Leanings: The Best of Peter Egan from Cycle World MagazineSince his work first graced the pages of Cycle World magazine in 1977, Peter Egan has taken his readers on one unforgettable adventure after another. Whether riding along the Mississippi River to New Orleans for a tin of chicory coffee, or flying to Japan to test-ride new Yamahas, Egan’s insight and gift with words makes every journey a unique and fascinating experience. Available in paperback for the first time, Leanings is a collection of Egan’s favorite feature articles and columns from Cycle World magazine. Included among the 21 feature articles are Egan’s first feature for the magazine, a story about he and his wife’s cross-country trip on a British twin, his journey on abandoned Route 66, a history of the motorcycle jacket, and his visit to the fabled Tourist Trophy race on the Isle of Man. A selection of 27 columns are also reproduced here, covering a wide range of subjects, from the nearly lost art of the kick start, how to survive not being able to ride for an entire Wisconsin winter, and a look back at the motorcycle crash that nearly killed the great Bob Dylan. For added perspective, each feature article is preceded by commentary from the author. This is an unforgettable collection of the works of a master writer, whose simple adventures of life remind us all why we love to ride. |
Contents
FOREWORD by Allan Girdler | 9 |
BECAUSE ITS SMALL March 1978 | 22 |
THE FRENCH QUARTER CONNECTION April 1979 | 32 |
SNOW PLACE FOR A MOTORCYCLE May 1979 | 46 |
THE FLASHBACK EXPRESS April 1980 | 55 |
DOWN THE ROAD AGAIN November 1980 | 68 |
IN SEARCH OF OLD 66 May 1981 | 80 |
SPEED FAME SAND AND SWEET MAGNOLIA June 1981 | 97 |
ANCIENT ITALY NEW DUCATI October 1998 | 218 |
SIDECAR IN BAJA June 2000 | 226 |
COMMON THREADS February 1989 | 236 |
THE MUSEUM OF PREHISTORIC HELMETS December 1989 | 242 |
STAYING HUNGRY April 1991 | 248 |
SOONER IS BETTER THAN LATER July 1991 | 254 |
THAT CRITICAL FIRST RIDE May 1994 | 260 |
SAVING FOR A VINCENT December 1994 | 266 |
OLD STONE GREEN TREES SPEED October 1982 | 113 |
WOLVERHAMPTON DETOUR September 1983 | 126 |
THE EMERALD TOUR June 1985 | 132 |
THE TWOWHEELED UNDERGROUND | 144 |
RESTORATION OF A TRIUMPH September 1990 | 158 |
THE THREEHUNDREDDOLLAR JEWEL June 1994 | 165 |
IN THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD May 1995 | 172 |
CHARGE TO CHIHUAHUA May 1997 | 182 |
BASIC BLACK September 1997 | 192 |
TO RIDE A VINCENT September 1998 | 208 |
TRIUMPH DEFERMENT July 1996 | 272 |
THE RIGHT MAP FOR THE BIKE November 1996 | 278 |
HOW MANY BIKES DO YOU REALLY NEED? March 1997 | 284 |
SWORDS OF DAMOCLES July 1997 | 290 |
THE GREAT DYLAN CRASH February 1998 | 296 |
FOREVER YOUNG April 1999 | 302 |
A TOWN TOO FAR February 2001 | 308 |
SO MANY BIKES SO LITTLE PROGRESS January 2002 | 314 |