Great Motorcycle Books

[Anonymous]

#2195

I thought it would be great to get a list of what members thought were great books. Even a little summary or a view of how good would be great.So to start off;A Twist of The Wrist II - by Keith CodeThis book was recommended to me by another rider as useful for improving riding skills. He suggested I read this first as "A Twist of The Wrist" (the first book) is a little more complicated.This book is helping me understand consciously some of the things I do and also teaching me things I didn't know about riding.  It's an instruction book on riding by someone who knows their stuff. I know putting more pressure on certain pegs makes the bike feel more stable through the corner and now I've discovered it's called Pivot Steering. I can practise this consciously and get better at it. Overall the book is a good read and well worth it. I'm still working my way through and looking forward to understanding how other things I do work. I've been using forward weight transfer accelerating out of corners which has been making the exit more stable but I'd really like to know how to do this properly.

[Anonymous]

#8373

Sportbike Performace Handbook - by Kevin CameronWith my Puke day coming up I got put onto this book by a racer as a great book to give you an all round understanding of how bikes work and why things act as they do. In the short read so far I've already learnt new things about the suspension and bikes performance and destroyed a couple of beliefs I had. Not only is this book going to help me understand how to set the bike up better, it's also helping me understand how the bike responds to the track and how to ride with that.This book covers more than I need to know and so far is proving to be a good read.

[Anonymous]

#8374

Performance Riding Techniques - Ibbott (with a foreword by Keith Code)This book was also recommended by another rider and is a great coffee table book filled with high quality colour photo's, and these highlighted to show you what they mean as opposed to just telling you. The book also includes advice and anecdotes from current top riders. The book is seen more as entertainment than in depth detail. I have the book booked on back orde with tech books and will see what its like when it arrives.I'm getting better at this, here's a link to a review;http://www.webbikeworld.com/books/performance-riding-techniques.htm

[Anonymous]

#8375

(I had originally set up two categories and have now decided to make it one – if you think we should have two categories then let me know and I'll re-edit.  I finally thought that one cattegory would end up too small and disappear.) Can anyone tell me how to book mark a category. Thanks)Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: (An Inquiry into Values) by Robert Pirsigand now cutting and pasting a review....Arguably one of the most profoundly important essays ever written on the nature and significance of "quality" and definitely a necessary anodyne to the consequences of a modern world pathologically obsessed with quantity. Although set as a story of a cross-country trip on a motorcycle by a father and son, it is more nearly a journey through 2,000 years of Western philosophy. For some people, this has been a truly life-changing book. This book is commented on often by people who have an interest in philosophy and it certainly is a book that takes you on a journey to places and times in your life and you get to reflect on the bigger questions but the interesting thing for me as a rider is that having this background adds another level to the book. A great read.Time to re-read it I think.P.S. Apparently Robert's other books are a good read as well.I've just read about Robert on Wikipedia and clearly the book is a good read and Robert an interesting person.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Pirsig

[Dave Ross]

#8376

Just got a tip from a friend.The Adventure Motorcycling Handbookavailable at Dymocks, my next buy.

[Anonymous]

#8377

Hi Alex, I just read the review on that book and it sounds great. Another book to buy.So does anyone have some great sources for book buying. Obviously there is Amazon. I've also found these two can be competitively priced at times.http://www.twink.co.nzhttp://www.fishpond.co.nzIt may be worthwhile seeing who wants the book and ordering through someone like twink in Meadowbank (Auckland). Thanks Alex.

[2bjr]

#8378

Ted Simon.      * Jupeter's Travels *  He started in 1973 with a 500 cc Triumph; around the world, 4 years and 81 000 km, engine rebuild 4 times later made it back to the UK.Nice book, was more a traveller than nowadays travelers.  The world was not so developed that years.Good read if you can find the book somewhere. First published in 1979. 😀

[Anonymous]

#8379

Tuning for speed by Phill Irving

[Murray]

#8380

Two great books come to mind.If you're after an inspirational read I'd recommend Dave Barr's "Riding the Edge" if you can find a copy, sadly I lent mine to a friend about 10 years ago and never got it back - but I digress. Dave recounts his trip around the world (on a 1972 Harley Davidson no less) despite the loss of both legs from an antitank mine explosion in Angola in 1981. He covered about 80,000 MILES and it took him around 3 1/2 years. I think it made him the first person with a major disability to cross the Sahara Desert, go around Australia and negotiate the Andes during avalanche season. You just end up gobsmacked at the accomplishments of this determined man as he takes you on some of his most exciting adventures. It's certainly not a "how to" book, it's more about who he met and what he got up to.Also, Mondo Enduro by Austin Vince (2006) is a great read. It's about a round-the-world expedition in 1995-1996 where Austin & Gerald Vince, Chas Penty, Bill Penty, Clive Greenhough, Nick Stubley, Mark Friend and Louis Bloom set off to go round the world by the longest route possible in the shortest time. Their route took them from London, through Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Siberia; then from Alaska to Chile and finally from Cape Town through Africa and the Middle East back to London. The expedition was filmed and was subsequently made into a 2 part TV series. Shown on Discovery Travel and Adventure Channel over 40 times, this has since reached cult status amongst biking and adventure travel fans.Cheers,Garry

[Anonymous]

#8381

For a perspective from the feminine side try 'The Perfect Vehicle' – Melissa Holbrook Pierson. Granta Books.  Nicholas Lezard of ,'The Guardian' described it as “the best book about motorcycling that I have ever read”. I am guessing he hasn't read that many before, but its still quite good.  My money for 'best ever' is on 'Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'.

[phil1]

#8382

10 Years on Two Wheelsby Helge PedersonA Norwegian chap who spent 10 years traversing the globe on an R80G/S. I believe this is now out of print and was expensive ($100) when i bought my copy about 10 years ago.

[Raman Singh]

#8383

I came across the Aerostich website the other day and downloaded their catalogues. The SUN_SPRING2007 pdf catalogue has around 18 pages of books on motorcycles - no kidding!And my dear wife has asked me what i would like for a Christmas present  🙂Errol

[Anonymous]

#8384

I have read a few over the years and one I would recommend is “The last Hurrah” a story of two 70+ age men taking their bikes from NZ to China,  riding up to the “stans” the on to Pakistan and eventaully going on to Holland. Very well written, funny and inspiring. Search on the net by writing the title on google.  Yiou can purchase of the author, Des Molloy.  For somethimng out of left field is it timely to set up a page where members can offer books they own to others for reading?  Perhaps the executive could dicuss the option of running a library and charging a flat fee of say $5.00 per book or DVD.  Could generate a few extra dollars for the club.

[Dave Ross]

#8385

Not a bad Idea, but an informal system is probably better. I have Louis on the loose, the Long Way around and a couple of others. I've noticed that the Long Way Down is now available. Is it worth getting?Alex

[Tony Russell]

#8386

Whatever happened to the British Motorcycle Industry  by Bert Hopwood.A revelation as to what went on in the boardrooms of the various factorys, not to mention the people sitting on the Board. Also very interesting to learn of the evolution - or rather lack of - new models. Personalities from the Industry are described mercilessly, albeit perhaps not always quite objectively...The book gives a very plausible explanation as to why the Japanese could just walk in and take over the marked. Hopwood started as junior draughtsman at Ariel in the 30's and ended up on the BSA Board in the 70's.

[Author]

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