READING AND WATCHING
The Triumph Tiger Cub Bible
By Mike Estall
Published by Veloce
ISBN: 978-1-787111-27-1
208 pages hard cover with jacket
Available from Renniks (02) 9695 7055
http://www.renniks.com
RRP: $92.50
There’s more to Triumphthan big twins –
little singles in fact. The story begins with the
little 150cc Terrier (officially the T15), released at
the 1952 Earls Court Show, which slipped neatly
under the 150cc British Road Tax bracket and
quickly became a hot seller. It was soon joined by
a 200cc version, the Tiger Cub, or T20, which
remained in production until 1968, by which time
it shared components such as the frame and
wheels with the BSA Bantam D10. This book has
been out of print for some years but is now back
in production and is a must-have for anyone keen
on these spirited little singles. It is also a very
handy restorers guide, with a thorough
breakdown of detail changes, a colour guide and
production allocations to markets around the
world. Australia was never a particularly large
market for the Cub (although 456 Terriers were
imported in 1954), but in Bermuda, where the
capacity limit for motorcycles was 200cc for many
years, it sold very well. Author Mike Estall bought
his first Tiger Cub in 1956 and has owned and
restored many Terriers and Cubs since.
Unsurprisingly, he also runs the Tiger Cub and
Terrier Register which provides information for
owners around the world.Pub Yarns
By Colin Whelan
300 pages hardcover with jacket
RRP: $29.95
ISBN: 978-1742579597
Published by New Holland Publishers (02) 8986 4700
Aboard his trustyYamaha Super Téneré, Colin
Whelan tracked throughout the Eastern half of
Australia to record 50 pubs and their own individual
stories. A highly skilled photographer and a manA life of Pride
The Memories of Alan G. Pride.
Compiled by Marilyn Pride and Lewis Morley
Published by Primordial
204 pages soft cover
Contact [email protected] (2) 47531166
ISBN: 978-0-6480826-0-6
$30.00 plus postage.
I met the late Alan Prideonly once; when
I photographed his lovely Levis 500 for a feature
story in OBA 22 at the Macquarie Towns Show Day
in 2010. Even from that short encounter it was
clear that Alan was a remarkable man with a
lifetime of motorcycling behind him. He built his
first motorcycle – a 1924 Rudge – in the home of
the mother of his best friend, the famous artist
Kevin ‘Pro’ Hart, and he spent countless hours
riding between Broken Hill and Adelaide with
various girlfriends. Fortunately, he kept diaries
and copious notes, and following his death in
November 2013, his daughter Marilyn and her
partner Lewis Morley set about putting it all
together in the form of a book. The result is a
credit to both, a swashbuckling account of a man
who left his native Broken Hill at the age of 21
and set off around the world. What followed were
several years at sea working on Tramp Steamers
between Africa and the UK before returning home
to start a new life; one that involved lots of
motorcycles and motorcycling. A great snapshot
of a life lived in carefree abandon.
who knows how to use his words, Colin’s exploits
make fascinating reading, and as he says, “just
as every person in every pub has a story, so too
does every pub”. These pubs stretch from South
Australia to North Queensland – tiny pubs, big
pubs, and everything in between – beginning at
Barringun, NSW, population three, where the pub
is run by 92-year-old Mary. The book itself is of
high quality and the photographs are exceptional,
as could be expected from a man who has been
the official photographer for the NFL since 1982.The Norton Commando Bible
By Peter Henshaw
Published by Veloce
144 pages hard cover
ISBN: 978-1-78711-006-9
Available from Renniks (02) 9695 7055
http://www.renniks.com
RRP: $55.50
Even today,the Commando polarises opinion
with Norton aficionados who consider the loss of
the Featherbed frame a crime. But there’s little
doubt that the Commando gave a much-needed
injection of life into the Norton brand which would
have perished sooner than it did without this
model. This book covers the Commando from the
beginning to end – in fact, before the beginning as
there is a chapter on the ugly P10 prototype –
thank goodness Norton didn’t proceed with that
one – with its one-metre long cam chain and
prodigious oil leaks. The book even extends to the
Cosworth Challenge, another one best forgotten,
but which could have become the final incarnation
of the Commando. As usual in this series, there are
sections on engine numbers and production dates,
component suppliers, and various model
specifications – all handy stuff for buffs and
restorers alike. Ironically, with the march of anno
domini, the Commando is probably, to the current
generation, the best known Norton of all, and
probably more popular today than ever.FOOTNOTE: Most of our review titles come via local
distributors and we encourage readers to support the
retailers noted with each review.