Motorcycle Books & Films

[LandyVlad]

Great thread.

A book (and movie of the book) which certainly involves a motorcycle., while not being ABOUT a motorcycle, is The Motorcycle Diaries

(quote from Wikipedia)

The Motorcycle Diaries (Spanish: Diarios de Motocicleta) is a memoir that traces the early travels of Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, then a 23-year-old medical student, and his friend Alberto Granado, a 29-year-old biochemist. Leaving Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January 1952 on the back of a sputtering single cylinder 1939 Norton 500cc dubbed La Poderosa ("The Mighty One"), they desired to explore the South America they only knew from books.[1] During the formative odyssey Guevara is transformed by witnessing the social injustices of exploited mine workers, persecuted communists, ostracized lepers, and the tattered descendants of a once-great Inca civilization. By journey's end, they had travelled for a symbolic nine months by motorcycle, steamship, raft, horse, bus, and hitchhiking, covering more than 8,000 kilometres (5,000 mi) across places such as the Andes, Atacama Desert, and the Amazon River Basin. The diary ends with a declaration by Guevara, born into an upper-middle-class family, displaying his willingness to fight and die for the cause of the poor, and his dream of seeing a united Latin America.

It really is a fascinating book I'd highly recommend it. While it gives some insight into what drove him to become the revolutionary - it's the pathos and sometimes wonderful humour in this book which makes it truly rewarding.

The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journ…

The young Che Guevara’s lively and highly entertaining …

www.goodreads.com

The book seems to be available as a free PDF here

PDF - The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey Book by Ernesto Che Guevara Free Download (175 pages)

Free Download or read online The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey book by Ernesto Che Guevara in ePUB, PDF or MOBI eBooks to read on your desktop, iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet.

blindhypnosis.com

It was also made into a movie, but as is so often the case., the book is by far the better option.

The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) ⭐ 7.7 | Adventure, Biography, Drama

2h 6m | R

www.imdb.com

 

[LandyVlad]

Another book I have read and re-read is the fantastic - Around Australia The Hard Way In 1929 (by Jack L. Bowers)

Here is a true adventure story about two young men from Sydney who, in 1929, decided to take a holiday with a difference and ride right round Australia on a motorcycle. This was a feat that had never been done before, which was not surprising as travelling conditions in the outback in those days were often hard and hazardous. It was not an expedition to be undertaken lightly.

With the boundless optimism of youth they bought a 7/9hp FD magneto model Harley-Davidson motorcycle - the grandfather of today's big twins - fitted a stout wooden box on the sidecar chassis to house their gear and the relief rider, and set out to conquer the continent with just sixty pounds in the kitty and neither a watch nor compass between them.

As the Depression was already looming, they were unable to interest any sponsors in their venture and the only support they received was a jumper apiece from the Harley-Davidson agents.

Seven weeks and over 15,000 km later they returned travel-strained and triumphant. Not only had they achieved their goal and been the first to circumnavigate the continent by motorcycle but they had done so in record time for any motorised vehicle. On the way the two young pioneers had endured just about every imaginable hardship and danger and survived through sheer guts and resourcefulness. A great tale of men and their machine: of courage and mateship in Australia nearly 70 years ago. It makes fascinating reading today.

Just read it !!!!!