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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: steven c on March 17, 2026, 08:31:57 PM

Title: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: steven c on March 17, 2026, 08:31:57 PM
 If you haven't read the book this gives you a good idea of this amazing story,
https://youtu.be/gtuBizK852g?si=MMljRycEm-oJKIga
Title: Re: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: LowRyter on March 17, 2026, 09:27:55 PM
There's a great book about it, "Stealing Speed".  It's about the design, the struggles of building the bike in E Germany, betrayal, family..

I put my copy at a Dirty Santa party, no one took it.   I checked and the aperback was $100!  I took it to the following year's party, told them but didn't put it up as a gift.

(https://petrolicious.com/cdn/shop/articles/stealing-speed-how-suzuki-captured-cold-war-secrets-to-go-faster-1476933870746.jpg?v=1741986846)
Title: Re: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: turboguzzi on March 17, 2026, 11:07:50 PM
lets put aside for the moment the title  AI picture showing a suzuki twin with 3 exhaust pipes.... LOL.  that should already tell you something

the whole channel is click bait, look at the titles: worst, stolen, hated, terrified.....

do everyone a favor, dont click on it.

if you have that patience to read, go here: https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2012/december/de1712-the-ernst-degner-story/


(https://i.ibb.co/sJNFKw3x/Screenshot-2026-03-18-050102.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sJNFKw3x)


Title: Re: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: Turin on March 17, 2026, 11:49:51 PM
Matt Oxley's book is fantastic. Engineering, racing, espionage, This is a must read. No youtube video can do this story justice.
Title: Re: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: moto on March 18, 2026, 01:03:28 AM
I have a Kindle copy of Oxley's very good book. I'm pretty sure it was less than $20. It looks like the vultures have arrived to sell $100+ book copies to any who missed the original publication run.

EDIT: I found the Kindle copy after all. It is $8.99, well worth it. I found it by searching within Kindle instead of using the Amazon store. It looks like the $8.99 link is still in operation, but don't know for sure.


But Amazon must be purposely playing along with the vultures since they have withdrawn the Kindle version, which has zero marginal cost to them. Amazon is not your friend.

Of course I can't sell or lend my Kindle copy, by design.

This book could be in public libraries, so contacting your local library might find it via interlibrary associations or loans. I personally don't think it is worth the trouble.
Title: Re: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: turboguzzi on March 18, 2026, 04:36:27 AM
Guys, if you like Max's work, then he has a pretty good motogp podcast, if you are into that kind of thing (no guzzis in motogp :) )

https://open.spotify.com/show/1Uo1uNxhehvxR9LcdGb31V?si=40baf9b7744d49c0

He comes across as quite the London lad....

Youtube is such a mess.... after clicking the link of the OP, today, my right bar "recommendation" list is full of horrendous AI made motorcycle videos. just awful.
Title: Re: The STOLEN Motorcycle Design That Changed Racing
Post by: DoubleGuzzi on March 18, 2026, 06:07:01 AM
..if you have that patience to read,..

Great read, thanks! A bit of prose and some pics beats YT any day, "in my book".  :thumb: