Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling

by Ralph Barger, Darwin Holmstrom

“The baddest man on two wheels.”
— Rolling Stone
 
One of the founders and the most famous member of the infamous Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club, Ralph “Sonny” Barger says, “ Let’s Ride ” with this ultimate guide to motorcycling. With expert co-author Darwin Holmstrom—former writer for Motorcyclist magazine and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Motorcycles —Barger, “The archangel of all Hells Angels” ( New York Post ) is ready to take you on the ride of your life with this exhilarating and practical nuts-and-bolts master class in the fine art of freedom. So climb on, start it up, and… Let’s Ride !

Genres: Nonfiction, Motorcycle, Reference, Self Help

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger (born October 8, 1938) is a founding member (1957) of the Oakland, California, U.S. chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. He is also the author of five books - Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club (2000), Dead in 5 Heartbeats (2004), Freedom: Credos from the Road (2005), 6 Chambers, 1 Bullet (2006), and Let's Ride: Sonny Barger's Guide to Motorcycling (2010) - and editor of the book Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Motorcycle Stories (2003).


Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_B...

Reviews

[Kharah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a novice rider, I really appreciated this book. There were parts where I actually laughed out loud. Barger and Holmstrom are really good at being able to stress how serious and potentially dangerous motorcycling can be without having to scare or shock the crap out of you to do it. They do a good job of finding the middle ground between the "motorcycling is dangerous" and "motorcycling is freaking amazing" camps: Yeah its wonderful. Yeah it can be dangerous. Just don't be an idiot.

[Hendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of solid basic advice for beginning riders, or those looking to start - as someone that's been riding for quite a while, it didn't offer much that I haven't previously read elsewhere (except for maybe "Don't buy Italian") in any number of similar books. Was hoping for a bit more insight from someone that's ridden as many miles as Barger.

And speaking of that... Found it a bit odd that he refers repeatedly to "his club", or goes a bit farther to describe them as "one-percenters" (including a few pages about the origin of that term and the process of becoming a member), but the name "Hell's Angels" doesn't appear until you get to "About the Authors" on the very last page.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Motorcycle riding presented by a famous 1%er

Not what you'd expect from an infamous biker. Actually a well written sensible guide to motorcycling. Sonny doesn't hide the fact he's a patch wearing member of a notorious club. Instead he weaves his experiences into a book about riding that anyone can get valuable information from.

[The Final Song ❀ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good advice overall, but mostly for american readers (I mean they are the target for this one) and the constant shitting on Harley Davidson motorcycles by a member of the Hell Angels is just too good to pass it.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for total beginners. I learned a lot and read this book in tandem with taking the MSF endorsement course.

[Mark Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall the content of the book was decent, but you can definitely tell his bias towards Victory motorcycles, and how he has to buy an American made motorcycle. That’s fine, whatever, each to their own. The downside is he just has to interject some of his political beliefs. For example he goes on to blame Italian manufacturing woes on foreign workers and communists fighting to protect worker’s rights. Funny how any of my friends that have owned Ducati’s have loved them, and never complained about reliability issues. He says inferior products come from socialist influenced governments. Amazing then how BMW produces some of the finest motorcycles in the world in a Democratic Socialist country. Go figure. Yet he railed against Harley Davidson especially when AMF milked them dry over corporate greed. So which is it? I think the text would have been better if he left his political opinions out of it and just stuck to his love of riding, lessons on the mechanics of the bikes and on the mechanics of riding. He does give some tips on selecting, purchasing, riding, and owning a motorcycle. Maybe one day he’ll write an updated book and keep his political opinions to himself. 🤷🏻

[Catie Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really can't tell at all which parts of this book come from Sonny Barger and which are all Holmstrom, but there's some solid stuff here. I absolutely read it for the information, not the celebrity, so I ain't mad.

[Steven Medina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonny Barger did a great job writing this book. His passion for motorcycles is obvious and he wants everyone to know it. He seems very humble when he wrote his story and goes in to good detail on how to start your motorcycle riding career. I recommend this book to all new riders or anyone who is thinking about becoming a motorcycle rider.

[Neil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good primer for folks who want to get into riding motorcycles. It’s well written and interesting. Loaded with info on things useful to new riders, I think it’s worth your money and time.

[Max Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read. Overall well thought out, I didn’t realize he was the founder of the Hells Angles until I googled him halfway through the book.

I thought his advice was practical, but nothing I haven’t heard before.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good book.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting read, lots of tips on riding motorcycles.

[James C Bourne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed this book. It was informative and kinda makes you think about riding and the dose and don’ts of it..

[Leon Greenwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunter S Thompson may well have been surprised by the blanket no-no of beer and biking, but it goes with the sensible and sober approach the authors take. They were different times lol

[Stan Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Matthew Ciarvella · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a good bit of solid advice for those just starting out on a motorcycle or for those thinking about getting a motorcycle. There might be more factual books out there on riding, but I doubt there are any that have the conversational style and feeling like you're in a bar sharing a beer with Sonny Barger as he tells you about bikes.

Despite the fact that it was an enjoyable read, there were a few quirks that ended up being distractions. First was the repeated insistence on the author's "buy American" stance towards bikes, even though he also talks about how much Harley-Davidson motorcycles are garbage. That's fine, I'm not a fan of Harleys either.

However, it's still weird to ride a guide on motorcycles that has a line about how "the Japanese make good motorcycles and if I wasn't committed to buying American, I'd buy one of those." I'm not quite sure what a new rider looking for guidance is supposed to do with that.

Also, the way the author seems to tiptoe around the true nature of his motorcycle club and what being a "one-percenter" actually means is somewhat odd. Anyone who picks up this book is going to know who Sonny Barger is and what the Hells' Angels are. Why try to mince around it? There was almost a defensive quality to the way Barger refers to his club that was hard to reconcile with the way the Angels style and present themselves.

Regardless, this was a fun read. I wouldn't use this as my only source of information on motorcycling, but Sonny's insistence on taking an actual motorcycle riding course and the fact that he always wears a helmet these days mean that, regardless of his other quirks and oddities, he's cool by me. At least when it comes to riding. We'll save the discussion about one-percenter clubs for another book review.

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a very good, easy to read book.
It's one of those books that is written in a way that you feel like the author is sitting across the table from you, sipping a coffee, chatting with you. (Johnny Cash's Autobiography was the same)
He doesn't focus upon his time in the motorcycle club; he mentions it, but doesn't spotlight it. (Apparently, he'd already dealt with it in print, in a previous book)
He does concentrate on The Motorcycle. How it works, how it started, when he started riding. He talks about what to look for in a used motorcycle, what to be wary of in motorcycle shops, and (finally) how to ride, and advanced riding techniques.
It's interesting in a different manner than "Proficient Motorcycling ..." by David L. Hough. Sonny Barger can tell interesting bits of data about his history with motorcycles.
He also has a suggestion list in the back of the book: suggesting various places he does and has done business with that he enjoyed. Places to buy seats, frames, engines, lights, accessories, etc.

[Steve Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given this book as a joke by a friend and read it on a whim. It's a pretty good guide for both new motorcyclists and an entertaining read for more experienced riders as well.

The author does an outstanding job of giving the reader the benefit of his fifty plus years of riding experience. It's enlightening to read the reasons that Barger, the author, a past president of the Hells Angels, is diehard advocate of safety equipment. The chapter on safety gear and safe riding practices alone make this book a worthwhile read.

Overall, it's a concise, well-considered guide to riding written by someone who's made every mistake you can on two wheels.

[Blake Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are an experienced rider or just getting started, this is a great book to keep with you. Sonny gives pointers from first bikes to maintenance. He gives an objective view on how to choose what motorcycles are right for you, as well as speaks on the importance of motorcycle safety courses. Sonny packs a load of personal experience in with how to make smart decisions and how to ride safely. If you ride daily or you're a weekend warrior, this is a must for your shelf.

[Court C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great information and tips on riding safely. Very well written and thoughtful approach. Refreshing that it wasn't your typical "if your not a one per center" you should not be riding, if fact it was just the opposite. I recommend this book to anyone that is new rider or is thinking about getting into riding.

[Brandon Findlay · Rating 4 out of 5]

It fully delivers on its advertised merits and is offered with, and through, an intense, individualistic perspective. Great place for the novice beginner to start. And, either love or hate him... but Barger is indeed the Man who lived/lives as large as the shadow cast.

[G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, easy to read.

[Leorin · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you can ride and already know your way round a bike it won't be that eye opening but you may pick up an odd tip or two.

[Theodore Tyndall iii · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good advice for the beginner rider. Sonny puts it all in terms that are easy to understand and even fun at times.

[OlePinto]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13262143

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for the beginner, but it has some good info for more experienced riders too. The section on how and what to check when buying a used motorcycle was worth the cost of the book alone.