'Superbikes - 40 glorious years' on sale now

The early years: 1969-1979
“1969 was the year the superbike era began, heralding a decade of frantic development in the pursuit of power and performance.”

40 years of superbike technology
“Technical advances have allowed ever greater levels of performance. We examine five milestone developments.”

The eighties: 1980-1989
“Technology came to the fore as Kawasaki launched the ground-breaking GPz900R, Honda unveiled the legendary RC30 and Yamaha’s Exup superbike arrived.”

The class of 2009
“2009 has delivered a rich crop of superbikes from costly exotica to technical show-pieces. We put them all through their paces.”

The nineties: 1990-1999
“A decade when the Fireblade redefined the word ‘superbike’, Ducati’s iconic 916 arrived and Yamaha’s R1 moved it all to a new level.”

Sport – The flops!
“Some superbikes have blown away the opposition on track. Others have just blown their chances in spectacular fashion. Here are some of the most hapless title contenders for racing glory.”

The modern era: 2000-2009
“Rival Japanese manufacturers chased Yamaha’s R1 while Ducati, Aprilia, Benelli and KTM unveiled stunning European superbikes.”

Top speed milestones
“Nothing defines a superbike like its straight line performance. So here, for the schoolboy in all of us, is a brief top speed history of the superbike.”