BIKER BILLY’S HOG WILD ON A HARLEY COOKBOOK, by Bill Hufnagle, Harvard Common Press, 2003, 312 pages, hardcover, $19.95.

Apart from the brief absence of snow and ice, one of the other sure signs of summer in Maine is hearing country roads echo with the growl of motorcycles fresh out of winter storage.

Beards streaming behind helmets and unhelmeted heads, hundreds hack down Maine’s twisting roads, only to return home when their bikes are sucking fumes.

But what then for our intrepid bikers? How to sate that appetite worked up on the tar? Which is where “Hog Wild on a Harley,” by Bill “Biker Billy” Hufnagle comes in.

This is Hufnagle’s third cookbook, but unlike “Biker Billy Cooks With Fire” and “Biker Billy’s Freeway-a-Fire: Life’s Too Short to Eat Dull Food,” “Hog Wild on a Harley” is neither vegetarian, nor primarily filled with Billy’s own recipes. Instead, here he takes on the role of editor as he gets his Harley-riding friends from across the country to send in their favorites.

Although he goes to pains to point out that “Hog Wild” is not an officially licensed Harley-Davidson product, this book is obviously woven around an abiding love for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and what they stand for to many of their riders.

“Live to ride and ride to live” is the official motto for Harley-Davidson, and Harleys are a way of life for many Americans, symbolic of a near mythical past of endless rural roads disappearing into a distant haze and countless mom-and-pop diners lining the dusty trails. They are symbolic of a fierce self-reliance tempered by a strong camaraderie.

However, Biker Billy notes that “Eat to ride, and ride to eat” may be just as appropriate a motto for bikers everywhere. A good gauge of the quality of food at a diner can be the number of bikes parked outside. More than gasoline fuels bikers – grease plays a strong supporting role.

Judging by many of the recipes collected here from across America, one thing many bikers want to do when they get home is re-create the food of the diners they so recently left behind them. Here you’ll find favorite recipes for French toast, pancakes or breakfast burritos. Dinner could be ribs, cube steak or chicken. But while many of the dishes have a traditional heart, most are also not for those with tender palates. It seems that Hufnagle’s love of all things fiery is shared by many of his contributors.

Omelets receive a healthy dose of hot peppers, Ragin’ Cajun Pork Roast gets tablespoons of cayenne, chili powder, and a nice helping of jalapenos, and I won’t begin to talk about the painful possibilities offered by the dozen-or-so chilies that get a section all to themselves.

Many people have preconceptions about bikers. Those preconceptions are often wide of the mark. We may be right in suspecting that bikers love big barbecued ribs and fried chicken, diners and the pain of jalapenos. But Billy’s friends reveal that they also like salads with a little goat cheese or a sun-dried tomato dressing. Many of them, like Hufnagle himself, are vegetarian, and do a mean turn with eggplant and squash – even if they are then compelled to call the result “Exhaust Pipe Pie.”

Whether or not you have ever felt the need to swing astride a Harley, this is a book that reveals both the tough, and tender side of bikers. Some of the stories accompanying the recipes are almost as interesting as the recipes themselves. It is filled with funny tales and occasionally offers even funnier recipes. Josh Placa’s Grandpa’s Oil Pan Stew calls for leftover vegetables, past-fresh meat, and a Chevy oilpan. I’m fairly sure this is a joke.

“Hog Wild on a Harley” is part cookbook, part love letter to the Harley Davidson and great for the greasy-fingered everywhere.

Rose Ellsworth’s Cube Steak

Makes 4 servings.

All-purpose flour

4 good-size cube steaks

Oil to brown the steaks in

1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 small onion, preferably Vidalia

About 6 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and sliced

One 15-ounce can green beans

Salt and pepper

Flour the cube steaks, shaking off any excess, and, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown them on both sides.

In another large skillet or in an electric skillet, combine the remaining ingredients. When the steaks are browned, place them on top, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until the steaks and vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep everything from sticking.

Tahini Bites Pie

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Canola oil

1 cup honey

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups spoon-size shredded wheat cereal

1/2 cup Craisins (dried cranberries; look for them where raisins are sold in your supermarket)

1/2 cup unsalted shelled sunflower seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch pie pan with canola oil.

In a blender or food processor, combine the honey, tahini, and cayenne and process until fully mixed, about 1 minute.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded wheat and Craisins and toss well to mix. Pour the honey-tahini mixture over the shredded wheat and toss well to coat. Transfer to the prepared pie pan, spread out evenly and .sprinkle the sunflower seeds over the top. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into wedges and serving.