Motorcycles Books

I bought a 1993 Yamaha DT200-R dirt bike and it obviously didn't come with a manual. I heard that Clymer books were detailed and I bought this one, since the WR250 is pretty similar to the DT200.
Except for my bike's gas tank capacity, oil tank capacity and minor modifications, this book described almost every screw and washer I could find. They take the bike down part by part, and put it back together. The book has hints and tips that save you alot of trouble and money. The first thing I did to my bike was maitenance, and the chapters are divided into intuitive sections. Of course, the easiest way of understanding is by diagrams, and the book is full of detailed sketches. The only problem I had, I think, was telling the difference between an oil fouled spark plug, and a carbon fouled plug. The pictures are in Black and White!!!
When I trade my bike in for a Honda 600, I think I'll by a Clymer book.

Excellent service, repair, and maintenance manual. It contains useful illustrations, diagrams, tables and detailed installation/removal instructions. The only thing this manual lacks is the OEM part number for each component.

Not much needed to be said. This book was perfect for its design. You will need nothing but tools after buying this book. Enjoy!

Excellent manual, I was able to clean my carbs and install a jet kit thanks to the manual. You should be somewhat mechanically inclined though.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is perhaps the most tedious, pedantic, tiresome, misleading, and intellectually-barren book I have ever had the misfortune of reading. Perhaps the worst thing about this self-absorbed, unreadable rant is that on every page, Persig seems compelled to draw attention away from his text's lack of substance by providing countless misrepresentations of all the great philosophers. Not only does he use language that is dry and uninteresting, but he incorrectly describes nearly all of the philosophers and philosophical systems that he mentions.
Pirsig's book is nothing more than adolescent rambling. On every page, Pirsig arrogantly and vainly tries to portray himself as some kind of synthesis of erudite Western scholar meets wise Eastern sage. Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the most despicable aspects of his pedestrian work of pseudo-philosophical tripe is that he uses his own quasi-philosophical terminology to describe concepts that could better be represented using the terminology of existing systems. He constantly tries to reinvent many philosophical terms, and then misuses other terms. The result is a most confusing and convoluted read, especially if you are already versed in philosophy. Perhaps the saddest thing about Pirsig's mock-literary atrocity is that many people seem to regard Pirsig's arrogant tirade as an introduction to philosophy. Nothing could be further from the truth. The book could potentially serve as a dull introduction to pathetic, narcissistic, schizophrenic authors who manage, through some quirk of fate, to achieve popularity, but that's about it...

My father read the book when he was 25 and said it changed his life. I read the book only last year, at 25 as well. It changed my life too, and my perceptions of it. It's a very brilliant piece of work, with such astute commentaries on society, philosophy, and yes, quality. Unfortunately, the title, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, is hard for people to get at first. One friend of mine even thought I was reading manual to learn how to fix motorcycles. But I don't know what else I'd call it.

I bought this book because it was required by my English lit teacher!! Required reading!! Anyways, I didn't enjoy this book at all. Not my type, definitely.
But if you are interested in reading this book, just remember, this is one book that you can judge by its cover. It's about exactly what the title indicates. Kind of a novel/bio about a man who gets into motorcycles and becomes philosophical about them. A little bit creepy, not too interesting and even some steamy scenes.
Weird...
and not worth my time.

Although this book requires a bit of reflection (so is therefore not a fast read) it provides a great explanation of ZEN philosophy - the key points summarized are: Western Philosophy = What is right vs wrong, Easter Philosophy = what is best. Also, the author explores at length the concept of "quality" and the idea that things that are good (that is, of high quality) originate from within, and is not something that can be "taught". When something is good (music, book, art) the consumer (listener, reader, perceiver) simply knows that it is good (that of high quality). I know this sounds overly simple, but when explored at length these concepts can change the way you perceive everything.

I read this book as a fairly impressionable teenager when it first was published. My generation took it to its heart because it mirrored a feeling that we knew which way the cookie crumbled but we also knew instinctively which way it ought to crumble. I wrote naively to Mr. Persig and my letter came back to me with his cryptic comments, handwritten, dotted over the pages, but at least he took the time to respond. One of my questions was: does each individual HAVE to embark on their own journey and travel their own road in order to learn these (in the book)lessons? and his enigmatic answer was "yes and no" - so maybe that places him up there with Grasshopper's mentor. I've travelled a long road since then but I still dip into its pages. I see things differently but the ideas remain valid.

Quite apart from the ideas in the book, the guy can write and so reading English expresed in a unique, compelling style is a rewarding experience in itself.

This book was inspirational! It provides a good reality check when you feel like life is handling you more than you can deal with.

Fred and Chris' review is shockingly disturbing. I read this book 3 times and wept uncontrollably at Neil's losses. I cannot believe that you would complain that he is shallow, and complained about the number of pages it took to tell of the events. How much more does he need to tell? Selena lost control of her vehicle, flipped it, and it killed her. It was a terrible accident without cause. Jackie fell into the worst depths of a depressive state and it killed her along with the terminal cancer. A disease I battled personally for 2 years but actually ended up in remission.

To complain that this book reads like a Mapsco means neither one of you understand or care about how most readers like myself want to know everything, every description, every detail of what he is seeing and feeling. Neil writes so that you feel you are right there with him and that is what I love about his writing style.
To say that he cares more about his friend who is in jail for marijuana possession, (not HARD DRUGS) instead of Selena and Jackie is very callous. If he cared about his friend over his family, he never would have been in seclusion for so long and would have probably returned to drumming a lot sooner. HE LOVED HIS LITTLE GIRL MORE THAN ANYTHING!!! Look at the way he talks about her in all of his books. He was a very doting father and very involved in her life.
The fact that he did not just take a bottle of pills and end it all after those tragic events shows how much courage and strong character he really has. And just because he can handle his liquor does not mean he is teetering on the brink of alcoholism. Sounds like something a member of the infamous AA would say.
Saying that he has a diminishing respect for humans individually and as a whole just means that you don't like the way he looks at some people and situations. After reading all his books I realize that I think and feel the exact same way as he does. You just don't like his observations because he tells the truth and tells it like it really is, and no one ever wants to hear the real truth.
He can't help it if he does not really like being famous, nor can he help it that he is pretty much the best damn lyricist and drummer ever!! Its a little nerve racking to have people running after you all the time.

This book takes you through his private hell and emotional wreckage that feels like he will never come out of, and in a lot of ways he never really will. Yes he has found a new soul mate and has a renewed zest for life, but one never gets over the loss of their baby and you can see it in his eyes in recent pictures, he is not completely the same person he was before and never will be again and to say he is in need of some personal work makes me feel the both of you need personal work a lot more than he ever did!! Let's see how you handle it when you loose your loved ones.
I have more respect and admiration for Neil Peart than a lot of peope I personally know and I am glad that he was able to find the will to live.

I had high hopes of this book when I first heard about. I thought we would get deep insight into the mind of the Ghost Rider and how he would deal with the tragic loss of his family. Perhaps in a certain way, we did, he road his bike thousands of miles, which is fine, but there is so much missing from it. The author is a very private man who chooses only to give us an edited version of his pain, misery and redemption. The book is simply a traveling manuscript that lists places where the Ghost Rider cruised to and where he stayed and dined. It deviates at times to more intimate settings such as with his wife's family and friends but they are so few and are never given ample room.
There is also a bizarre array of letters to the Ghost Rider's friend Brutus that is filled with inside jokes and highlights that the reader never connects with and is left out of. The editing of the book was also poor - examples include the letters (perhaps they should have been deleted altogether) and the conclusion was done too loosely. There were too many events that were hurried over.
I do not see how others could rate the book so high - perhaps they are fans or they enjoyed it as a travel book. I did leave with a deeper appreciation of traveling after reading it and noting the sound wisdom of "keep moving," in order to stay focused at the task at hand, which was to...finish the ride?

Thought provoking and insightful, this truly comes from the heart. It is difficult to imagine someone having to go through the tragedies suffered by Mr. Peart but he is able to put together a riveting account of the turmoil he suffers while grieving over the loss of loved ones. If this book does not cause you to shed a tear, you aren't paying close enough attention.

Having been a Rush fan for over 20 years, I was somewhat familiar with the purpose and topic of this book - Neil's processing of the grief and sorrow associated with the 1-2 punch of losing his daughter and then his wife. Also, I ride a motorcycle as well, so I was interested in reading about his journeys along his healing road.

At first as I read this book, I felt like it was very repetitive. The more I read, though, I realized that what I was reading is just the cyclic processing of grief - and yes, that *is* repetitive. Having not experienced any losses as great as his, I am not familiar with how something of that magnitude gets processed. After realizing that, I had a new perspective on the book and the courage it took to publish these thoughts after completing his motorcycle journey.

There are some interesting "ride report" type aspects to this book as well, but largely, I would classify this book as someone's story of overcoming grief as opposed to telling a story that focuses on a motorcycle adventure.

What I found kind of paradoxical about this book is that Neil proclaims repeatedly to be a very private person who isn't comfortable with people approaching him or recognizing him, however, he pours his heart out into a novel. From my perspective, a book that reveals so many facets of his personality only serves to empower the casual fan with that feeling of really "knowing" him - and should they perchance encounter him somewhere, it is only natural that they are going to want to at least say some "hellos" or what not - but if they were to do that, they'd probably be very unwelcome to be doing so.

If someone is THAT private of a person, I am confused by the fact that they publish not one, but several books, that lay it all out there for the world to read.

This is a wonderful republishing effort in hardback with a great photo of Hunter on its cover - a tribute to Thompson's literary accomplishment and treatment of the Hells Angels when they were truly a cultural attraction.

Hunter's writing is clear, fast-paced, insightful, hysterial, and damning with just a bit of the Thompson humor to get the real point across. There's not be a book on the Times and the Angels since to match it.

Great addition to the library - thanks, Dr. Thompson - RIP

I fear many young readers don't read Hunter because their sole perception of him stems from the Fear and Loathing movie. Perhaps it makes them overlook him, falsely believing they could only take something away from his genius if they themselves were acid freaks or outlaw motorcyclists. What they don't understand is story development is only part of the delicious masterpieces Hunter serves up. He could make a sentence, one short, lonely sentence brilliant. He could read the inner workings of his non-fictional subjects' minds, both good and bad, as though he held some secret intercom to their brain. Regardless of the story, whether it was some drug binging adventure in Vegas or hot presidential campaign, Hunter's details lacked in nothing. If he wrote it, the reader can close their eyes and be in that distant place in that distant time. I wasn't yet born in the 60s and 70s, but I can see that the residue from that era still heavily molds our society and our government. To move forward, it is important to understand our past. And, Hunter's work serve as an ambassador or a time machine for us to go back and reconcile and comprehend such an unbelievable time.
So, read the book. Read all his books.

In depth report of the infamous motorcycle gang by the only person with enough gall and wit to pull it off; Hunter S. Thompson. Excellent correspondence of what the Hell's Angels stood for in their prime. If you enjoy learning about the brutality humans are capable of then this is a book for you.

A very high quality production run, hard-bound with illustrated dust jacket etc. of a very hard to find modern classic. Read Thompson as he was before he became a cartoon character like caricature. Succinct and insightful with the acerbic wit front and centre where it belongs. A cracking good read ! Excellent value too in this Modern Libraries edition. Why pay all-kinds of stoopid money on E-bay for a dog-eared paperback when you can have this for little more than the price of lunch for one alone.

Hell's Angels begins: "California, Labor Day weekend . . . early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur... The Menace is loose again, the Hell's Angels, the hundred-carat headline..." With a start like that how could you help but be hooked? This is Hunter before Gonzo.

Hunter Thompson's Hell's Angels is a fantastically written profile of the outlaw motorcycle club from their postwar origins to their explosion on the public conscious in '64-'65. It begins with the Angels gaining nation-wide attention via a fumbled rape trial and follows the surreal path that led to their interactions and then clashes with Ken Kesey and the counter-culture movement.

Hunter takes an odd stance here. He seems to oscillate between respecting their rebelliousness and really looking down on them as worthless losers. This sort of Yin-Yang of the Hell's Angels follows through the book. They are both repellent and attractive and Hunter does a very good job of sussing out why this is in writing that is compelling and often brilliant. Liberally sprinkled with quotes of contemporary articles, song lyrics and scraps of poetry that fit into the text without distracting.

Hell's Angels is a gritty, classic slice of reportage that manages to entertain in the way good fiction entertains with a gripping narrative and larger-than-life characters.

Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area during the '60s and early '70s I became aware of the Hells Angels when members of the San Jose chapter trounced a friend of mine for coming back into an Angel hangout (bar) after they'd suggested (strongly) that he leave.

A Hispanic car club, the "Royal Coachmen" (also out of San Jose) was shut down by the Angels when its numbers became a concern for the HAMC. Even then the Angels wielded a great deal of "underground" power and influence, as so well described in Barger's book.

"Hell's Angel" is very subtle as to the shift of the club's direction which is described by Barger upon careful reading. Back in the day the Angels were unsophisticated in their tactics and techniques, and loosely organized. They were also very rough around the edges. Today the club is an incorporated organization with global wide chapters and affiliates, a strong legal network for its members and properties/enterprises, and very much the focus of international law enforcement on a daily basis.

However, I knew the Angels had changed dramatically since the 60s when in Los Angeles on business in the early 90s I ran into two full patch members of the club at a nightspot on Hollywood Blvd. They were clean cut, well groomed, and their "colors" looked as if they'd come out of the dry cleaners that day. As I was leaving and was a bit ahead of them I held the door to the club open and both offered "Thank you" as they passed by.

Yep, the early days as described in detail by Ralph "Sonny" Barger are now long ago lore where the Red & White is concerned.

Barger makes no excuses about the criminal activities he's been involved with and convicted of. His is a well written, graphic memory of the Hells Angels with a look into the future of this organization coming from the man who created it. A "must read" for any law enforcement officer who deals with the 1% outlaw biker subculture - and who wants to be successful as an OMG investigator in terms of background and research.

Finally, with Ruben "Doc" Cavazos' new book on himself as a Mongol and international president of the Mongols - one of seveal arch rivals of the Hells Angels - it is interesting to compare Barger to Cavazos in terms of their backgrounds, upbringing, and commitment to their chosen ways of life at the head of two of the Big Six outlaw motorcycle clubs globally.

Say what you will, Cavazos is no Sonny Barger when it comes to old school outlaw values and traditions, and he is certainly not even in the same class when it comes to organizational abilities and vision.

Hunter Thompson pegged Sonny Barger best in his own legendary best seller on the Angels - a companion book to Barger's tome that is likewise must reading for the best possible view of the brotherhood that is the Hells Angels.

Since he was old enough to wander out onto the streets of Oakland, California, Ralph "Sonny" Barger has done things his own way, viewing the world from his unique, American blue collar perspective. In his work Hells Angel, Sonny shares his life and opens the door to the world of the Outlaw Biker. It's as though the whole biker thing evolved as Sonny evolved, and these days Mr. Barger is held in the highest esteem as the premier elder statesman of the biker world.

And why shouldn't he be? He's certainly earned it. After a life of living on the razor's edge, including drugs, beautiful women, police harassment, hard prison time, fast motorcycles, and keeping a club comprised of some of the most notorious and colorful individuals on the same page, anyone who considers himself a biker knows who Sonny is. If he doesn't, then he's not really a biker, he's one of the legion of wannabes that puts on a make believe patch, somehow trying to emulate what Sonny Barger and a few other hard cases started back in the day.

I read this book coming away with the feeling of what it might be like to view the world from the Outlaw Biker perspective. I learned that many these free spirited men served their country with distinction, have conservative values of family and friends, and actually live the kind of freedom that so many in the non-1%er world fear, yet envy from the safety of their easy chairs.

This book provided what I was looking for and more, and after reading it for the third time I still come away with the same feeling. Hats off to Sonny Barger for giving us a non-apologetic and in-your-face rendition of his turbulent life and times, and a glimpse of the Outlaw Biker world. This book is highly recommended.

and a book about Satanic Architecture. But I didn't see any pictures of the Devil's House so I was disappointed. Anyway these guys are pretty scrungy. I wouldn't want the job of washing their underwear. Boy I bet they stink.

The author was on a lot of drugs so I don't know how true his recollections are. Anyway .....

I remember when I was living in West LA during the Iranian Hostage Crisis. One day Iranian supporters - mostly from Beverly Hills mansions - marched down Wilshire Blvd in support of Iran. They were beat up by a mob of motorcycle gangs, little old ladies from Pasadena, and irate Mexicans before they got very far. The cops stood by and laughed and cheered. The one time the Law and the Angels were on the same side. But I thought that was pretty cool.

I liked the parts in the book where they stomped Anti-War hippies in Berkeley and beat up fans at a Rolling Stones concert.

There is some justice and pay back - and so I guess they are kind of tarnished angels. But as bad as they are, they are a hell of lot better than the rich jerks that ship US jobs overseas just so we can all eat poison Chinese vitamins. (Some day the Chinese will make poison Harleys with tires that explode after 10 miles).

Ordered two books from Amazon. This review is for the 1st of the two. Order was relatively low priced. Delivery and shipment was good. Still reading and loving the book.

The microcosm birth of the Hell's Angels motorcycle club evolved in the Fontana/ San Bernardino, California area on April 1957. Ralph Robert Barger,(Sonny) who was only 19 years old, was the founder and leader of the Hell's Angels San Bernardino motorcycle club.

Sonny Barger's book, "Hell's Angel" is the only authorized, genuine story about the, sometimes, but not always, controversial motorcycle club founded by the author himself.

In reading, "Hell's Angel," the reader might disagree, agree and perhaps even sympathize with the story and history of the Hell's Angels' motorcycle club. More often than not different law enforcement agencies classified the Hell's Angels as a `criminal organization' for usurping the American legal system.

It is up to the reader to make his or her own assessment whether those law enforcement agencies were correct in their judgment of the Hell's Angels; or if they were prejudiced in their appraisal of the motorcycle club (MC).

Many believe the original Angels were members of the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division; an elite group of paratroopers trained to rain death on the enemy from above, drifting in behind the lines of battle.
"They called themselves the Hells Angels because they flew on silk wings into hell itself, bringing a brutal hope for peace with 20 pounds of TNT strapped to each leg. The nickname was a badge of honor, a mark of invincibility, a wartime emblem pointing out the toughest of the tough. It was a totem to ward off the worst."

"A handful of those original Hells Angels, and many other returning soldiers who had awakened to the nightmare of war, found it difficult to settle into the half-sleep of the American Dream. After living on the edge so long, they found only a depressing fatalism and monotony in jobs, family, mortgages, and college, suburbia and cookie-cutter houses with white-picket fences." And so they joined the MC.

According to Sonny Barger, "The Hell's Angels is an organization; a group of people, who get together to ride motorcycles and have fun, and go to parties." "... Just because certain people in the Hell's Angels have committed crimes in the past does not make the organization a criminal organization."

Under Barger's guidance, the Hells Angels chapters came together, hammering out bylaws, codes of conduct, outlawing the practice of using drugs, choosing patches, colors, tattoos and clubhouses. The Hell's Angel's made sure that no one used their "Patch" who had not been accepted in the MC, or who were not worthy of their motorcycle club. The MC is a close-knit motorcycle club who not only fights to preserve the dignity of their "Patch," but take care, protect, and stand by one another to the fullest.

There were other motorcycle clubs, throughout the United States, who not only rivaled the Hell's Angels but tried to outdo them as well. However, law enforcement organizations did not excoriated those motorcycle clubs as they hammered the anvil of law enforcement against the Hell's Angels.

The Hell's Angel reputation crashed into the public consciousness in 1954 when Marlon Brando starred in "The Wild One," a Hollywood sensation inspired by the rumble at Hollister.

All the while, the Hell's Angels boldness more than irritated all types of law enforcement. And in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the government tried to pin an official organized crime label on the group, trying to prosecute the Hells Angels under laws originally designed to combat the Mafia. The alleged violations of racketeering, influence and corrupt organization (RICO) laws, however, were never proved, with two hung juries that were unable to decide on 38 of 44 separate charges.
There were many high-profile accusations, arrests and acquittals - suggesting either the Angels are slippery or that police like to arrest them despite flimsy evidence. Many believe the truth lies between both theories.

George Christie, longtime president of the Ventura, Calif., chapter, who is considered Barger's second-in-command and likely successor; admits the Hell's Angels are "not monks." Nevertheless, he insists that if they were as bad as police allege, they would've been jailed and disbanded years ago." George Christi adds, "...cops chase Angels because Angels are easy to chase. Finding real criminals is much tougher, and would require investigative initiative beyond pulling over every biker wearing the infamous winged death's-head."

For their part, the Angels continue to deny all criminal charges, and in 1998 happily celebrated their 50th anniversary.
The Angels have grown, in the past 50 years, to include many chapters in the United States, a presence in many countries and a worldwide membership estimated in the thousands.

I recommend, to the interested reader, Sonny Barger's book, "Hell's Angel" before reading any other books, or magazine articles on the subject of the famous motorcycle club; The Hell's Angels.

Now, this is an interesting book...

On one hand, it is packed with very useful information for both the street rider (the group of which I am a part of) and, I assume, the track rider. Code brings some interesting things to the table and makes these concepts pretty easy to understand even for the novice rider.

On the other hand, as has been mentioned in plenty of other reader reviews, this book is likely the most poorly written professionally published thing I've ever read. It is *filled* with errors, inconsistencies, howlers, and non sequiturs. Not only that, but words are seemingly randomly bolded and asterisked (sometimes both at the same time) and more random words are thrown into a glossary at the end of the chapter. In a lingo-centric sport like motorcycling, why not define more things like low-side, roll-on, contact patch...things like that? Instead, we get words like:

Sail: A Piece of canvas or cloth spread to the wind to cause a vessel to move

or

Point: A particular spot

or

Dazzling: To Impress deeply. Brilliant

or

Wisdom: A wise saying or teaching

WTH? Very strange. All in all though, a good book that I, as an intermediate rider, was able to glean much useful information from. If you can get passed the irritating manner in which that information is presented, you'll probably find it helpful as well.

I thought I was a pretty good rider, 29 years of experience riding all kinds of bikes - but had never taken an advanced rider class. While reading this book, I quickly realized how many mistakes I had been making. E.g., over the years I had figured out most of the steps involved with making a turn as described in the book, but I did not have ALL the steps figured out - there were some CRUCIAL pieces I was missing.

My riding has improved dramatically since reading this book, and my enjoyment of riding is back to where it was when I first started riding!

I wish I had read this book when I first started riding and every year since. I wish someone had recommended that I read it. I am making sure that all my riding buddies read it if they haven't already. Don't be proud, get this book.

Terribly written book. Has many ideas and concepts I've tried and haven't found viable for me. HOWEVER, two chapters in the book are very worthwhile: 1)The 7 deadly Survial Reactions and 2) the chapter on visual directional control--the "Two-Step." These alone make it worth the price of the book. There are many books that teach motorcycle riding techniques far better, that you can actually understand because they aren't written by someone who must have spent his high school career flunking English. Glad it's cheap.

It is difficult not to like this book, Keith Code knows motorcycling. But if you are looking for street riding, there is little here to help you. Throttle control and bike balance was very good, so any understanding about motorcycles is important. I will always honor Keith Code since he was my first teacher with his first twist of the wrist. Thanks

Not bad reading at all. Keith does a wonderful job of keeping the chapters to a reasonable number of pages. I would suggest Lee Parks, Total Control to be a better, more useful read.

Every Neil Peart book is better than the last. Don't get me wrong, I like them all, but he is making incredible strides as a storyteller with each book. His writing is so good now that you really care what he's going to have for breakfast in Denver, or if he'll change his bike's oil in Dallas or Oklahoma City. Simple everday things, for sure. But the prose are so riveting, he makes you want to know.

I admit I'm a huge Rush fan, and I know that influences my enjoyment of his books. But I am also a published author, and I can recognize the work of a talented writer. His musical talents aside, Peart can write, and it seems that he's found a perfect niche in these travel memoirs.

Even if you're not into Rush, give this book (or one of his other books) a chance. His books are hidden gems in the literary world that I fear may not be fully appreciated.

I really enjoyed this book. If you are a motorcycle rider and like music, you will enjoy this book also. Great book for the winter when you cannot get out and ride because Neal takes you on a motorcycle tour and the rigors of being on a concert tour with a band. I like this book better than another Neal Peart book, Ghost Rider for personal reasons.

Let me say that while I enjoy Rush's music, I'm not what you'd call a hardcore fan (I own only six of their albums). That said, I very much enjoyed this book and Peart's adventures on the road.

I have to disagree with others who have reviewed this book. I didn't come away from ROADSHOW believing Peart "hates" his fans . . . he is simply uncomfortable with the in-your-face attitude of some of the more fanatical individuals out there. Also, I don't see how his comments on the church signs can be construed as anti-Christian. I'm not religious by any stretch of the imagination, but his comments seemed harmless; a mere voicing of his own opinion.

As for the book . . . I breezed through it in several days and very much enjoyed Peart's writing style. It's relaxed and flows nicely with wonderful descriptions of his travels. It made me want to load the backseat of my car with CDs and hit the open road. Peart's passion for writing and life in general comes through page after page. This is a guy who harbors a wonderful fascination with the world around him, and I'm thankful he invited us along on this enjoyable journey.

I found this book very interesting as I am intrested in my favorite performers lives. The only reason I gave it 4 and not 5 stars is because of the constant Christian bashing. It's obvious Neil is very bitter about Christianity for whatever reason. He never really tells us why. He did mention that after the tradgedies happened in his life that the Bible was no help. He quotes all the church signs he comes across in his journeys through the US. I agree that some of them were over the top but others had a good message. As a Christian myself I am praying for Neil. I pray God will change his heart and turn his face toward Christ.

Despite what many others are saying, this is a great book if you're a fan of Neil's previous writings. This book is not a "Rush on tour" book, nor is it a glimpse into the life of a touring band. Rather, it's a long essay of a journey by a travelling man who happens to be in a band.

I've noticed a lot of criticism of Neil in previous reviews of this book along the lines of why a famous guy would want to be so private. I don't presume to speak for him, so I'll offer this to the naysayers:

Let him be him and allow him to interact with his fans on his terms.

It's worked out well for the past 30 years. Notice in the book that his main rub with fans is that they always want more-more time, more attention, more of himself than he's willing to give. That's reflected and confirmed in many of the previous reviews.

The main impression I get about Neil from his writing in this and his previous books is that he's a humble and private man. I'm can accept that fact of his character, and I'm glad he chose to share some of his life with his fans.

I understand that he was an important historical figure but his adolescent writings are pretty uninteresting.
I much preferred the movie over the book.

If this book were written by any other person, I'd give it 2 Stars. But because it's by Che, you at least get some insights into him, and that makes it a 3.

This was a turning point adventure for Che; it's the trip that turned him from curious medical student to doing down the path of revolutionary. For that alone, it's worth the read.

But if you're looking for an even better book about Che, and with all the adventure, get "Chasing Che" by Patrick Symms. It's an excellent read.

And if you're looking for a motorcycle adventure book, look no further than One-Man Caravan by Robert Fulton. Imagine traveling around the WORLD on a motorcycle BACK IN 1932. Complete with pictures, drawings and great writing ... simply a masterpiece within the genre.

Back to Motorcycle Diaries ... I think this book could have been so much more. Che was a good writer, but he stumbles on himself a lot. And, because he actually wrote this book AFTER the adventure was over, it feels like there is a lot of glossing over and "story fill" that robs it of the spontaneity it could have had.

Still, if you're into Che, it's probably on the "must read" list.

I'm so pleased that you had this earlier English translation of The Motorcycle Diaries and that it arrived in time for my Spanish class presentation. I also read the newer edition that came out with the movie in 2004. Your book had a much better translation. Thanks for your help. Sometimes older books are better books.

Che Guevara... Whether you respect him or not there is absolutely no denying the fact that he had a profound impact on the history of Central America and the Caribbean. This book is plainly and simply about a young man on a journey to become the person everyone knows in history. He sets out as a college student in his early twenties on the motorcycle La Poderosa II with Alberto Granado. When he returns a year later he has aged a hundred years. It is almost as though he has become a different person.

On his journey he saw the impoverished and the ignored. He saw indifference and hate. He saw racism and inequality... especially inequality.

This journey across the poor and rich regions of Latin America made Ernesto Che Guevara exactly who he was. In his travels he found he could not understand why some should have more than others. His communist views developed from seeing the unfair treatment of the poor. He was ready, by the end, to do whatever it took to win equality for all: even fight. As he said at the end of his book: "I feel my nostrils dilate, savoring the acrid smell of gunpowder and blood. The enemy's death; I steel my body, ready to do battle, and prepare myself to be a sacred space within which the bestial howl of the triumphant proletariat can resound with new energy and new hope."

Although a few things are lost to us English speakers through the translation and Argentine dialect this is a book which is full of rich detail and of deep internal struggle. This book was written in 1952, but edited and assembled much later. This causes some very Communist views to appear that were clearly added well after the original writings.
Still this is a great read to see the mind of a genius in a time when the world was still reeling from the shock of a great world war and gearing up for the middle of the cold war. Che Guevara would go on in life to befriend Fidel Castro and be his right hand man in the Communist regime over Cuba. Che Guevara, whether you like him or not, is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most influential people in history.

Seen the movie long before the book, but this book was very interesting to see how Che's thoughts began to form before he became only known as Che. Pictures in the centre were an added bonus. It's a quick read with concise notes (they are journal notes afterall), and it gave me a greater understanding and feeling of compassion for Ernesto Guevara - someone who I didn't know a lot about and in the USA you hear about how bad he is. Good thing I live in Canada, with an open mind.

I recently finished The Perfect Vehicle, and I am extremely impressed. Not only is it very well written; the author isn't afraid to talk about things that many people don't mention, such as fear, and the special problems that motorcycling women still face. She is equally lyrical about the joys of riding. I recommend it wholeheartedly, and I've already lent out my copy. After reading this book, I'm looking harder at Moto Guzzis, too (the author's bike).

Good book. As a seasoned rider who generally only reads technical moto books, I'm learly of the "this is what I think about the motorcycle" type books. Melissa did not just write about it, she lived it and you can tell by the way she writes about it. She took a personal journey that more and more women are taking these days and I hope they read her to see how she did it. New riders shoudl take a look and you seasonsed riders might get a kick out of seeing her develope into a real rider. I did but it was a long plane ride. The book and the plane ride were over before I knew it. Good job Melissa.

I really enjoyed this book. I'm not a motorcyle rider and I read it all in a couple of days -- I just couldn't put it down. I like Ms. Pierson's memoir of her personal journey in motorcycling. This is an absolute must for anyone contemplating a motorcycle or knows someone who loves them. Its a great story of personal struggle, and passion for living and riding. I recommend it highly.
If you like this, you may also like "Rebuilding the Indian" by Fred Haefele.

The pages from the book to view on Amazon misrepresent the book, as well as the title. It is a disorganized collection of pieces without any common point. I am sorry I bought it and spent time on it.

The first writing in this book (the Forward) is worth the price of admission. If it stayed at that level, it'd be "off the charts great" ... up there with "Eat, Pray, Love".

Unfortunately, this is not the case.

In the Forward (and the Postscript, for that matter), her writing is concise, poetic, wonderous ... it is art. And it's about the motorcycle - exactly what the title promises it will be. It is simply awesome.

But from there on, she takes more twists and turns than her favorite ride. And they don't really live up to the title or its subtitle. Instead of addressing "the Perfect Vehicle" or "What it is about Motorcycles", it addresses Melissa's own journey.

And in this, I feel like she cheated us. She might have more aptly entitled it "Motorcycles, Men, and Me". And - even with that - it could be a good story. But that tight, crisp, clean writing in the Forward is not present throughout much of the rest of the book. It is more flowery, rambling, unfocused, and off-point from the title. This is where it dips to 2 Stars.

She also tends to spend a lot of time grinding an axe about her experience of being a FEMALE rider in what she perceives to be a Man's realm. But then again, maybe that points out to a dated book (she's relating experiences from the mid 90s). This is maybe 3-star writing.

I've been motorcycling for only 4 years. I got started in Thailand when a woman from German talked me into motorcycling with her through the Golden Triangle area along the Burma-Thai border. Now, when I bike in Idaho, often as not at least 1/3 of the riders I'm with are women. They are on Beemers, Harleys, Yamahas, Suzukis ... and this is IDAHO. Not exactly what you'd call a liberal state.

The history section is relatively interesting. But and that's where it stays at a relatively modest "3 Stars".

Ultimately, I found this book to be a major disappointment - mostly because it started off GREAT. If you want to get the best this book has to offer, simply read the Forward and the Postscript.