You're a rider…an independent spirit who's reluctant to follow someone else's road map. But there are thousands of miles of road out there, and you could spend months searching for the best ones. Gary McKechnie has spent years exploring the nation by bike, and these are his top rides, from the rocky New England coast to the wide-open West. McKechnie covers popular rides through Hudson River Valley, Amish Country, the Smoky Mountains and Georgia Hills, Washington State, the Pacific Coast, and everything in-between. In this fifth edition of his best-selling guide, McKechnie includes: Exciting new photographs of rides like the Hudson River Ralley Run, the Pacific Coast Run, and the Red Rocks Run New tips on the best food, shopping, and nightlife you'll experience along the way Don't waste your valuable two-wheeled vacation. Instead, let Great American Motorcycle Tours be your guide.

In 1947, 4,000 motorcycle hobbyists converged on Hollister, California. As images of dissolute bikers graced the pages of newspapers and magazines, the three-day gathering sparked the growth of a new subculture while also touching off national alarm. In the years that followed, the stereotypical leather-clad biker emerged in the American consciousness as a menace to law-abiding motorists and small towns. Yet a few short decades later, the motorcyclist, once menacing, became mainstream. To understand this shift, Randy D. McBee narrates the evolution of motorcycle culture since World War II. Along the way he examines the rebelliousness of early riders of the 1940s and 1950s, riders' increasing connection to violence and the counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s, the rich urban bikers of the 1990s and 2000s, and the factors that gave rise to a motorcycle rights movement. McBee's fascinating narrative of motorcycling's past and present reveals the biker as a crucial character in twentieth-century American life.

Ripped from his motorcycle by Colombian rebels and robbed of everything, adventure motorcyclist Glen Heggstad journeyed through South America, and the trip became a nightmare as he was forced to march through strange jungles carrying heavy equipment with assault rifles at his back. Even with all the hand-to-hand and sophisticated combat training Heggstad possessed, this chronicle shows that it was his shrewd thinking, precise planning, and a "do-or-die" last act of desperation that eventually secured his freedom. The shocking personal tale of an unimaginable journey through Central and South America, this travelogue details one man's capture by Colombia's rebel National Liberation Army and the eventual realization of his dream to complete his journey.

Check out this in depth history and guide to one of Americas oldest and most popular motorcycle manufactuer! As the dominant manufacturer for the first two decades of this century, the Indian Motorcycle Company is a staple in the history of American motorcycling. Because of this, Springfield, Massachusetts was at the hub of the international motorcycle scene. Between 1900 and 1917, when the United States entered World War I, about 150 domestic motorcycle companies came and went. Little more than a dozen remained in business following the war, and after the great depression of the 1930s only two American manufacturers had survived Indian and Harley-Davidson. This definitive chronicle of America's first motorcycle is an essential for any cycle aficionado. It features concise hardware histories of every model produced by the Indian Motorcycle Company from 1901 to the mid-1950s, when the company ceased production. Also included, is a unique color directory of the great motorcycles built by the celebrated Indian Motorcycle Company. Arranged chronologically, this superb reference work features special commissioned color photographs of all the landmark models that you won't want to miss!

The resurgence of interest in motorcycles, with more than 1million new sales in 2004, is reminiscent of the revved up days of the 1970s. In this new reference novice, riders, vintage collectors and hobbyists get coverage of every American-made model, pre-war to present day, to roll off the line and onto the pavement. &break;&break;From vintage models like the Flying Merkel and Excelsior motorcycles to the tried and true Indian motorcycles and evolutionary Harley-Davidson, this guide captures the technical details and history of American motorcycles like nothing else. &break;&break;Collectors, historians and motorcycle enthusiasts will find technical specifications including performance figures, horsepower, weight and more for help in identification. A collection of 1,200 crisp detailed photos also assists with identification, and offers inspiration for these enduring vehicles.

Arranged chronologically, presents a history of every major motorcycle model produced by the legendary company since 1903.

Illustrated Antique American Motorcycle BuyerÆs Guide By Jerry Hatfield. Subtitled: 1903-1936 From Ace to Yale. For the collector and restorer of early to mid-20th century American motorcycles comes this detailed identification and buyerÆs guide filled with manufacturers that dominated the motorcycle scene. Includes all Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles from 1901 to1936, and the Excelsior (1908-24), Super-X (1925-31) and Henderson motorcycles (1912-31). Plus more than 130 nostalgic marques. Filled with specs, production figures, price history and investment inf ormation, and highlighted by the exclusive 5-Star Rating System. Sftbd., 7 3/8"x 9 1/4", 160 pgs., 200 b&w ill.

This officially licensed 120th anniversary edition of Indian Motorcycle tells the complete story of Indian Motorcycle, America's first mass-produced motorcycle maker, from its start as a bicycle manufacturer to the purchase of the brand by Polaris Industries in 2011 and the subsequent new Indian motorcycles—updated to include new photography, the story of the latest models, including the FTR1200, Chieftain, Challenger, and Roadmaster, and Indian Motorcycle's return to racing. In the early years of the 20th century, Indian Motorcycle dominated the world's racetracks and showrooms, earning the brand a worldwide reputation for quality, performance, reliability, and technical innovation with such classic machines as the Chief, Scout and Four. But the once-mighty company fell on hard times and in 1953 was forced to file bankruptcy. The Indian Motorcycle brand never quite died, however, thanks in large part to fanatically devoted enthusiasts, who tried to resurrect it for over half a century. Finally, Polaris, maker of the highly regarded Victory brand of motorcycles, purchased the brand and released the Chief and Scout, models that once again restored Indian Motorcycle to its rightful place in the motorcycle pantheon. Indian Motorcycle is the most complete and up-to-date history of this classic American motorcycle.

AMER RAC M/C HATFIELD, J