Book Review

BOOK REVIEW

BEST OF BRITISH

by Peter H ow’d le $20.05 Motorsports 6115 G rav ois St. Louis, Mo. 63116

The English are a complicated people with a complicated sense of humour. For instance if you observe that Bert Stodge is a “nice fellow,” some Englishman will be sure to enquire what you have against him. The title of this book is in itself reminiscent of a popular mechanics’ quote when faced with an awkward task, such as shoehorning a Harley 61 ohv Twin into a Harley Hummer frame. Best of British Luck, mate. This rather saucy attitude comes clear upon dipping into journalist Peter Howdle’s nice book; the subtitle referring to Classic Bikes of Yes-., teryear really refers to 38 lumps of (mostly) postwar Pommie iron, encompassing the good, bad and indifferent. Where Mr. Howdle’s talent comes through is in giving a general sort of story on each bike, also appending a spec panel, and then adding a short report from the actual owners. These bikes, with one or two exceptions I think, all exist in private hands and are driven on the street, thus escaping the persistent mothball smell found in so many other books about slightly aged machinery. They live!

Mr. Howdle can write and also is not subject to attacks of po-faced respect when confronted by loads of 20 year old scrap iron. He does a very sly preface while giving his version of why the British Motorcycle Industry went down the tube (version #46,985) and is not afraid to •point out the Worst of British with its history of oil leaks, vibration, and 420 lb. tfcree-fifties. Everybody thought all that stuff was normal. He also provides useful fiints (good ones start at such and such an engine number), valuable information (the energy transfer system was never workable on this bike) and comments on the Flatualent 650 being “a sheep in wolf s ck>thing.” Most unusually for an Englishman (they like to con the Colonials) he tiews his subjects with warts and all, affectionately to be sure, but with warts and all. T*he chapter on the holy of holies International Norton is priceless in itself, showing that mixture of resignation and love that oj\e would give to a really batbrained girlfriend.

Best of British is not meant to be a humour book as such. Mr. Howdle provides stories about most of the so-called classics, dabbles about in murky lineage of AMC and BSA, and incidentally clarifies the identification of many “grey porridge” road bikes that came over here in bewjldering profusion, very helpful for the enthusiast who discovers one in the back càf a motorcycle shop someplace. What is that? Also present are such gems as the stillborn dohc BSA Fury, Rocket Gold Star, James Captain, Enfield Crusader, and the ever popular Velocette Bogue, most of which is delivered a final kick up tlïe Khyber to a sliding industry. Oh dear. What a lovely book. Much credit to my old friend Patrick Stephens for publishing ik.

—Henry N. Manney III