Best motorcycle history books according to redditors

Everyone says it, but there's a huge industry in keeping things just as they are while complaining about it.

https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2009/04/25/exposing_the_aboriginal_industry.html

https://www.amazon.ca/Disrobing-Aboriginal-Industry-Indigenous-Preservation/dp/0773534210

> the mysterious "aboriginal lobby,"

Nothing mysterious about it.

http://www.amazon.ca/Disrobing-Aboriginal-Industry-Indigenous-Preservation/dp/0773534210

Boy, you know, most of what I have is antique books I've collected. Surprisingly not a lot of information has been collated and put up on the net, though a lot of it was lost in the depression.

Get this book if you want to see some really cool examples of the evolution of the motorcycle: http://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Directory-Classic-American-Motorcycles/dp/0760310505/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1404841796&sr=8-4&keywords=classic+american+motorcycles

This site has some great early Ford drawings as well as a link to the Model T 'encyclopedia' that has tons of info about that particular car
http://www.mtfca.com/books/bookmenu.htm

Here's a motorcyle that you ride in like a car that's balanced by a gyroscope: http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/TRANSPORT/gyrocars/schilovs.htm

And here's a video of a Megola starting and running
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAQuljp-atA

Do some searches for 'monowheel' and 'diwheel' and 'orukter amphibolos'. That should set you off on a journey to free you from the confines of the modern four-wheeled sedan.

Start by buying this. Then the FACTORY service manual. The older manuals aren't great, but you'll need it. You're also gonna need a few specialty tools that the manual will tell you of, depending on what needs to be gone through- clutch hub puller, transmission sprocket nut socket, 4 speed shifting fork timing tool, timing light for ignition, torque wrenches, a bottle or blue 243 LocTite and a bottle of high-temp anti-seize compound.

After that, it's a matter of good mechanical habits, using LocTite on all fasteners that don't get anti-seize compound, and so on. Read the Donny Peterson book. It's filled with useful stuff you'll encounter.

People have said you're asking for a book, and they're literally right.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Ultimate-Harley-Davidson-comprehensive-specifications/dp/0754824918

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ultimate-harley-davidson-hugo-wilson/1006139868

The company has been around since 1903 (upstarts! Triumph since 1902! :) so there have been a lot of bikes.

If he's into vintage bikes, this book Motorcycle: The Definitive Visual History is on Amazon for as low as a few bucks. It's got great reviews and it's been on my wish list for a while. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0756690528 I think it would make a great gift for a bike history buff.

On another note, I wish that my girlfriend would look at my wish list.

Here's a list, off the top of my head - I know all these are on my bookshelf, but I'm probably missing a few more:

Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club by Sonny Barger

Freedom: Credos from the Road by Sonny Barger

Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Motorcycle Stories by Ralph Sonny Barger

Dead in 5 Heartbeats by Sonny Barger

Under and Alone by William Queen

No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels by Jay Dobyns

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library) by Hunter S. Thompson

Street Justice by Chuck Zito

The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club by Bill Hayes

Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart

The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa by Neil Peart

Against the Wind: A Rider's Account of the Incredible Iron Butt Rally by Ron Ayres

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford

Honda CB750: The Complete Story by Mark Haycoc

Shovelhead Red The Drifter's Way by Roy Yelverton

Shovelhead Red-Ridin' Out by Roy Yelverton

A Twist of the Wrist 2: The Basics of High-Performan​ce Motorcycle Riding by Keith Code

Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques by Lee Parks


Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig - Still my favorite. A high school english teacher bought it for me when he found out I had just passed my motorcycle road test. I've read it at least 15 times, and get something new from it each time.


But the best recommendation - Buy the FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL for your bike and read it. Read it often, until you can almost turn to the exact page for each procedure.

I’m in the same boat as you. I’m looking for more of an ok rider/winter project though. Pick up Donnys unauthorized tech guide. https://www.amazon.com/Donnys-Unauthorized-Technical-Harley-Davidson-Present/dp/1475942826/ref=nodl_

I bought it and have been reading through it and it’s a gold mine. Hope someone can offer more good luck.

I am not going to make a visual one because I suck at that, but here is a picture of him and here is what the text would say.

"Thanks Dad for raising all of us by yourself without complaining. Thanks for pushing us into doing the best for ourselves and going to college (even though you never graduated high school). Thanks for learning how to braid hair, sew, and not to be freaked out by the 'feminine products aisle'. Thanks for teaching me how to when a fight with words even if I know how to use my fists. Thanks Dad and I love you!"

Now I am all emotional. :C

Can we pick two items? If so, this book and this book. for Father's Day

This one is nice //

Harley-Davidson: The Complete History https://www.amazon.com/dp/0760350000/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_hH-GzbJNB29KD

The Archive Collection has some real gems, and Art of the H-D is nice, too.

I have an older edition of this one. Not super detailed per se, but great photos and general info that gets kinda detailed.

indeed. In fact someone made a book of my friends BMW collection called The Art of BMW. All the bikes in it are from Peter's collection. He gets zero proceeds from the sales, and simply let someone make this book to help the world see his wonderful collection.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-BMW-Motorcycling-Excellence/dp/0760333157

I guess the head of the dragons MC(an all black club) is also an apologist as well? http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Bikes-Tobie-Levingston/dp/076031747X

Quote from him:

>>Tobie Levingston who formed the black motorcycle club East Bay Dragons MC wrote in his book that he and Sonny Barger have a long-lasting friendship and that the Hells Angels and Dragons have a mutual friendship and hang out and ride together.

I'm sure you know more about how racist the HA are better than a black man who ran with them right?

I don't know honestly. I pulled this article from a copy of the FXR performance portfolio.

Amazon does sell one on the sportster, but it looks like it ends in 1976

https://www.amazon.com/Harley-Davidson-Sportsters-1965-76-Performance-Portfolio/dp/1855204045/ref=sr_1_1

Has she read "The Perfect Vehicle"? May I suggest reading the Foreward (not available in the preview): "But the rider has never known fear quite like the one when riding just ahead is the object of deep affection." It's very moving and might provide the ever-so-slight shift needed for a willing passenger to become a willing rider. I love my wife holding on to me (or me onto her) but there's real magic when I see her riding beside. It's a long-distance, very intimate, and very public dance.

Just trying to put one more rider on the road, and help loving partners find one more shared activity.