16 Best Motorcycle Books

David Hough explains motorcycle handling and road awareness for new and experienced riders. Practical discussions of braking, steering, balance, and changing riding conditions help readers develop skills for anticipating hazards and responding to unexpected situations on the road.

During a summer motorcycle trip, a father reflects on his relationship with his son and his earlier intellectual struggles. The journey links practical maintenance with questions about reason, experience, and quality, blending personal narrative with philosophical exploration.

Ted Simon recounts four years of traveling around the world on a Triumph motorcycle. Breakdowns, encounters with strangers, and journeys through political upheaval become part of a personal exploration, linking the practical uncertainties of travel with reflections on his own life.

Lee Parks explains high-performance motorcycle riding through manageable lessons on braking, cornering, and throttle control. Photographs and diagrams support discussions of physical technique, while attention to fear and concentration addresses the mental demands of riding on streets and tracks.

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman recount their motorcycle journey around the world. Their account combines the practical difficulties of travel with encounters along the route and the strains and rewards of pursuing an ambitious adventure together as friends.

Keith Code introduces foundational motorcycle riding skills through a practical handbook for novice and experienced riders. His explanations focus on improving control and confidence, particularly when cornering, connecting riding decisions with the demands of the motorcycle and road.

Keith Code continues his examination of motorcycle control, concentrating on the interactions between rider behavior and the machine. Discussions of attention, throttle use, steering, and cornering connect explanations of common responses with the demands of performance riding.

After the deaths of his daughter and wife, musician Neil Peart sets out on an extended motorcycle journey across North America. Riding, writing, and encounters along the road accompany his attempt to make sense of devastating loss.

Based on a year spent riding with the Hells Angels in California, this book gives a close, unsentimental look at the motorcycle club’s parties, clashes with police, and internal code. Thompson’s immersion reporting exposes both their myth and the fear they inspired.

Peter Egan collects essays and features from his years writing for Cycle World. Stories of owning, repairing, and riding motorcycles explore roads, friendships, mechanical frustrations, and the everyday pleasures that keep enthusiasts returning to their bikes.

Robert Edison Fulton recounts the motorcycle journey he began in 1932, traveling through unfamiliar countries on an eighteen-month adventure. Encounters with people, difficult terrain, and unexpected obstacles form a personal account of exploring the world on two wheels.

Mark Zimmerman explains how motorcycles work and how to maintain and troubleshoot them across different brands and styles. Illustrated instructions introduce routine mechanical tasks, helping owners work on their bikes or better understand the service they receive from professionals.

Armand Ensanian traces the development of motorcycles and the cultures surrounding them from their earliest machines onward. Discussions of engineering, social impact, and different styles of riding connect motorcycle history with the ways these machines are built and used.

Elspeth Beard recounts leaving Britain in 1982 to travel around the world on a BMW motorcycle. Her memoir combines mechanical problems, unfamiliar places, relationships, and personal setbacks with the challenges of undertaking a long journey alone.

Before becoming a revolutionary, young medical student Ernesto Guevara travels through South America with his friend Alberto Granado. These journals record their adventures and hardships alongside encounters with poverty and inequality that begin to reshape Guevara's understanding of the continent.

Matt Stone examines Steve McQueen's life as a motorcycle rider, racer, and collector. Photographs and historical accounts follow the machines he owned and the events he entered, connecting his off-road racing years with his later interest in antique motorcycles.