wBW Motorcycle Book Review Ratings

You asked for it! Here’s a listing of the books we’ve reviewed on webBikeWorld, sorted by our “Flaming Helmet Rating System”, and also sorted alphabetically within each rating group.

The wBW Flaming Helmet Rating System: 4 = Fantastic book, a must have; 3 = Really good, should have; 2 = Would be nice to have, but don’t sweat it; 1 = Spend your time polishing your bike!

 

Four Flaming Helmets
60 Years of MotoGP & the World Motorcycle Championship by Michael Scott
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, 6th Edition – the “Bible” of motorcycle adventure touring
Bahnstormer: The Story of BMW Motor Cycles by L.J.K. Setright
Barry Sheene, 1950-2003: The Biography by Stuart Barker
BMW Boxer from /5, 1969 to 1985 by Andy Schweitzer
BMW GS Adventure Motorcycle: A 30-Year Catalog by Hans-Jurgen Schneider and Dr. Axel Koenigsbeck
BMW Racing Motorcycles: The Mastery of Speed by Laurel C. Allen and Mark Gardiner
BMW R90S by Ian Falloon
BMW R100RS by Bill Stermer
Bonjour! Is This Italy? by Kevin Turner
The British Motorcycle Directory by Roy Bacon and Ken Hallworth
British Motorcycles of the 1930’s by Roy Bacon
British Road Signs, Laws and Licensing (4 books)
The BSA Gold Star by Mick Walker
Building Budget Brits by Mike Brown
Café Racers: Rockers, Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Coffee-bar Cult by Mike Clay
Classic American Racing Motorcycles by Mick Walker
Classic Motorcycling by Rex Bunn
Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles by the Editors of Motorcyclist Magazine with Darwin Holmstrom & Simon Green
Dual Sport Motorcycling by Carl Adams
Ducati 999: Birth of a Legend by Alan Cathcart and Marc Cook
Essential Buyer’s Guide Kawasaki Z1 & Z900 by Dave Orritt
Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance by Mark Zimmerman
Essential Guide to Motorcycle Travel by Dale Coyner
Exotic Motorcycles by Vic Willoughby
Fay Taylour – Queen of Speedway by Brian Belton
Fifteen Times by Giacomo Agostini and Luca Delli Carri
Haynes Motorcycle Fuel Systems Techbook by John Robinson
Haynes Motorcycle Workshop Practice Techbook by John Fidell and Pete Shoemark
How to Restore Your BMW Motorcycle Twins 1950-1969 by Roland Slabon
Into Africa and Under Asian Skies (2 books) by Sam Manicom
India: The Shimmering Dream by Max Reisch
I See By My Outfit by Peter S. Beagle
John Griffith Vintage Motorcycle Books
Kawasaki Triples Bible by Alastair Walker
The Last Hurrah by Des Molloy (Book and DVD)
Maximum Control: Mastering Your Heavyweight Bike by Pat Hahn
Modern Motorcycle Technology by Massimo Clarke
Monks and Motorcycles by Franklin E. Huffman
MotoGP Technology by Neil Spalding
Moto Guzzi: Forza in Movimento by David G. Styles
Motorcycle Design and Technology: How and Why by Gaetano Cocco
Motorcycle Dynamics by Vittore Cossalter
Motorcycle Electrical Systems Troubleshooting and Repair by Tracy Martin
Motorcycling Excellence – Second Edition by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation
Motorcycle Fuel Injection Handbook by Adam Wade
Motorcycle Track Days for Virgins by Simon Bradley
Moto Guzzi V-Twins: The Complete Story by Mick Walker
Motorcycle Journeys Through the Appalachians by Dale Coyner
Motorcycle Matt by Phyllis Andrews (Children’s Book)
One Life to Ride by Ajit Harisinghani

Performance Riding Techniques by Andy Ibbott
Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough
Ride Hard, Ride Smart by Pat Hahn
Riding in the Zone by Ken Condon
The Rugged Road by Theresa Wallach
Secret Skills of Motorcycle Riding (Parts I and II) by Allan Kirk
Smooth Riding the Pridmore Way by Reg Pridmore
Spark Plugging the Classics by Stan Dibben
Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch
Sportbike Performance Handbook by Kevin Cameron
Stayin’ Safe: The Art and Science of Riding Really Well by Lawrence Grodsky
Streetbikes: Everything You Need To Know by Bill Stermer
The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance by Mark Zimmerman
The Illustrated BMW Motorcycle Buyer’s Guide by Stefan Knittel and Roland Slabon
The Illustrated Norton Motorcycle Buyer’s Guide by Roy Bacon
The Illustrated Triumph Motorcycle Buyer’s Guide by Roy Bacon
The Mod Years Edited by Steven Myatt
The Motorcycle Book: Everything You Need to About Owning, Enjoying and Maintaining Your Bike by Alan Seeley
The Motorcycle Handbook by John Hanney
The Rocker Years Edited by Steven Myatt
There And Back Again to See How Far It Is by Tim Watson
Total Control by Lee Parks
Triumph Bonneville: Portrait of a Legend by James Mann and Mick Duckworth
Triumph Motorcycles: From Speed Twin to Bonneville by Tim Remus
Triumph Motorcycles: Twins and Triples by Tim Remus
Triumph Production Testers’ Tales by Hughie Hancox
Tuning for Speed by Phil Irving
Two Wheels Through Terror by Glen Heggstad
Valentino Rossi – The Autobiography by Valentino Rossi with Enrico Borghi
The Vincent in the Barn by Tom Cotter
Zero to Sixty: A Dakar Adventure by David Mills
Three Flaming Helmets
BMW Café Racers by Uli Cloesen
BMW Custom Motorcycles by Uli Cloesen
365 Motorcycles You Must Ride by Dain Gingerelli, James Michaels Charles Everitt
AMA Ride Guide to America Edited by Greg Harrison
Art of the Basket Case by Andrew C. Bauer
Biker Billy Cooks With Fire by Bill Hufnagle
Bill Lomas: World Champion Road Racer by Bill Lomas
Blood, Sweat & 2nd Gear by flash gordon, m.d.
BMW Motorcycles: The Evolution of Excellence by Kevin Ash
Building the Ultimate Adventure Motorcycle by Robert Wicks
Chasing Dakar by Dr. Jonathan Edwards and Scot Harden
Clymer BMW R-Series by the Clymer Staff (Also known as the BMW R50/5 Through R100GS PD: 1970-1996)
Distant Suns by Sam Manicom
The Ducati Monster Bible by Ian Falloon
Great Motorcycle Legends by Richard Renstrom
Haynes Motorcycle Electrical Manual Techbook by Tony Tranter
How to Ride a Motorcycle by Pat Hahn
Italian Custom Motorcycles by Uli Cloesen
Lois on the Loose by Lois Pryce
More Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough
Motociclismo Tells the Story of Ducati by Luigi Bianchi and Marco Masetti
Moto Guzzi Big Twins by Greg Field
Moto Guzzi – The Complete History from 1921 by Mario Colombo
Moto Guzzi: The Racing Story by Mick Walker
Moto Guzzi Story by Ian Falloon
Moto-Maps pre-selected motorcycle tours in several New England states.
Motorcycle Journeys Through the Pacific Northwest – friendly guided tours by Bruce Hansen
Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider’s Handbook by Philip Coyne and the National Extension College
Race Tech’s Motorcycle Suspension Bible by Paul Thede and Lee Parks
Restoring Motorcycle Transmissions by Roy Bacon
Street Strategies by David Hough
The BMW GS Essential Buyer’s Guide by Peter Henshaw
The Ducati Story: Racing and Production Models from 1945 to the Present Day by Ignatius Fabio Taglioni (Foreword), Ian Falloon
The Motorcycle Touring Bible by Fred Rau
Tortillas to Totems: Sidetracked by the Unexpected by Sam Manicom
Twisting Throttle Australia by Mike Hyde
Valentino Rossi – Photographs by Micro Lazzari
Valentino Rossi – Moto Genius by Mat Oxley
Two Flaming Helmets
The Essential Buyer’s Guide Harley-Davidson Big Twins by Peter Henshaw
Modern Sports Helmets: Their History, Science and Art by James A. Newman
The Fine Art of the Motorcycle Engine by Daniel Peirce
25 Years of Buell by Court Canfield and Dave Gess
BMW Twins: All BMW Flat Twins 1955-1985 Restoration by Mick Walker
Classic Images Isle of Man TT Races
Clymer BMW 500 & 600 Twins 1955 to 1969: Service, Repair, Maintenance by Clymer Publications Staff
Custom Painting Idea Book by JoAnn Bortles
Moto Guzzi Twins Restoration by Mick Walker
Motorcycling Excellence by the Motorcycle Safety Foundation
Rolling Through the Isles by Ted Simon
Sportbiking: The Real World by Gary Jaehne
Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code
Twist of the Wrist II by Keith Code
The Upper Half of the Motorcycle by Bernt Spiegel
One Flaming Helmet
Mick Doohan – Thunder From Down Under by Mat Oxley
Not Rated (Motorcycle books of interest)
Against the Wind: A Rider’s Account of the Incredible Iron Butt Rally by Ron Ayres
BMW Motorcycles by Darwin Holmstrom and Brian J. Nelson
Colin Edwards: The Texas Tornado by Rob Simmonds
Ducati Desmoquattro Performance Handbook by Ian Falloon
Ducati: Taglioni and His World-Beating Motorcycles by Mick Walker
Ducati: The Official Racing History by Marco Mesetti, Eugenio Martera, Marco Montemaggi, Patrizia Pietrogrande
Going the Extra Mile – A Handbook for Long-Distance Motorcycling and Endurance Rallies by Ron Ayres
Guzziology by Dave Richardson
Haynes BMW Twins Motorcycles Owners Workshop Manual – 1970-1996
Haynes Ducati Service – Repair Manual
Hear Me Roar: Women, Motorcycles, and the Rapture of the Road by Ann Ferrar
Hizzy: The Autobiography of Steve Hislop by Steve Hislop, Stuart Baker
Joey Dunlop: His Authorised Biography by Mac McDiarmid, Bob McMillan
Motorcycle Detailing Made Easy by David Jacobs
Pass Your Advanced Motorcycling Test (U.K.) by The Institute of Advanced Motorists (UK)
Pro Motocross and Off-Road Riding Techniques by Donnie Bales and Gary Semics
The Illustrated Ducati Buyer’s Guide by Roy Bacon
Triumph Racing Motorcycles in America: Racing History by Lindsay Brooke