“Pierson is an even better writer than she is a rider.”—Boston Globe “World’s Toughest Motorcycle Riders”—long-distance motorcycling is not a pastime but an obsession. In this candid, eloquent, sharply observed book, Melissa Holbrook Pierson introduces us to this strange endeavor and the men and women who live to ride impossibly long distances, eating up road, almost without cease. And who find it nothing but fun. Perhaps the most determined of them is John Ryan, a magnetic, enigmatic man who loves nothing better than breaking records of amazing distance—at no small risk to himself and his health. But why? Pierson, who rediscovered the joys of motorcycling in the midst of a personal crisis, puts on her helmet and joins Ryan in his element in order to understand his singular desire and discipline, his passion and his obsession. The Man Who Would Stop at Nothing offers an intimate glimpse of an unusually independent yet supportive community as well as a revealing, unforgettable portrait of its most daring member. In electric, pitch-perfect prose, Pierson gives us rare insights into not only a subculture but also the deeply human craving for something more that drives it.

Provides an insider's view of long-distance riding, explains what draws people to the challenges and solitude of the pastime, and highlights a middle-aged diabetic man who loves riding impossible distances.

There’s no getting around the allure of motorcycles. Since 1885, when Gottlieb Daimler mounted a gas-powered engine on a wooden bicycle, riders of all ages have been drawn to the exhilaration and terror of motoring in the open air on two wheels. Motorcycles have become ingrained in our culture. To some, they represent the ultimate expression of freedom. To others, motorcycles symbolize lawlessness and disrespect for authority. The Little Red Book of Motorcycle Wisdom is packed full of wise, witty, and edgy quotes on motorcycles and the people who ride them. Celebrities, literary giants, and athletes offer pithy and memorable comments on what they ride, where they ride, with whom they ride, how fast they ride—and, most importantly, why they ride. Read musings on bikes from such noteworthy folks as: Hunter S. Thompson Marlon Brando Robert Pirsig Evel Knievel Sonny Barger Ewan McGregor Steve McQueen Leonardo DiCaprio Paul Newman Bob Dylan Hugh Laurie Angelina Jolie T. E. Lawrence And dozens of others! There’s a reason why people the world over are passionate about a machine that has been dubbed “the perfect vehicle.” This book tells you why.

There’s no getting around the allure of motorcycles. Since 1885, when Gottlieb Daimler mounted a gas-powered engine on a wooden bicycle, riders of all ages have been drawn to the exhilaration and terror of motoring in the open air on two wheels. Motorcycles have become ingrained in our culture. To some, they are the ultimate expression of freedom. To others, motorcycles symbolize lawlessness and disrespect for authority. The Little Black Book of Motorcycle Wisdom is packed full of wise, witty, and edgy quotes on motorcycles and the people who ride them. Celebrities, literary giants, and athletes offer pithy and memorable comments on what they ride, where they ride, with whom they ride, how fast they ride—and, most importantly, why they ride. Read musings on bikes from such noteworthy folks as: Hunter S. Thompson Marlon Brando Robert Pirsig Evel Knievel Sonny Barger Ewan McGregor Steve McQueen Leonardo DiCaprio Paul Newman Bob Dylan Hugh Laurie Angelina Jolie T. E. Lawrence And dozens of others! There’s a reason why people the world over are passionate about a machine that has been dubbed “the perfect vehicle.” This book tells you why.

"This book, a polished, winding meditation on the theory and fractiousness of motorcycles, celebrates both their eccentric history and the wary pleasures of touring."—The New Yorker In a book that is "a must for anyone who has loved a motorcycle" (Oliver Sacks), Melissa Pierson captures in vivid, writerly prose the mysterious attractions of motorcycling. She sifts through myth and hyperbole: misrepresentations about danger, about the type of people who ride and why they do so. The Perfect Vehicle is not a mere recitation of facts, nor is it a polemic or apologia. Its vivid historical accounts-the beginnings of the machine, the often hidden tradition of women who ride, the tale of the defiant ones who taunt death on the racetrack-are intertwined with Pierson's own story, which, in itself, shows that although you may think you know what kind of person rides a motorcycle, you probably don't.

Ten consecutive thousand-mile days on two wheels in a mental race against imponderable odds and a ceaselessly ticking clock--welcome to the legendary Iron Butt Rally. Against the Wind is a riveting new book, written by sixth-place 1995 finisher Ron Ayres, telling the story of what many call the most grueling test of human endurance in all of motorcycling. With guts and shear willpower, riders must overcome (or succumb to) fatigue and danger, calling upon human reserves buried deep within. Ayres reveals the innermost thoughts of a successful contestant and lets us share the anticipation, the thrill, the fatigue, the heartbreak, the euphoria, and ultimately the controversy of completing this merciless trial. More than the mere mechanics of making it through the eleven-day ordeal, Ayres describes the elegant strategy necessary to be a contender. You'll discover what motivates the riders, how the rally is scored, what takes place each day, how the routes are planned, and what it's like to ride to the very limit of endurance--and then ride some more.As engaging as Ayres own story is, you'll also be fascinated by the experiences of other riders who are attracted to such events. Motorcycle journalist Bob Higdon states in his foreword to the book, "Here, told from the point of view of a participant, the unraveling of human souls proceeds in almost embarrassing clarity." It's an incredible journey most of us would rather enjoy from our easy chair, and now we can with this first-rate book.