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Rating: 
Summary: I think it's an excellent book on the subject of motorcycles
Review:
The title is right! This book covers the whole gamut. It discusses the history of the motorcycle, including several facts of which I was unaware; engine configurations; how to get the most power from your motorcycle; categories of motorcycles; advice on buying (not so much brands, as types); accessorizing your bike; clothing and protective gear; how to ride and how NOT to ride; potential disasters (like a synopsis of Hough); preventive maintenance and repairs; and group riding.
In the back of the book the author includes a very complete appendix on clubs and associations, alphabetically by state, as well as a very complete index of subject matter. The book is very well written, in plain, matter-of-fact English, without pretense, and replete with several lack and white photographs--and a few pages in color--although I noticed that they heavily favored the Harley-Davidson motorcycles. (There were also several Suzukis, a couple Moto-Guzzis and a BMW or two, but Kawasaki and Yamaha were conspicuous by their absence in the black and whites, although Yamaha was represented in the color section.) Although I own a Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad, I didn't feel slighted, because the text was full of good advice no matter what cycle you are interested in, whether it's chain, belt or shaft drive. For repair or service details he recommends the service manual and owner's manual for your particular bike, which only makes sense. Author Drew has twenty years of experience (it says on the back cover)as a motorcycle writer and mechanic, and he has an obvious predilection for Harleys. He's owned eight motorcycles. I think this is an excellent book to have in your library whether or not you own a motorcycle, but would be especially invaluable if you do own and ride one. It contains lots of excellent advice which, if followed, could save untold misery and even, perhaps, your life. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books
Rating: 
Summary: Save your money or buy a better book
Review: In an effort to keep current with what's happening for motorcycle beginners, whenever I'm in a bookstore, I scour the motorcycle section for new books (if you've checked in many bookstores, you know this is an effort that usually takes less than a minute). When last my wife and I visited the local book store, I saw there was a tome with which I was unfamiliar. I bought A.J Drew's The Everything Motorcycle Book (Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2002) in the hopes that it would be something different than just a rehash of the books currently listed on the "Books" page of MotorcycleBeginners.Com. It both is and isn't such a rehash. The material in it is like both the "Complete Idiot's Guide to Motorcycles" and Bennett's "Complete Motorcycle Book" (both of which I recommend). Unfortunately, it's neither as well written, nor as complete as either of those two books. While the Everything Motorcycle Book contains about as many pages as either of the other two books, there is less text in it, a ruse made possible by the use of a substantially larger typeface than those used in the two books I've recommended above. Further, there are several appendices, including what appears to be a complete list of motorcycles offered by many of the major manufacturers for the 2002 model year, and what appears to be the list of clubs sanctioned by the AMA (American Motorcycle Association). I think, however, that what put me off the most from this book was the illustrations, or lack of them. There is a picture every five to fifteen pages. They are, however, ALL historic motorcycles, in static, studio shots, and they have nothing to do with the text. And in those cases where the text would benefit from some sort of illustration (e.g., the description of different types of bikes), there is nothing. A look in the back of the book shows that this is one in a series of dozens of The Everything ???? Books, which are probably being sold as a package in the huge bookstores (in fact, where it is rare to have more than a single copy of any motorcycle book in our local Books Giganto-Store, there were four copies of this at the time I bought mine). The series appears to be trying to ride the coattails of success of the Complete Idiot's Guides and ??? for Dummies series; there are highlighted text sections and asides in this book, similar to those. This book, however, has neither the information nor the humor that those did. Save your money for some bike toys, or buy a book that's better than this one.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing; get a better book
Review: In an effort to keep current with what?s happening for motorcycle beginners, whenever I?m in a bookstore, I scour the motorcycle section for new books (if you?ve checked in many bookstores, you know this is an effort that usually takes less than a minute). When last my wife and I visited the local [book store] I saw there was a tome with which I was unfamiliar. I bought A.J Drew's The Everything Motorcycle Book (Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2002) in the hopes that it would be something different than just a rehash of the currently available books for motorcycle beginners. It both is and isn?t such a rehash. The material in it is like both the Complete Idiot's Guide and Bennett's Complete Motorcycle Book (both of which I recommend). Unfortunately, it's neither as well written, nor as complete as either of those two books. While the Everything Motorcycle Book contains about as many pages as either of the other two books, there is less text in it, a ruse made possible by the use of a substantially larger typeface than those used in the two books I've recommended. Further, there are several appendices, including what appears to be a complete list of motorcycles offered by many of the major manufacturers for the 2002 model year, and what appears to be the list of clubs sanctioned by the AMA (American Motorcycle Association). I think, however, that what put me off the most from this book was the illustrations, or lack of them. There is a picture every five to fifteen pages. They are, however, ALL historic motorcycles, in static, studio shots, and they have nothing to do with the text. And in those cases where the text would benefit from some sort of illustration (e.g., the description of different types of bikes), there is nothing. A look in the back of the book shows that this is one in a series of dozens of The Everything ???? Books, which are probably being sold as a package in the huge bookstores (in fact, where it is rare to have more than a single copy of any motorcycle book in our local [book store], there were four copies of this at the time I bought mine). The series appears to be trying to ride the coattails of success of the Complete Idiot's Guides and ??? for Dummies series; there are highlighted text sections and asides in this book, similar to those. This book, however, has neither the information nor the humor that those did. Save your money for some bike toys, or buy a book that's better than this one.
Rating:
Summary: Good Introduction
Review: This book is a good introduction and overview. I would have liked it a bit more if American Motorcycles were higher on the totem, but with the cost of American Iron I can see why equal time was given to imports. If you are just starting to ride, this is the book for you. If you are an old timer, you are probably looking for something a bit more advanced and focused.
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