laird387 Posted November 4, 2014 Report Share Posted November 4, 2014 (edited) Hi, Chatting to my old friend Don Morley he told me that his popular book "Classic British Trials Bikes" was being republished - so I looked out for it and found that it has now arrived and is available 'brand new' again. Recreated by Steve at Classic Motorcycle Manuals, with Don's full cooperation, the book is a must for all collectors and restorers of classic British trials models, with a wealth of detail and profusely illustrated. You can find it on eBay or email steve direct at 'steve@classicmotorcyclemanuals.com'. I am enclosing a photograph of the copy I bought for my own personal library. I wanted to see the quality of printing because I have been bitten before when people have offered 'reprints' and meant poor quality photocopies - this is not - it is a properly reprinted version and sits looking nice an tidy alongside my old well-thumbed version I've had for years.......... Edited November 16, 2014 by laird387 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Its a good book Deryk,I've had mine for years and often refer to it.The reprint will get the price back down to a sensible level... What would be good now is a more up to date version,if you look at what is now done with Ariels, Cubs,FB/James,Dot's,C15 and B40's its all moved on a huge amount.From the things that can be hidden from view,such as electronic ignition systems,from the visible billet machined hubs and fork yokes etc - there is plenty that could be written up to help bike builders and modifiers. I guess the chapter to help us rigid riders would now be fairly short... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted November 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 (edited) Its a good book Deryk,I've had mine for years and often refer to it.The reprint will get the price back down to a sensible level... What would be good now is a more up to date version,if you look at what is now done with Ariels, Cubs,FB/James,Dot's,C15 and B40's its all moved on a huge amount.From the things that can be hidden from view,such as electronic ignition systems,from the visible billet machined hubs and fork yokes etc - there is plenty that could be written up to help bike builders and modifiers. I guess the chapter to help us rigid riders would now be fairly short... John, I'm sure that you have a good idea what I am about to say......... Yes, Don's book is dated - it was already dated when I produced Off Road Review - and with help from Don we did a series of features in ORR that did just that, i.e. included the added detail that had become available in the intervening period. But now the printed ORR is dated - dated by the fact that I ceased publication in 2001 when I was too busy helping Mary deal with her terminal cancer - so now I am updating the information included in ORR and making it available with literally hundreds more photographs we couldn't afford to include in the original because of the cost of paper, printing and postage. None of that applies to the new digital magazine, ORRe. And talking of getting the price down, there are already TEN issues of the new magazine, all of which you get as soon as you take out an annual subscription, plus another year to come - that's at least another TWENTY - and all for a MAXIMUM of £12. In issue 11 we are starting telling the story from the earliest days of the AJS/Matchless competition models, all of which will be serialised in forthcoming issues. The issues are each between 40 and 60 pages - and it's all information there are NO adverts - nor ever will be. This is a REFERENCE LIBRARY not a commercial venture. ORRe is ONLY available through this website - just go to the homepage and select the ORRe button in the top right hand corner for details. But most of all - ENJOY! Deryk Edited November 16, 2014 by laird387 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westyfield7 Posted November 29, 2014 Report Share Posted November 29, 2014 (edited) I'm sorry to disagree but on the re-print copy I purchased I was disappointed with the photo quality and returned it on those grounds. Perhaps later editions are improved? The auction price of an original copy has now come down to near that of the new re-print and having won one recently am more than happy with the quality. Edited November 29, 2014 by westyfield7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laird387 Posted November 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 (edited) Its a good book Deryk,I've had mine for years and often refer to it.The reprint will get the price back down to a sensible level... What would be good now is a more up to date version,if you look at what is now done with Ariels, Cubs,FB/James,Dot's,C15 and B40's its all moved on a huge amount.From the things that can be hidden from view,such as electronic ignition systems,from the visible billet machined hubs and fork yokes etc - there is plenty that could be written up to help bike builders and modifiers. I guess the chapter to help us rigid riders would now be fairly short... Hi John, Maybe you've not looked at all the possibilities? Sorry, but as a longtime enthusiast and restorer I have known there was a need for a detailed reference work, but the likely small market and high prepress and publishing costs for any such venture are horrendous. Then came this marvellous 'interweb' where, as long as you have access to a reliable source of knowledge - and, infinitely more importantly - access to sources of RELIABLE, proven information and finally, knowledgeable access to a constantly growing archive of quality photographs. Then all just might be possible........ Look, for example, at the most recent issue of ORRe where you will find the beginnings of the development story of the AJS/Matchless competition models. So far it only covers from the earliest days up to the 1949 models, and there are no less than 16 pages of information and a mere 18 detailed images - now you may know of a more informative source than that, but having owned several works machines and being in regular contact, even today, with people who worked in the Plumstead competition shop - I don't. And just around the corner there will be similar features on the Ariel, BSA, Triumph, Dot, Greeves, Cotton, DMW, Tandon, James, Francis-Barnett, Norman....... Need I say more? You only have to look............ One more point to clear up another common inaccuracy as far as printed books are concerned - the price of further issues (or reprints) will only fall if the printer has kept all his printing press 'negatives' (sometimes called 'phlongs' - don't ask me why!) and can use them again - and in a busy print works that is not likely. Remember, each book, particularly if it is going to be casebound (hard-back, to you and I) is printed in a series of 16 page booklets, so that is 8 'pages' printed in one pass through the presses, then the other 8 pages as the paper is turned over then passed through the second set of presses. It is then dried, folded, guillotined on three sides to create the separate pages, then stacked as a booklet. So before all this can happen the original copy of the book has to be 'imposed', or correctly placed in the right position on the 8-page 'master' so that consecutive pages end up next to each other and the right way up in the folding process. As you can see it is probably a little more complicated than many people realise - add to that the fact that most printing works are used to dealing in books of high volume - low value - and don't necessarily work to the quality of photographic reproduction that I demanded for ORR and my Rich Mixture series of books, and it took many attempts to find an adequate quality of work - which inevitably meant higher price - but, in my view - and, happily, most of my subscribers - best value for money. You would be surprised just how many printers asked 'How many copies' and when I said less than ten thousand a month, didn't even bother to prepare a quote. Cheers Deryk Edited November 30, 2014 by laird387 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted December 1, 2014 Report Share Posted December 1, 2014 Deryk,I have subscribed to the new ORRE,and enjoy reading it.Trouble is I like reading proper books,and don't mind paying for them.I guess its just a sign of the times,"the public gets what the public wants" and all that. I realise Pre65 trials is a minority interest - I have never really followed any mainstream interests like rugby or football,so its just part of being an awkward individual,I'm happy to accept that the shelves of WH Smith and the like wont be full of trials related books.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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