I have read these books and recommend all of them. I have asterisked what I feel are the most informative/interesting books. I'm not into two strokes so I didn't asterisk books on them. Where available, I've shown the International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
*THE RACING MOTORCYCLE: A TECHNICAL GUIDE FOR CONSTRUCTORS (volumes 1 and 2)
John Bradley For more info on this book at John Bradley's site
*MOTORCYCLE CHASSIS DESIGN: THE THEORY AND PRACTICE ISBN 0-85045-560-X
(good discussions of steering geometry and chassis
design, with interesting practical experiments)
Tony Foale and Vic Willougbhy, Osprey For more info on this book at Tony Foale's site
*UNDERSTANDING FORWARD MOUNTED SHOCKS (HOW TO DO IT)
Don Girard - this was only available from Euro Spares and is out of print - no reprinting is anticipated.
*PREPARE TO WIN
*TUNE TO WIN
*ENGINEER TO WIN ISBN 0-87938-186-8
*NUTS, BOLTS, FASTENERS AND PLUMBING ISBN 0-87938-406-9
(this man has more experience in racing/engineering
than many - readable and practical)
Carroll Smith, Aero Publishers, Motorbooks Intl.
*THEORY AND PRACTICE OF CYLINDERHEAD MODIFICATION ISBN 0-85113-066-6
*TUNING BL'S A-SERIES ENGINE, 2nd Edition ISBN 0-85429-414-7
(Lots of valuable engine info, backed up with flow
bench and dyno testing)
David Vizard, Inter Auto Book Co., Haynes
*RACE & RALLY CAR SOURCE BOOK ISBN 0-85429-317-5
(How to build/design race cars with case histories,
entertaining)
Allan Staniforth, Haynes
*ROAD RACERS REVEALED ISBN 0-85045-762-9
(Not much technical info, but lots of interesting
pictures of trick race bikes)
Alan Cathcart, Osprey
*MOTORCYCLE TUNING CHASSIS ISBN 0-434-91724-9
*MOTORCYCLE TUNING FOUR-STROKE ISBN 0-434-91743-5
MOTORCYCLE TUNING TWO-STROKE ISBN 0-408-00830-X
*Also, Robinson's tech articles in Performance Bikes magazine
(Very readable, with some math/computer stuff)
John Robinson, Heinemann Professional Publishing
*THE COMPLETE BOOK OF ENDURANCE RACING ISBN0-85429-253-5
(interesting history with lots of pictures of 70/80's
endurance racers)
John Robinson, Haynes
*THE CHEVROLET RACING ENGINE
(another book by a noted car engine builder)
Bill Jenkins, S-A Design
*SCIENTIFIC DESIGN OF EXHAUST & INTAKE SYSTEMS ISBN 0-8376-0309-9
Philip Smith and John Morrison, Robert Bentley Inc.
*THE DESIGN AND TUNING OF COMPETITION ENGINES ISBN 0-8376-0138-X
(dated, but good basic info, easy and interesting to
read)
Philip H. Smith, Robert Bentley Inc.
*RACING AND SPORTS CAR CHASSIS DESIGN ISBN 0-8376-0296-3
Michael Costin and David Phipps, Robert Bentley Inc.
*4 STROKE PERFORMANCE TUNING ISBN 0-85429-275-6
2 STROKE PERFORMANCE TUNING
Alexander G. Bell, Haynes
*MOTORCYCLE ENGINEERING
*TUNING FOR SPEED ISBN 0-908031-29-7
(classics that are full of sound advice applicable to a
wide range of bikes)
Phil Irving, Turton and Armstrong
*RACING ENGINE PREPARATION
(valuable info from a bigtime NASCAR engine builder)
Waddell Wilson and Steve Smith, Steve Smith Autosports
*METAL FABRICATORS HANDBOOK ISBN 0-89586-870-9
*SHEET METAL HANDBOOK ISBN 0-89586-757-5
(you need these if you aren't already capable of
building an Indy car in your garage)
Ron Fournier, HP Books
SHEET METAL FABRICATION BASICS ISBN 13:978-1-929133-46-8
ADVANCED SHEET METAL FABRICATION ISBN 1-929133-12-X
ULTIMATE SHEET METAL FABRICATION ISBN 0-9641358-9-2
Timothy Remus, Wolfgang Publications
Fay Butler http://faybutler.com/
and
Kent White http://www.tinmantech.com/
and
David Gardiner http://www.metalshapingzone.com/
have books, videos, classes and tools on sheet metal work and are all highly recommended.
=============================================
THE MODERN FORMULA 1 RACE CAR ISBN 0-87938-823-4
(the development of an F1 car from drawing board to racetrack - not a
lot of hard technical info, but some very interesting photos of
trick parts being made)
Nigel Macknight, Motorbooks Intl.
THE SPORTS CAR
(good general text)
Colin Chapman, Robert Bentley Inc.
RACING CAR DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT ISBN 0-8376-0080-4
(good general text by a noted designer)
Len Terry and Alan Baker, Robert Bentley Inc.
RACE CAR ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS ISBN 0-9617425-0-X
(good general text by a noted engineer)
Paul Van Valkenburgh, Dodd, Meade
INDY CAR ISBN 0-89586-103-8
Roger Huntington, HP Books
LIGHT AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION FOR AMATEUR BUILDERS
L. Pazmany
THE POWER TO WIN - FORD COSWORTH RACING ENGINES ISBN 0-900549-77-7
John Blunsden, MRP
SUPERBIKE PREPARATION ISBN 0-87938-301-1
Jewel Hendricks, MRP (Motor Racing Publications)
TURBOCHARGERS ISBN 0-912656-49-2
Hugh MacInnes, HP Books
DESIGN AND TUNING FOR MOTOCROSS ISBN 0-87938-129-9
Jim Gianatsis, Motorbooks Intl.
POWER SECRETS ISBN 0-931472-06-7
Smokey Yunick, S-A Design
THE SOFT SCIENCE OF ROAD RACING MOTORCYCLES ISBN 0-918226-11-2
Keith Code, Acrobat Books
AIAA SECOND SYMPOSIUM AERODYNAMICS OF SPORTS AND COMPETITION
AUTOMOBILES ISBN 0-87938-028-4
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Western
Periodicals Co.
MOTORCYCLE DYNAMICS AND RIDER CONTROL ISBN
Society of Automotive Engineers #SP-428
RACER'S COMPLETE REFERENCE GUIDE ISBN 0-936834-08-0
Steve Smith, Steve Smith Autosports
WEBER CARBURETTORS - THEORY ISBN 0-903192-40-3
WEBER CARBURETTORS - TUNING AND MAINTENANCE ISBN 0-85113-060-7
John Passini, Speedsport
TUNING TWIN CAM FORDS ISBN 0-85113-007-0
David Vizard, Speedsport
THE GLASSFIBRE HANDBOOK ISBN
R.H. Warring, Argus Books Limited
GLASS FIBER AUTO BODY CONSTRUCTION SIMPLIFIED
John A. Wills, Post Motor Books
BUILD TO WIN ISBN 0-85045-826-9
Keith Noakes, Osprey
TWO-STROKE TUNER'S HANDBOOK ISBN 0-912656-41-7
(an out of print classic)
Gordon Jennings, H.P. Books
You can find a PDF copy of Jennings' book here
THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE IN THEORY AND PRACTICE, VOL 1,2
ISBN 0-262-70015-8, 0-262-70016-6
(probably best left to the real engineers, unless you
are good at reading around numbers/formulae)
Charles Taylor, M.I.T. Press
For more information contact us by using
http://www.eurospares.com/techbook.htm