The Devil Can Ride - Motorcycle Book Review

Lee Klancher makes a bold statement when he claims he’s compiled “The World’s Best Motorcycle Writing.” Writers have been penning tomes about the world of two-wheels for over a century and narrowing it down to a select few is a daunting task. Simply deciding on an era to source as a starting point is challenging. The pieces that Klancher chose are mostly contemporary, gleaned from the pages of respected publications like the New Yorker, McSweeney’s and even the metaphysical novel Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance that was released in 1974. The most dated piece is a story called the The Road written by T. E. Lawrence, best known as the author of Lawrence of Arabia who ironically died in a motorcycle accident.

Digging into its pages, it doesn’t take long for The Devil Can Ride – The World’s Best Motorcycle Writing to prove that all motorcyclists aren’t leather vest and chap wearing boobs with a Jethro Bodine education. The first story sets the tone with its blend of descriptive prose and humorous storyline. When Mark Singer writes “…none of them come as close to the core of Johnny Red’s being as his motorcycle” when talking about the collection of vehicles the larger-than-life protagonist Johnny Red owns in King of all Kings, a universality is established. The passage strikes a chord with readers because most riders’ personalities are portrayed in their bikes. We are all like Johnny Red in our own way. Choosing this poignant piece with a light tone to kick of the book is an intelligent move by Klancher. It entices readers, making them want more.

The Devil Can Ride - The World's Best Motorcycle Writing
Motorbooks
ISBN: 9780760334775
MSRP: $26.00 
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