Motorcycling True Lies

Michael Stachowitsch was born is Salzburg, Austria, grew up in the USA (Pennsylvania), and according to the saying: "Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans," ended up back in Europe again after completing his BSc degree at the University of Pittsburgh. In real life, Michael is a scientific English copyeditor, translator, and foremost a marine biologist at the University of Vienna, where he completed his PhD. His research focus is on seafloor life, endangered species, marine pollution, sea turtles, coral reefs, as well as whales and dolphins (the latter as Austrian representative at the International Whaling Commission). His most recent book (The Beachcomber's Guide to Marine Debris) is the first international field guide on beach litter. How he managed to sustain a career in marine biology in a landlocked country is still a matter of conjecture and not necessarily fit for emulation. Let's just say he finagled it to spend lots of time on foreign shores, either in flippered feet underwater or leaving countless footprints across beaches worldwide (and taking lots of photos in both habitats, mostly of the "havoc and chaos" type).

At work, Michael likes to move about as a scuba diver, mask and snorkel first. On land, he is an enthusiast for two-wheeled motion-helmet first-on his modern Triumph Bonneville or 1949/50 BMW 500 R51/2 (if those damned carbs aren't gummed up yet again). The passion started long ago with a more lowly, used-er, pre-owned-BSA 250, and was then catapulted to new heights with the purchase in England of a shiny new oil-in-the-frame Triumph Tiger 650, which was used to tour a good part of Europe with a buddy on the same model. All these many decades of riding (of course including West Coast Highway 1) have given him many insights into the idiosyncrasies of the motorcycling world, namely of motorcyclists, the machines they ride, the industry behind it all, and how that wacky mix has developed over time.

This book presents a distilled essence, which might be deemed as being somewhere between a good laugh, quite irreverent and downright outlandish. The first take is usually "you gotta be kidding". But he ain't. While many of the treated aspects may sound very much like lies, for the experienced they are all firmly anchored in truth. Hence the title "Motorcycling-True Lies". Michael's background in the natural sciences helps provide explanations for some of the described phenomena and eccentricities, but motorcycling still retains a healthy portion of mysterious and unfathomable facets, which helps keep the excitement alive and no doubt lies behind the many books attempting to explain the wealth of perspectives behind the curious world of two-wheeled travel.