Trigger warning: Jealous types should avoid!

Jim Rogers is in his 40s in 1990. He has a 22 year old beautiful blonde girlfriend who is perfect in every way. Jim is an avid long distance motorcycle rider.

Jim is also richer than Midas. He thinks nothing of dropping by the local BMW dealer to pick up a new motorcycle on a whim, or buying a small country. He and his girlfriend decide to spend a couple of years traveling around the world on motorycycles.

If the thought of someone like that bothers you, avoid this book!

This book is about 70% travelogue, and a really good one, especially for motorcycle riders. Jims trip makes 'The Long Way Round' look like a run to the grocery store.

Really, 1990 wasn't that long ago, but it was about two years before the World Wide Web existed beyond academia. Jim spends a lot of time just trying to discover information about conditions in the next country, or keeping track of his personal finances while on the road. All stuff that you can do on a Smart Phone from just about anywhere these days.

This ride was a real accomplishment and required assets that money can't buy.

The other 30% is discussion of national and global macroeconomics from a libertarian point of view. In each country Jim visits he discusses the local economic and political climate from the perspective of a potential large investor. He also makes a lot of predictions, many of which subsequently came true. For example, after traveling the full length of the USSR he correctly predicted the near term breakup of the Soviet Union.

He also predicted that Bill Clinton would be the last Democratic Party President, which of course didn't happen. He predicted that the U.S. economy was nearing collaspe, which hasn't happened yet.

I think Jim did not foresee the huge peace dividend that flowed in to the United States after the fall of the Berlin Wall, which powered a lot economic growth through the 90s.

Few will agree with all of Jim's analysis, predictions, and observations of human nature. But everyone with an interest in travel (especially travel by motorcycle), economics, politics, human cultures or just good stories will probably enjoy this book.

John McLain's narration and the overall production values of this audiobook were outstanding, it was a pleasure to listen to.

4 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Tonal inflection of narration doesn't match author

Excellent true story. However narrator was reaching for drama rather than sensibility and plain talk which is the strength of the author.

1 personne a trouvé cela utile

Wish I had found this book 20 years ago

Would you consider the audio edition of Investment Biker to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version

What other book might you compare Investment Biker to and why?

Adventure Capitalist

What about John McLain’s performance did you like?

Good voice for the story

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No extreme reaction, but does make you want to get on the road

Any additional comments?

Perfect mix of economics 101, real politics, and adventure.

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I felt like I shared in the experience and learned

This book was entertaining, exciting, and contained more real world experience than any textbook.

Great story

Awesome, inspiring and educational. I love this book. The last 2 sentences can change your life.

Perspective gained from the road

One of the best ways to travel is by motorcycle. The wind in your hair. A beautiful young co-ed named Tabitha by your side and a couple of years off to visit 52 countries. The BMW was the bike of choice due to being able to find spare parts and mechanics all over the world. Along the way Jim discovers that roads in eastern Russia are not so good. He is extorted by a raft operator in the Congo.He finds Botswana to be a friendly country with a small stock market and buys shares in the few listings available. Jim looks for opportunity. If everyone is jumping in it is probably too late. On the other hand many times he has had a great feel for what will happen and he profits hansomely. What a journey and I wouldnt do it, but Jim did and it was exciting and along the way there are simple lessons on money that Jim has to impart.

Best book ever written!

Definitely entertaining and very insightful! I'd recommend to everyone who likes traveling, biking or investing.

Thanks Jimmy!

Wonderful account. Moves along rapidly! Masterpiece. I’m going to listen to this again sometime in the future.

A travelogue with pearls of Wisdom

Certainly an Amazing book to read, it gave me a glimpse of the world through the lens of Jim Rogers. I now understand to look at other factors while understanding. There is a common thread around the countries growth, maturity, decline... I would definitely recommend it to people who want to see the world and understand history in addition to investing people.

What a contrast Rogers versus sorros

So even though it's a journey a long time ago, 30 yrs, It's just great fun. If one had a spaceship and could go to different planets it would be similar to what Jim did with his motorcycle and companion. Each country is an intentional community, with a history and culture and set of rules that either encourage or discourage fiscal responsibility. Jim does a good job of simply telling the story of traveling through China, Russia , Africa , South America , Central America and contrasts that to the shortcomings of his home the United States. Of course, eventually we know the Jim moved to Singapore and that's the ultimate message.