A hybrid machine--powered at times by steam, electricity or internal combustion--the motorcycle in its infancy was an innovation to help bicycle racers go faster. As motor age technology advanced, the quest for greater speed at the velodrome peaked, with riders reaching up to 100 mph on pedal-started bikes without brakes, suspensions or gear ......

A tragic age and a tragic character, both seemingly compelled to destroy themselves...a chilling reminder of how little control we have over our fates Damon Hill
One of the greatest motor racing stories Nick Mason
Timely, vivid and enthralling … it’s unputdownable’ Miranda Seymour, author of The Bugatti ......