Motorcycles Books

A very thorough and detailed history of Ducati with a model by model, year by year breakdown. Great to get a general history of Ducati or if you are considering buying one of their bikes. The model specifications at the rear are handy though need to be read in conjunction with the book to get every detail on a particular model in a particular year. Focuses more on the last 20 yrs of Ducati, but could still be considered the definative book on Ducati. A few more pictures would be nice.

The book is for you if you're interested in the history and development of Ducati's from one model to the next. It also has a fair amount of technical information about how each model varies from the next. What I didn't like was that it had only a few color photos and very little information on more recent models (1995 and up)....

Great book to have to show friends and to enjoy browsing on a lazy, rainy afternoon when you should be out riding, but can't. Good pics and fair perspective about the bikes and the people who created them.

I bought this book out of curiosity, and because I am interested in Ducati motorcycles. And I would say that this book fulfills any need for information about Ducati and the story about the bikes and the men behind it. Great book ! Recommended!

This review for both the Encycleopedia 1999 and 2001, Guide to Alternatives in Cycling. These are basically interesting product shopping brochures bound into books with a few extras, lists and articles in the back. They show a generous sampling of bike alternatives outside the standard diamond frame upright designs. It's like browsing a years worth of many different biking magazines to read brief articles about the oddities in pedal powered transportation available. It includes information on bikes, trikes, quads, stokers, kid and cargo trailers, family transport, cargo bikes, recumbents, folders, a few interesting components and accessories. These books are entertaining to browse and informative to read about the growing and receding alternatives available. It's far from a comprehensive worldwide catalog considering what actually is available worldwide, but offers a good dose of some current and not so current products that stand out in the rather thin crowd of alternative cycling options. I paid a dollar each for the 1999 and 2001 issues from a book liquidator plus shipping. Money well spent for a few evenings of reading and browsing through this visual mind candy.
I plan to order the latest Encyclopedia 8 since I enjoyed these well enough and wish to see more. One final comment for the publisher if they read these reviews: Some of the text is quite small and is not so dark or black as printed, which is difficult to read as a result. I don't consider it a micro-font nor expect large print text, but at least a reasonable choice of font size for publication. The page layout may look good, but it does not always read well.

Bought this book for ideas on building recumbent bikes. Its a great book with plenty of interesting bikes pictured. I only wish they would publish an 2008 version. this one came out in 2001 but still reads very current.

Too bad they're having difficulty publishing these days. This particular volume has many interesting bikes and trikes and accessories and so forth, though it all reads more like a collection of sale brochures. Also, they'd included a photo of the Shuttle Bike Kit which allows your bike to float and tread water (!!) but they didn't have an article on the novelty item itself (!!!)....

Otherwise, a great read. Yes, it's very entertaining, all the same. I especially love their green cycle-as-lifestyle ethos. Maybe this is all still quite ahead of the times...many products covered are apparently no longer available, the companies having folded.

I bought this book because I ride a recumbent and there is very little in the way of books on the subject. It is a British publication which is dedicated to bikes but with considerable emphasis on recumbents. If you are interested in recumbent bikes, trikes and others, this is a fascinating exploration of the topic. It has large, full color pictures on almost every page and it is something which will serve as a reference and enlighten readers with its comprehensive treatment 'cycling alternatives'. Definite European flavor. Highly recommended. I very much enjoyed reading and rereading this book.

I expected a book with insightful narrative and intriguing photographs about what goes on behind the motorcycle racing scene. Instead this work offers virtually no narrative and really mediocre photographs. It's a big, expensive photo album that illustrates the motorcycle racing pit scene without explaining what you're seeing. The captions for all the photos are at the end of the book, which is cumbersome, and the editor left out narrative for some photos and mislabeled others.

If you're looking for the scoop on the grunge behind the glitz of motorcycle racing, this will not satisfy you at all. If you're looking for outstanding photography, you'll be disappointed as well. Save your money; there are better books in this genre out there.

A wonderfully put together book. A must for all enthusiasts. Beautilful photogrphy!

This amazing b&w photo book takes you into the pits and brings you so close to the action, you can taste the pre-mix and feel the vibration of the motors rumble thru your bones. Every single page cries for a frame and a wall. It brings you to the top of triumph and to the low of horrific crashes. A perfect gift or keep for yourself and collect your favorite racer autographs!

For all race fans, a must. This coffee table picture book re-creates the tension, excitement and thrills,and victory of the "behind the sceans" at the race track. The pictures are beautiful. The black and white photos bring out the true feeling of the race life. Thank you for this exceptional book.

I've read this book and own the complete following series.

It's a good reference for that year, but the sport has moved on FAR beyond this and it's lessons are very dated.

If you're interested in current technology, buy an edition from later years/series. If your interested in the technology of the era, look up Peter Wright's "Formula 1 Technology" and compare prices. Wright's book is FAR superior, especially putting the technology in context and especially if the price is nearly the same.

That's even speaking as a Ferrari supporter since the Niki Lauda era...

Actually, with this price, it's the only known I review !
I'm realizing scale model kits and this is the best book I found,
but the previous year books are pretty dificult to find.

I hope each year book, in french for me, but it's rather without
importance, because the drawings are so fine ...

Unfortunately, there no same books in rallying or so.

Let me start off by saying that if you are an F1 fan especially a technical one(like myself) you can't pass up this book. If you do not know who Giorgio Piola is, he draws for the weekly magazine AutoSport. He is one of the best artist I have seen. His technical drawings allow you to understand the F1 cars in a technical perspective. Compared to the last edition "Technical Analysis 98", this one is even better. If you don't have the 98 book you should order that one too. I do like the 99 book since it is written in english only as opposed to the 98 which is in italian and english, but thats not a problem. What will really impress you is the attention to detail of the drawings, but they are so easy to understand. Again this is a must for any F1 fan. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The best book for anyone who is interested in the technical side of modern F1. The coloured illustration that make up the book are top class, clearly showing the differences between the different cars no matter how minute. The section following the development if Ferrari and McLaren from race to race is superb. Those hoping for an explanation for the different designs and the concepts behind them should look for other books, though I doubt you'll find one thanks to F1's secrecy, but for those who would like to really view the cars in all their beauty there is nothing to match this book.

Being a Harley enthusiast myself, I appreciate the ancestry of my ride. This book is like a family album...proving the good stock my Duoglide comes from (and helped carry on).

If you do, or ever want to, own a Harley...check out their parentage here.

This 100th anniversary edition book is the perfect gift and is pretty as a picture. But if your Harley Davidson rider can read as well as ride check out the Harley Davidson novel THE SECOND COMING OF AGE and the book GROWING UP HD.

Good "starter" book for historical overview of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and the pictures are excellent. Anecdotal inserts are interesting. It explains the Sturgis for the uninitiated. As a new "Harley chick", I have given several as gifts to the Harley buddies who are introducing me to this new world and they have all enjoyed it.

The text covers the early years fairly well, and minces no words when it comes to the bad years of the late sixties-early seventies. Contains some interesting comments by noted figures not only in H-D history, but the general motorcycle community as well. All illustrated, of course, with plenty of photos, some very good indeed. Goes on a bit much about the Sturgis gathering, though, and unfortunately cuts off in late 1993, so no coverage of recent developments such as the H-D partnership with Buell, the onslaught of Japanese imitations and American-built copies, etc. All in all, not a bad addition to the enthusiast's shelf and reasonable value for the money.

I have followed motorcycle racing since I was a kid - motocross, flat track, road racing. I was attending nearly every AMA Superbike race of the season when the Haydens first came onto the road racing scene and I was lareday familiar with the family from their flat track adventures. Honestly, I didn't think this book would tell me anything I didn't already know. However, it ended up being incredibly insightful; it provides insight into the Hayden family and their very driven attitude, as well as providing great details about motorcycle racing as a whole. The forward by Gary Nixon is a real treat on its own, and avid motorcycle enthusiasts will enjoy the personal stories and quotes that fill this book from cover to cover. Additionally, author Chris Jonnum provides spectacular photos to accompany this enlightening story about perserverence and determination.

The Haydens: Nicky, Tommy, & Roger - From OWB to MotoGP is a great read and I'd recommend it to veteran racing spectators as well as those new to the sport.

Purchased as a gift to my husband. He reports lots of pictures & full of information about the Hayden's.

This is a must read for all fans of the Hayden brothers. Great stories, timelines and photos are all in this book.

Every racer and would-be racer should grab, read and understand this book (and look at it, too--the photos are excellent) to see what it takes to succeed in road racing.

As if we didn't know it, there is no easy route to the road-race podium. Every racer has his or her own story of dreaming and wanting, winning and losing, crashing and hurting, elation and despair. Nowhere is this more evident than with the winningest trio of brothers in the history of American road racing: those Haydens. They achieved their racing record the hard way: they earned it.

This engaging book traces the upbringing of the three Hayden brothers from before their birth, an intimate portrait going back to before parents Earl and Rose met, concluding at the end of Nicky Hayden's MotoGP world championship win of 2006. It's a story of unremitting hard work.

It reads a little like a combination diary and journey, as author Jonnum, editor of Road Racer X, recounts the Hayden saga from Earl's history as a racer to his staunch support not just of the three brothers but of their sister Jenny (who managed to beat many young men in her short racing career). Let it never be doubted that parents' committed support goes a long way in the development of a successful young racer.

Jonnum frames the book with the May, 2006 podium sweep at Springfield's Grand National TT in the dirt--Nicky, Tommy, Roger. It's not surprising: the boys started on the dirt and really never left it, returning repeatedly to their roots during road-racing careers that are still in full swing, with Nicky now only 28, his brother Tommy still a youthful 31 and young Roger a mere 23 (as of summer 2007). Back when powerful road-race bikes could bite, learning to hang it out in the dirt, inches from other racers and unforgiving walls, was an excellent way to become an accomplished road racer. Only now, with electronic traction control invading and 250-style, wheels-in-line technique more important, are dirt-track roots becoming less influential.

The rest of the book describes how it all happened, chronologically, and a rip-roaring tale it is, encompassing most of the great names in national and international road racing since the '80s. The most evident characteristic that the Haydens embody, based on this book, is strong character and basic decency. It's impossible not to like them. If we believe Jonnum, this good nature is genuine, in an era in which sports `stars' are not always ideal role models. Only once--Estoril, when Pedrosa punched him into the gravel--did Nicky lose it: "That's bull***t," he roared.

As we have come to expect from Bull Publishing, the book is beautifully produced, the graphics appealing, the photos absorbing except for Jonnum's failure to use flash in some interiors and his insistence that the drop down from Laguna's Corkscrew is "over 900 feet" (actually 300 feet). Maps, diagrams and statistical summaries of the brothers' racing careers would have helped us understand their travels and visualize their ascent to the podium a little better, but in most respects this is an excellent book that belongs on every enthusiast's bookshelf.

I think it is a good book. A few pictures of some bell bottoms or a nice break dancing shirt would have livened it up a bit, but all in all it was decent in helping me tune my bike!

This book covers the basics, to some pretty advanced jobs on the covered motorcycles. For example, the book avoids subjects such as adjusting the jets on the carburetors, refering the user to a qualified mechanic, yet it covers such topics as replacing the transmission gears! The reason I stopped short of 5 stars is because it is sometimes difficult to find your desired topic, as some things are covered twice, but to a different degree, which can cause confusion at first. I wanted to adjust the self-adjusting DOHC's, due to lifter noise. I found one section which required me to take the head off, then, later, I discovered a screw adjust, on the rear side of the block, which was quite simple, and fast, which would allow the DOHC's to self-adjust automatically.

The Index, and the Table of Contents, are not exhaustive, but you can usually find what you are looking for. I just add notes to the Table of Contents when I find something which isn't marked as it should be, and I use a highlighter, as well, on the body of the text.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It is an invaluable tool for even light self-maintenance. I still rely upon a Honda mechanic for the big stuff, but for minor adjustments, it is required reading. The text is highly readable, the photo's are good, and helpful, though not perfect. If you own an older Honda motorcycle, I strongly recommend you pick this up for your piece of mind. Cheers!

Doing for motorcycles what Chilton does for cars. This book has great information, like how to give an oil change, how to check your chain, how to replace a headlight and how to rebuild your engine. Everything from little to small is in this book. The index is very poort however and the TOC is also lacking, but the book does have markers on the right hand side to easily find the chapter you are looking for.

This manual is just what you need in order to be able to service your vintage Honda. Not only does it describe every possible repair, but also it improves your understanding of how the Honda 750 DOHC works. Here are some of the features, which I especially value in the manual:

1. The text follows systematically the actual sequence of the described repair/service. This is probably the single most important point for me and I can not stress enough how meticulously detailed the text is. I have never felt lost, or surprised, or unable to follow the guidance offered by this manual.
2. A clearly numbered photograph gives visual clarification of every stage of the repair/service. The clearly marked photos give a useful visual aid in identification of components - if you have doubts about which the primary needle jet is, after seeing a photo of the whole float bowl area with the jet in a circle, you should be able to figure it out.
3. Common practices and malpractices are described preemptively, which is very useful for the amateur mechanic.
4. The Troubleshooting and the Maintenance and Tune-Up sections give excellent information on motorcycle diagnostics and prophylactics.

In conclusion, I must say that the Clymer publications have been more that just workshop manuals - they have been great textbooks from which I learned the basics of motorcycle maintenance. They are indispensable. Of the many publications out there, they are also the best.

Its a pretty in depth look at the biker gang and clubs.I am a motorcycle rider and I ride a chopper and it still shocks me that the mass people think that we are a bunch of drug addicts or drunks well its not true so read and LEARN.............

This book is really just a combination of stories from several other books. I have read many other books on this topic so I found the book to be old news, but still worthy of a read. If your only going to read one book on bikers this would be a good choice.

A superb and tantalising book that looks at the life of what one reviewer has described as "the last free people in society". Art Veno's collection of first hand accounts of motorcycle gangs both reinforces some myths about them but, at the same time, explodes others. It is not all sex, drugs and rock and roll in bikie land, though, thankfully, there is plenty here about the sexual mores and rather exotic sexual practices of those who defy the conventions of "normal" society. But the book is much more than just a snapshot into the private lifes of the bikie sub-culture. it is also a rivetting account of the politics and social structure of motorcycle gangs. At the same time it shines a torch on our own society and the hypocrisy and cant that we sometimes preach. A rivetting read.

In this impressive tome, Arthur Veno collects 40 first-hand accounts from various biker insiders and observers. In addition to classic reports penned by Daniel Wolf and Sonny Barger, Veno digs deep into biker history and lore, uncovering many gems along the way.

Consider this, an excerpt from a 1947 San Francisco Chronicle article detailing efforts by Hollister police to force a "lull in the terrorism" at the town. "Armed with tear gas guns," it reads, "the officers herded the cyclists into a block on San Benito Street, between Fifth and Sixth streets, parked a dance band on a truck and ordered the musicians to play. Hundreds of individuals who invaded the town yesterday for the motorcycle show, about 10 percent of them women, halted their riotous 'play' to dance."

In The Mammoth Book Of Bikers, this antagonistic--often-comical-- relationship between bikers and the police is laid bare. Veno deftly shows that this relationship-- fueled by a sensational press-- is symbiotic at its core. As one Hell's Angel put it bluntly to Hunter S. Thompson: "Of course I don't like to read all this... because it brings the heat down on us, but since we got famous we've had more... women come looking for us than we ever had before. Hell, these days we have more action than we can handle." Veno's book goes a long way at deconstructing myths about bikers-- while at the same time adding to the allure of the One Percenter lifestyle.

Our school was fortunate enough to have Mr. Loomis as a guest speaker. He took the children through the writing process with the use of this book, he was very informative and enlightening.
Motocross Mike is a refreshing approach at aiming and obtaining interest of relucant readers, especially boys. Several of our students who rarely read unless required to do so, were caught reading this book when they were suppose to be working on something else. That's a good sign!!
I would strongly recommend that any media specialist should put it on their "Got to have list". You won't be disappointed.

This was a great book to read with my 12 year old son and my 10 year old daughter. We would read a chapter evey night,it was action-packed. We couldn't wait to read what would happen to Mike next. We had a hard time putting it down. I highly reccomend it.

As a literacy volunteer I saw how hard it is to entice young boys for whom reading is still a challenge to pick up a book. Motocross Mike's adventures on the track should do the trick.

Retired elementary school principal, Charles Loomis knows his sport and knows his kids. Motocross Mike deals with the stuff that keeps young readers revved and ready to read -- trouble with Mom, trouble with a bully, a little danger and great friends playing hard together. An excellent choice for the middle school reader.

This book will definitely hold your interest as their are many subplots to build tension in the story. Not only does the detail of the actual motocross races hold you in suspense but the ultimate decision that Mike and his mother must make is a familiar crisis for many teens. This book is a must for motocross enthusiasts and will be an enjoyable read for anyone who is interested in young adult fiction. As a reading specialist I will be recommending this book to my reluctant male readers at middle school level.

Motocross Racers 30 Years of Legendary Bikes
By: Ray Ryan


This book is full of heart warming photos and facts about the bikes that started it all. I would recommend this book to all of those people who would like to learn about motocross history and people who make motocross a part of there own lives. This book is not for people who would like to sit down and read a nice picture book. This book has cold hard facts about who made bikes back then for motocross and also how they have changed throughout the years and the very first racers with these bikes.


I this book because it taght me what bikes were like a long time ago and because of how it went within the bike to show you how the engines and the whole bike really evolved from that time to present day.


This book teaches readers about the past in motocross. By the ebd of this book readers will have a full understanding of motocross and there values.



I would rate this book for about 4 ½ stars

It's a delightful book - BUT if you expected a selection of bikes that included your own, don't count on it. If you had a big-bore machine, you're going to love this book. If you are one of the MANY who didn't, you may find this book a disappointment, in not being two or three times as thick.

The VMX world can be grateful for this book. But a new edition or addition is needed.
Definately Recommended.

Having been a huge MX fan through the 70's and 80's, I remember almost all of these bikes. The photography is excellent and the stories about how each bike was important in the evolution of design is great reading. The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is that I wish it was about twice as thick... It's still a good value for the money though.

This is an excellent book with high quality photos on every page. Good representation for most all-brands. Can reccomend for sure. A safe purchase in this case.