The Perfect Vehicle book

[4corsa]

I just finished reading this excellent book by Melissa Holbrook Pierson who is an avid Guzzi enthusiast.  I learned about her last year when I received my copy of "Moto Guzzi 100 Years", in which they dedicate the first few pages of the book her - that's no small thing.  Her first bike was a V65 Lario which she rides all over the east half of the country.  Lots of history of the motorcycle and riders included.  She does a good job of explaining what it is about Guzzis that we love.  I won't spoil it for you, but it was a really enjoyable read - highly recommend!

[docc]

Agreed, @4corsa! A thoroughly enjoyable read that reaches out to our sense of what motorcycling is.

Something (some "thing") that is so hard to express, especially in writing.

[gstallons]

I read it . Great book ! 

Also , Zen & the art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig . Loved it .

[p6x]

Did too... when we had that conversation about ladies on motorcycle. It is in a thread somewhere in this forum;

When I was dreaming about riding long distance, I purchased the "Une Demoiselle sur une Moto" (Girl on a motorcycle) written in 1973 by Anne-France Dautheville.

In that thread, someone suggested "The Perfect Vehicle".

She depicted pretty well what the past used to be, and to some extent, the present for us aging V11 enthusiasts. However most of the new generations are never going to get it first hand. The secret pleasure of riding a motorcycle is vanishing fast. We are still somewhat perpetuating it, but it is fading.

My 27 years old son never understood that craving. No matter how hard I tried to pass it on. When I attempted to depict the derived intense emotions of riding, he just did not connect with it.

 

[billgreenman1]

Read it years back, and thought it spoke well touching some of the intangible elements and sensations. Gonna have to take a look at it again and see how time has changed my feelings about the things it brings out. If I remember correctly it briefly bounces into T.E.Lawrence and his Brough Superior also!

[4corsa]

p6x - my experience has been different from yours. When I first started doing track days over 15 years ago, they barely had enough riders sign up to make it worth the effort. But 10 years later, just before Covid, you had to sign up for a track day months in advance to secure a spot, and many more providers had come to the game. The percentage of riders in their 20s to early 30s was far higher than any other age group.  I found this very encouraging. I'm also noticing recently that a lot of custom builders are guys in their 30s.

Motorcyclists have always been in the vast minority,  but I do think the torch will continue to be carried forward.