Looking to buy a bike, then see if we've ridden it first Need new kit? Check out our reviews before opening your wallet

MOTOBKE.CO.UK
All about owning and riding modern motorbikes!

 Home Bikes Kit Features News and Views Bookshop Be a Writer!/About Us

“What if I had never tried it” by Valentino Rossi – Bob Pickett learns more about the man, in his own words

Click here for more info or to order this book When you are the most talented – and certainly the most charismatic – motorbike racer of your generation, there are going to be an awful lot of books written about you.

There are a LOT of books written about Valentino Rossi… some bad, some lacking in detail, some worth the read (such as Mat Oxley’s excellent effort). But the common factor in all of these is that they are written by someone else. What does Rossi himself have to say?

What Valentino has to say about his life and career is available for us all to read, in his autobiography “What if I had never tried it?”

Lets get something clear from the outset; this is written by a motorcycle racer, not an author. So grammatically it can wander a bit and at times it is repetitive, but if you’ve ever listened to Rossi giving an interview, you will soon settle into the style and if you’ve got his voice in the back of your mind, it really does flow in the same way that he speaks.

What this book gives you that the others do not, is Valentino’s perspective and feelings – his words fill in the thoughts and emotions behind his decisions, actions and choices… at the time some of his choices seemed strange, but once you read his thought processes, they make far more sense. From something as seemingly simple as how shall we celebrate the next race win, to major decisions like which team shall I race for next, Rossi is a very deliberate and considered individual; something that does not come across in his public demeanour.

But for me, the parts of the book I found most important and fascinating were those that deal with his childhood, his parents and his friends. This is what shaped Valentino into the man he was to become, along with providing the all-important support network and anchor that helps keep him together during the season. These people have been with him all his life and give so much of themselves, so getting an idea of this intimate side of his life gives this book a dimension that the others cannot.

Verdict: As I said, it is not great literature. It is definitely an entertaining read. To get a more rounded view, I would suggest reading this book in conjunction with the aforementioned ‘Valentino Rossi: MotoGenius’ by Mat Oxley. But to get a true feel for the man himself, “What if I had never tried it?” does the job nicely.

Interested? Then click here for more info or to order this book

Read a good book that everyone else should read? Want to write a review? Then click here to find out how



Home Bikes Kit Features News and Views Bookshop Be a Writer!/About Us