Biker's Handbook ─ Becoming Part of the Motorcycle Culture

There are millions of new motorcyclists hitting the blacktop every year. But being part of the American motorcycle culture takes more than just wanting to be cool. It takes a passion for the open road, freedom, and a lifestyle that even the best financing cant buy. This book, by someone who knows motorcycles as few do, provides a road map to biker culture for anyone new to the experience. Jay Barbieri explains everything a new rider needs to know to become a real biker. He begins with a brief history of motorcycles, and draws on his twenty-five years of riding experience for examples of what works and doesn't in this heady world. Most of all, he aims to spare new bikers the bad decisions neophytes typically make. With hundreds of motorcycle trips under his belt, there is not a mistake Barbieri hasn't made or a situation he hasn't encountered. By sharing the sometimes comical outcomes, he gives the new biker a head start to become more comfortable, credible, and knowledgeable about joining a community that is as much a part of American culture as baseball, hotdogs and apple pie.

“When I was four years old, I remember waking up one evening to the sound of the motorcycles. When I looked out my window, I saw my uncle and a few friends sitting on their bikes. I was so excited I rushed out of my room and into the front yard. The next thing I remember was sitting on the gas tank and hanging onto handlebars. As I rode around the block, I could feel the warm air rush against my face. The smell of the gas and oil was intoxicating and the rumble from the pipes was awesome! That night I fell in love with motorcycles. But not just any motorcycles – American-made Harley-Davidsons. Twelve years later I got my motorcycle license and six years after that I owned my first Harley.”

--Jay Barbieri

Born and raised in Stratford, Connecticut, Barbieri graduated from the Paier College of Art in New Haven with a B.F.A in Fine Arts (1986), the same year he bought his first Harley-Davidson. For the next ten years, Barbieri worked in the music industry, where his most public and noteworthy triumph was his involvement with “CHANT,” the most successful classical-pop crossover album in music history. During these years, his obsession with American motorcycles grew so much that he partnered with a biker friend from Traverse City, Michigan to open a custom motorcycle shop called Old Mission Scooters.

In 1996 Barbieri struck out on his own to found the first Internet recording label, J-Bird Music Group. In 2001 he sold his interest in J-Bird and moved to California to pursue his dream of combining his passion for motorcycles with the entertainment industry. In 2004 Barbieri was at the helm of SPEED Channel’s highest-rated and longest running motorcycle magazine show, American Thunder.

Since he got his first Harley in 1986, Barbieri has racked up over two hundred and fifty thousand miles on two wheels and has attended Daytona Bike Week and Sturgis over twenty times combined. He has had the opportunity to ride with and meet other bikers such as Jay Leno, Tim McGraw, Big Kenny from Big and Rich, Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry from Montgomery Gentry, Vince Neal of Motley Crue, Rick Allen of Def Leppard, Neal Schone from Journey and NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, to name a few.

In his upcoming book, BIKER’S HANDBOOK: Becoming Part of the Motorcycle Culture, which MotorBooks Inc. will publish in November 2007, Barbieri shares the lessons learned from his years of experience on the motorcycle to help all riders feel more comfortable, credible, and knowledgeable on the road.