Like me you probably never had a thought about these tattooed ladies living in a time when it was scandalous just to show a bit of ankle. Amelia Klem Osterud is a tattooed academic librarian from Wisconsin who decided to pay homage to these courageous women with bodies covered with tattoos and traveling the USA performing nearly nude on carnival stages. Quite an intriguing book where you will discover a world that most would decide not to talk about. The book tells the amazing life of these women and contains some horrific stories of abductions and forced tattooing at the hands of savages. Today, it is estimated that about 25% of the US population wear at least one tattoo. Could it be that these women that nobody talk about have a large responsibility in this cultural movement? For sure. So, all tattooed people, male or female should know about them. Hardcover, 160 pages. The Tattooed Lady

This gorgeous 224-page hardcover book with a foreword by Jay Leno is written by Howard Kelly, ex-communications manager at S&S Cycle and photographed by Michael Lichter.

What I appreciated the most in this new celebration of some of the world’s leading custom bike builders is the fact that, in addition to those builders who already have an household name, it introduces you to a new generation of builders from the US and abroad. Time was overdue that they get the public exposure they deserve. Also, I liked very much the fact that Michael’s photography is, for a change, done on a black background, helping your eyes focus on the beautiful details of these rolling pieces of art.

In 1958 George Smith started S&S Cycle with a mission of “making all bikes go faster”. His philosophy has never changed and the 50 bikes presented in this reference book were all required to be intensively ridden (unfortunately in poor weather condition) during the 50th Anniversary Celebrations. For their beauty and intricate details all these custom motorcycles would deserve to be featured and preserved in museums, but all of them were conceived and S&S engineered to be ridden fast.  They are pure custom motorcycles and looking at them may give you new inspiration to perpetuate the art of motorcycling. You can order online by going to “S&S Cycle Presents Today’s Top Custom Builders“.

Inert canvas: our motorcycles. Living canvas: our bodies. We put a lot of thought into customization our bikes. Under the correct observation that sometimes we put more thought into the part to bolt on or to fabricate, or the next paint job to express our personality, author Karen Hudson decided that her new book “Living Canvas” should not only be about tattoos but also about planning and choosing the right artist to take care of them. Karen encourages you to make safe and smart body modifications, and for this purpose covers all the topics to help you make an informed decision that you will not regret later. Hence a very educative and preventive book that you should read before you get your first or fifth tattoo. 336 pages. Living Canvas.

Women such as Bessie Stringfield and Dot robinson who were brave enough to ride all over the country, braving all weather conditions, defying social conventions and showing their strength and independent spirit. 

Men, you will fall under the charm of these women riding just about every early brand you’ve ever heard, Harleys, Indians, Popes, Hendersons, Flying Merkels, etc. Women, you will enjoy looking at the clothing they wore and the undeniable peace and freedom on their faces. And everybody will love detailing all these old motorcycles and some of you may find in them some customization inspiration. Pictures of magazine covers, of clothing ads and posters are of very high quality set in a very appealing graphical layout. Reading each woman story is captivating. I have a special affection for this book. You will too. Published last month and already a best-seller. Harcover 240 pages. Order online at American Motorcycle Girls 1900 To 1950.

My first contact with Custom Builder Marcus Walz was in 1993. He wrote an email congratulating me about my James Dean tribute bike called “Deanager”, telling me that he was also a huge Jimmy Dean fan. As a proof he also emailed pictures of his residence in Ockenheim, Germany showing black & white Dean’s pictures adorning most of his home walls. Then we met for the 1st time years later in Italy where he was like me exhibiting his bikes. At the time, he swore that his Drag style custom motorcycles – his trade mark- will always be black or silver (only the exact the silver of James Dean Porsche). Well, when we met once again in Daytona during Bike Week he introduced a few touches of color on his paint jobs…16 years later a beautifully illustrated hard cover book celebrates the professional life of Marcus Walz, one of the most well known European Custom Builders. 

From his first bike (Zündapp CS 25), to his first Harley when he was 20, to the creation of his shop “Walz Harcore Cycles”, to his win in the series “Biker Build Off” (he was the 1st non American to win), to his most recent customs (not only American types, but also Kawasakis, Hondas, Ducatis…). His biography is extremely detailed and this book contains a lot of never published pictures, many testimonies from his friends and of course many written and visual explanations of Marcus influences and style. A comprehensive portrait, body tattoos included…224 pages In English & German and available at Amazon Germany and Walz Hardcore Cycles

This just released book is a compilation of interesting designs inspired by many different cultural sources. Totems, talismans, free-form, repetitive graphics? In this book, you should find all the resources you need to make your choice. And before you commit you can even check on the meaning associated with the attributes of each tattoo. 112 pages. Modern Tribal Tattoo Designs.

As the opposite of cars, motorcycles are built around an engine.  In addition to its mechanical conception, an engine appearance is the major component defining a motorcycle aesthetic value. Reason why motorcycle engineers are in a perpetual mission to design power plants both performing but also pleasing to the eye, obsessed with the best combination of form and performance. No doubt that engines are the essence of our machines (pun intended) but because of the required graphical attraction they must possess, our motors will always be more beautiful than those installed in 4-wheelers.

 When I received “The Fine Art Of The Motorcycle Engine” I realized that a book examining the most stunning engines through dramatic photography was well overdue. Author Daniel Pierce presents 64 dramatic photographs of the sexiest motorcycle engines ever designed. This photo book demonstrates engineer inventiveness and how they master engines complexity with simplicity, helping you understand the changing technologies and design trends through time. Cycle World magazine calls this book “pornography for Gear Heads” and I agree with all my senses… The Fine Art Of The Motorcycle Engine.

Forget the airbrushed perfection of the pinups adorning our sled gas tanks, or the cold flat chested models competing with the beauty of our custom motorcycles in magazine double spreads. This gorgeous hard cover book called “Suicide Girls” was created to demonstrate that beauty comes in many forms, not a single cookie cutter shape & look. All men know that for honest sensuality (and sexuality) we prefer a real woman every time.  Originally, Missy Suicide created in 2001 the hugely successful online SG Online Community gathering hundreds of digital images of “Suicide Girls” worldwide with looks going from Betty Page to 21st century next door edgy andsexy girls.

This book is big, heavy with thick and square-shaped pages, making each of them reminiscent of old LP album cover art. It’s filled with several hundreds of pictures of these beautiful and interesting Suicide Girls presented in a very artistic zen layout. You can make your man extra happy by adding to the book a gift subscription ($4 per month) from The Suicide Girls Website, so they can get the full SG experience. Suicide Girls, Beauty Redefined, Hard Cover Book.

30 years in business in the motorcycle industry is a huge milestone that very few companies have accomplished. And 2009 is the 30th Anniversary of J&P Cycles. To celebrate, a huge party and open house will be offered by John & Jill Parham on June 27/28 at their Anamosa, Iowa headquarter. But more interesting to me is the release of “Keeping The World On 2 Wheels” relating the 30-year time line of a couple, who armed only with midwestern American work ethic and high customer service standard, succeeded in building the # 1 motorcycle parts retailer in the US. As author Ed Youngblood writes in his book introduction, the phenomenal success of J&P Cycles is the story of a teenage love affair maturing into a powerful partnership that both maintained a marriage and built a business empire. What is it to follow a dream, to work hard, to struggle, to adapt, to fail, to try again until you impose your products and services to the point that your are not only part of the motorcycle industry but are a major component shaping it? It’s what this superb book is all about. A beautiful tribute to John & Jill Parham but also an inspiration for all those intending to start or already leading a motorcycle business. Keeping The World On 2 Wheels.

If you don’t know her, never met her in a rally, or if you saw her only during TV shows on Discovery, Travel Channel, BBC, Learning Channel etc, her new book “Chrome Cowgirl Guide To The Motorcycle Life” is the best gift you can give to yourself or to others. Women are going to enjoy reading about her Ridelicious trips, her Roadacious stories, her humorous how-to and free-sprited advice, Add  200 photos where she graciously poses with all those who count in the motorcycle industry and you get a very refreshing book full of s(miles) celebrating all Mullin’s wind sisters. A must gift for the holidays. Chrome Cowgirl Guide To The Motorcycle Life.

Many books have been published about motorcycling. But none like this one. Don’t expect glossy double spread motorcycle pictures. This book is an essay about why we ride. And the answer is not as simple as the 3 F’s of motorcycling that you all know: Fun, Freedom and Flying on the ground.
Author Steven L. Thompson goes in a deep search to understand what motivates motorcyclists to ride. On his mission, he goes beyond exploring history and relies on behavioral sciences to explain why an individual is attracted or even addicted to motorcycles and motorcycling, while another may be indifferent or openly hostile. If you are interested in the future of our sport, Steven also bring clear answers and original perspectives.
A must read to understand the cultural, political and legal issues we are all facing. Even the foreword written by Andy Goldfine is remarkable writing. Order online at Amazon or through the book website at Bodies In Motion. 

“I have just finished reading the book One Percenter – the Legend of the Outlaw Biker by Dave Nichols. I will start off by saying it is not what I expected but that is “My Bad” because I did not pay attention to the Legend part of the title. Having ridden for over 56 years, been the president of a large motorcycle club and even a one percenter for a period of time there is not much I haven’t been involved in concerning motorcycles. That is why I can say the following.The author did a real good job of informing the reader of the history that lead up to the Biker Lifestyle as we know it today. I DID ENJOY THE BOOK! It is informative and factual. If you are a long time rider you will enjoy remembrances referred to in the book. If you are a new motorcyclist or just interested in motorcycling the book is something you should Definitely Read. The more you know about the lifestyle will help you fit in and enjoy it”. Order it online by going to Amazon. One Percenter. The Legend Of The Outlaw Biker.

Based in Germany, chief editor for High Performance, contributor of many US magazines, book author, crossing the Atlantic many times a year to document all 2-wheel events, Horst Roesler is a very hardworking famous photographer “motographer” that I count among my good friends of the industry (he is also the only one to be able to jump with his camera above a custom motorcycle to show you he is happy to shoot it. See pic. of Horst flying above one of my bikes!). But the reason of this post is not friendship, but his recently released new book “Bonneville, World’s Fastest Motorcycles” already a 5-star best seller on Amazon. Bonneville is the great white emptiness in the middle of the Utah desert where 150 bikes make the salt their home for one week each year in September to break the Land Speed Records in several categories. Bikers have always been interested in Bonneville. But the release of the movie “The Fastest Indian” had for effect to amplify this interest for the bikes, for the limitless salt, for the sunburned faces of the crews and riders. Several years in a row, Horst Roesler spent time in Bonneville interviewing the racers, capturing in pictures the bikes, the passion and motivation of all these men trying to reach the self-imposed goal of trying to ride faster than anyone else. High quality photography bound as a hardcover book. 129 pages. Bonneville World’s Fastest Motorcycles

Barnett Magazine positions itself as the best looking magazine on the newsstand. And I agree that the layout and the pictures are very nice. A new special issue on the shelves in February may become the prettiest one ever for the magazine. Reason why? It will showcase all the bikes of the 2007 AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building. The pros of the industry will get this issue distributed to them during the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati, and retail clients will find it in newsstands during 6 weeks from mid-February to end of March. The publisher promises a very luxurious and spectacular edition which will also will include a “Builders Parts Guide”, a lot of them used on the bikes featured.  

A few years ago during a trip together to a bike show in Italy, Jesse James told me that he wanted to be the "new bad boy". It was before his first Motorcycle Mania and Monster Garage TV series. Quite a TV appearances and hard cover books later, Jesse acquired the image he wanted. He builds beautiful bikes for the love of it, and yes, for the money. Why do you think he had his back tattoeed with a giant $100 bill and one of his hands palm tattoeed with the words "Pay Up Sucker!". Yes, I can also testify that he is a wise guy and that has a cold sense of humor. We would not survive in this business without it. Right? So, this new hard cover book published on time for the holidays is as much a portrait of Jesse James as it is a photographic documentary on the process of building his bikes from the ground up. From the welding to the sandblasting, from the  polishing to the painting, from the assembling to the test riding, roaring along the Long Beach highways. Expect to see beautiful grease stained portraits by photographer Nathaniel Welch. Everything to comfort Jesse’s image as a gear head hero. Jesse James And His Beautiful Machines.