Veloce Books; Buyer's Guide to BSA 500 and 650 Twins
If you're thinking of buying one of the venerable BSA twins of the 50s and 60s, then this handy guide will be a useful tool in sorting the wheat from the chaff when searching out that true classic.

Old bikes are always a labour of love and Peter Henshaw's book gives you handy hints on spotting BSA twins which have had the necessary TLC lavished upon them during their working life. These are bikes you want to buy, not some bodged up and hastily Solvol-treated instant classic.

There are sections on typical running costs, a used bike value guide, plus club, website and specialist publication source information, which is essential if you're buying anything old and inevitably needing spares in the long run. Loads of photos, an `is it genuine?' checklist, not to mention Henshaw's own favourite models from the lengthy BSA 500/650 total production run, all combine to make this book well worth the cost of two monthly bike magazines.

The only thing I would have liked in the book was a few pics of the US export spec Firebird 650, which was one of prettiest beezas ever built...even if it did shake itself to bits when ridden hard.

I also thought that a few more hints, and true life stories on the various scams found on e-bay and other auction sites, would have been good advice for any would-be collector of old bikes.

The book has just two paragraphs of advice regarding e-bay, which is insufficient for anyone who hasn't wasted countless hours of their life online being lied to, emailed by virus spreaders, or been conned by the dozens of timewasters frequenting this woefully easy to rig auction site.

More at www.veloce.co.uk

Motorcycle Road and Racing Chassis Book
Motorcycle Road and Racing Chassis Book 2007

This Veloce book charts the history of fifteen of the most innovative chassis building companies in biking, from the 50s to the 90s. Author Keith Noakes has chapters on the key names in bike handling design, from Nico Bakker Bimota, Dresda Autos, Fritz Egli, Harris Performance, Rickman, Segale and many more.

There are plenty of pictures to brighten up this softback and the text is a good mix of technical analysis and a strong narrative tracing the rise ( and sometimes fall ) of the various companies.

Reading the potted history of companies like Dresda, Harris, Bimota, Rickman etc one fact emerges very quickly; the Japanese bike makers of today would still be struggling to make their bikes handle properly without the expert development and endless hours of fettling on track which many European specialists provided for them, mainly at a very cheap cost.

Fascinating winter reading, especially for anyone considering building or modifying their own project bike.

Alastair Walker More at; www.veloce.co.uk

Haynes 2007 BSB Season Review by Gary Pinchin
The 2007 BSB championship was a good one, with three riders all in with a shout of winning the title, right up until the final round - few road racing battles are that close.

This book has expert analysis from Gary Pinchin, who has been writing about road racing since Niall Mackenzie was in short trousers...or a shorter kilt perhaps. There are team profiles, great pics and a section which looks at the technical tweaks made to the racebikes themselves.

The only thing I didn't like in the book were the advertisements. Ad pages are taken by Shark, Micron, Dunlop, Honda, Relentless drinks...there's loads of them.

Very distracting and it cheapens the feel of the book somehow. My view is simple; if books carry adverts like magazines, then they should cost £4.00 like a magazine does, not £20, otherwise this is damn good read.

Haynes 2007 MotoGP Review by Julian Ryder
Review by Alastair Walker.

This is one impressive, encyclopaedic record of the 2007 MotoGP season, which as we all know, ended with an historic victory for Stoner and Ducati - the first Italian factory to win the blue riband title since MV Agusta.

The book is lavishly illustrated with hundreds of top class pics, there are some brilliant quotes from the racers themselves and Ryder's almost obsessive technical and background knowledge puts plenty of detail and perspective on the ruthless business of winning GP races.

For me, the quote of the book is from Valentino Rossi; "I didn't lose second place, Yamaha did." In that pithy phrase Rossi sums up his entire season of bitter failure and whether you believe that it was Rossi's own psychological weakness, or the combination of inferior tyres and a slower bike which cost `The Doctor' the 2007 title, there's no doubt that Rossi's ire will make the opening of the 2008 season a fiery affair.

Good news, as frankly the 2007 MotoGP championship became a bit dull once Stoner made it clear he was in a different class.

You can buy the superb 2007 Haynes MotoGP review from their website; www.haynes.co.uk, which will save you traipsing around mainstream bookshops full of celebrity endorsed crap. Merry Christmas readers.

Bering `Steel' all-season textile jacket 2007
Review by Alastair Walker.

I've just ridden to the Paris show in this Bering jacket and I was exceptionally warm and comfy for the whole 1100 odd mile trip.

A severe dousing of rain was no problem; the Bering Steel remained totally dry inside and surface water steadily dripped away, from the sleeves of the jacket, as I waited in the Chunnel terminal at Calais. All of which makes me believe that the three layer fabric does its job well.

I was impressed with the way the sleeve and neck have press stud fastenings for a windproof seal too.

Love the colours, the armour feels substantial and the Bering has a certain Gallic style which makes it nice enough to wear down the pub quiz night, rather than just biking around.

The Bering Steel is constructed from three breathable layers of fabric, has a removable thermal lining, two inner pockets, two zip-up outer pockets and is available in Black/Red, Black/White, Black/Orange or Black/Green colour choices and Size range: S – 4XL.

Highly recommended; feels durable, looks good, very weather-resistant.

More at www.bering.fr .

Laverda Twins N Triples Bible 2007 by Ian Falloon
The Laverda Twins and Triples Bible by Ian Falloon

published by Veloce Books UK

www.veloce.co.uk

Price; £29.99

Availability; Now

The Restorer's Manual by Alastair Walker

This new book by Ian Falloon, known as one of the Italian motorcycle marque experts in the world of bike journalism, is packed with detailed info on all the Laverda twins and triples, manufactured from the early 60s until the late 90s. If you are an owner of a Laverda from this era, or planning to buy one to restore, then this book is absolutely essential.

Why? Very simple really, Falloon documents the evolution of the Laverda twins and triples, logging almost every technical advance, each component change, new lick of paint, different decals for the US market etc. Even tiny details like the change in the way the battery tray is fitted to a particular bike, are recorded.

There are hundreds of photos, covering many Laverda models, which will help any classic enthusiast identify exactly what they looking at on ebay, or in MCN, CBG etc before they make an offer on it.

There's a general history of Laverda and some info on the racing success of the twins and triples as well. If you're a Laverda fan, then book is fascinating reading, packed with a wealth of detailed information regarding model updates, technical changes etc.

If that detailed info isn't your thing then this book is a bit dull, as Falloon fails to capture the lasting appeal, the emotional attraction of the big Laverda triples, the bikes known as the Beasts of Breganze. You wouldn't feel any fire in your belly reading this plodding prose.

There's also nothing on the Laverda Monjuic 500 - arguably one of the most evocative twin cylinder Laverdas ever built - which is a bizarre oversight.

The best feature in this book is the `Distinguishing Features' box out panels, which act as a spotter's guide for anyone interested in acquiring a particular Laverda twin or triple.

At £29.99 the book is expensive, but if you are a true Laverda motorcycle collector, you'll find it is worth every penny. More at; sales@veloce.co.uk.

Rawland Leader Jacket 2007
This versatile, comfortable and protective jacket features a zip-out inner lining, loads of pockets, plus adjustable belt and sleeves for a snug fit. There are CE approved armour pieces in the shoulders and elbows, plus a back protector.

I realised at once that I should have asked for a size smaller jacket, but even with some `bulking out' going on I found the Leader was amazingly warm when I rode from Chester to London recently. The ride back was absolutely freezing, and with just a T-shirt and fleece underneath, I felt no cold on my torso at all.

If not for my fingers going numb I could have ridden all the way home without stopping in temperatures hovering just above freezing.

The Rawland Leader felt warmer and had a wider range of adjustment in its belt and sleeve areas than the previous one I tested back in 2005. I wasn't so keen on the colour scheme, or the collar detail, although it had anice velvety lining to the collar tabs.

The outer pockets have gone from press stud to velcro fastening - either way it is hard to open them with gloves on, but I found the velcro tabs held tight at speeds of up to 80mph. It didn't rain on test so I couldn't say if the fastenings were totally waterproof. There are inner pockets too of course.

I wasn't wild about the black/grey colour schemes, or having the word `Leader' on the jacket. It looks a bit bike instructer-ish to me, but that's my own taste...or indeed lack of it.

No two ways about it, the Leader is a very warm, well armoured textile jacket which retails for a very reasonable £120. Might be even cheaper at a major show like the BMF for example. Good value, definitely worth four stars.

More at www.rawland.com

Biker Britain; A Nation Uncovered
Glossy Hardback offering a snapshot of all aspects of Biker culture in the UK.

On sale; Now

Available from; www.nicksanders.com

This coffee table sized hardback from legendary globe-trotting two-wheeled traveller Nick Sanders gives an insight into the world of motorcycling, from TT racers to tattoed custom bike builders.

There are some great little interviews with Maria Cstello, Ace Cafe stunt rider Sparky and Allan Ford who rides the Wall of Death, amongst my favourites. Sanders is at his best when he talks about what makes people push life to the extreme, to risk everything for the rush, the thrill of the ride.

The photography is generally excellent, with just a few blurred images, or poor scans. There are some brilliant archive shots of people scrambling in the 60s and the original Ace Cafe.

The weakness of the book is its chaotic layout, with features and interviews ending abruptly, text missing, or continuing another eight pages further on.

It's a shame that the book wasn't laid out in sections; biker people, racing, biker places etc. so that the reader could follow things a bit easier. Otherwise, fascinating stuff.

Xena Alarm Disc Lock 2006
I've had this alarm disc lock on test from Xena for over a year now and it still emits a truly ear-bleeding shriek, each time a bike gets moved when it is fitted and armed.

My own bike has a Datatool alarm fitted, but some test bikes I ride have virtually no security, apart from a steering lock, which makes the Xena a very handy item indeed. It makes a strong visual deterrent, plus loud noise, to scare away casual thieves who target smaller bikes - which often have poor security.

It is also portable, unlike a lock and chain, although the Xena disc lock is heavy to carry about. I wouldn't recommend putting anything this solid in your pockets, but it is portable in throwover panniers, or tankbag.

Unlike a rival disc lock I tried, the Xena item actually fitted through the vents in my VFR800 disc brake carrier. It appears to be surviving the weather very well too.

I would say that if you ride a commuter bike, which has no alarm as standard, or a scooter - especially a two stroke, which tend to be targeted by young joyriders - then you would be wise to spend the £39.99 that the Xena XD14 disc alarm lock costs.

It is Thatcham approved so it could save you a bit on your bike/scooter insurance too.

You can buy it from www.motohaus.com in the UK.

Motorcycle Sunglasses; Night Riders 2005
insidebikes.com has tested these amber coloured Night Riders, which are retailed in the UK by www.motorcyclesunglasses.co.uk and cost £29.99.

We were initially sceptical that they would make objects appear slightly sharper and more distinct in dull light, or at night, but can report that they do just that. They also have a cushioned strip running around the inside of the frame, so if you wear them whilst biking they won't press into your face, as some ordinary specs can do.

Apart from being comfortable, looking funky and offering you the chance to see that unlit builders' skip a few yards earlier, the Night Riders retail at 30 notes, which we think makes them a very handy accessory indeed.