Trials Australia Forums

Hi All,

I wonder if anybody has had the same feeling of having been here before whilst reading the 'how to ride' chapters in Steve Saunders' book 'On Trial, my life in motorcycle trials'

The chapters contain whole swaths of text from Don Smith's earlier book 'Ride it, the complete book of motorcycle trials' without any acknowledgement. Dons' book is now probably out of copyright and is an easy target.

I contacted John Hume the publisher of the later book and received the reply that he thanked me for my email and that he now considered communication closed on the subject!

I had a reply from Steve Saunders saying he would look into it, but nothing back as yet.

Smith's publishers, Haynes, thanked me as well, but nothing back.

I wonder what anyone else thinks about this?

Regards,


Joe Henderson.

well you have convinced me not to buy one Joe

Hi David,

Don't get me wrong, I think the section on Steve's career is fascinating, and the pictures are wonderful, its just the lifting of other peoples writing and the smart-arsed and dismissive comments followed by silence in reply to my, quite reasonable I thought, queries that grated with me.

I would hate to think that people are not making their own mind up whether to buy the book or not. Have a look at it, it may be what you are looking for.

I, on the other hand, already own a copy of Don Smith's book!

Regards,

Joe.

I love that type of book about trials history, but I suspect Steve is a bit young for his book to include much about the 1970s bikes I love. Hearing that there was copying from the Don Smith book was enough to make be certain that I would not be buying one.
I remember buying the Don Smith book at a NDMTC evening monthly meeting in the church hall behind the Kedron Pizza Hut in the mid 1970s, and poring over the book for competition trials riding tips.
That same copy of the Don Smith book is now quite worn from having been pored-over dozens of times more over the past 20 years or so.