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Technocrat's Suspension Library

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Posted by: Eric Gorr

Rich Rohrich and I are putting together an updated version of The Technocrat’s Library, as a tribute to the recently passed away technojournalist Gordon Jennings. He wrote the original Technocrats Library back in the early 1970s, an article that was pivotal in Rich’s enthusiastic education in motorcycle engineering.

As a major book freak I’ve comprised my list of books for anyone interested in learning more about chassis and suspension systems. If you’re a student and interested in motorcycle engineering and looking for a fun book report to write, check out these titles.

Tony Foale’s CD Book on Motorcycle Chassis Tuning www.tonyfoale.com
The Racing Motorcycle – A Technical Guide For Constructors
By John Bradley www.motorbooks.com
Motorcycle Design and Technology in collaboration with Aprilia
By Gaetano Cocco www.motorbooks.com
The Shock Absorber Handbook
By John Dixon www.sae.org




Posted by: MACE

Last time I tried to access WheelBase it was gone.

Fortunately I read most of the articles there.

Do you know of any other sources for Kevin Cameron articles (besides CW)?

Cameron is my Gordon Jennings.

I have "sportbike Performance Handbook" and found it quite dry. Are the editors at Classic Motorbooks a bit heavy handed?


Posted by: Eric Gorr

Hi Mace, your comments on MBI’s heavy handed editing make me chuckle! Kevin and I have the same editor, a guy named Lee Klancher who has single handedly driven MBI’s revival of motorcycle books with titles like the riding, freestyle, and supercross books. Heavy is not exactly Lee’s style, his patient sublime style makes a writer wonder how he could accomplish such big projects once they sit down and read the final product.

Cameron is a hard guy to edit because you have to be so respectfull of his loyal readership, not to change his style from longwinded text to flashy color photos. Besides Allan Cathcart has cornered the market on exciting photos with copy that resembles press releases! I bought the Superbike Handbook for Rich for Christmas one year and he loved the design concept of Kevin’s hand drawings sprinkled with historic B&W photos. It was true Cameron style. Conversely I showed it to my girlfriend who is a technical illustrator and she thought it was half-baked! But she doesn’t understand Cameron.

In my opinion Lee is the best editor in motorcycle media, and I’ve worked for all the best known magazine editors in America, Australia, and Europe. He’s had to tie together projects from such a diverse range of talent and he does it by helping the writer or photographer create something unique. When you look at books like Kevin’s, mine, and the riding books by Semics & Bayles, freestyle by Garth Milan, and the supercross calenders by Joe Bonnelo its hard to believe that one guy made all that happen. Besides editing books for MBI, Lee has been instrumental driving distribution of some excellent motorcycle books from Europe. Titles like full color hard cover photo books and the serious engineering books from companies like Aprilia were impossible for Americans to buy 5 years ago. Now you can buy them from their recently revised web site www.motorbooks.com and get them in your hands in a few days.

Soon we’ll get a chance to see the first magazine feature by Lee Klancher in Dirt Rider. Last autumn, Lee rode a motorcycle adventure through the outback of Australia and up into the rain forest on the north coast. The feature promises some great photos and an interesting story of living the dream of a motorcycle adventure.

Thanks for your comments, Eric

BTW Rich is working on starting thread that pays homage to Gordon Jennings and Kevin Cameron that involves significant events that made us interested in the technicalities of motorcycles based on some of their excellent writings. So if you have some good stories on the same theme, keep them in mind. We always appreciate your comments.


[This message has been edited by Eric Gorr (edited 12-30-2000).]


Posted by: Jeff Howe

I believe Kevin is running a column now at Snow Tech magazine. He brings a real lift to that already cool magazine. I love reading his columns. Sometimes the stuff goes over my head, and then I have something to chase for awhile. I never knew who he was before his Snow Tech appearance.


Posted by: Eric Gorr

Kevin was a contributor to a newsleter called Dynotech back in the 80s and 90s. The snowmobile thing is just a logical extension of his tech writing. He lives in the northeastern snowbelt and the crossover technology to snowmobiling is motorcycle roadracing. Kevin has contributed a lot to the development of technology in the snowmobile industry.
I like Snow Tech too, they have some excellent tech articles in that mag.


Posted by: svi

I found Dixon seriously hard going being very poor at math, it didn't really give me much practical information. Inside Racing Technology.by Haney and Braun has a good suspension chapter.
Bradley has become my bible.


Posted by: Eric Gorr

Of possible interest to you suspensiossomethingorother,

John Bradley works for the WP suspension importer in England and tunes roadracing bikes. He's working on the second volume of his "The Racing Motorcycle" and it could have some more things about dirt bikes.
I've been staying up late each night reading a bit of the Aprilia motorcycle design book and its making me aware of the scientific aspects of the motorcycle with regards to handling. The drawings are really descriptive, unlike the Dixon Shock Absorber book which in mathematically overwhelming.

Thanks for the mention of Paul Haney's book "Inside Racing Tecnology". I recently met Paul at the SAE's Motorsport Conference. He moderated a panel discussion on young engineers in motorsports. Kevin Cameron was also supposed to be at that discussion but unfortunatley he was attending Gordon Jenning's funeral.

For you guys who didn't grow up on Jennings I sympathize for you. There was a guy who could fire you up after reading his magazine articles and rip the cylinder off your bike and dig through your tool box for the needle files!


Posted by: Rich Rohrich

Quote:
Originally posted by Eric Gorr:
For you guys who didn't grow up on Jennings I sympathize for you. There was a guy who could fire you up after reading his magazine articles and rip the cylinder off your bike and dig through your tool box for the needle files!


Or rush out and buy a box of flex stones so you could change the transfer timing on your AT3 with clubman bars http://dirtrider.net/ubb2/smile.gif




Posted by: MACE

I just revisited Sportbike Performance Handbook and perhaps I shouldn't say it was dry. Just not as intriguing as I'm used to from Cameron. I mean, his B29 bomber engine stuff on WheelBase reads like a novel. I guess I like that style. Jeez, I first started reading Car & Driver for Jean Sheppard's column. Wait, was Jennings editor at CD then?

I was a Moto Tech subscriber and I thought Eric's MBI book was kind of PG-13 compared to the hard core smut in the newsletter. Maybe I don't appreciate proper setence structure and checked spelling... http://dirtrider.net/ubb2/wink.gif

Hey, guess what? I get exactly what I'm looking for here on DRN. Brrrp, Brrrrrrrp!




Posted by: MACE

Oh yes, one more thing.

That 'priller book will be in my next order at Motorbooks (in February when all the calendars go on sale for $2 heh heh).

Thanks for the tip.


Posted by: Eric Gorr

Hey Mace,
Darn you gave away one of my cheapskate Swedish secrets, buying calenders late!
BTW the order number for the Aprilia Motorcycle Design and Technology book is 129466 and it retails for $44.95

Just the act of setting that posh hardcover book on your coffee table will boost your IQ 5 points. One caution though, reading this book will make you think way too much when you ride a bike! You'll start to picture some Labview like software in your head linked to your glutiousmaximous- accelerometer to monitor what percentage of roll, yaw, and pitch you have while busting a berm. And since you're an aerospace engineer you have the extra burden of the ability to do complex mathematical calculations in your head which is always good for a trip over the bars!

Enjoy the book, Eric


Posted by: YZ Abuser

Quote:
Originally posted by Rich Rohrich:
Or rush out and buy a box of flex stones so you could change the transfer timing on your AT3 with clubman bars http://dirtrider.net/ubb2/smile.gif


Rich

WTH is an AT3? And while your at it explain Clubman bars too. I entered the dirtbike scene in the late 80's so you'll have to pardon my ignorance.

TIA

------------------
YZ A





Posted by: Rich Rohrich

The AT3 was a two-stroke 125 Yamaha dual sport in the 70's. Clubman bars are upside down cafe racer style bars that mimic the riding position of road race cip ons. When you grow up in Chicago you tend to spend your formative years on asphalt trying to drag your knee through corners http://dirtrider.net/ubb2/smile.gif


Posted by: olderndirtmom

Great post. Realize this is an old thread. Eric, care to update that reading list to 2007. Christmas is coming..... I need to know what to ask Santa for!



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