★★★★★

By Chris Scott

Publisher: Trailblazer Publications

Trailblazer-Guides.com

ISBN: 978-1-905864-46-1

Paperback: $17.90

Since you’re reading this magazine you’ve obviously been exposed to the term “Adventure Motorcycle.” Whether or not you choose to believe it, Chris Scott is credited with coining the now ubiquitous and revered name of our favorite pastime. And for good reason: the man knows his stuff about adventuring around the world. Having undertaken over 40 separate expeditions using everything from a Mercedes saloon car to a motorcycle, Scott is uniquely aware of the many trials encountered on a journey. Now imagine all that knowledge distilled into one book and you’ve got the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook 7th Edition.

When I bought my first dual-sport bike I had grand ideas of traveling the world, and they were largely fueled by this book. Scott has a way of presenting the information you need without slowing his pace or losing your interest. I’m not sure whether traveling this much makes complicated situations unavoidable or the man just has a knack for attracting bad juju on the road, but the end result can be considered a guilty pleasure among gearheads and serious travelers alike.

Over seven editions and more than 25 years the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook’s encyclopedia of travel knowledge has been continually adapted and updated. Scott’s genial and entertaining narrative will keep you engaged and help you choose what bike to ride, learn to navigate off road, and prepare for things going wrong which, inevitably, they will.

But don’t take the AMH as merely a learning exercise. Once you’ve prepared for the adventure and outlined your route, Scott sends you off with words of inspiration from some distinguished and trail-hardened travelers, including Lois Pryce, Austin Vince, Grant Johnson, Jay Kannaiyan, Carla King, Sam Manicom, Steph Jeavons, and Lisa and Simon Thomas. The Adventure Motorcycling Handbook is considered by many the “Bible” for amateur travelers looking to prepare for a transcontinental journey. There is simply no other resource with such a broad spectrum of traveling wisdom—mechanical, cultural, and anecdotal. Experienced overlanders and armchair expeditioners alike will find this a worthwhile read, and for anyone just joining the adventure community it should be required reading. Adventure-Motorcycling.com