Moto books / reading

[PaleHorse]

Being an avid reader, I'm always in search of a good book. Even better if it has to do with motorcycles.

My recent reading -

Proficient Motorcycling and More Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough. I liked both of these but they were quick reads. Having ridden for a number of years I thought the material was on the basic side.

The Razor's Edge: The Sport Rider Stories b Jeff Hughes - This is a collection of all the stories Jeff wrote for Sport Rider. Thought it was very entertaining.

I just picked up the Keith Code A Twist of the Wrist 1 and 2 after is was mentioned in the Doc Wong clinic last weekend.

What have you read that you would recommend to other Barfers?

 

[Maddevill]

" The Art and Science of Motorcycle Road Racing' by Kenny Roberts. In my opinion WAY better than Code's books. Very hard to find though.

Mad

 

[berth]

"The Perfect Vehicle"

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Vehicle-What-About-Motorcycles/dp/0393318095

I stumbled upon this book in, of all places, Oxford, Mississippi. I was there for my brothers graduation, and stumbled upon it in a book store.

I really liked the book. I guess some folks on Amazon have issues with it, but I liked it. I even wrote the author and got a nice postcard back. Just talking about motorcycles and serendipity and such (since that's how I got both my bike at the time as well as her book).

 

[ViperThreat]

Not super motorcycle related, but "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance" is a solid read if you're interested in learning about philosophy via motorcycle analogies.

 

[motomania2007]

Nick Ienatsch's "SportRiding Techniques"
https://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding...238&s=gateway&sprefix=nick+ien,aps,190&sr=8-1

and

Lee Park's "Total Control"

https://www.amazon.com/Total-Contro...83&s=gateway&sprefix=lee+parks,aps,188&sr=8-1

are my favorite motorcycle riding books because they are written by professional writers that are also professional riders.

another recent read is from www.motojitsu.com that helps riders practice.

 

[Frame Maker]

Stealing Speed by Mat Oxley. Reads like a cold war spy thriller, but all true... and of course all about motorcycles and motorcycle racing. And very well written.


https://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Speed-Biggest-Scandal-Motorsport/dp/1844259757

 

[DataDan]

"The Perfect Vehicle"

I've read this and recommend it.

Author Melissa Holbrook Pierson has another motorcycle book, The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing, about an Iron Butt rider (who was tragically killed a year after the book came out). I haven't read it, but it's on my list.

 

[S21FOLGORE]

The Motorcycle Diaries -Ernest Che Guevara-

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/mo...MIovPr2Z-J4wIViMpkCh1Brwl7EAYYAiABEgJ-efD_BwE

The Mint -T.E.Lawrence-

https://www.amazon.com/Mint-Lawrenc...t=&hvlocphy=9032089&hvtargid=pla-454174953492

Joe Bar Team

https://www.aerostich.com/joe-bar-team.html

Oh My Goddess! "Phantom Racer"

 

[Butch]

Stealing Speed by Mat Oxley. Reads like a cold war spy thriller, but all true... and of course all about motorcycles and motorcycle racing. And very well written.


https://www.amazon.com/Stealing-Speed-Biggest-Scandal-Motorsport/dp/1844259757

Gotta read this.
Gotta love Amazon...

Stealing Speed Publisher: Haynes Publishing; Reprint edition
Mat Oxley
Paperback
$577.29

 

[Biga]

The only motorcycle books I get to read are the mechanical manuals

 

[ScottRNelson]

I like the technical books that Kevin Cameron has written (besides the Top Dead Center reprints):

• Sportbike Performance Handbook
• The Grand Prix Motorcycle
• Classic Motorcycle Race Engines

I have all three and am probably due to reread them all. If you like to understand why certain motorcycle features are good, these will help you.

 

[craig1200]

If you want to feel like a lazy ass who has accomplished nothing in his time on earth, read Ed Youngblood's biography of John Penton.

 

[RVFRick]

" The Art and Science of Motorcycle Road Racing' by Kenny Roberts. In my opinion WAY better than Code's books. Very hard to find though.

Mad

Actually Peter Clifford is the author, Kenny Roberts wrote the forward. Oh, and Jeff Bezos has stock :thumbup

I have a short attention span so I like to read stuff that I can absorb in 5-10 minutes. I really like flipping through The Observer's Book of Motorcycles on a daily basis. It's a smorgasbord of vintage bikes from the '70s that perpetually entertains in digestable nuggets. Lots of history of brands I've never heard of. It is fascinating how there used to be so many different brands and countries making bikes. Crazy how times have changed.

 

[Dogfeathers]

If you want to feel like a lazy ass who has accomplished nothing in his time on earth, read Ed Youngblood's biography of John Penton.

Or if you can at least see the documentary movie about John Penton, it was fantastic and it compliments the book very well.

 

[gixxerjeff]

Didn't Gary write a few books?
I seem to recall he did.
No doubt lots of good info but I would admittedly be distracted reading his thoughts now.

 

[Rob750]

I really enjoy Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon. I read it at a low point in my life and I was inspired to start riding again.

 

[moto-rama]

"The Perfect Vehicle"

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Vehicle-What-About-Motorcycles/dp/0393318095

I stumbled upon this book in, of all places, Oxford, Mississippi. I was there for my brothers graduation, and stumbled upon it in a book store.

I really liked the book. I guess some folks on Amazon have issues with it, but I liked it. I even wrote the author and got a nice postcard back. Just talking about motorcycles and serendipity and such (since that's how I got both my bike at the time as well as her book).

I owned a Moto-Guzzi V50 Monza, and when I offered it for sale, a beautiful, young woman, with flaming red hair showed up at my place on Cole Street, with her Agostini helmet under her arm.

It was a really nice example of that particular bike. I offered to let her take it for a spin, but instead she handed me a wad of cash, we signed the title and off she went.

Her last words to me were, "This is the Perfect Vehicle."

I heard about the book a few months later, then her remark made sense.

For years I saw her tearing around the neighborhood, a very competent rider, too.

 

[NoobCorpse]

Here to recommend Glen Heggstad's One more Day Everywhere.

 

[Clem Kevin]

 

[sjuels]

I owned a Moto-Guzzi V50 Monza, and when I offered it for sale, a beautiful, young woman, with flaming red hair showed up at my place on Cole Street, with her Agostini helmet under her arm.

It was a really nice example of that particular bike. I offered to let her take it for a spin, but instead she handed me a wad of cash, we signed the title and off she went.

Her last words to me were, "This is the Perfect Vehicle."

I heard about the book a few months later, then her remark made sense.

For years I saw her tearing around the neighborhood, a very competent rider, too.

I am currently reading "The Perfect Vehicle" and I like it very much.

/Soren