The most recommended motorcycle books

And this would be the "oh my!"

Sky Warren is another author whose books I absolutely devour. The sex is incredibly hot, the men are all morally grey, and the women have problems of their own.

This series will have you clutching your pearls in all the best of ways.

History is not only about famous people and kings and queens; it’s about all people, and how all lives were lived. This book presents one of the many remarkable people who live unremarked amongst us. It’s about the first woman to ride a motorcycle around the world, alone. That anybody can undertake such an adventure is something all children should know. That a woman did it deserves to be emphasized. But what I love best is how this story is told. The writing is lyrical, dreamy, and captures for me the magic carpet ride of travel. And I love how it’s interspersed with practical tips in high contrast—about how to change a tire, how to drink tea in India. The illustrations enhance the vibe. This book is a fabulous ride. 

One of my reasons for starting to write about the UK outlaw biker scene in particular was that no one else seemed to be treating it seriously. That all changed when Tony Thompson, a highly respected journalist with a track record of highly readable and successful books on the UK gangland and crime scene produced this.

This book is the biography of ex-Outlaws MC member Daniel "Snake Dog" Boone, but through it, Thompson tells the wider story of the development of the UK outlaw biker scene since the eighties and how it has been affected by international biker politics, up to and including the 2007 murder of Gerry Tobin. Thoroughly recommended and essential reading for anyone interested in the club scene in England. I’ve said that if this had come out before my first biker book, the chances are I’d have never finished writing it.

Some motorcycle travel books say little about the motorbike itself but I like the nuts and bolts in a story of this genre. This book is very much about the bike. Steve’s Ariel was fifty-five years old and he was sixty-six when he embarked on his trip from Capetown to South Luangwa. I identified with Steve; neither of us had any modern gadgetry nor much in the way of mechanical expertise, therefore we both discovered new levels of patience and were blessed with experiencing people’s generosity in a different culture together with spectacular scenery. Like me, he thought of himself and his motorbike as ‘we’; when you travel solo, it is like a partnership. There’s nothing like travelling with a classic motorcycle as your (sometimes frustrating!) companion. 

I thoroughly enjoyed It Ain’t Me Babe. I liked the clash of the main characters, he is a rebel, leader of a motorcycle club, and she is the complete opposite, a woman brought up in a religious cult. Two very different worlds collide. It’s a sexy, fun story to read, and I was engaged on every page.

What I like about this book is that Peggy writes as if riding a 125cc BSA Bantam through Canada, North America, and Mexico with an Airedale dog as pillion is quite the normal thing to do! In 1951, she left Liverpool for Nova Scotia. Arriving with only $60, she took various jobs to fund the two years she spent on the trip. I identified with this as I worked as a nurse in New Zealand during my own motorcycle travels. Her matter-of-fact attitude is smile-worthy, as she describes her wonderful experiences. “Oppy” the BSA proves perfect for the job. Matelot, the dog who travels on a metal box behind her, adjusts to his life on the road with similar alacrity.

This is a vibrant depiction of what it was like to come into one’s own as an artist in 1970s New York. The critically acclaimed novel—which was nominated for a National Book Award—illustrates the spirit of creative collaboration pervading the New York art scene, taking the reader from the lofts and streets of Lower Manhattan to motorcycle speed tests on the Bonneville Salt Flats and labor strikes in fictional Italian motorcycle factories.

I love how it captures the danger and possibility of this era while raising important questions about privilege and patronage in the arts and about who bears the burden of globalization and deindustrialization.

Much like Walter Mitty, Maggie Blake has a rich fantasy life that breaks the tedium of being a housewife with twins. After seven years of marriage to the seemingly stolid Preston, Maggie misses the excitement of her career as an investigative reporter. When a terrorist plot threatens Chicago, Preston and his team move in to stop it. But he is also trying to protect his identity as the Motorcycle Maverick, a masked Zorro-like figure Maggie dreams about. 

Chicago and its environs, especially a suburb that is reminiscent of Lake Forest, add to the texture of the story. The idea of romantic suspense that involves a married couple is unusual and extremely well done. Marilyn is always an inspiration to me as a writer and this book is no exception.

I have never ugly cried from a book as hard as I did for Sinner’s Creed. Deep down, I knew what would happen. I knew [sorta] how it would end, but held out hope for a different outcome. Dirk and Saylor’s love is pure despite the darkness around them. Dirk is devoted to Saylor and she shares that same level of commitment. This book tore me apart in the most perfect way.

Alan Moore is an extraordinary character. I can't even remember how I met him, but ever since I have, my life has been significantly richer. He is a modern-day savant. He is the only person I have ever read who articulates so wonderfully why beauty should exist in every part of our lives, especially in business.

His touch and feel are exquisite as a designer, and when I read his book, I started to see things in ways I had never done before. He believes in a Beautiful Business–one that is not only beautiful on the outside to its consumers but in every aspect of its model, its impact, and its experience. Whilst reading it, I felt more alive and, with every page, more inspired to strive for a higher standard of beauty in everything I do. Such an exciting book by such a visionary writer.