Most Desired Bikes - Ultimate Collectible Motorcycles by Taschen

For those who did their time in the field of liberal arts, Taschen needs no introduction. Its large-format photography, fine arts and architectural books (among other disciplines) have been testing the weight limits of coffee tables since 1983. It has finally turned its attention to collectible motorcycles with its massive, two-volume set entitled Ultimate Collector Motorcycles. Stick an orchid in that jar of screws, it’s story time.

With extensive help from George Barber, Sammy Miller, Gordon McCall, Paul d’Orleans, Bonhams, and Team Obsolete, Charlotte and Peter Fiell have assembled a well-thought-out collection of 100 of the world’s most extraordinary (and therefore collectible) motorcycles. The criteria for inclusion includes, “engineering and design innovation, functional beauty, raw power, competition histories, exceptional rarity, and inherent desirability.” It’s a subjective exercise, to be sure. Is something actually “collectible” if there’s only one of them? But this is academic nitpicking. Their choices are solidly based in fact. Is anything more objective than money?

While the photography is standard and stunning, the value of this work lies in the words. Extensive research and documentation accompanies each of the 100 examples. The authors’ admitted love for roadracing and competition mean most of the examples saw success at the track or represented a sea change in engineering and/or technology. Their collectibility is equal parts scarcity and story. Great insights abound. About Italian race programs in the 1960s (edited for length):

“…thieving the contents of a factory parts store was a normal modus operandi for the employees. The only team/factory where this did not occur was MV Agusta, because Count Domenico ran a very close shop with only a handful of trusted employees…”

The book(s) generally stays away from bikes with celebrity or cultural significance, with the notable exception of Steve McQueen’s Husqvarna 400 Cross, a hard bike to ignore, given McQueen’s extensive collection and role in popularizing off-road bikes in the 1960s and ‘70s.

Given the many racing machines, the restoration versus original debate is one-sided. Glorious dents, scratches, and irreplaceable patina become badges of honor on machines that survived two world wars and their hunger for scrap metal. Created to win at all costs, the beauty of spartan machines like the 1904 Anzani Three-Cylinder Racer becomes apparent with the march of technology and engineering over time.

The second volume picks up where the first left off, in 1940. First up, a 1940 Crocker 61ci “Big Tank,” one of less than 30 said to still exist. A very collectible (and relatively affordable) 1948 Indian Chief Clubman appears, with British and Italian singles and twins largely speaking for the early 1950s. A gorgeously faired MV Agusta four and Moto Guzzi V-8 hold court before a 1959 Honda RC142 Isle of Man Works Racer ominously appears, heralding the arrival of Japanese makes.

The 1960s section starts with the doomed Norton 350cc 40M Lowboy before delving into Italian Bianchi and Moto Morini singles and twins. Then comes the shrieking six-cylinder Honda RC165 250cc Works Racer playing angel of death for any Italian marque not named MV Agusta or Ducati. Suzuki’s RS67 Works Grand Prix Racer is another ominous sign, bringing a divine wind of two-stroke Castrol fumes pointing to the future.

Fans of motorcycle racing’s golden age in the 1970s will be happy. Paul Smart’s Ducati 750 Imola Works Racer appears in 1972, as does Mike Hailwood’s Ducati 900 TT F1 and Kenny Roberts’ Yamaha YZR500 OW35K Works Grand Prix Racer in 1978. 1976 brings Barry Sheene’s legendary 1976 Suzuki RG500A XR14 Grand Prix Racer, with which he won five of six races he entered after his infamous Daytona crash, securing the 500cc title. Fun fact? It’s one of two in existence, the example shown only surviving because it was gifted to Sheene at the end of the season. Generally, nonessential racebikes were crushed at the end of the season.

As the collection enters the 21st century, a few curious choices appear. While the choice of a Confederate motorcycle (rechristened the Curtiss Motorcycle Company in 2017) is inarguable from a monetary perspective, it leads the trail away from racing, competition, and backstories grounded in speed and grit. But it’s an unfair comparison. Money and age are numerically obvious. A 108-year-old machine impresses. A 10-year-old one-off custom motorcycle is artwork awaiting history’s judgment.

And honestly, do you read books to simply agree with them? If so, you’re enjoying literature incorrectly. Regardless of your motorcycle judgments, Ultimate Motorcycles will challenge both you and the sturdiness of your coffee table. Worth its 20.7-pound weight and 940 pages in words alone, take a break from this review and check out more images from both volumes below. Enjoy.

The two-volume set retails for $250. Available for purchase now at taschen.com or a fine bookstore near you.