Books by Peter Henshaw

This story is like something out of Hollywood. In the mid-1960s BSA/Triumph learns that Honda is to launch a 750cc motorcycle that will clearly outclass its 650cc twins. Luckily, Meriden’s top two designers – Bert Hopwood and Doug Hele – have been toying with the idea of a 3-cylinder 750. Could it work? The prototype is fast and intoxicating to ride, but delays mean the Triumph Trident and BSA Rocket 3 have only been on the market a few weeks when the smoother Honda 750 comes along. The British bikes might be fast, but they lack sophistication and no one loves their oddball styling. Sales are so slow that production is suspended for eight months. BSA/Triumph fights back with a factory race team that sweeps all before it in 1971, including a 1–2–3 at the Daytona 200. And while BSA collapses, Triumph struggles on, launching the factory custom Hurricane and updating the T150 Trident with a 5-speed gearbox and front disc brake. The Meriden factory sit-in stops Trident production, but a few months later bikes are rolling off the line at Small Heath and the electric-start T160 is launched. To no avail – the odds are against them and in early 1975 Trident production finally stops. But just as in Hollywood, that’s not the end of the story. Les Williams and Norman Hyde keep the Trident flag flying through the 1980s and beyond. The Trident and Rocket 3 Owners’ Club is formed, bringing together enthusiasts for the iconic triples. And in 1992 (and again in 2020) the reborn Triumph company launches 3-cylinder bikes that carry on the Trident name.

Despite being one of the most successful motorcycles of all time, the Royal Enfield Bullet has had a very chequered history. Its story begins in the 1930s and by the 1950s it was at the height of its popularity in post-War Britain. Then it became a stalwart of the Indian Army and manufacture transitioned from Britain to India. The near-collapse of the Royal Enfield marque in the 1990s almost meant the end of this classic motorbike, but with the involvement of the Eicher Group from 2001 onwards, the updated Bullet generated new interest and renewed its original commercial success, just like a phoenix rising from the ashes. With more than 200 photographs, this book describes the origins of the Royal Enfield company and the pre-war Bullets from 1932 and the relaunch of the Bullet in 1949 with its radical swinging-arm frame. Derivative models such as the 350 and 500, as well as those for competition and road are covered as well as specials such as diesels, V-twins, Egli and big-bore Bullets.  The development story behind the lean-burn, electric-start and 5-speed updates is discussed as well as the UCE - the all-new Bullet from 2008 and the Classic and its design story. Finally, the evolution beyond the Bullet is covered which includes the Continental GT and Himalayan 650 twins.

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author's years of Harley-Davidson experience, learn how to spot a bad bike quickly, and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right bike at the right price!

A year-by-year guide to the Triumph 350/500cc unit construction twins, complete with all the variations. A full technical description is given, as well as advice on buying and living with a Triumph 350 or 500.

There are lots of books about the classic BMW Boxers; their history, performance, lineage, and the minutiae of its specification. But none of them concentrate entirely on telling you what to look for when buying one secondhand. That's what this book is about - it is a straightforward, practical guide to buying a used Boxer twin. It doesn't list all the correct colour combinations for each year or analyse the bike's design philosophy - there are excellent books listed at the end of this one that do all of that - but it will help you avoid buying a dud. Point by point, it takes the reader through everything that needs looking at when buying a Boxer, plus spares prices, which is the best model to buy for your needs, and a look at auctions, restorations and paperworkThe last of the 'classic' air-cooled Boxer twins, these bikes are now collector's items, and many have been saved, restored and continue to be ridden - this book tells the reader how to be part of the Boxer's ongoing story.

All you need to know about buying a used BSA unit single, from the very first 250cc C15 to the final 500cc B50. Get the low-down on model histories, relative values, points to look for, plus advice on paperwork, auctions and restorations, and more.

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author's years of Triumph ownership, learn how to spot a bad bike quickly, and how to assess a promising bike like a professional. Get the right bike at the right price!

Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author's years of Honda FireBlade experience, learn how to spot a bad bike quickly, and how to assess a promising one like a professional. Get the right bike at the right price!

BMW's GS series is one of the world's milestone motorcycles, in production. This book is a guide to buying one of these bikes secondhand: what to look for; spares prices; guides to auctions and paperwork; lists of contacts in GS community; and a consideration of whether it's the right bike for you.