Publishing the best in books on motorcycling, motorsports, and adventure travel.
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USEFUL LINKS
A list of links to websites that motorcyclists, adventurers, and authors may find useful.
Authors' Websites
Howzit Done Crash? Motorcycle Tips, Tricks, & Techniques from Our Own Brent Allen
Brent "Capt. Crash" Allen does more than write books, he also produces great riding insturctional videos, which are posted on YouTube (more than a million views so far!). The "VIDEO" link on Brent's website will get you to them. Also, check out his "BLOG" link, where you can find more of his work as a writer.
Daniel Rintz, Somewhere Else Tomorrow Movie
Daniel Rintz is a "Jupiter's Traveler" (a support foundations for world travelling writers founded by Ted Simon) and has been featured on Adventure Rider Radio. He tells a great story about his travels as he works his was around the globe by motorcycle, starting out with a firend but soon finding himself on his own. A great film about the challenges of travelling through new cultures and dealing with inner and outward stuggles that a trip like this entails.
When I saw Daniel at AIMExpo in 2017 he told me he was working on a sequel for the second half of his trip and if you want to buy Somewhere Else Tomorrow or help Daniel fund the new project either or both may be done by following the link above.
Sam Manicom Motorcycle Travel Books
While we would like to say we've published ALL the great adventure riding books, that is not the case. Sam Manicom has published four of his opwn books about his eight year round the world epic motorcycle ride, both solo, and later with his partner, Birgitte. These inspirational books describes his journey as Sam finds his way round the world and in and out of situations and leanrs about riding and the goodness of the world we live in. These books are on the top of my (Mike Fitterling) list: Into Africa, Under Asian Skies, Distant Suns, and Tortillas to Totems. If you're stuck inside this winter and want a shot of inspiration for the coming summer's riding, get and read these books! Sam is a "Jupiter's Travellers Advisor," is a regular on Adventure Rider Radio's RAW show along with Graham Field (one of Road Dog's authors), and a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to globe-trotting by motorycle.
Zoë is the author of Bonneville Go or Bust, a story of her cross-continent ride of the US on a Bonneville T100, and Southern Escapades, her further explorations of America whiel riding the Southeast. Zoë is very active in motorcycling events across the UK; catch her at one of those or here at her own website.
Organizations
The American Motorcyclist Association
"Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycling organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists' interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion.
"Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. AMA members receive money saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. The AMA is everything motorcycle."
Consumer Affairs Motorcycle Insurance Guide
This website offers reviews of various insurance companies insuring motorcycles.
This organization offers organized multi-day group motorycle rides to veterans with PTSD and other injuries. During the day rides take place on road and off while in the evenings vets have a chance to share their stories with oithers who understand around lodge fireplaces or campfires. Techniques and skills are offered and discussed to help them manage their stress and invisible injuries. Participants arte sponsored by generous donors and motorcycles and support vehicles are provided. When I was at AIMExpo in Columbus, Ohio, this year the group was raising funds for a sidecar and motoruycle rig so that those with physical disabilities could also enjoy in the fun, comradery, and healing provided byt this service. Take a look at thier website and see if there is something you can do to help those who've stood in harm's way for us.
The Vintage Japanese Motorcyle Club of North America
Do you own a vintage Japanese bike, something say, earlier than 1986? Do you love UJMs (universal Japanese motorcycles)? Do you dream of "Dreams"? Keihin CV carbs? Superhawks? Water Buffalos? Knobby tires and cafe racers? The VJMC is a great resource for information, inspiration, and fellowship with other lovers of old Japanese bikes. The VJMC is a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring and preserving vintage Japanese motorcycles twenty years old or older, promoting the love of these bikes to new generations, and to promote motorcyling in general. A $30 annual membership includes a subscription to Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Magazine which is issued six time a year.
The Vintage Motorcycle Alliance
VMA provides a home for a bike show and swap meet held the first three days of Daytona Bike Week. Daytona is only about 50 miles away, making it easy to attend both this event and the Bike Week festivities with some very nice riding in between. The bike show is hosted by the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club (VJMC). In spite of the club's special interest in Japanese bikes, this show includes all makes and models, including, American, European, Japanese, and British bikes. Judging is by viewers' choice, so not only do you get to see the bikes, but you get to vote for your favorites. The event is growing and is fast becoming the premier vintage show and swapmeet in Florida. Hope to see you there.
Great Products/Services
A fellow ADVrider.com inmate who has great deals on LED auxiliary lighting.
I originally installed a pair of Model 30 spots on my Bonneville T100 and a very happy with the quailty of the lights and the much improved night time visibility. I was so impressed that I soon also purchased an LED replacement for the pathetically weak original H4 on the Triumph—plug and play simplicity! ADVmonster offers quality products at very competitive prices and the customer service is second to none. I highly recommend ADVmoster!—Mike Fitterling, Publisher of Road Dog Publications and Editor of Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Magazine.
Pat Jacques, well-known former offroad racer, offers offroad motoryucle riding instruction tailored specifically for the woman rider. Instruction is followed by hands on experience putting the skills to use in group riding. ADVWoman removes the often testosterone-fueled competitiveness of typical mixed offroad classes and gives women a chance to learn at their own pace. Based in Wstwern Colorado, Pat puts together great instruction and fabulous rides thourgh some of the mosty enchanting terrain in North America. If you're a woman who would like to add offroad skills to your riding repertoire, check ADVWoman out.
EagleRider Motorcycle Rental USA
Live in Miami, but always wanted to ride the Pacific Northwest? Stuck working in Arizona, but always wanted to see the autumn colors change in New Hampshire from the back of a motorcycle? EagleRider Motorcycle Rental might just be the ticket for you. Can't afford the time off to ride cross-country to that territory you always dreamed of riding? Fly in and pick up your ride. While you are at it, why not do an extended test drive on that bike you have been thinking of buying? EagleRider has a wide selection of bikes and locations from which to choose. Prefer riding in a group? Choose an all-inclusive "Guided Tour." Or if you hate planning, but love to ride to new places, choose one of the "Self-Guided Tours" and ride onboard one of EagleRider's bikes with routes and accomodations already arranged . Chosen by Zoë Cano (author of Bonneville Go or Bust) for her solo ride across the US.
I use to buy cheap ($130 or so) so-called waterproof touring boots. Each time I would dig a hole right through the sole from putting my bike on its cetnerstand and none of them were ever waterproof, even from day one, and they were shot by the end of a season of riding. I had heard good things about Forma Adventure boots via the advrider.com forum. A fellow there did a ride report on a ride he did from Chile to Tierra del Fuego and swore by them, both for their waterproofness and their comfort. He said they were even comfortable off the bike and light hiking. They were pricier than I thought I woudl ever buy ($279 SRP) but at an AIMExpo I talked to the Forma guys and they offered me a good enough discoutn to nudge me into buying a pair. I could not have been happier. I wore that pair for tens of thousands of miles and they were just as advertised, waterproof (I mean stand in the water waterproof) and super comfortabel while providing much better protection. There came a day after many many miles when my pair lost their waterproofness. I was way past the warranty expiration but the boots were otherwise perfect, with no noticeable wear to the soles, and this was after a couple seasons of doing some really long rides (around 10,000 miles). I emailed Forma and asked about my options. They shipped me a new pair as soon as I sent them a tracking number for the pair I sent back to them! That's service—a brand new pair. I was prepared to buy another pair, eventually, but was unprepared for such good service. These boots are so comfortable I am thinking about not taking any around camp knock around shoes on my next long ride. Try them and I think you and your feet will be happy.
Georgia Motorcycle History, the First 60 Years: 1899-1959 by Chris Price
I met Chris at the Destination Eustis Vintage Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet over the weekend of March 6-8, 2015, while I was doing book signings of my new book (Thoughts on the Road). Chris has created a thick high-quality coffee table-style book filled with wonderful photographs and history of motorcycling in Georgia. If you are into vintage motorcycles, especially American bikes, and are nostalgic for how it was "back in the day" then Chris's book will take you there in class.
Stylish women's apparel for the motorcycling enthusiast—Tees, hoodies, and jackets.
Ginger Damon Doesn't take a man's riding jacket and adapt it for use by a woman. She starts from scratch meticulously desinging a fashinable and protective garment specifically for a woman's body. Her riding jacket is fully lined in Kevlar (resistant to melting unlike some more poplular "high tech" products in vogue at the moment) for protection and warmth and is made in the USA. Plans were underway to introduce a new armored jacket at ICMA in Milan in 2017. Gigi Montrose products are not hastily conceived and brought to market. Theproduct line is being carefully grown to fill the needs of the growing women rider market.
Ikon Suspension
Well-known and respected motorcycle suspension component manufacturer from Australia lands now available in the US. Ikon has many shocks and fork springs available for both modern and vintage motorcycles. The next time you are building a custom of café bike or considering upgrading your street bike's suspension make sure you look at Ikon's offerings. Roger Kirwin is their rep in the US, and I can say from experience that he provides outstanding customer service.
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While riding around with world with a friend on a pair of Ural sidecar rigs, Fred Sheffer, owner of LoneRider, called to ask if they could spend the night, as I am a host on the ADVRIder Tent Space List. Fred and Pascal's plans changed while they were in Clearwater, so they didn't camp here with us, but they said they still wanted to meet up the following day. My friend, Steve, who was camping out at our place at the time, meet up the next day with Fred and Pascal, and what ensued was a day of riding the local roads and hitting a popular café. We had a great time, and I had the chance to get to know Fred, who was an accomplished traveler. Fred already had been making and selling LoneRider tents back then, a very high quality tent with a vestibule big enough to park most bikes in, but which still packed small and light. When Fred returned to Europe he started work on designing a set of panniers for rough adventure riding that would stand up to the rigors of the toughest offroad riding and not have some of the drawbacks of rigid metal panniers. Fred emailed me for some input on the design (as he did with many others as he honed in on the perfect design). I had Ortlieb QRL (Quick Release) drybag panniers at the time, which I love, but which also have some minor things that could use improvement, specifically, the mounting rail, made of plastic, could have been stronger (mine never failed, but they developed a bend from the weight hanging on them) and a lack of attachment points for stuff outside the bags. After a couple years of design and redesign and talking with many adventure riders and testing various setups in real world and tough conditions, Fred came up with, in my opinion, the world's best soft (really, semi-rigid) panniers. He also sells a smaller tent for solo riders that looks to be ideal, and I am confident that they are of the same quality of the bigger tent. As you probably know, if you've read my blog, I believe in riding what you have and not waiting for the very best of every bit of kit before venturing out, but I also believe that if you can afford it, then buying the very best is good advice. Like Aerostich clothing and many other pieces of kit in that super high quality niche, LoneRider kit is expensive, but if you can swing the price tag (and if you've seen, like I have, all the work that's gone into these products, you'll understand why the price is justified), you won't be disappointed in any of their products.
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​Would you like to motorcycle tour new places in the US, Europe, or South America but would like a little structure and guidance and still capture the essence and character of the places you visit. Maximal Tours provides bikes and an experience that will immerse you in the cultures you visit, instead of hopping from one tourist point to another. Maximal Tours provides BMW motorcycles from BMW dealers in the areas they conduct tours. Email them at info@maximaltours.com or visit them by clicking the link above that will take you to their website.
​MCrider offers free motorcycle training videos weekly on YouTube. You can find this YouTube channel at www.YouTube.com/kevinmorris22. Kevin Morris who owns the site is a MSF and Total Control instructor in North Texas and wants to give back to the motorcycle community. MCrider is my attempt to do that.
​Motofreight.com can help you ship your bike almost anywhere in the world. They know the system and how it works and can save you a lot of headaches by handling your bike's movement across continents and across oceans. This company is run by fellow adventure travelers like you who know what you need and who have the know-how to get it done.
Award winning design Services, including book covers. A very talented designer based in the UK, Paul is responsible for the stunning cover of Zoë Cano's Bonneville Go or Bust. Good covers are essential to a book's marketing success, and Paul can create a creative cover with impact and fulfill all sorts of other creative needs. You can be sure Paul is on Road Dog's short list when upcoming books need covers.
RRR Tool Solutions was started by a friend of mine, Gordon East, who use to take care of display advertising for Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Magazine, of which I am editor. Gordon left the magazine to follow his dream of producing tools made specifically for the adventure rider and classic bike restorer. I carry his RRR Adventure Tool Roll Set, which is a roll bag filled with everything I may possibly need on a road trip, including those funny Torx bits that Triumph and BMW like to use. The only thing I added was an adjustable wrench for my axle. (Although, since I got my set, Gordon has introduced an innovative axle wrench.) Now there is no need for me to dig through the tools in the garage, selecting and making up a set to take with me on the road. I simply grab the roll set (and a multimeter) drop them into the bottom of my pannier, and I am ready to go. I've talked to Grodon about what he might be up to next and all I can tell you is look for more great new products from RRR Tool Solutions soon.
Scottoiler is an automatic chain lubrication system that can add to the life of your chain, extend the time between adjustments, and save you the trouble of spraying messy chain lube every few hundred miles. This system is well-known and respected in the UK and Europe but it is relatively unkown in the US. I hope that changes soon. See the story of my installation on my Bonneville T100 in my blog on this website (11 December 2013).—Mike Fitterling, Publisher of Road Dog Publications and Editor of Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Magazine.
Joe Guerin is the guy to see for Triumph shop manuals, vintage literature, parts, clothing and great re-pop signs (for your Triumph man cave, of course!). Click "Triumph Stuff" above to email Joe.
Planning Tools
WeatherSpark is a handy website where you can look up typical weather in detail for places all over the map. It is a very handy tool for preparing for the weather you may encounter or adjusting the timing of arrival in certain places to avoid the worst weather. You can look up locations and months of the year and get thorough and detailed charts of the kinds of conditions you will likely find in those locations.
Venues
The centre of the historic Café Racer movement in London in the sixties and its modern revival! From the web site:
At Ace Cafe London we welcome all who share our passion, based upon the traditions of motorcycles, cars and rock n' roll.This is your cafe, devised, designed and built by fellow petrolheads, so enjoy the ambience and make the most of the facilities and activities to ensure that its history lives on. The way of expressing oneself, the music and the machinesmay have changed over the last decades, but the spiritand motivation remains the same,individual and authentic. So set the wheels in motion and take a journey with us throughthe unique Ace Cafe London experience! Zoë Cano hatched her plan for riding across the US sitting in in an Ace Café booth.
The historic café and event venue is coming to America! Ace Cafe will open in the psring of 2015 in downtown Orlando, just a few block east of Church Street Station and promises great music and motorbike and vintage car events. From the website:
ORLANDO: FIRST ACE IN USA—Is Ace Cafe a biker bar? No, we are a 76-year old British cafe, a restaurant & bar that celebrates the spirit, history and culture of moto enthusiasts and good old rock n roll.
Forums
Adventure Rider Forum (ADVrider)
So, you want to ride to Deadhorse and dip your tire in the Arctic, then turn south and dip it in the Straights of Magellan at Ushuaia? Long to cross Siberia on a dual sport? This is the place for you! If you've read of of my (Mike Fitterling) books, you'll know I offer accomodations and take advantage of offers of the same on the "Tent Space Sign-Up" thread on this forum under "Trip Planning," which allows me to travel cheaply and makes some of my rides possible. There are tons of great ride stories here and places to learn and offer advice and just to shoot the bull at this great forum.
A Very Active Network of All Types of Riders. Jointhis forum for some lively discussion and fun. This is one of those Internet spots where although you've never met many of the members you feel like old friends. There are general, brand, repair, vintage, touring, etc. discussion areas. Got a problem with your 70s CB? Get some answers here. Have a road story you want to tell? Tell it here. Want to brush up on your technique? Get some great input here. A great cross-section of riders and bikes are represented. You might even bump into Captain Crash here.
A forum for all things Triumph—old and new, street and trail, cruiser and sport. A great place to learn about and share knowledge and community with other Trumpet afficionados.
Museums/Collections
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Barber Vintage Festival, Leeds, Alabama
Barber's Motorsports Park is the home to the largest and one of the greatest motorycle museums in the World. The park hosts the Barber Vintage Festival every year in October. This festival is the premier event for antique and vintage bike enthusiasts and features vintage motorcycle racing on the impressive track, dirt racing, an auction, and huge vintage bike swap meet. VJMC is usually featured predominantly at the festival. At the swap meet you can find everything from that NOS speedo for your '72 CB350 or an entire barn-find bike, ready for restoration. Don't want to restore an old bike? You just want to ride, ride, ride? You can find that here, too, turn key (or kick) ready-to-go restored bikes. This event is in Leeds, AL, just north east of Birmingham, an area filled with great riding-roads. (Try Dunavant Rd., just east of the park.) Stay in a motel or camp out in a tent—your choice. If you can't make it to the festival, any time of the year is a great time to visit the museum. The park hosts the Superbike Classic, Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, and the Porsche Driving School.
Wheels Through Time Museum, Maggie Valley, North Carolina
Jay Leno called it "one of the best museums in North America." This museum in the charming valley town of Maggie Valley, south of the Smoky Mountains National Park and north of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It features hundreds of motorcycles, along with vintage cars, from America's past. These are all American made bikes, and you will find them strewn around the huge museum building set in actual-sized "dioramas" suited to each particular bike—WWII military bikes are set in a recreated military depot, hill climbers are set up on a sand hill smack in the middle of the musuem. This is not the spit and polished Barber Museum with flawless examples of rare bikes; it is a down and dirty, bikes as they really were, unrestored condition kind of exhibit, which has its own charm. The owner takes great pride in the bikes and in riding. He entered two in the recent "Cannonball Run" race for bikes made in 1915 or earlier, from Kitty Hawk, NC, to Santa Monica Pier, CA; and the day I was there was riding one of them merrily around the grounds. One of the bikes took third. This is a must-see. And did I mention this great place is surrounded by the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, close to the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Cherohala Scenic Skyway, and the "Tail of the Dragon"? Do you need any other excuse to go?
Blogs, Magazines, etc.
A great place to listen to interviews with some of the legends of adventure riding. Graham Field, author Road Dog's In Search of Greener Grass, Eureka, and Different Natures is a regulr on their RAW show.
The ONE magazine on adventure riding in North America—need we say more?.
A motorcycle lifestyle magazine for anyone who loves life on two wheels. This a a great online magazine filled with stories & interviews of a wide variety of riders (read the one on the owner of Road Dog and author of Thoughts on the Road here: Ride It, Write It, Own It!), "Routes and Trails," places to eat on the road, mechanical how-tos, motorcycle gear, and motorcycle reviews.
Author Zoë Cano's personal blog.
A great online UK magazine focusing on adventure riding. Bike and kit reviews, news, and articles on technique make this a "Useful Link."
Want to live vicariously through a couple of intrepid Brits adventuring halfway around the world? Here's the site where they will post as they go from UK to Alaska to Tierra del Fuego to Africa to Europe and back to UK (and perhaps more).
Daryl Makk, Comedian and Riding Enthusiast
In 2007, Daryl returned to the sport of motorcycles after many years absence. Renewing his love for riding in 2008 he started booking comedy tours in the summer months so he could travel by motorbike, thus combining three things he loved: comedy, motorcycles and travel. On April 26, 2008 all of this came to stop when a hit and run driver ran Daryl off his motorcycle. With broken bones, unable to travel plus several shows having to be canceled, everything he enjoyed was taken away. Rather than let it get him down Daryl decided to start a tour with a safety message: “Share the road and wear your gear” and the Web-TV show The Planet Tour was born. No interference from network TV. Its real, raw video entertainment from Daryl's travels.
Henry Martin's Motorcycling Blog
Fellow motorcyclist's blog site. Check out Henry's take of the riding world.
A beautifully produced, high-end coffee-table motorcycle magazine publiashed quarterly. Stunning photography is combined with creative layout reulting in a gorgeoous periodical.
Follow along as MissRider (Madeleine Valazquez, who you met if you've read Zoë Cano's Bonneville Go or Bust) rides her Triumph Bonneville SE solo from Massachussetts (US)/Canada/Central America—destination Panama/ back to Chicago/Sturgis South Dakota—back to Massachussetts 15,000 miles—and on other new adventures.
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Tim and Marisa are on their way around the world, with North America and Central and South America already under the belts, and Africa up next. Check out their first book, Maiden Voyage, about their trip to get their toes wet in this whole adventure riding thing. Also out from them is a road guide to Peru. Check out their interview with our friends at Adventure Rider Radio: Tim and Marisa on Adventure Rider Radio
If you like the idea of adventure touring, here is a website and blog where you can follow a couple "lads" bound 'round the world. This is not some corporate-sponsored event, but just a couple guys on their own on their way across the globe who are willing to share their story with us as it happens.
Great blog of a fellow motorcycleforum member with lots of info on and pictures of rare and vintage motorcycles—very cool.
A blog by a fellow ADVrider inmate. D. Brent Miller has written and photographed for daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, and provided communication consulting to others, “helping others tell their stories.” He has completed a number of personal projects, and has built a body of work in small towns and rural issues and now in travel writing. In more recent years, Brent has taken up the microphone again to produce oral histories, audio stories, and recording conversations of travelers, authors and film makers. Zoë Cano was "discovered" via one of Brent's interviews. Brent holds Master’s Degrees in Journalism (1993) and Communication Studies (1989) from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois, and a B.A. in Applied Christian Studies from Trinity College, Deerfield, Illinois.
Follow this intrepid rider on his travels from the US to Lima, Peru. From the blog:
“I plan to ride my Honda 750 Shadow from Paradise Hill, Oklahoma thru Texas and into Mexico. In Mexico I will pick up the Intercontinental Highway in Acapulco and continue south thru Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica and into Panama. From Panama there are no roads into Columbia and the bike and I will catch some sort of ship from Colon, Panama to Cartagena, Columbia. Once in Columbia I will again find the Intercontinental Highway and follow it south thru Quito, Ecuador and then finally end the trip in Lima, Peru. The expected travel time is 10 weeks. Plans are to start October 1st and end in mid-December.”
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