AUTHOR PROFILE No.5: PETER HENSHAW

Author of 16 Veloce books, biker Peter Henshaw is our author profile this month. His latest book The Triumph Bonneville Bible was published last month by Veloce.

I can remember counting down the days to my 17th birthday and being able to legally drive a car, about ten years before the event. But it didn’t turn out like that. I bought a moped at 16, and that changed everything.

It was a Puch VZ50 in bright yellow, which could manage 38mph flat out. After a decade of pedal power it seemed blindingly fast. No CBT or compulsory training, of course – the examiner had stood on a Dorchester street corner and watched me wobble round the block. I remember braking on gravel on the Puch, and repenting at leisure, but I was never seriously hurt. For that I probably have to thank the RAC/ACU training scheme, in which a bunch of unpaid volunteers attempted to instil some road sense into wobbly novices. They did it to keep new riders safe and motorcycling thriving, and I’ve never said thank you. So, thank you.

At 17, I bought an old CZ 175 using cash saved from summer jobs, under the strong impression that nobody rode a moped at that advanced age. Of course, it was a laughing stock in the school bike sheds alongside the Superdreams and RD250s, but it was cheap, it was mine, and it felt fast enough. A Triumph Tiger 90 followed a couple of years later – a Honda would probably have been more sensible, but I was caught up in a welter of youthful idealism that combined patriotism with an affinity for the underdog struggles of the Meriden co-operative’s attempts to survive against all odds. Many breakdowns, and several rebuilds, but my word ... what a beautiful machine.

My employment at Haynes Publishing offered the opportunity to waste larger amounts of cash, and I did so on an ex-police Norton Interpol, the rotary-engined bike that a few forces bought in the 1980s. Actually ‘waste’ is unfair, because the Norton was a unique experience that I wouldn’t have missed for anything, though it had some odd habits. All this time, cars came and went in the background. An Austin Maxi for a while, and at least two Imps – my brother and I wrote The Inside Story of the Hillman Imp, published in 1987 – but I was never without a bike.

Redundancy led to a job with Diesel Car magazine. I’d never intended to become a journalist, but it all worked out alright. The salary was rock bottom, but I began writing books with photographer Andrew Morland, mostly about bikes or tractors. Best of all, my company transport was an Enfield Robin diesel, which I bought when I left the magazine and still own today. It cruises at 50-55mph (hitting 65-ish on the proverbial downhill), will plonk away happily all day, and gives 170-200mpg. Owning the Enfield came with an increasing awareness that we live on a planet of finite resources, and our profligate habits have got to change – the diesel is fun at 50mph and 200mpg.

I’d been an on-off reader of the old Motorcycle Sport magazine for a while, so the chance to take over as editor in 1996 was too good an opportunity to turn down. They were great days, commuting down to Cornwall every week, and riding everything from scooters to Goldwings. I went through a bit of a feet-forward scooter phase before buying an ex-road test Honda Transalp, and finally the Suzuki Gladius that’s in the garage as I write this, now approaching 50,000 miles on the clock and still going strong.

My involvement in the ill-fated Motorcycle Voyager magazine lasted until its collapse, and I’ve since learnt as a freelance writer not to put all my eggs in one basket, instead tapping out articles for magazines at home and abroad for a range of publishers. Meanwhile, the book list keeps growing, and last time I counted it was up to 50, with a good proportion of them published by Veloce. Keep buying them, and I’ll keep writing them.
Peter Henshaw

Click here to view all Veloce books by Peter Henshaw.

PORSCHE AND HONDA TO BE CELEBRATED AT RACE RETRO 2012

Race Retro, Europe’s premier International Historic Motorsport Show, will be celebrating the Porsche marque, thirty years of the Group C Porsche 956 and thirty years of the Honda Racing Corporation, when it returns to Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, from 24-26 February 2012,

Porsche is Race Retro’s chosen car marque for 2012. From the 1948 birth of the iconic 356, the first sports car to bear the Porsche name, to the current-model 911 GT2 RS, an astonishing and pulse-quickening creation, Porsche has relentlessly pushed the performance envelope. Committed to technical excellence and continual improvement, Porsche has immersed itself in motor sport, and the lessons learnt and advantages gained are passed directly to its road cars. This high-octane philosophy permeates the marque and always has done.

Porsche’s motor sports heritage across the decades will be well represented at Race Retro, with a number of static race and rally displays in Hall 1. Plus, there’ll be guest appearances by Porsche race and rally stars, including a number of legendary Porsche works drivers. There’ll be plenty of sideways action too, on the live action rally stage, on both Saturday and Sunday, where a jaw-dropping selection of rallying icons, including a Porsche 911 RSR, will be showing their mettle.

Hall 2 will be home to Race Retro’s ‘The Porsche 956 at Thirty’ celebrations. It’s hard to appreciate that this astonishing Group C car first competed back in 1982. A wonderfully-timeless and evocative design, it so purposefully and powerfully symbolises Porsche’s involvement with motor sport and its triumphs. The 956, and its successor the 962, secured numerous team, manufacturers’, drivers’, race, and championship successes throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Few manufacturers have been such an integral part of bike racing as Honda hence the celebration of its glorious thirty years. Ever since the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) was founded in 1982, this hugely-successful organisation has been at the forefront of GP racing, road racing, endurance racing, trials riding and motorcross. And, uniquely, as well as covering all disciplines, since its inception, HRC has actively supported privateer teams and individual riders who have always been able to avail themselves of technical support, set-up advice, research and development, and specialist parts. Visitors to Hall 3 will delight in the variety of Honda displays and delight in the fact that they can rub shoulders with Honda team riders, team managers, and mechanics.

Of course, Classic bikes should be heard as well as seen! The good news is that the race bike ‘Fire-up Paddock’ is returning for 2012. Each day, this aural arena will resonate with the sounds of bike racing’s glorious past, including the marvellous multi-cylinder Hondas.

Adult ticket prices are £20 when booking in advance, £25 on the gate. Children’s tickets are £5 on Friday or Saturday and free on Sunday. Parking is also free throughout. The show is open from 9.30am each day and closes at 5.30pm on Friday and Saturday and 4.30pm on Sunday. To book tickets and for the latest updates, visit www.raceretro.com.

HONDA FIREBLADE WINS AWARD

The class-leading and race winning Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade has won an award for ‘Best Used Bike of the Year’.

Almost six hundred motorcycle dealers across the country - representing a broad range of manufacturers - voted in the recent British Dealer News motorcycle industry survey, with the vast majority choosing the Honda Fireblade as the best used bike of the year.

Reasons for the decision included opinions that the CBR1000RR Fireblade offers the best overall riding package, is a consistent top seller and desirable motorcycle, rates very highly in reliability and quality and retains its value well.

With a nineteen year established and award-winning road riding history, coupled with four BSB championship titles and countless TT race wins to its name, as well as being and the first machine to break the 200mph barrier at the North West 200 and 130mph lap at the legendary Isle of Man TT, the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade really is a leader in its class.

Steve Martindale, General Manager of Honda (UK) Motorcycles commented, “The Fireblade has consistently proved itself as an incredible machine both on the road and track. The fact that it’s still as popular today as it was back in 1992 when it was introduced in its first incarnation is testament to the machine’s impressive credentials and, we’re delighted to know that motorcycle dealers across the industry hold the Fireblade with the same regard as our customers do.”
Source: Honda

Stop! Don’t buy a FireBlade without buying this book first! Honda CBR FireBlade – The Essential Buyer's Guide
By Peter Henshaw

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of Honda FireBlade ownership, learn how to spot a bad bike quickly, and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right bike at the right price!

Click here for more info about the book.

HONDA – A ‘WORK OF ART’ AT SELFRIDGES

Honda’s legendary Fireblade has now topped the scales as ‘a work of art’ and can be seen like never before in a unique ‘suspended’ window display in the world famous Selfridges department store on Oxford Street in London.

The artist inspired window display features a sleek, black and white Honda Fireblade suspended from one side of a set of scales, with a fully disassembled Fireblade balancing these out with its hundreds of parts hanging individually on wires of varying lengths.

The display occupies the prestigious double aspect Wonder Room feature windows, on the corner of Oxford Street and Orchard Street, and is the focal point of a wider five window artistic display by up and coming young artist, Kyle Bean. The display theme is ‘The Conservation of Mass’, with the displays cleverly and innovatively highlighting how matter cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

This truly eye-catching and inspiring display certainly turned heads and attracted crowds outside the windows as the team undertook a daytime ‘live installation’, as the Selfridges windows are viewed by over 125,000 different people each day.

The artist won a competitive pitch process for the window display at Selfridges, which has recently been voted the world’s best department store and attracts over 20 million visitors each year. Kyle’s vision for the largest of his five window display was for an object that was minimalistic but had bold presence, would create intrigue by being in an environment out of its context, as well as being something that in its own form was stylish and compact, yet made up of an intricate connection of many parts – and a motorcycle was his obvious choice.

The Fireblade display can be seen in the Selfridges windows until the end of August, although a video of the intricate but fun build-up of the artistic display can also be viewed on the HondaUKMotorcycles channel on YouTube.

Source: Honda



Forthcoming! Honda FireBlade CBR900, CBR900RR, CBR1000RR. 893cc, 929cc, 954cc, 998cc, 999cc. 1992-2010 – The Essential Buyer's Guide
By Peter Henshaw

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of Honda FireBlade ownership, learn how to spot a bad bike quickly, and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right bike at the right price! More info.

ENGINE T-SHIRTS

Like most bikers, Daniel Peirce – acclaimed international photographer and author of the awesome Veloce book The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine – believes that a motorcycle engine is a work of art. Daniel has photographed engines from a wide variety of classic motorbikes, many of which are housed in the historic Barber Museum in the US. As well as being beautiful, Daniel's photos are a worthy reminder of the engineering excellence that goes into making a motorcycle.


Thanks to www.bandicoots.com.au you can now wear your favourite classic bike engine, as photographed by Daniel, on a subtle, classy T-shirt.

New! The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine – The Story of the Up-N-Smoke Engine Project
By tradition, the motorcycle is a naked beast, differing from other vehicles by the fact that its mechanical structure is also part of its aesthetic appearance. In The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine, photographer Daniel Peirce examines the graphic nature of historic engines with stunning and dramatic photography. Since the beginning of the motorbike, engine designers knew they had to design power plants that performed well and looked good. Peirce presents 64 stunning pictures from his popular UP-N-SMOKE Engine Project. In addition to his engine photography, the book also includes the story of the project and the years it took to take it from an inspired idea to a tangible reality.

“pornography for gearheads” - Cycle World Magazine

Click here for more info about the book!

GET YOUR KICKS ON TWO WHEELS?

-PRESS RELEASE-


Three brand new Motorcycle books from Veloce!

The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine – The Story of the Up-N-Smoke Engine Project (ISBN 978-1-84584-174-4)
By Daniel Peirce
Professional photographer Dan Peirce presents 64 stunning pictures from his popular ‘Up-n-Smoke’ engine project. The book also tells the story behind the project and how it took years to bring it from an inspired idea to a tangible reality. “Pornography for Gearheads” – Cycle World magazine
• Hardback • 25x25cm • £19.99 • 144 pages • 64 colour photos

Motorcycle Apprentice: Matchless – in name & reputation (ISBN 978-1-84584-179-9)
By Bill Cakebread
Gives a unique insight to the atmosphere and excitement of working in the AMC (Matchless/AJS) motorcycle factory. An inspiring story, supported by a host of period photographs and rare documents, providing a fascinating record of life within the British motorcycle industry from its heyday and on into decline and oblivion.
• Hardback • 25x20.7cm • £19.99 • 128 pages • c. 100 mainly b&w photos

Off-road Giants – Heroes of 1960s Motorcycle Sport (ISBN 978-1-84584-190-4)
By Andrew Westlake
A fascinating and nostalgic compilation of rider profiles written over a three year period, that originally appeared in Classic Motorcycle magazine, now accompanied by a new set of over 100 photographs. This book beautifully captures a much-loved time in motorsport.
• Hardback • 25x20.7cm • £19.99 • 128 pages • 115 period b&w photos

All available now! (UK & USA)
Each £19.99 UK / $39.95 USA

OPENING OF BUS LANES FOR BIKES

London’s red route bus lanes open to motorcyclists for commuter ease and safety.

Honda (UK) today led a snow sprinkled ride out with a number of motorcycle industry partners and the London Mayor’s Director for Transport Policy, Kulveer Ranger, to celebrate the opening of London’s red route bus lanes for motorcyclists, following Transport for London’s (TfL) announcement to allow motorcycles to use red route bus lanes for an 18-month trial period starting from today.

Although red routes make up just 5% of London’s roads, this move by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, will significantly help cut congestion and keep the Capital moving and safer for all red route bus lane users.

The new ‘Code of Conduct’ for motorcyclists is available through the TfL’s website, www.tfl.gov.uk, or, from the MCIA’s website www.mcia.co.uk

source:honda/newspress

Honda FCX Clarity. The car that emits only water from its exhaust pipe!

This week, Honda's zero emission, hydrogen fuel cell cars have started to roll off the production line. After 19 years of development, this car marks the beginning of a new era of cleaner motoring.

The car uses a fuel cell stack - a device that uses an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) to convert chemical energy into electrical energy to power a motor that drives the car's wheels. Honda's FC stack simultaneously generates electricity and water, emitting no CO2 or other harmful emissions.

Next year, Honda's more affordable hybrid car goes on sale in the UK. So as the technology becomes cheaper more people will be able to adopt it, consequently reducing global car emissions.

Check out Acura NSX-Honda's Supercar by Brian Long published by Veloce Publishing.



The definitive story of Honda's amazing supercar, the NSX.



click here for more info about the book

Honda Live Advert

First ever live TV advertisment went out on Channel 4 last night.

Check out this Honda book by Veloce Publishing..








Acura NSX-Honda's Supercar


By Brian Long




Features



Befitting the subject, the author is a leading motoring historian, who lives in Japan and who has received full co-operation from Honda

Full year-by-year coverage of all production models, including limited editions

Japanese, American and European markets covered superb detail

Well over 380 contemporary pictures, including rare prototypes, mainly in colour

Advertising and sales brochures are also reproduced

Interviews with key personnel

Sales and production data

Description



The definitive story of Honda's amazing supercar, the NSX

Synopsis



Honda’s superbly engineered flagship model, the NSX, is the ultimate Japanese supercar. This book charts, in great detail, the complete history of the Honda NSX from inception to the present, and also incorporates a buyer's guide. Features over 380 colour photos, advertising literature and interviews with key Honda personnel in order to tell the real story of the NSX. An absolute must have for anyone who owns, plans to own, or just plain admires the thinking person's supercar, the NSX.



click here for more info