- Paperback: 160 pages
- Publisher: Veloce Publishing Ltd; illustrated edition edition (19 Oct 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1845840658
- ISBN-13: 978-1845840655
- Product Dimensions: 24.6 x 20.4 x 1.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 715,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
Edward Turner - The man behind the motorcycles
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| |||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Product Description
Review
inter-bike.co.uk, 2008
UK biker website
Whenever you talk about the British motorcycle industry one man's name keeps popping up, that of Edward Turner. Some historians feel that he was the most significant designer since the First World War and that he had the most impact on the British automotive industry of anybody and was something of a design genius (he designed the V8 engine for the Jaguar and Daimler range of cars!). While the latter could be challenged nobody will disagree that this larger than life character ran a tight ship and under him the Triumph motorcycle brand in particular was very innovative and prosperous. He personally has been the subject of many a chapter in the various marque histories on Triumph, but now he gets a book to himself - 'Edward Turner - the man behind the motorcycles.' Well-known author Jeff Clew devotes all 154 pages to Turner in this official biography of the man who made Triumph great. This soft-bound tome is as you might expect liberally spread with photos and drawings, some from the family archive, and makes fascinating reading. Not only it is it Turner's story it is also a look at the British motorcycle industry and as such is a must-read for all those who want know what went on behind the scenes. An excellent read and good value at $34.95.
UK biker website
Whenever you talk about the British motorcycle industry one man's name keeps popping up, that of Edward Turner. Some historians feel that he was the most significant designer since the First World War and that he had the most impact on the British automotive industry of anybody and was something of a design genius (he designed the V8 engine for the Jaguar and Daimler range of cars!). While the latter could be challenged nobody will disagree that this larger than life character ran a tight ship and under him the Triumph motorcycle brand in particular was very innovative and prosperous. He personally has been the subject of many a chapter in the various marque histories on Triumph, but now he gets a book to himself - 'Edward Turner - the man behind the motorcycles.' Well-known author Jeff Clew devotes all 154 pages to Turner in this official biography of the man who made Triumph great. This soft-bound tome is as you might expect liberally spread with photos and drawings, some from the family archive, and makes fascinating reading. Not only it is it Turner's story it is also a look at the British motorcycle industry and as such is a must-read for all those who want know what went on behind the scenes. An excellent read and good value at $34.95.
Vintage Motorcycle Club Journal
Magazine for the Vintage Motorcycle Club, UK
The official biography of the man who was probably the most important individual in the history of the British motorcycle industry. Whenever motorcycles are discussed amongst enthusiasts, the name of Edward Turner is invariably mentioned. Whilst known worldwide for his landmark designs, e.g. thefour-cylinder Ariel Square Four and the Triumph Speed Twin, etc., Turner remained an enigma, described by those who worked close to him as both difficult and charming, impatient, autocratic and brilliant. Born in 1901, Edward Turner was a truly gifted individual whose forceful character, design flair and business acumen drove Triumph from near bankruptcy in the mid-'30s to such heights of success that the company often struggled to reach the clamoring demand for its products worldwide. From the early post-war years Turner saw the potential of the American market and traveled there regularly to establish and maintain a large dealer network. Triumph achieved many sporting successes stateside, including the unofficial world motorcycle land speed record ... all of which greatly enhanced their sales figures.Embodying lightness with a powerful vertical twin engine, Turner's design of the 1937 Speed Twin was revolutionary, and so good that it remained in production for 29 years. Long overdue, this deeply researched work by Jeff Clew gets past Turner's irascible exterior to reveal the man, his life and work, and the huge contribution to his country and the evolution of the motorcycle. Featured are many images from the Turner family private photograph collection. This book is an excellent addition to any enthusiast's library.
Product Description
For the first time the life of Edward Turner, one of Britain's most talented motorcycle designers, is revealed in full, so this is much more than just another book about Triumph motorcycles. Although seen by many as an irascible man who ran a very tight ship, it is an inescapable fact that his was a highly profitable company. His hugely successful sales campaign after World War 2 stunned America's own manufacturers and had long lasting repercussions on their own home market. As Bert Hopwood once said to the author, Turner was an inventive genius who had the flair for pleasing shapes and an uncanny ability to perceive what the buying public would readily accept, to produce it at the right price. No one will deny the impact made at the annual Motor Cycle Show by his aerial Square Four in 1931, his superbly-styled single cylinder Tiger models in 1936, and his revolutionary Speed Twin that dominated the Show in 1937. Even more was to follow with his post-war Thunderbird and Bonneville twins.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the long overdue biography of a legendary industrialist, perhaps the only British motorcycle designer whose name is still well-known and revered as a true genius. Not just mototcycles such as the Bonneville but details such as the Thunderbird 'paper dart' logo, stunts such as the Gaffers' Gallop, cars such as the Daimler Dart were all Turner's.
The writing is accessible and the illustrations -many from the Turner family album- are outstanding. what emerges is an insight into the triumphs, tragedies and tantrums of a man who made British motorcycling a world leader through sheer force of personality yet whose must-read report upon the impending superiority of the Japanese industry was ignored by an industry happily getting rich on updates of his earlier designs.
If you want an insight into a true genius as well as the British motorcycle industry then this book is essential.
The writing is accessible and the illustrations -many from the Turner family album- are outstanding. what emerges is an insight into the triumphs, tragedies and tantrums of a man who made British motorcycling a world leader through sheer force of personality yet whose must-read report upon the impending superiority of the Japanese industry was ignored by an industry happily getting rich on updates of his earlier designs.
If you want an insight into a true genius as well as the British motorcycle industry then this book is essential.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There was so much in this book that belied a lot of opinion that circulates in the classic motorcycle press. We find out about Turner the family man, Turner the young engineer and patriot as well as his very strong influence in the motorcycle trade on both sides of the Atlantic. The material is well written and the narrative moves along at a pace that makes the biography interesting and immediate. Particularly good is the setting of industrial and historical contexts at formative periods of his life and the writer stays away from too much focus on the machines that he designed, trying to paint a picture of the man himself. There were few people who had such a profound effect on British industry in the Twentieth Century and this book is compulsive reading for anyone interested in our motorcycling heritage.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book shows the real man under the skin and surface veneer, completely convinced he was right regardless. In some respects the cracks showed as they did in some of the vehicles when you had seen them for some time.
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
