VOLUME 58 ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 14, 2021 P131
S TAND ARD FEATURE
The best MotoGP autobiography
I've ever read
READER AN ALYSIS
Having worked as a writer for the
past 16 years, I am a slow reader
at best. I read every word on the
page, mentally scanning for errors as
though I'm proofreading. This means
I take forever to read a book. I read
Leathered in four days flat.
Penned with famed MotoGP jour-
nalist Matt Roberts, this is a book I
simply could not put down.
I've always been a fan of John.
I only met him twice—once when I
•PURE HONESTY FROM HOPKINS
•DOESN'T THROW TOO MANY
PEOPLE UNDER THE BUS
•NO COMPLAINTS. IT'S A GREAT
STORY AND TOLD WELL
•PURE HONESTY FROM HOPKINS
•NO COMPLAINTS. IT'S A GREAT
bashed on his motorhome door
at Mugello in 2006 and the other
when he was in his new role with
the American Racing Team at Apex
Raceway in Perris, California—which
coincided with the two sides of his
bike career.
But the racing side, at least for
me, is not what makes Leathered
such a good read. It's the crazy
behind-the-scenes stories that
enthrall you. There's one particular
story about John and Roland Sands
ripping the top off a motorhome
in Brainerd, Minnesota,
21 years ago. When I
mentioned this to Roland
recently, he said incredu-
lously, "he wrote about
that?!"
There're probably a
few people who will get
their noses out of joint
with this book, which is
normal when the story
is far from puppies
and roses. But that's
what honesty does,
and it's John's story
to tell.
There's some
gut-wrenching
tales in there, in-
cluding plummet-
ing to the depths
of alcoholism
and smuggling
oxy over from
Tijuana after
LOWDOWN
in Brainerd, Minnesota,
21 years ago. When I
mentioned this to Roland
recently, he said incredu-
lously, "he wrote about
There're probably a
few people who will get
their noses out of joint
with this book, which is
normal when the story
is far from puppies
and roses. But that's
what honesty does,
and it's John's story
There's some
gut-wrenching
tales in there, in-
cluding plummet-
ing to the depths
and smuggling
oxy over from
O P K I N S : L E AT H E R E D
List Price: $26.99
Website: https://www.amazon.com
riding that crap box of a Kawasaki in
MotoGP. But there's a bright, human
tale to tell, one where the greatest
MotoGP stand-up wheelier of all time
(in my opinion) admits he's hit rock
bottom, checks himself into rehab,
and gets his act together.
It's a story that ends well, and I
cannot recommend it highly enough
if you loved MotoGP during John's
time, or if you just want to read a
rock 'n' roll story about a gifted kid
from SoCal.
Rennie Scaysbrook
