The Adventure Motorbiking Handbook (Compass Star adventure travel)
MCN Rating 4.5 Stars out of 5 !!!Chris Scott has written a handbook for riding to wherever you might randomly point to on a globe and say "I want to go there on a bike."This book does for adventure riding books what "Saving Private Ryan" does for war movies. From the hellish Darien Gap to washboard pistes (tracks) on the way to Timbuktu, to windblown Patagonia (in December, 100mph blows are not uncommon), this book will help you decide whether to follow your fantasy.Some of us, after all, have more fancy than faculty, more dreams than abilities. Scott serves up a serious dose of reality, especially for such wannabes: disease, man-eating crocodiles, crooked shipping agents, armed guerillas and the left hand rule in Muslim countries are just a few reality check points.Brilliantly concise, one-page summaries of actual trips are scattered throughout the book, as are summaries of crucial issues ( e.g., current hotspots in Africa). The useful appendix brims with addresses, websites and books crucial for the novice and experienced adventure tourer alike.If the book only included the above, it would be worth the $24.95 price.  But, what really makes it a bargain are the first 170 pages of how-to, a section called 'Practicalities' by Scott, including: Trip planning ; Documentation and money basics; Bike selection; Preparation and maintenance; Luggage and Equipment needs; Appropriate clothing; Shipping overseas; How to live on the road; Women's overland issues; Navigation and survival in remote places and more. This section can move the uninitiated from an ignorant novice to an informed novice in an interesting and delightful hurry.  The book packs small and may save your life, or at least your trip...if you dare. --DC Wilson, Reviewer Motorcycle Consumer News US, January, 1999