It Was the Bike!

The bike was wrong. The tyres were gone. The track was terrible. The weather changed. The electronics had a mind of their own. And obviously, it definitely wasn't the rider's fault.

Welcome to It Was the Bike!-a hilarious journey through more than a century of motorcycle racing and the extraordinary explanations riders have given when things didn't quite go according to plan.

Drawing on more than 300 real remarks from real motorcycle racers, Mark Martin travels through the wonderfully inventive world of racing excuses-from the earliest road races to modern Grand Prix competition, World Superbikes and British Superbikes, American racing, the Isle of Man TT, motocross, supercross, endurance racing, speedway, trials, enduro and the Dakar Rally.

Discover riders blaming:

• tyres that mysteriously stopped working;
• engines, gearboxes and electronics;
• suspension and handling;
• rain, wind, heat and just about every other form of weather;
• terrible tracks and impossible conditions;
• arm pump, injuries and exhaustion;
• rivals, backmarkers and occasionally their own teammates;
• and, every now and again, themselves.

Each entry combines the rider's actual words with the story behind them and a suitably unsympathetic assessment of the resulting excuse.

Sometimes the explanation was completely justified.

Sometimes it was questionable.

And sometimes it was so magnificent that it deserved preserving for future generations.

Covering legendary champions, cult heroes, fearless road racers, dirt-bike stars and competitors from around the world, It Was the Bike! is both a celebration of motorcycle racing and a reminder of one of motorsport's oldest traditions:

When you've just lost the race, always have an explanation ready.

Perfect for motorcycle racing fans, bikers, motorsport enthusiasts and anyone who has ever watched a rider remove their helmet and wondered what-or who-they are going to blame this time.