https://www.wideline.co.uk/home2 daily 0.75 2021-08-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1601584031645-9LS74H9XO00TWROY6S0T/Dust+Jacket+front.jpg Home1 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600522871826-23ISP24AEOI36SBB6HGN/9.+1966+-+prior+to+Vienna+Rally%2C+Jennifer+and+me.+Photo+by+Widnes+Weekly+News.png Home1 - Thunderbolts & Lightning When it comes to books BSA’s Twins are a neglected breed. While there’s been a lot written on Nortons - the Commando in particular - and a huge amount on Triumph’s Twins, anything on BSA’s products from Armoury Road has been scant in comparison. Indeed the fact that Roy Bacon’s slim, Triples and Twins, of 1980, is still regarded as the definitive work, speaks volumes. There seemed a gap and Thunderbolts & Lightning now fills it. It’s also a little bit different from previous marque titles, in that it draws on interviews with eighty-plus ex-BSA staff and those directly associated with the machines. Along with period documentation, drawings and images, many of which you are unlikely to have come across before... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600927913094-S12OPOAJA03CC6QMDRS6/1969+Star+possibly+John+Moss+Robinson9+%282%29.jpg Home1 - About WIDELINE WIDELINE is a new publisher set up to create and promote motorcycle books for the discerning. You’ve probably heard that sales pitch before but the demise of high street book shops and the winding down of established publishers in the field has seen a decline in the diversity of motorcycle titles on offer. Our ambition is to avoid the low hanging fruit of well covered topics and to concentrate on makes and models, events and personalities, too esoteric for the mainstream. But of interest to genuine enthusiasts none the less. We’re able to do this as all design, promotion and distribution is handled in-house at WIDELINE. So that while final production is carried out by some of the most respected printing houses in Europe we are still able to provide good value publications for those looking for something a bit different. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1601047055982-TKIJ9O8GHBTHXY9V9G2R/Screenshot%2B2020-09-25%2Bat%2B16.12.43.jpg Home1 - Contact Us - Anytime for anything. Got a shipping question? Can’t pay on-line? Just drop us a line and we’ll be able to sort it out. We’re also always interested in book ideas from industry insiders, racers or those involved with the British motorcycle scene more broadly, so please get in touch if you think you have a story to tell. Editor@wideline.co.uk 07966575182 https://www.wideline.co.uk/widelineauthors daily 0.75 2021-08-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600543047174-LS7QWT17ABTRWVI5OGL4/On%252Bthe%252Broad%252Bwith%252BDavid%252Bpayne%252B2009%252BCrawford%252B%2525282%252529.jpg Wideline Authors - Peter Crawford has been a regular contributor to the monthly motorcycling press for over twenty years, with Classic Racer magazine his main focus in recent years through a particular interest in motorcycle sport. Prior to this he also wrote, but was able to do so only intermittently, due to the pressures of his day job as an Aid Worker. From the Rwanda Genocide of 1994 to the Nepal earthquake in 2015 this saw him present at many historically significant events and while it was not his priority - that was running refugee camps, food distribution centres and shelter construction projects – he also wrote about the same. As such his words and photography have appeared in the publications of Oxfam, Save the Children and Christian Aid among other international organisations, highlighting events as diverse as the collapse of communism in the former Yugoslavia, the war in Afghanistan and the 2005 Tsunami. Even here though, motorcycles were part of the picture. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600543506138-NHWCN7GU5BREOT47JXXF/Reduced+Sukkkur+to+Quetta+10th+May+2009+%284%29.jpg Wideline Authors Indeed an involvement with motorcycles has been a constant. An early apprenticeship saw him despatch riding during London’s burgeoning courier heyday, with his machine ownership reflecting a similar snap shot of the time. Smoking learner 250s gave way to the odd, largely forgettable Japanese-multi and Honda and Ducati v-twins, but big British Twins were in there from the start. Since going ‘Jap’ or remaining British was largely down to which pub/crowd you preferred back then and he fell heavily to the European side of the equation. As such he still has his original Triumph, 40-years on, the same Moto Morini 350 he bought with 750 miles on the clock and has never been without his first love, a BSA A65. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600543941502-EEJM9CB3NYTK5UJW6FD7/IMG_20200913_0001.jpg Wideline Authors Additional current machines include a BMW R100 sidecar outfit – reliving a teenage flirtation with a leading-link-fork equipped A65, running 16” Dunlop racing tyres on the road – a 1937 Scott, a BSA B31, a Verlicchi-framed Devimead 750 and more Moto Morinis than is healthy - six at last count including the obligatory box of bits. Despatch riding has not been his only use of a motorcycle for work either. Magazine assignments have necessitated rides across Europe, while off-road machines featured as work transport in Ghana and Liberia. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600543911054-TM6M40PAW0OYMUTPUUFN/Dalbandin+to+Iran+border+13th+May+2009+%281%29.JPG Wideline Authors A Royal Enfield Bullet served the same purpose over six years in Nepal and India, after which he made the obligatory ride home, since he knew he’d regret it later if he didn’t. Though choosing the Pakistan-Iran route during the height of the Afghan and Iraq wars less regularly appears on people’s bucket lists. He is a freelance writer and currently lives in the British Midlands with his lovely, very understanding wife and two children. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1630300559689-S93P3E277JYGD8JU8PCR/Clive+Horton+Sue+Horton+Snetterton+1972+-+Copy.jpg Wideline Authors - Sue Horton Sue was in many ways the driving force behind team Horton as driver, logistician, accountant, child minder and confidant. She was also at the reigns of Racing Spares (UK), the business which grew out of Clive’s racing involvement. For a generation of riders and racers however she’s probably best known from the Ron Haslam Race school, where she also worked for many years. Sue died in 2020 after a short illness. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1630300466528-EK7FGM5NBKO6X7C6UJVA/Clive+Horton+mug+shot+-+Copy.jpg Wideline Authors - Clive Horton Clive was a top GP contender in the 125 to 350 classes as well as campaigning similar machines in a variety of UK championships. The 1973 125cc TT win probably ranks as his most enduring achievement, though his 1977 Honda 125 title was probably as hard won, when the financially lucrative Championship was contested by GP regulars such as Ron Haslam and Charlie Williams. For many he will be remembered however as a constant thorn in the side of the works Grand Prix teams during several years on the International circuit. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1630300868362-27J2DATV6Y4MH5U6NPB9/Clive+Horton+%26+Sue+Horton+1974+-+Copy.jpg Wideline Authors - A World title ultimately alluded Clive and Sue, but Clive was always in the hunt and played his part in Silverstone’s famous 1978 Grand Prix, where British riders took 2nd place in every solo class, but failed to snatch a victory - Tom Herron was 2nd in both the 350 and 250 races, Clive 2nd in the 125s and Steve Manship 2nd in the 500s, with Barry Sheene 3rd in the 500s and Jock Taylor 3rd in the sidecars for good measure. Clive now divides his time between his children, dog Wilson and his current motorcycles, two 1950s Vincents. Which are about as far from his Grand Prix 125s as it’s possible to get. https://www.wideline.co.uk/international-payment daily 0.75 2021-01-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1604062940788-3FY4NY23D7UYYBDAYFTO/eu_flag-2015.jpg Buy Thunderbolts & Lightning from outside the UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1604062826255-AZYJF596Y0K0T239WVQW/australia-flag-image-free-download.jpg Buy Thunderbolts & Lightning from outside the UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1604062864356-7LLUKKP6XSCFEL1DE2NK/canada-flag-medium.jpg Buy Thunderbolts & Lightning from outside the UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1604063004524-V3M75EPN2GRTXKKQZA7Z/united-states-of-america-flag-medium.jpg Buy Thunderbolts & Lightning from outside the UK https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1610372143230-8H5S467AZS2R5CLNEWXG/New+Zealnd+flag.jpg Buy Thunderbolts & Lightning from outside the UK https://www.wideline.co.uk/about daily 0.75 2020-11-16 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ced8e1d5fd4c700018dd761/1559159553277-L9KQOTZLAPFM1QJLYTCI/profile-center-center-01.jpg About https://www.wideline.co.uk/ourbooks daily 0.75 2025-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/114701c1-8db7-4f37-a013-ddae07d71298/Norton_Commander_750_Fastback_01pop.jpg Our Books Norton Commando. The late 1960s saw the British motorcycle industry challenged as never before. While many manufacturers collapsed in the face of oriental sophistication Norton banked all on a stop gap solution which looked like madness at the time; ditching the exemplary featherbed frame in favour of mounting the aged Atlas engine in a rubber mounted alternative. It worked, and a legend was born. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/06709b08-e608-4c75-8797-be1fec840a71/1969+29th+June+Thruxton+ntenrational+1000+Andrew+Khun+round+Kemp+on+Curley+Norton_Bill+Riley.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/6afcb815-9862-4f86-884c-3ad0afd419b8/Norton-Commando-750-Roadster-Beautiful.jpg Our Books - With a foreword by Norton legend Peter Williams Norton Commando documents the early developments and abortive attempts to incorporate a new engine design, moves on to the early styling exercises and then the definitive Roadster and Interstate incarnations. Less well know models such as the High Rider and JPS road models are also covered as is the impressive story of the Commando on the track. As would be expected of any work written by Mick Duckworth what makes this book standout however is the depth of research and previously unseen images on show, all contributing to a highly readable and visually impressive book. If you haven‘t already got a copy, get one! These are the very last copies available of this truly outstanding book. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1ae0fbd2-ffa1-4236-b187-aee4bbdbb7a5/1973+122r.jpg Our Books - Dancing down the pit lane. If you’ve heard the name Stuart Hicken you may know that he owns Mallory Park or that he runs Hawk Racing, one of BSB’s most successful and long lived teams. There is far more to Stuart’s story however. A 1960s Rocker on the road, he soon found himself rubbing shoulders with a young Barry Sheene and a pre-stardom Mick Grant, while racing everything from G50s to TZ Yamahas. Business then took over and after becoming Europe’s most successful Bultaco dealer he was soon importing White Power suspension from Holland, being in exactly the right place as a global suspension revolution took off https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/031a83a3-b01d-45b5-9df1-9a46deca6e72/009+1995+Reve+Racing+Kawasaki+WSB+team+%28l+to+r%29+me%2C+mechanic+Chris+Anderson%2C+technician+Barry+Stanley+and+mechanic+Sean+Greer+%28James+Kelly+photo%2C+SH+Archive%29.jpg Our Books - Road racing was always Stuart’s true love however and a chance encounter with the naiscent Norton Rotary road race team led to a stint as a World Superbike team manager before his own team, Hawk Racing, was born. John Reynolds and Michael Rutter were two of his early riders, but the complete list reads like a who’s who of British motorcycle sport, many nutured from a young age, and many around Mallory Park. Stuart grew up near Mallory and the opportunity to take over the flagging circuit was too good to turn down. A new chapter had started, as did a relationship with Michael Dunlop, which began in 2014 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/06493dfc-a718-45fd-98f1-dd86eb4f3e7d/014+Richard+dominated+Superstock+with+11+wins%2C+seven+seconds+and+one+third+on+our+bike+during+2019+%28Double+Red%29.JPG Our Books - Michael Dunlop’s father, Robert Dunlop, had ridden for Stuart and through that connection a long term relationship grew. It resulted in multiple TT wins, but as with much of Stuart’s story, those are just a part. Weighing in at over 1kg, with over 300 images over 280 pages, this is one hell of a read for anyone interested in British motorcycle sport over the last fifty years. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/b5ba526b-65ca-4871-be28-777a20d939ee/Honda+CB500+Plemstall+Church+Bob+Edwards+riding_170575_John+Moulton+%2875%29.JPG Our Books Racing off the Page. The 1970s were a high point for the British motorcycle trade. The British makes themselves may have been on their way out, but the streets were awash with metal flake Japanes and Italian alternatives, and what alternatives they were. Every few months a new icon seemed to appear, from the seminal Honda CB750 to Laverda’s awe inspiring Jota. There was a tidal wave of new models and John Moulton got to test the best, writing a weekly column in the Cheshire Observer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/9f86d368-dfe5-406f-bdcc-cecda49b6c83/Bob+White+with+works+RG500_July+1977_John+Moulton+%28192%29.JPG https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/47f40cc6-4b01-4a2d-b6fd-7794e0f8d5ee/Me+%26+John+Graves+of+Dugdales+TT+winning+Honda+500%29_201175_John+Moulton+%28197%29.JPG Our Books - On the sales floor John worked through the peak years of motorcycle sales, dealing with the many characters found on both sides of the counter. He still maintained his links with the local racing scene however, eventaully sponsoring local sidecar star Allen Steele, and it’s all told over 200-plus hard-back pages, featuring dozens of period images, from the glorious 1970s. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/aef50164-1c03-4c17-ba80-e2164b32a93c/IMG_1378+-+Copy.JPG Our Books - Hanks - On my knees. Birmingham born and bred Roy Hanks has been the face of Erdington’s Fred Hanks Motorcycles since the 1970s. His family also published the TT Special newspaper, while behind the scenes Roy was always active within the Auto Cycle Union, becoming an ACU Director in 1997. A position he still holds. He is best known for his exploits on the track however, with the TT Sidecar Centennial being a case in point. 2023 marked the 100 years of sidecar racing on the Isle of Man and Roy competed in most of those meetings. Competing without break, from 1960 to 2016, across four generations of the Hanks family, from father Fred to granddaughter Jamie. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/fef8ec6d-1f90-463c-9f81-dcbee174ee53/Cover+image.jpg Our Books - He remains the youngest person ever to have competed at the Isle of Man TT races and has been at the sharp-end of sidecar racing since forever. He started racing alongside the BSA-powered ‘Birmingham Mafia’, survived the glory days of the Yamaha TZ750 powered rocketships, was a pioneer of the 350cc two-stroke outfits and was instrumental in developing the four-stroke F2 class, which was the basis for the 600cc machines we see today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/504d6dd9-6d13-4117-96c6-9caf1720ce83/1997+TT+win_Roy+Hanks+%281%29.jpg Our Books - His achievements are too long to list, but the fact that he won the 1997 TT at his 59th attempt, long after most would have given up, tells you all you need to know about Roy Hanks. Racer, dealer, sports administrator, publisher and grandee of one of British motorsport’s greatest racing dynasties, Roy Hanks has done it all. And for a lot longer than anyone else! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/8270dd93-40ff-469a-9e43-baa18fd8b9d4/REDUCED+Pickrell+1968+54-28i.jpg Our Books Production Racers of the 1960s. There are plenty of books which cover motorcycle racing in the 1960s, but none on the most important class of them all. Production racing grew from humble beginnings, but it’s virtually all production racing now and it all started in the 1960s. This book explains quite how, by the end of the decade, even world champions graced the sport. Hailwood, Read, Gould, they all rode production bikes and Barry Sheene soon would too. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/46f588cf-4586-4975-a3f8-5d3283a036ae/REDUCED+IMG_20180327_0022+-+Copy.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/d3a4f595-3d68-4873-805f-3c1a73a44613/REDUCED+-+Bantam+Racing+club+Snetterton+late+1968+%281%29.jpg Our Books - From the seminal Gold Star these range to the later Honda CB450, Triumph Trident, Ducati Mach I and Norton Commando, all of which featured in the production TT, once established in 1967. The TT more than any other event demonstrated just how meteorically production racing’s star had risen, and it’s all covered over 275 pages, featuring 350 images, 25 pages of race results and countless first hand stories and quotes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1633193851559-TD7BOCLAAOZ5AZUMA8NO/Ed+Moran+%284%29+-+Copy.jpg Our Books - Hailwood to Vincent. A list of classic competition machines from the golden age of British motorcycle racing is unlikely to include the BSA A65/50. Which is odd, as it won seven British National championships, a TT and the coveted American AMA No.1 plate among other titles. As Hailwood to Vincent recounts the lack of profile was partly due to BSA’s longstanding off-road bias, combined with a BSA-Triumph Group focus on promoting their three cylinder machines over the twins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1633194388506-SG6YFU8FZ9AZ3GP1RB76/Torello+Tacchi+1966++%284%29+-+Copy+-+Copy.jpg Our Books - As a result of these factors much development of the A65 and A50 was carried out by BSA staff ‘out of hours’ with the American works team of 1970/71 similarly having to develop their own flat track machines to complement the big budget, works prepared, Rob North Rocket Threes. As the title implies this volume highlights the many competitors who made their mark on the BSA Unit twins, from Mike Hailwood’s landmark Hutchinson 100 victory to Chris Vincent’s many UK sidecar titles https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1633194150683-RWZ2PUSIDYO03TEE7JBX/Vincent+cadwell+130964+passenger+unknown.jpg Our Books - It also includes contributions from all the members of the 1970/71 American BSA works team, but lesser known stories too. You’ll read of Graham Sanders heart breaking 2nd place in the 1970 European endurance racing championships , when he was barred from racing his A65 in the final round of the series at the Bol d’Or, as well as Alex Jorgensen’s titanic battle at the Houston Astrodome in 1980, where he defeated Freddie Spencer only to be piped at the post by Kenny Roberts. It’s all in Hailwood to Vincent https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1629005068016-8TCCQLO2CGBB0IXUOM9Q/AFF-Clive+Horton+%26+Sue+Horton+Fosters+MT125_100K+Black_210421.jpg Our Books From The Other Side Of The Tracks. There are plenty of biographies by ex-sports stars, but few by their long-suffering partners. This book tips the balance a little, while shining a light on what it was like to perform in the dying days of the now mythical Continental Circus. Where the little guys …and girls… took on the stars of the works racing teams and won. Well, some-times. It’s a fascinating read for fans of the glory years of Grand Prix racing and the Isle of Man TT, and takes the lid off what it was like to race as one of the many privateers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1629004184870-4H23RKD0847499X73JKH/Clive+Horton+TT+1973+1+of+4+%284%29+-+Copy.jpg Our Books “It is a beautifully written book which made me realise just how much our wives had to contend with whilst we pursued our chosen sport, often on the move and working in the most primitive of conditions. What struck me most was just how close Sue and Clive’s relationship was and there's no doubting Sue’s flair for writing and lovely dry wit. With elements of hardship, failure, success, comedy and love, I can thoroughly recommend the book to anyone that has an interest in motorcycle racing, particularly back in the seventies and early eighties.” – Charlie Williams. Ten times Isle of Man winner and TT legend https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1629004615845-AJRWMW8ZCRYOKNZPJ6QN/Clive+Horton+Fosters+MT+-+REDUCED.jpg Our Books - With a foreword by fellow privateer and 1980 350cc World Champion Jon Ekerold - the last such privateer to win a world title – Sue tracks Clive’s career from Bantam Racing Club to Grand Prix circus. Where, in 1980, MCN put Clive on a par with Barry Sheene as the Brit most likely to win a World Title. Neither did but that’s where the similarity ended. There were neither corporate sponsors nor works riders for Clive – besides an interlude with Armstrong – but there’s no resentment or envy in Sue’s book either. Only wit and warmth, though there are tears along the way too, From The Other Side Of The Tracks https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600773971057-WFP2WOQ442RMIZJ16P4U/Transatlantic+airrace+bike+still+exists+BSAOC+%285%29+-+Copy.jpg Our Books Thunderbolts & Lightning. When it comes to books BSA’s twins are a neglected breed. There seemed a gap and Thunderbolts & Lightning now fills it. It’s also a little bit different from previous marque titles, in that it draws on interviews with eighty-plus ex-BSA staff and those directly associated with the machines. Along with period documentation, drawings and images, many of which you are unlikely to have come across before. Of particular interest to BSA enthusiasts will be the quotes and observations from staff directly involved, which start with Colin Washbourne and Ray Beach, the builders of the first prototype engines. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600773624199-GTFEU06JKYP3GIET12JW/ebay+photo+1+-+Copy.jpg Our Books Contributors then included Chris Vincent and Peter Brown - both British sidecar champions as well as test riders of the original prototype machines in 1961 – through to Engine Development, Comp Shop, Sales, Drawing Office staff and more. All of whom played their part in shaping the machines’ history. Beyond the factory gates the views of dealers, owners-from-new and those who rode them professionally – the police, stunt riders and racers specifically – help paint a picture of the machines in context. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600773878359-XZYHDUEYK0ADFH1DSC4I/Pat+Slin+%281%29+-+Copy.jpg Our Books - They all contribute to a three dimensional portrait of the machines, which goes beyond the normal cataloguing of year on year changes to brackets and washers - though there is plenty of that too. The headline stealing results of the racing machines also feature throughout and while there is more detail on that in Volume II – Hailwood to Vincent - for the road bike enthusiast, it’s all in Thunderbolts & Lightning https://www.wideline.co.uk/home daily 1.0 2025-11-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/f5427ecd-1b3d-4563-9f92-c71253f3df76/cbadc460849a230630e086ffdb89b422.jpg Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/ffdb8bc5-201a-4981-b3d5-92264a83caa9/Book+cover+1.jpg Home - Dancing down the pit lane There are many biographies by ex-motorcycle racers. However, as a racer, suspension specialist, WSBK team manager, circuit boss and BSB team owner Stuart Hicken’s story is unique. From racing a Matchless G50 around the Isle of Man to building TT winners for Michael Dunlop, Stuart Hicken has done it all. As one of the country’s longest standing team bosses he’s also witnessed the development of the British Superbike championship, from its birth in the late 1980s to its position as the world’s premier national series. From nightmare riders to priceless sponsors, his story offers an insight into what goes on behind the awnings and flashy corporate hospitality, while shining a light on what it’s really like behind the scenes in British Superbike. From humble origins to paddock stalwart, this weighty tome covers the story of how a 1960s rocker made good, dancing down the pit lane, from Mallory Park to the Isle of Man TT. Hardback - £32 Plus P&P https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1f4af3a2-037c-45a0-acee-b336201bf561/Racing+of+the+Page+High+Res+2D.jpg Home - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/ec7651e0-990c-4912-b2ec-1adc07ee05f3/Hanks+front+cover+DRAFT+270823.jpg Home - Hanks - On my knees On my knees is Roy Hanks’ story, but it is also his family’s. It is a unique, personal, insight into sixty years of racing and life in the motorcycle trade. Told with Roy’s trademark humour, it traces the development of sidecar racing on the track, from the big-wheelers of the 1950s through to the sidecar outfits of the present day. All of which Roy competed on at the highest level. A TT and British Championship winner, no one has raced on the track, nor worked so long in the trade. Neither has anyone told their story so eloquently. The epithet ‘legend’ is bandied about too freely in motorsport these days, but few would argue with its application to Roy Hanks Hardback - £20 Plus P&P https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/2884978a-3ad8-4051-8b34-2d7df3df5815/Cover+REDUCED+101022+cropped.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1633198883498-43RYYFQMM2AZIUOEIKLQ/Hailwood+cover+for+website+BIG_021021.png Home - Hailwood to Vincent Following on from the critically acclaimed Thunderbolts & Lightning, this is the much anticipated companion volume on the BSA Unit twins, covering their previously undocumented competition history. Told in the same unique style as volume I it is based on interviews with those involved at the time, as competitors, engineers, draughtsmen, sponsors and tuners. It’s full of stories and anecdotes which will be new to even the most well informed BSA or racing enthusiast and it contains many images which have never been seen before, over 290 pages. Hardback - £25 Plus P&P https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1632828165690-DTLGZFSVU2JOLH0QQ9U9/6MB+Horton+cover.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/f3b50ae9-de1d-427e-9dc4-7710c0f2eab1/Dust+Jacket+front.jpg Home - Thunderbolts & Lightning Published in 2020 to critical acclaim Peter Crawford’s book is acknowledged as a must for any fan of the BSA twins. Frank Westworth of Real Classic stated: “This is the best book we’ve read all year....a remarkable gem” while respected author Peter Henshaw, editor of Vintage & Classic, went one better, concluding: “It’s a masterpiece”. It’s full of information which will be new to even the most well informed fan of the Birmingham twins, and contains many images and documents which have never been seen before, over 280 pages. Hardback - £25 Plus P&P https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1600927913094-S12OPOAJA03CC6QMDRS6/1969+Star+possibly+John+Moss+Robinson9+%282%29.jpg Home - About WIDELINE WIDELINE is a new publisher set up to create and promote motorcycle books for the discerning. You’ve probably heard that sales pitch before but the demise of high street book shops and the winding down of established publishers in the field has seen a decline in the diversity of motorcycle titles on offer. Our ambition is to avoid the low hanging fruit of well covered topics and to concentrate on makes and models, events and personalities, too esoteric for the mainstream. Providing good value publications to genuine enthusiasts and those looking for something a bit different. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f0c323423623c6a9fc2d767/1601047055982-TKIJ9O8GHBTHXY9V9G2R/Screenshot%2B2020-09-25%2Bat%2B16.12.43.jpg Home - Contact Us - Anytime for anything. Got a shipping question? Can’t pay on-line? Just drop us a line and we’ll be able to sort it out. We’re also always interested in book ideas from industry insiders, racers or those involved with the British motorcycle scene more broadly, so please get in touch if you think you have a story to tell. 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