The Complete Encyclopedia of Classic Motorcycles

Mirco De Cet was born in a small village in the beautiful Dolomite Mountains, north of Venice and a step away from the stunning Tyrol area of northern Italy. Born directly after the Second World War, he spent the first years of his life in a country decimated by war. Raised and educated in England, Mirco De Cet developed a passion for motorcycles. Through an apprenticeship in motor mechanics, he learned about cars and bikes, eventually owning several machines himself, and investing in several Italian machines upon his return to Italy. In the early 1980s, he took a position in a London publishing house, writing for a motorcycle and car magazine as well as testing and riding a variety of machines. He has written, edited and taken photographs for many motorcycle books. Mirco De Cet owns a very functional, no frills Yamaha 900 Diversion, which, he says modestly, serves him well. When he is not busy researching, writing and editing, he lovingly restores his small collection of small capacity Italian bikes.