Personally, I never knew absolutely why I chose to ride a Harley or why I continue to cling to the nebulous Harley Davidson mystique, but after reading this book, I think I do. This book is a must read for the Harley enthusiast or even the non-enthusiast who simply wants to understand all the fuss!

12 of 12 found the following review helpful:

The little bit of outlaw in all of us  Mar 02, 2000
By Frank Steiner
Do you ask yourself what is the reason someone would buy a outdated technology like a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Or why on-lookers will crowd around a Harley-Davidson in a parking lot and ooohh and aaahhh the antique like chromed HOG. Most Harley riders will say, "if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand." By reading the Outlaw Machine it is possible to understand without being part of that exclusive, in the know, Harley crowd. Brock Yates starts out as if he is a Harley antagonist in favor of Japanese and German sport bikes, but you soon realize he is setting the stage for a truely hard hitting romp through the American psyche. His travels through the American and Harley history makes it very clear what it is that so many see in the Harley motorcycle and what is missing in the Japanese copies.

If you sit proudly on your high tech Japanese cruiser with the feeling of superiority with your nose down to all the Harley riders, you may just change your mind once you read Outlaw Machine. You may also find yourself saving your pennies so you too can have a piece of the American iron. Mr. Yates makes no appologizes or excuses for Harley-Davidson and is brutely honest about its technology, but he does bring us closer to why it is so loved as an America tradition and points out that there is a little bit of outlaw in all of us. This book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand the true mystery of motorcycling.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

Take it for a ride  Jan 24, 2004

Brock Yates provides a compelling overview of the Harley-Davidson history, and interesting thoughts on what Harley means to America. In some cases his philsophical pronouncements exceed his grasp, and in a few spots he becomes repetitive. Still, as a Harley owner, I greatly enjoyed the book. It does not get mired in tech specs, nor in meaningless detail of the Davidson family lineage. It is definitely not a hagiography -- he strikes the balance between pointing out flaws and giving credit where due. Others here say he stumbled on some history, but I value his writing that quickly moved me from cover to cover. It hits the high spots, and entertainingly tells me more about the Harley company and history than I knew before.

5 of 5 found the following review helpful:

Brock Says It Well  Jul 26, 2000

I finally found the the words I needed to tell a friend in this book - "...Like most Japanese products, Honda motorcycles offered perfect function but no passion." That clearly describes the difference between those of us on scoots and the wannabe racers on rice rockets. Brock brings his awesome powers of observation and ability to get the facts straight to this book, and leaves no doubt in any readers mind of the bad, the good and the VERY ugly in the story of an American icon - Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. If you are a true student of the marque as well as a business buff, this is a must-read on both counts.

12 of 15 found the following review helpful:

Another author cashing in on us  May 02, 2001

I would have thought that someone with the credentials of Mr. Yates would have done better. Instead, he serves up a book that is full of errors that should have been corrected with entry-level research. When something as basic as the correct year for the 50th anniversary of Sturgis is mis-stated, the complete lack of any interest in factual information is evident. I would dare say that Mr. Yates would never tolerate repeated mis-statements of fact without researching the subject in his magazine. He should be ashamed of this. Unfortunately, what he have is just another author whipping up a book without regard to content in the sole search for profit. Please don't waste your money as I did.

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