Motorcycles Books

This book opened my eyes to a whole new way of seeing my favorite motorcycle company. I am a fan of their cars too but it has always been their two wheeled machines that have had me hooked. The best thing about the book is what an "American Story" Sochiro Honda was. From nothing to greatness in his field in a single lifetime. Honda tried and failed and went back to school and succeeded. He worked HARD as a young man to even get to a position to launch what we now think of as Honda.

A really neat read, it will surprise you.

Clymer does it once again with a beautiful illustrative layout of the very popular TRX 250r / Fourtrax 250r and ATC 250r. Covering everything from tire pressure to a complete engine/transmission teardown and rebuild, Clymer focuses on great detail will illustration, specification and step by step instruction. A must for any 250r owner, Clymer completely covers all areas for maintenance and service.
A definite 5 stars.

If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, a gear head, have an active bike building project or just thinking about one this is a great book to have as part of your collection. The book is geared, no pun intended, to the beginner but regardless of your level of experience it has some great tips to think of when doing a project, especially, as the book is focused on when you are on a budget.

This book is perfect for an entry level artist as well as someone who has been drawing for some time. I've been sketching choppers for a long time, more seriously in the last few years, and I'm thrilled to see how much this has to offer me in the way of disciplining my process.

It also covers the basics such as perspective, bike construction, and other aspects that are of value to anyone interested in drawing bikes. This is true for the fine artist/painter, the cartoonist, or the enthusiast who wants to develop a hobby in drawing bikes.

If you have a Honda Big Red or ATC250SX then you NEED this book. Lots of great tech tips and troubleshooting guides, plus it has illustrations that you can actually decipher. Some technical things could use more pictures, but those are the things that, if you're doing them, you pretty much can do anyway.

This book is a personal accounting of the art of painting bikes by one of the world's top motorcycle fine artists. It's great if you're a motorcyle enthusiast or an artist looking for inspiration.

There are no magical step-by-step how to lists in this book. If you're looking for a more instructional piece, this isn't that kind of book. However, it covers things in a more general way that leaves approach and specific technique open for the artist to discover and explore on their own, which is the best way.

What it does cover is the overall planning and preparation process for several paintings, as well as some information on reproduction. It's also a book that you can return to over time and continue to get good stuff out of, whether you're looking to enjoy some good reading or incorporate new ideas into your own artistic process.

Motorcyclists involved in either building a bike from scratch or adding to a factory chassis will appreciate the photo-packed, project-oriented "How To: Advanced Custom Motorcycle Chassis", which discusses upgrades, frames, assembly specs and more. Over 400 color images accompany details on what to buy and how to assemble all kinds of parts, including sidebars of information from industry leaders. A 'must' for any collection catering to motorcycle hobbyists.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Mr. Trotta gave an excellent glimpse into his life. It was revealing in that he overcame many obstacles seldomly experienced by others. His story I believe gives hope to others striving to live life on their own terms. I want to thank him for his candor and wish him the best of success in the future. I have had the opportunity to met his wife and him in person. They are very unique people and the biography does them justice.

This Illustrated History of Douglas Motorcycles is LAVISHLY illustrated! Every single page has one or more historical photos, many of them are printed full page. Very few of them are studio photos, most are interesting candid shots of the bikes on tours or in races. Some are publicity photos taken in idealistic locations. Also has some factory and some mechanical detail shots.

From the front flap:

"Far away from the Birmingham and Coventry heartland of the Midlands, this Bristol-based manufacturer became famous for the manufacture of machines powered by a horizontally-opposed twin engine. Founded by William and Edward Douglas, two foundrymen of Scottish descent, the company commenced the manufacture of motorcycles in 1907, when they took on Joseph Barter, who had pioneered the horizontally-opposed twin cylinder motorcycle engine. William Douglas soon departed to form Hoare and Douglas manufacturers of boots and shoes, this being an area in which the trade was well established. Early Douglas competition successes were overshadowed by a win in the 1912 Junior TT, which paved the way for the supply of machines in large numbers to the armed forces during the Great War. Further wins in the 1923 Senior and Sidecar TT races ensured the consolidation of a thriving business that carried the company successfully through the depression of the late twenties. Even royalty endorsed the company's products when Prince Albert (later King George VI) and Prince Henry became enthusiastic Douglas owners. Machines were also supplied to the Royal Household of Spain.

"During the early thirties the company experienced a series of financial crises after William Douglas had relinquished his interest in the company, which eventually forced him to buy it back to retain control to safeguard its survival. But not even he could save it and after his death in 1937 the decline continued until World War 2. A fresh start seemed assured in 1946 with some promising new designs, but it was not to be. Always undercapitalised and following the appointment of an Official Receiver, it remained an uphill struggle until production finally came to a close in 1957."

An interesting history and fantastic photos. I highly recommend this book!

This book was never written, let alone published. It appeared on one provisional publishing list several years ago but never came about.