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.
1. 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. This second edition, expanded and now in full color, offers new riders and road warriors the exact kind of advice they need to be prepared for anything when on the road, how to avoid…
2. 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. : Make the most ofany situation, from navigating dangerous city streets and enjoying desert off-roading to holding your own on competitive tracks around the world (amps and pro-racer tips included!). Have fun, ride like a pro, and…
3. 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. Now in its fourth decade, the much revised and expanded AMH7 catches up with all of it, covering among other things:…
4. 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. Hough’s writing style is straightforward and conversational, never professorial,…
5. 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. Covering topics from A to Z, Street Rider’s Guide is the new go-to handbook for motorcyclists who want quick solutions to nearly 100 commonly encountered obstacles and road challenges, what safety experts like Hough call increasing a rider’s “situational awareness.” As Hough writes…
6. 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. Learning to operate the motorcycle was just the beginning. Alisa also learned to navigate unknown territories, think logically in the face of adversity, and stay calm during…
7. 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. In this new book Motorcycling the Right Way, Condon lays out a basic riding course for motorcyclists who are smart enough to acknowledge that “you don’t know what you don’t know.” In setting forth the keys to riding safely and well, Condon’s method capitalizes on reducing risks and potential crashes and increasing the rider’s ever-improving skills and situational awareness….
8. 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. Regional maps show how the rides can be combined to form journeys from half a day to several days in length, on paved roads or into the back country, or…
9. 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. In The Women’s Guide to Motorcycling, author Lynda Lahman, herself a motorcycle owner and rider, provides a comprehensive look at motorcycling techniques, street smarts, and safety concerns while addressing female-specific challenges as well as issues that all bikers face from…
10. 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. It is the perfect refresher for anyone who has taken an MSF course and will be an eye-opener for those who have not yet discovered them. In a clear, engaging style with detailed diagrams and extensive full-color photographs and…
11. 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. Produced with Motoquest Tours owner Phil Freeman, this complete guide gives you the inside line on the best Alaska has to offer. The book lists all the road routes in Alaska, with maps of the rides with interesting stops and destinations pointed out and discussed. GPS coordinates, websites,…
12. 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. Author Philip Buonpastore, a motorcycle journalist and retired US Air Force photographer, helps readers gear up to get back on a motorcycle (or get on one for the first time).In Part 1, Becoming a Motorcyclist, Buonpastore discusses the basics of buying the right bike, gear, and equipment and getting the bike up to…
13. 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”. Learn about: – Zone Defense Driving – Lane Management – The importance of Self-critical Analysis & Self…
14. 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. Whether stranded on a mountainside or dreaming in the armchair, both experienced and would-be adventurers will find this book essential reading. #927,594 in Books (See Top…
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 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
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Year: 2019, Size: 11 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 2408172
Motorcycling and Leisure: Understanding the Recreational PTW Rider
Author(s): Paul Broughton, Linda Walker
Publisher: CRC Press LLC : CRC Press, Year: 2016, Size: 8 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 1606578
Let's ride : Sonny Barger's guide to motorcycling
Author(s): Ralph Barger; Darwin Holmstrom
Publisher: William Morrow , Year: 2010, Size: 1 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 907879
Let's ride: Sonny Barger's guide to motorcycling ; [how to ride the right way - for life]
Author(s): Sonny Barger & Darwin Holmstrom ;Barger, Ralph
Publisher: William Morrow;HarperCollins, Year: 2010, Size: 658 Kb, Download: epub
ID: 2413399
Sunday Rides on Two Wheels: Motorcycling in Southern Wisconsin
Author(s): Barbara Barber
Publisher: , Year: 2009, Size: 6 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 409511
The Art of BMW: 85 Years of Motorcycling Excellence
Author(s): Peter Gantriis, Henry von Wartenberg, Fred Jakobs
Publisher: Motorbooks, Year: 2008, Size: 121 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 1057093
More Proficient Motorcycling: Mastering the Ride
Author(s): David L. Hough
Publisher: BowTie Press, Year: 2003, Size: 81 Mb, Download: pdf
ID: 269258
Odyssey to Ushuaia. A Motorcycling Adventure from New York to Tierra del Fuego
Author(s): Andrés Carlstein
Publisher: Independent Publishers Group;Chicago Review Press, Year: 2002, Size: 3 Mb, Download: epub
ID: 1348488
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.