The Encyclopedia of the Harley-Davidson: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Popular Motorcycle [Hardcover]

Peter Henshaw (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0785812741 | ISBN-13: 978-0785812746 | Publication Date: September 2003

The Harley-Davidson, one of the world's most celebrated motorcycles, is explored in this comprehensive guide, from its humble beginnings to the incredible American icon it has become today.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 445 pages
• Publisher: Booksales (September 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0785812741
• ISBN-13: 978-0785812746
• Product Dimensions: 12.4 x 9.5 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,196,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not so nice to know info?, August 14, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of the Harley-Davidson: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Popular Motorcycle (Hardcover)

This book is not what I expected from an encyclopedia. What did I expect? Data and pictures of all the different modelyears, changes of the models from one year to the other.
This is not what you get from this book.
It describes some history of HD (nice chapter)and then comes up with a lot of nonsense pages about the "Harley A-Z".
The listing of models through the years is limited to production-numbers and colours for the productionyears.
No nice photo's from the models either, except for the same pictures you get from HD-magazines.
Than a lot of more nonsense information is added to make this a thick, heavy book with not much value.
Think twice before buying. I gave my copy away...

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars hardly an encyclopedia, January 23, 2003

By 

Mr. Poizun (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of the Harley-Davidson: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Popular Motorcycle (Hardcover)

You expect an encyclopedia to be accurate and this book is not.Many facts are wrong, motorcycles are misidentified, the yearly model lists have numerous errors.... Here's just a few examples.
Page 185; no FXRS in the 92 model list (I own a 92 FXRS LowRider which I bought new), same page had a pic of a 92 Dyna Daytona, misidentified in the caption as a 91. Page 191; pic of a Softail Standard misidentified as a Springer. Page 92; Evolution engine stated as being produced from 83 throught 98, actually it was 84 through 2000 (a custom FXR was the only model to have the Evo in 2000). If you don't know the facts you can't depend on this book to have them. Don't buy it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars No Encyclopedia, This., August 25, 2007

By 

M. R. Reagan (New England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Encyclopedia of the Harley-Davidson: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Popular Motorcycle (Hardcover)

I glean from the other 2 reviews that this book lacks veracity; as a Harley neophyte, I would hardly know if the information presented is inaccurate.

My own complaint is that I was hoping for something a little meatier although I found some of the information interesting. I, too, wish there was more about individual models, perhaps more "color" about the idiocyncracies or character of the various bikes. Nor is it comprehensively encyclopedic. I would have expected information on every aspect of these motorcycles, including specs for all the models, etc.

I didn't think this was a "bad" book. It's merely just not exactly a "good" book and could probably be characterized as mediocre. And yes, disappointing.