Leathered: A life taken to extremes... on and off the bike

by John Hopkins

Injury. Adrenaline. Addiction. These are the things that fuelled one man's race to international stardom as he pushed boundaries and took life on and off the bike to the limits.Starting out as a talented youth riding the desert tracks of California, his reckless nature and incredible talent earned him a position in the rarefied world of professional motorcycle racing. Despite the success in his professional life, his personal life was crumbling around him - John was battling with depression and temptation, which began to threaten his career, health and marriage, ultimately bringing him to a life of alcoholism, addiction and even smuggling. In his remarkable memoir, one of the world's most renowned riders takes us on a raw and unique journey to the extremes of fast living.John 'Hopper' Hopkins is an icon for motorsport fans worldwide. He won't let anything hold him back. He has broken almost every bone in his body (twice), suffered a bleed on the brain, and had a finger amputated... yet he continued to race. Finally, at the age of 35 - with his latest crash at Brands Hatch in 2017 putting him in rehab for two years - he decided to hang up his helmet.Leathered tells the incredible story of an unparalleled career. From bone-crunching injuries and alcohol-fuelled antics to the breakdown of his marriage, it unveils the true stories behind the lurid headlines.

Genres: Biography

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2021

Reviews

[Chris Alex Stoica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of this dude when he was racing in Moto GP (I personally don’t watch other championships). The cool look, the raw talent, I liked everything about him. Sure he crashed quite a bit, but knowing the state he was in sometimes - both mentally and physically - while riding, it made a powerful impression on me.

His story is raw, brutal, honest. He was a motorcycle rider with a rockstar lifestyle. All I can say is that I am a better person with a broader understanding for a lot of things after reading his book and an even bigger fan of him. And John, god damn man I am so happy you’re still alive and back in the paddock as a rider coach! Thank you for this book!

[Ben Dwyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a recent convert to motorbike racing I never saw John actually race and had not really heard much about him until thought I’d give this book a try as it looked a bit different to the usual suggestions that came up when searching for books on the subject and I’m so glad I did!

A very honest heartfelt account of a fascinating life lived on the limit that offers a refreshingly candid view behind the scenes of motorcycle racing and into the extremes that the riders put themselves through to succeed

Hopkins account of his behaviour and the effect that his addictions had on his mental health, friends and family makes at times uncomfortable reading but have you cheering for him when he recognises his demons and seeks to exorcise them

It’s a testament to what a compelling read this book that as soon as I finished it I immediately checked out the documentaries he mentions staring in as well as several of the races he so well depicts

[William Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good autobiography. Man, John has some serious issues. He carried a lot of emotional baggage, which makes what he did in a motorbike even more impressive.
Very much worth a read, fan of bike racing or not. Just shows what money can do to a person and how it only exacerbates problems.
I always knew he liked a beer and to party, but he got up to way more than I ever thought he did, which is saying something. The dude has serious abandonment issues when it comes to the ladies too!!!! To the point of being very unhealthy.
A good read about a very colourful individual who is very lucky he is still able to walk.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the book was a very entertaining read. However the kindle edition has a lot of typos as proofreading errors. For example

“foetal position”

“Normally I would have flown straight fly back to California at the end of the season,”

“That wasn’t really a done thing,”

Just a few examples. It’s still a worthwhile read but could really use a proof reader.

[Timojhen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fan of John, this was an interesting read. I’d only known him through racing where he seemed to have unnatural talent. Think I have a better sense now of how that talent can be a curse when left unchecked. Happy he’s found a path to recovery and hopeful he’ll stay the course. Confident he has more to offer.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Certainly an honest book. Wow, John's been through some stuff! To put it lightly. It's too bad he didn't seemingly reach his full potential (though appeared close), but for him to somehow come out of it all okay at the end is the real triumph. For the motorcycle fan who knows anything about John Hopkins, you'll enjoy his biography.

[Tb · Rating 5 out of 5]

WFO. Great read that is far more into the depths of a moto racer's psyche than your average auto-biography. Go figure that one of Suzuki's sponsors was Rizla...
Most of the guys I knew in motorcycles like this aren't around anymore but that was 40-50 years ago. I ride solo a bit these days.

[Pekka Lehtinen · Rating 5 out of 5]

He may not be the best MotoGP rider ever, but his story is so full of drama that you can't stop listening. Winning all the time make for a boring story. Struggling in poorly run teams etc makes for a much better story. Of all the MotoGP related content I've consumed, this is my favorite.

[Helen Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always been a huge fan of Hopper and his bad boy image but this raw and at times heart wrenching account of his life living with addiction and the affect it had on his life and those around him wasn’t something I knew about him, and it made me love him all the more for it!

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a potential scam and not only the first girfriend is still formally his relative… but also the second is. Does he have two wives?

Also completely not factual that he is clean of addictions as he still addicted to substances.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Increadable

This book is more than a life of John, it's his sole.it's amazing
to think what he put him self though.

[Tracy Alcock · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really eye opening read,

[Neil Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Legend Hopper

Always liked hopper in his race days. The totally honest way he tells his story is so refreshing and I like him even more.Legend

[Tom C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a big fan of Hopper and really enjoyed what proved to be a raw, unedited account of his life. Motorcycle racing is a sport and passion of true blood, sweat and tears. John's tale is certainly filled with all three. Fantastic read for those familiar with this world.