need it or will use it much but delighted to have a copy . listed within 2,000 makes of motorcycle past and present (1963) from over 20 countries . does anyone else have a copy ?
go on try me :)
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BMW Scooter.
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well it's really a comprehensive list of manufacturers not models . it does of course list BMW but no mention of the scooter which is not really a motorcycle .
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Harley Davidson Topper ???
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Ah. We will let that one go then.
BMW only ever made one Scooter which was a prototype. Story had it on loan for a while. When you think of the two wheeled heritage and popularity of Scooters it is surprising BMW did not produce one. When they looked at it they saw to much competition and a shrinking market, perhaps, so left well alone.
Never greatly into Motorcycles as I fall off them and they are mostly normal with funny names on. Bit like bicycles once things settled down. Few new ideas, fad and fashion brands and a lot of dubious quality that seems to be thought great to put up with. Then when made well, the machine is considered to be unfair, almost. Still no more daft than MIcrocars for that. The Fiat 500 (engine just a tad to big for purity to me) is the most successful but not really included in the game for one thing.
I did collect scooters, which I used to fall off too. Got to about 40 machines, no 'boring' Lambretta or Vespa being me, and then thought why am I doing this when I cannot use them. Flogged the lot. Now that collection would be worth a bob or two, but that's fine, I did alright in the day.
So not really in a position to test Richards Bible. Up to you others.