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Winter isn’t a good time for motorcyclists as they mostly have to stay home. Either it is too cold in winter, snowing the whole time in most parts of the U.S. when it rains continuously, or it snows, roads become completely unsuitable for motorcycle riders.
Most riders use to store their motorcycles during winter as the weather and conditions make it impossible for them to go out for a ride. If you are lucky and the boredom doesn’t kill you, you will still be safe and sound after winter.
The best way to spend your winters at home without motorcycling is through reading books. We understand how hard it is for you not to be able to ride your motorbike as a motorcycle enthusiast. However, you should be able to ride your bike after the winter ends.
You can kill the boredom and keep your motorcycling passion and interest alive through the winters. This article brings you the five best wintertime reads for true motorcyclists. If you are a motorcycle enthusiast and a book lover, you will always thank us for suggesting these books.
#1
1. Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
By Hunter S. Thompson
Amazon Rating: 4.4/5
Originally Published: 1967
Publication Date: September 29, 1996
Genre: Gonzo Journalism
If you are a part of the motorcycling world or even someone who has nothing to do with motorcycling, you must Hell’s Angels. It is one of the most notorious and outlaw motorcycle clubs in the US.
Hell’s Angels is the type of club that became known for its infamous illegal activities. It was the time when people started calling motorcycle clubs biker gangs.
Hunter S. Thompson, the author of: “Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs,” called out the biker gang in this book. He investigated a lot about Hell’s Angel and got to know the members from up close.
The book has always remained controversial as it sparked the controversy. Why? Thompson was given access to the club, and the book came out as a chargesheet against Hell’s Angel.
The book talks about the brutal lifestyle of the members of this club. It discusses the dark and disturbing side of the notorious motorcycle club Hell’s Angel and how it operates.
This book dives deep into the horrifying world of unlawful biker gangs, particularly Hell’s Angels. Thompson hid nothing about the biker gang’s values and the chaos they create. Thompson specifically highlighted the violence within the club.
Whether famous or infamous, Thompson has a distinctive journalism style, and the way he reports and conveys the story to readers is commendable. His style of narrating the story with dark humor clearly painted a picture of such biker gangs.
1.1 Notable Quotes from Hell’s Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs
“The highways are crowded with people who drive as if their sole purpose in getting behind the wheel is to avenge every wrong done to them by man, beast, or fate. The only thing that keeps them in line is their fear of death, jail, and lawsuits.”
“It (Harley motorcycle) is not about going from Point A to Point B. It is about living life in the way you choose.”
“This wavering paradox is a pillar of the outlaw stance. A man who has blown all his options can't afford the luxury of changing his ways. He has to capitalize on whatever he has left, and he can't afford to admit- no matter how often he's reminded of it- that every day of his life takes him farther down a blind alley.”
“A man who has blown all his options can’t afford the luxury of changing his ways. He has to capitalize on whatever he has left, and he can’t afford to admit – no matter how often he’s reminded of it – that every day of his life takes him farther and farther down a blind alley.”
#2
2. Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Around The World
By Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor
Amazon Rating: 4.6/5
Originally Published: 2004
Publication Date: November 1, 2005
Genre: Biography, Guidebook, Travel Literature
Long Way Round is a written account of a long motorcycle journey worldwide by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. Both motorcycle enthusiasts traveled almost 19,000 miles, starting from London and ending their journey in New York. They traveled to different parts of Europe, Asia, and North America.
The book could have been boring if it only included the travel part. What makes it fascinating is the depiction of how they faced several challenges during their journey.
The 19,000-mile journey doesn’t include straight or twisty roads. Boorman and McGregor had to go through and face challenging terrains, extreme weather conditions, and multiple cultural barriers. All these elements together made the journey more interesting.
Regardless of the challenges they faced, readers liked their determination and passion the most. Also, how people from different cultures and languages welcomed them with kindness and hospitality makes the book worth reading.
It is a great book for all those motorcyclists who want to travel the world on their motorcycles.
Is that all? No! Long Way Round isn’t just a book. It is a British television series that was aired in 2004. The book and the show were inspired by Ted Simon, who also wrote a famous book called “Jupiter’s Travel and Dreaming of Jupiter.”
The “Jupiter’s Travel and Dreaming of Jupiter” by Ted Simon featured a travelogue of 78,000 miles that took Simon 4 years. He used his Triumph Tiger 100 to travel to almost 45 countries worldwide. Simon had no cell phone, navigation, speakers, or appropriate gear for extreme weather.
This made the “Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Around The World” controversial and received criticism. Motorcycling fans started comparing the two travelogues and called ‘Long Way Round’ less authentic as everything was done in front of a camera.
Boorman and McGregor had a team surrounding them and helping them throughout the journey. They were privileged compared to what Simon had to go through, as the journey was authentic.
Apart from that, “Long Way Round” is an interesting take on different people's and celebrities' lifestyles.
2.1 Notable Quote from Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Around The World
“I just had one of the most extraordinary days on The Road of Bones. We started at 7:30 and didn't stop for a break until 6:30 this evening. They were twelve of the most exciting hours of motorcycling I've ever done, unbelievable. The roads were just deteriorated and deteriorated. We were riding on mud, gravel, puddles, potholes, rivers, and bogs. It was just everything thrown at us at once.”
#3
3. Cross Country And All The Bullshit With It
By Hood Lodo
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5
Originally Published: September 7, 2018
Publication Date: September 7, 2018
Genre: Autobiography
Those who have read the book: “Cross Country And All The Bullshit With It” know what a masterpiece it is. Many motorcycle travel books document long, adventurous journeys; however, as most readers have voted, this book has no match.
How Hood Lodo has created the visuals with his great writing techniques is splendid. It is an experience that Lodo wants all of us to have. Motorcyclists love to go on cross-country rides, but the Lodo’s cross-country motorcycle travel is one of a kind.
Being a part of the shadowy motorcycle organizations in the world, Lodo takes readers on a very captivating journey. What makes the ride unforgettable is Lodo’s unfiltered and raw experiences he went through along the way.
Lodo, with his down-to-earth, poetic, and gritty approach, has brought life to his book: “Cross Country And All The Bullshit With It.” The way the story unfolds grasps readers’ attention.
It is a must-read book for those daring enough to take on the challenges faced on motorcycle adventures.
#4
4. Ghost Rider: Travels on The Healing Road
By Neal Peart
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5
Originally Published: June 2002
Publication Date: June 1, 2002
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir
Those music fans with good taste in rock music know Neal Peart as a drummer and lyricist. It is true. Neal Peart is a renowned drummer who plays drums for the rock band Rush.
His life took a sharp turn when his teenage daughter, Selena, got killed in an accident. It was a tragic event in Peart’s life, and the trauma was still there when his wife, Jackie, also left him due to cancer within a year.
It was so much to bear at once, and as a result, Neal Peart went on a long motorcycle journey across North and Central America to cope with the tragedies he faced.
Neil Peart - The Ghost Rider, Drummer, and Lyricist
The book, “Ghost Rider: Travels on The Healing Road,” is more than just a travelogue or a memoir. It is the journey of a rock musician to get back to life and find peace after what life has done to him.
Most reviewers call it an aimless journey around Canada, Central America, the US, and different parts of Mexico. You can call it a written memoir of his travels to different parts of the world. However, it is originally his take on dealing with the tragedies and sufferings.
Turned out the tragedies made him worse, bitter, and angry, as the book tells. Nonetheless, it is good to see that motorcycling helped him return to life and find peace. He found a reason to live again, join Rush, and resume his musical career.
4.1 Notable Quotes from Ghost Rider: Travels on The Healing Road By Neal Peart
“The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”
“I had identified a subtle but important part of the healing process without knowing it. There would be no peace for me, no life for me, until I learned to forgive life for what it had done to me, forgive others for still being alive, and eventually, forgive myself for being alive.”
“Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion; you must set yourself on fire.”
#5
5. Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World
By Elspeth Beard
Amazon Rating: 4.7/5
Originally Published: 2017
Publication Date: June 18, 2018
Genre: Biography, Autobiography, Travel Literature
If you are a woman rider on two wheels and want to get inspired by one of the most notable female motorcycle enthusiasts, this book is for you. Elspeth Beard, who became the first British woman to motorcycle worldwide, set an example for both males and females.
She dared to show courage and went on a 35,000-mile trip all alone in 1982, at a time when technology was not so updated as today. Though simple and classic, she was accompanied by her beautiful 1974 BMW R60/6.
It may not sound as exciting as it should, but for a 23-year-old girl at that time, traveling 35,000 miles on a classic R60/6 is a big deal.
Elspeth Beard - The Lone Rider
As we all know, motorcycles weren’t so updated at that time. There was no ABS, cruise control, navigation, or other modern-day features then.
She only carried a few clothes, tools, and a tent and mounted the bags at the back of her bike. Above all, she didn’t have much money to travel that long. Though nothing could stop her from doing what she wanted to.
It took her over two and a half years to return to London, but she aged a lot during this tenure. Her experiences during the solo adventure journey changed her a lot.
Elspeth Beard - The Lone Rider
This book is not all about motorcycle riding. What makes this motorcycle travel memoir interesting is what she experienced as a female rider. She had to go through war-stricken countries and meet people from different civilizations during her ride.
In her book, she also shared her experience about the sexual assault. She also had to face biker gangs, corrupt police officers, and their uncivilized behavior.
She didn’t portray herself as a hero in her story. The story sounds so authentic and unfiltered to keep you engaged. It is surely a life-changing adventure motorcycle journey for her.
Elspeth Beard - The Lone Rider
5.1 Notable Quotes from Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World
“It was for times like this that I loved riding my bike. Those moments when all thoughts of the past and future slipped away, and I existed entirely in the present, the miles rolling past beneath the wheels of my big BMW, the morning light clear and golden, throwing shadow bands across the road as I carved my way around the world. As I rode and the days and miles ticked past, I spoke to my bike, cajoling her with promises of an oil change and a clean air filter if she got me to Penang in time. It was the kind of bargain I’d often struck since leaving London nearly eighteen months earlier.”
“Turn back, I told myself. It’s not too late. Go home, a persistent voice in my head insisted, back to the family and friends who never wanted you to leave.”
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