Steve Koerner has done an excellent research job, bringing a lot of material together for the first time in this very readable book. His thesis is that the ultimate collapse of the British motorcycle industry had causes which reach back to the period between the world wars, and centre around the attitudes of those who controlled it concerning the type of product they made, who it was aimed at, and the numbers of machines that were produced. Other people have come to similar conclusions, but Koerner's evidence is widely sourced and persuasive. One criticism is that he somewhat ignores factors external to the firms themselves which also influenced their outlook and fate. For instance, the problems of poor government support for manufacturing, and the limits on home market growth caused by the role of sterling as a reserve currency could have been more thoroughly explored. Nonetheless, it is a compelling read and a worthy addition to the library of anyone interested in British bikes or the wider automotive industry.Read full review
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