Having read the article, several times now, and everyone's comments to this point. I can only agree with everyone's comments and add that while I normally like Keven Cameron's writings I have to wonder if there is something else a foot with this article.
At the end of the second paragraph Keven Cameron writes, "He insists upon telling the truth: that by 1950 what had been praiseworthy suspension since Vincent introduced it in the mid-1930s had fallen behind. " The he in this case being Philippe Guyony the author of the book Keven Cameron. is reviewing.
Having read many of Keven Cameron's articles I believe him to be well versed in history in general and motorcycle history in particular. So how he can agree with this statement is beyond me. In 1950 Triumph launched the Thunderbird Model. Triumph launched its new model with a rigid frame, I fail to see how this is ahead of the rear suspension arrangement that Vincents enjoyed. Triumph also launched the sprung hub at this time, which became notorious for questionable handling at best. This being done because managing director Edward Turner did not want to upset traditionalist with something new, a swing arm frame, and did not want to follow BSA and others with their plunger style frames, except on the low budget entry level Terrier model. Again I fail to see how these two choices of rear suspension are ahead of a fully triangulated swinging arm rear suspension.
This all brings me to the point of something being afoot. American country music singer Toby Keith wrote a song called "The Critic" about a music critic whose editor couldn't tell if anyone was reading the critics reviews. The editor was considering firing the critic because of this. The critic solved his problem by writing articles bashing very popular bands. Letters to the editor skyrocketed and the critic got a raise, because people were buying the paper to read and then complain about his reviews.
Perhaps Mr. Cameron or Cycle World find themselves in a similar situation. Controversial statements made to draw the attention of declining subscribers.
Steven