Must-Have Motorcycle Books
So you’ve already memorized Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and you’ve planned your very own Long Way Down / Long Way Round adventure. Now, you’re searching for something new to read. Here are five of my favorite motorcycle books.
Against the Wind: A Rider’s Account of the Incredible Iron Butt Rally by Ron Ayers. A first-person account of the 1995 Iron Butt Rally written by its 6th place finisher. Ayers completed the 11-day, 11,000-mile rally without the use of GPS. A technology so new at the time, that only 1 of the 55 entrants had it onboard his bike. This book inspired me to buy a BMW R1150rs and writing this post has inspired me to read the book again.
Two Wheels Through Terror: a Diary of a South American Motorcycle Odessey by Glen Heggstad. A first-person account of a solo journey from Southern California to the southern tip of South America. Heggstad overcomes a number of seemingly insurmountable challenges; most notably being captured and detained by a rebel army in the jungles of Colombia. A story so compelling, I couldn’t believe it was real. I’m still waiting for this one to be made into a movie.
Leanings: The Best of Peter Egan from Cycle World Magazine and Leanings 2 by Peter Egan. A collection of columns written by Peter Egan for Cycle World Magazine dating back to 1977. These books are great for those of us who like variety and have a short attention span. Egan shares his thoughts on everything from cross-country trips, kick-starters, and the Isle of Man TT to guitars and blues music. I just added the 3rd installment, Leanings 3, to my reading list
Too Far Gone by Todd Blubaugh. A collection of beautiful photos and compelling stories of the people, places, and machines Blubaugh encounters as he travels cross country. Though the trip had been planned in advance, it takes on new meaning when the author's parents pass away unexpectedly just days before he was set to leave.
She’s a Bad Motorcycle: Writers on Riding edited by Geno Zanetti. Excerpts from some of the best-known motorcycle literature like; Robert Pirsig, Hunter S. Thompson, Ted Simon, Sonny Barger and more compiled to answer the question: Why do people ride motorcycles?