While there are many courses and tutorials online, learning from a book is still one of the best ways to greatly improve your skills. Below I have selected top Motorcycling books.
- Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well (2013)
- The Total Motorcycling Manual (Cycle World): 291 Skills You Need (2013)
- Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Guide (Trailblazer) (2016)
- Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling, 2nd Edition (2012)
- Street Rider’s Guide: Street Strategies for Motorcyclists (Motorcycle Consumer News) (2014)
- Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling: A Woman’s Guide to Being Your Best Self On and Off the Bike (2019)
- Motorcycling the Right Way: Do This, Not That: Lessons From Behind the Handlebars (2015)
- The Complete Guide to Motorcycling Colorado: The Definitive Reference for ALL the Best Roads, Rides, and Tips (2017)
- The Women’s Guide to Motorcycling: Everything a Woman Needs to Know About Bikes, Equipment, Riding, and Safety (2016)
- The Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Guide to Motorcycling Excellence: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right (2nd Edition) (2005)
- The Adventurous Motorcyclist’s Guide to Alaska (2012)
- Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well (2000)
- Arrive Alive Without Incident: A Motorcycle Driving Methodology & Risk-Ratio-Reduction Strategy (2015)
- Adventure Motorcycling Manual: Everything you need to plan and complete the journey of a lifetime (Haynes Manuals) (2018)
Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well (2013)
This best-selling book is also “#1 book in motorcycle safety” (Nielsen BookScan) and essential reading for all motorcyclists regardless of their years of experience. Author David L. Hough, a revered motorcycle author, columnist, and riding-safety consultant, lays out a clear course for all riders who want to sharpen their handling skills and improve their rides.
The Total Motorcycling Manual (Cycle World): 291 Skills You Need (2013)
Every motorcyclist, from the weekend joyrider to the everyday commuter to the aspiring racetrack pro needs this book. In 291 insider hits, experts from Cycle World magazine cover: : Including how to buy the best bike possible, evaluate a used ride, suit up for style and safety, and adapt your gear to a wide range of riding conditions.
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Guide (Trailblazer) (2016)
25th anniversary edition of the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook‘The first thing we did was buy Chris Scott's 'Adventure Motorcycling Handbook’ Ewan McGregor, The Long Way Round‘Adventure motorcycling’ (a term Chris was credited with coining in the late 90s) has grown massively since the last edition of AMH.
Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling, 2nd Edition (2012)
Best-selling author David Hough is the anti-bad ass of motorcyclists, a serious down-to-earth master of two- (and three-) wheeled street rods who is interested in the safety and road smarts of his fellow motorcyclists. Mastering the Ride is his follow-up book to one that put him on the map, Proficient Motorcycling, and it goes one better. For motorcyclists ready to take their rides to the next level, Mastering the Ride is an exhilarating course in skills, safety, and common sense.
Street Rider’s Guide: Street Strategies for Motorcyclists (Motorcycle Consumer News) (2014)
A completely revised and updated edition of David Hough’s successful book Street Strategies, the all-new Street Rider’s Guide spells out safety tactics for motorcycle riders looking to get the most out of their favorite hobby…for as long as possible.
Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling: A Woman’s Guide to Being Your Best Self On and Off the Bike (2019)
Alisa Clickenger transformed her life and you can too. A shy, depressed housewife in the midst of a painful divorce, Alisa realized that she needed a drastic change in her life. She set out on a course of self-discovery in the most radical way she could imagine and learned how to ride a motorcycle. In the process of becoming a competent motorcycle rider, Alisa overcame numerous self-limiting beliefs that had affected her self-confidence.
Motorcycling the Right Way: Do This, Not That: Lessons From Behind the Handlebars (2015)
Expert motorcyclist and author Ken Condon knows there is a right way to hit the road and track when you’re behind the handlebars.
The Complete Guide to Motorcycling Colorado: The Definitive Reference for ALL the Best Roads, Rides, and Tips (2017)
This comprehensive new guidebook to Colorado contains colorful in-depth descriptions of 172 different rides that can be combined in a variety of ways to create the best trips for all riding styles and interests. Each ride is mapped individually, and the individual rides each have their own more detailed maps, along with route descriptions, photos, local points of interest, and historical background information.
The Women’s Guide to Motorcycling: Everything a Woman Needs to Know About Bikes, Equipment, Riding, and Safety (2016)
Recent statistics show that approximately 12 percent of motorcycle owners are women and that close to 25 percent of motorcycle riders are women. While it’s still a male-dominated field, the number of female bikers has increased by more than 25 percent in just five years, showing that women have a strong presence on two wheels.
The Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Guide to Motorcycling Excellence: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right (2nd Edition) (2005)
Here is a book for the motorcyclist who wants to do it right! The most complete, authoritative book ever published on safe riding techniques and strategies. More than one million students have completed courses developed by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, and this book is the culmination of what that leading rider training organization has learned about teaching students of all ages and experience.
The Adventurous Motorcyclist’s Guide to Alaska (2012)
NEW EDITION NOW AVAILABLE. Released October 2014, the second edition of this book includes updated road conditions, restaurants and other local amenities. Put one of the most knowledgable motorcycle tour guides in Alaska in your pocket with this witty, fun book that brings to life the best roads and off-beat destinations in the state.
Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well (2000)
From the publishers of Motorcycle Consumer News, Shifting Gears at 50 is a one-of-a-kind motorcycling manual for returning and late-entry riders, essentially anyone 40 years old and up whos looking to hit the road on two wheels.
Arrive Alive Without Incident: A Motorcycle Driving Methodology & Risk-Ratio-Reduction Strategy (2015)
In the first couple of years of driving a motorcycle, and acknowledging the real danger associated with it, I began seeking away to improve my odds. From that concentrated effort, I began to create and hone a simple yet very focused strategy. Regardless of your experience or ability, or perhaps for a loved one or friend who rides, this straightforward strategy can benefit all riders. I call it a “ Motorcycle Driving Methodology & Risk Ratio Reduction Strategy”.
Adventure Motorcycling Manual: Everything you need to plan and complete the journey of a lifetime (Haynes Manuals) (2018)
Outdoor enthusiasts thinking of trying adventure motorcycling will be inspired, invigorated and informed by the Adventure Motorcycling Manual, which covers every aspect of the trip, including practicalities (cost, personal fitness, how long you can be away from home), choosing the right bike, equipment, clothing, legal documentation, riding techniques, maintenance, navigation and emergencies.
Best Motorcycling Books You Should Enjoy
We highly recommend you to buy all paper or e-books in a legal way, for example, on Amazon. But sometimes it might be a need to dig deeper beyond the shiny book cover. Before making a purchase, you can visit resources like Library Genesis and download some motorcycling books mentioned below at your own risk. Once again, we do not host any illegal or copyrighted files, but simply give our visitors a choice and hope they will make a wise decision.
Cycling and Motorcycling Tourism: An Analysis of Physical, Sensory, Social, and Emotional Features of Journey Experiences
Author(s): Anna Scuttari
ID: 2408172, Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Year: 2019, Size: 11 Mb, Format: pdf
Motorcycling and Leisure: Understanding the Recreational PTW Rider
Author(s): Paul Broughton, Linda Walker
ID: 1606578, Publisher: CRC Press LLC : CRC Press, Year: 2016, Size: 8 Mb, Format: pdf
The Devil's Wheels: Men and Motorcycling in the Weimar Republic
Author(s): Sasha Disko
ID: 3367631, Publisher: Berghahn Books, Year: 2016, Size: 3 Mb, Format: epub
Please note that this booklist is not absolute. Some books are really hot items according to The New York Times, others are written by unknown authors. On top of that, you can always find additional tutorials and courses on Coursera, Udemy or edX, for example. Are there any other relevant books you could recommend? Drop a comment if you have any feedback on the list.