The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles (The Complete Idiot's Guides) [Paperback]

Product Details

• Paperback: 395 pages
• Publisher: Alpha
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028624165
• ISBN-13: 978-0028624167
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,519,866 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

133 of 138 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An Interesting But "Lite" Introduction to Motorcycling, March 5, 2000

By 

Rich K. (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles (The Complete Idiot's Guides) (Paperback)

I've been riding for about 6 years and bought this book to loan out to prospective riders. Overall, it's not a terrible introduction to the subject matter and fun to read, but light on meaningful content -- representative of this series, IOW. After reading what is not a thin volume, you will be hard pressed to think of anything in this book that you wouldn't have picked up by reading the MSF literature (free!) and the buyer's guide issue of Motorcyclist magazine ($3!). The writer also shows little interest in bike trends and popular sentiment. He extolls the virtues of centerstands, hydraulically actuated valves, and shaft drive and suggests all beginners should buy bikes with these features -- ignoring that only a small fraction of the bikes produced in the past 15 years even have these features. He also suggests that a Katana 600 would be too much bike for almost any beginner, which is complete nonsense. I sympathize with his concern that people looking for thrills get in way over their heads by making their first bikes R1's, but exaggerating the power and dangerousness of sportbikes vs. other bikes is not responsible or honest writing. Also, his love for obscure Japanese standards is something I share, but I do not think it should color the entire book, which is ostensibly targeted at lay persons who probably want to get their hands on a Road King or CBR929. To that end, I do not believe the book at all does a good job explaining why people should not start off on such bikes, other than general and vague statements about difficulty of control. In my opinion, it won't hurt a beginner to read this book, but for what it is it's not particularly good value nor especially insightful.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars IF YOUR'RE A BEGINNING RIDER, FORGET THE THIRD EDITION OF THIS BOOK AND READ THE SECOND EDITION, July 2, 2005

By 

MCG (Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles, Third Edition (Paperback)

What a disappointment! I read the second edition of this book as someone who wanted to find out about motorcycling and to get recommendations on bikes for beginning riders and was impressed on how the book did just that. I recommended this book to a friend and he told me the third edition's Buyer's Guide section was nothing like what I had read and boy was he right. Gone where the frank opinions on what were the pluses and minuses of each bike for beginners. They were replaced by the editorial capsules found in Motorcyclist Magazine. I subscribe to Motorcyclist Magazine and it's a great publication but their motorcycle opinions are geared toward experienced riders. The difference in the editions for the Buyer's Guide section was striking and makes it almost useless for beginning riders seeking information on bike's that are in the market. The third edition is also sloppy in it's editing as bike's mentioned as "a good first bike" elsewhere in the book don't get a "Good First Bike" designation in the Buyer's Guide section. If your an experienced rider, read Motorcyclist Magazine. If your a beginning rider, get a hold of the second edition of this book.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good book to get you started and enthused., August 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles (The Complete Idiot's Guides) (Paperback)

I was interested in getting a motorcycle when I bought this book. By the third chapter my interest had turned to real enthusiasm and I couldn't wait to get out and ride. The author not only explains the nuts and bolts of riding, but shows you why people are so devoted to motorcycling. This book beats the heck out of a lot of motorycling guides that drone on and on about safety and procedures -- this guide never forgets that motorycling is fun, and it places important safety info in that context.

This book also has lots about motorycling history and culture. When you read this book, you'll not only learn a lot about how to chose, ride and take care of your bike, you'll learn why motorcyling is a passion for so many people and what it means to be a competent and happy rider.