The Cw Library
THE CW LIBRARY
The Great History of Supercross
There are more than 700 photographs—most of them in full color—in French moto-journalist Xavier Audouard's new, 208-page, hardcover coffee-table book, The Great History of Supercross. Better yet, these images are purported to have previously appeared in only three French publications—Moto Revue, Moto Verte and MX—so they've never been seen by American fans.
Largely, this is a year-by-year summary of SX, from the early 1970s “Superbowl of Motocross” at the Los Angeles Coliseum through the 2004 season, with each season given approximately four pages. In addition, there is coverage of the Paris-Bercy SX and other overseas races, as well as the U.S. Open. A delightful gallery of champions features many of the top stars from past and present. Here, Jeremy McGrath deservedly gets the most ink; the seven-time champ also wrote the preface.
Audouard claims SX actually got its start in a suburb of Paris. And who’s to argue with the September 17, 1948, issue of Moto Revue that shows racers on period machinery charging over a jump in a stadium filled with fans!
As for the words, which get short shrift compared to the photos, the author goes so far as to credit former Dirt Rider and Motocross Action editors Ken Faught and Paul Boudreau for “light editing and editorial suggestions.” Given the grammatical goofs sprinkled throughout the book, maybe Faught and Boudreau should have been allowed a “heavier” presence. Nevertheless, fans of this exciting sport will most assuredly get an eyeful here. -Matthew Miles
The Great History of Supercross, Xavier Audouard, 208 pages,$55; Editions Lariviere, 12 Rue Mozart, Clichy Cedex, France 92587; 011-41-40-31-05; www.mxbooks.com
Hotshoe
The second of author Jerry Smith's fictional Jason Street novels, Hotshoe finds our hero accused of a crime he didn't commit and sus pended from his job as Features Editor of Motorcycle Monthly.
The first time around, in Deadman ’s Throttle, Street was trying to determine if a product review his brother Dale had written had led to his untimely demise. This time, he’s investigating whether the apparent suicide of a tire company mogul was in fact murder. Did I mention that he’d just slammed said tire company’s product in print, and that he found the body?
When the daughter of the slain man hires Street to investigate by posing as a mechanic for a Grand National dirt-track competitor, the plot line becomes as contrived as it could possibly be. But just when you’re expecting the worst, a wonderful thing happens: The green flag drops, and the reader is taken on a wonderful ride.
A former staffer at Motorcyclist, Rider and the late Cycle Guide magazines, Smith is a gifted storyteller. And his colorful portrayal of dirt-track racing is as vivid as any Eve ever read.
Moto-journalists will howl, dirt-track purists will scoff, but most readers won’t care. They’ll just find themselves hanging on the edge of their seats as they root for Street’s rider to win the number-one plate.
-Brian Catterson
Hotshoe, Jerry Smith, 224 pages, $15; Whitehorse Press, 107 E. Conway Rd., Center Conway, NH 03813; 800/531-1133; www.Whitehorsepress.com
Z1—The Movie
pick apart the fabric of motorcycling at any point and you may discover remarkable depth, as Zi-The Movie shows. If you're old enough, you know that the 903cc Kawasaki Zi, introduced in 1973, defined the high-performance four-cylinder "liter-bike" for years thereafter.
Many riders get their licenses in their late teens or early 20s, then ride until marriage, mortgage and parenthood assert themselves. Others somehow fix upon a certain brandeven upon a certain year and model of a certain brand-and forever see the world only through its unique qualities. This movie is about the relationship between one such worldwide group and the machines they fix upon: the Zl and its derivatives.
We are shown specialist shops restoring and servicing only these machines. Discontinued parts are reproduced. Gurus of the arcane recite at which engine number a small change in an obscure part was made. To soothe those offended by the tiniest deviation from correct paint, there is an artist who can re-create every detail of original appearance. Beyond the original are an endless menu of kit chassis, updated suspension and engine soup-ups.
At first, all this creative straining to keep classic bikes alive just made me tired. But the longer I watched, the more persuaded I became that this is part of our engine of diversity, saving motorcycling from fashion-dictated sameness. Have a look at the temples, priests and acolytes of this curious faith. Maybe you’ll like it. -Kevin Cameron
Z1—The Movie, 64 minutes, $25; American Classix, 51777 North Ridge Rd., Morongo Valley, CA 92256; 760/363-7515; www.americanclassix.com
