Customer Reviews

BMW Motorcycles

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this book after reading David Edward's "Cycle World" editorial column in which he called it "an excellent book." He was right--the writing is gripping. I read it from cover to cover twice. There's not as much nuts and bolts stuff in here as in some other BMW books, but that stuff bores me anyway. I really don't care what the valve timing was on a 1963 R50/2. What I do care about is the history of the bikes and of the company. I care about what it is like to ride these bikes. I care about the people who created them. That's what's in here. It makes those other books read like parts lists. And the photography is top notch.

I liked this book so much that this fall I traded my Harley Softail in on a R1200GS. I've been riding Harleys since 1978, so that's saying something.

I expected another boring book about BMWs, but instead of the mind-numbing parts lists that pass for books on the subject, this one was actually a blast to read. I even laughed out loud. The history was there, and I learned a lot I didn't know, especially about the bikes that were exported to North America, but what struck me was how entertaining the book was. I bought it because of the great photography and wasn't even expecting to read it, but once I started, I couldn't put it down. This is by far the best BMW book ever published.

Having on my shelf just about every BMW motorcycle book available on Amazon[.com] (and I did not pay the high prices currently showing for some titles, even though I bought them via Amazon[.com] vendors!), I must say, as far as quality of photographs, this is the best!

Text is also very good. Some books on BMWs that are/were available are very slight - at least one of the ones I bought via Amazon is a remainder from England - a "packaged" book; part of a series on various makes of bike, with little text and photos used in several titles.

Having owned a BMW (R100RT) when I lived in London, England, and now a R1100RT, I can attest to their being fine machines -bikes that deserve such a worthy book on them.

I agree with the author's review that many other books on BMWs focus on the early history and concern earlier types and do not contain much on the later models. I think the author is arguably not stating the obvious reason here. This is maybe because they were written before the current "oilhead" twins were produced so understandably could not cover them, or if revised then the books were merely slightly updated after these newer types arrived on the scene so include only a chapter or so on them?

This book being recently published is (obviously)as a result more timely on its coverage.

As a rider of Triumphs some years ago, I'm saving up to buy the similar volume covering that historical make as well - not seen it but I'm sure it will make a fine companion to this title.

A great book at a reasonable price, considering the wealth of color photos, for any motorcycle fan and especially for BMW riders.

I'm a big fan of these bikes, and there's no better history and no more entertaining of a book than this one. Holmstrom tells a "warts and all" story and Nelson glitzes it up with excellent photos. It's the kind of book you want to put out on the coffee table when you invite the fellas over for tea and monkey-wrenching in the garage...fun stuff.

This book does a great job walking us through BMW Motorcycle history through both the approachable writing style and the liberal use of excellent photos. Even if you're a BMW übergeek, you'll still probably learn some interesting facts about the models, what got them there, which improvements were effective, and how they came about. Übergeek or not, you'll be coming back to this book for some fine, well-organized reading and photography for years years to come, especiallly during those frustrating times you're not able to be out riding.

The photography has to be commented on again; it's simply that good. Great use of lighting, perspective and background. The photographer definitely knows how to frame a shot to emphasize aspects of the bike that only we motorcyclists would notice.

A great gift for anyone interested in BMW motorcycles, and wants to learn more about them, from their post WWI inception, to the present. Both the writing and photography are a job well done!

In researching this book, I read just about everything ever published about BMW motorcycles. Frankly, the early information was difficult to sort through and often contradictory, even though this is the era that has been written about most extensively. The informational value of my book lies in the coverage of BMW motorcycles after 1969. The motorcycles of the modern era have been covered in far less detail, as if other authors were not interested in the motorcycles built after that date.

But the real value of this book is the stunning photography provided by Brian J. Nelson, one of the finest photographers working in the field of motor journalism. It's unfortunate that there is no photography from the book posted on this website, because Brian has transformed this work from just another motorcycle history book into a true work of art.

On a more sophomoric level, I found writing this book rewarding because I was able to use a conjugation of the verb "fornicate," and also because I was able to alude to the interbreeding practices of European royalty prior to World War I. Incorporating these things into a BMW motorcycle history tested my creative skills.

It is a good book full of excellent quality photographs that match the text making the review of the evolution of BMW motorcyles clear and enjoyable to read. Great book to have for those BMW motorad fans! Next edition should include the description of the newest models.

This is a fantastic book. The photography is some of the best I have seen, and the author takes what could be a stodgy story and makes it come alive. Very entertaining!

I would recommend this book to any BMW motorcycle enthusiast. Good photography and an excellent read, full of interresting information.

This book is mainly focused on BMW motorbikes sold in United States, nothing about the spectacular WW2 BMW sidecar R72, almost nothing about the great BMW's Dakar pedigree, almost nothing about smaller 650 bikes. Not enough information about the GS 1200 R (this is a particular important model since is BMW best selling bike). I was expecting a more global approach.