5 comments about Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track.

1. If you are going to buy only ONE book to help you with your understanding of motorcycle riding technique as well as safety, this is THE book! Even if you think you're above needing any book, because you're such a great natural rider, unless you are already riding through the corners at speed on track days without falling down, you should read this book, it will improve your skills and make you safer, as well as faster on the twisties! I also have Proficient Motorcycling, and this book is definitely superior in its explanations of how the bike responds to rider input, and what exactly that input should be, and the ways for you to refine it to be a smooth and confident and safer rider. It explains finding your turn apex and how to ride through it in a clearer manner, and I think is more easily understood. It also covers the mental side of safety which is awareness of one's surroundings, and how to recognize and prepare ahead of time for potentially dangerous situations. Proficient Motorcycling does this as well, and I would recommend that as your second book. But Sport Riding Techniques will teach you how to ride with more FINESSE.



2. A must for riders of all levels. As a rider for years I firmly believe it is always good for skills to practice and repractice you need to make sure your recations are right on in case of what ifs both on road and on the track. Every rider should read this book especially new riders info is faboulous and so are the photos!!



3. This is a great book. The high quality of the presentation, including paper, binding, photos and organization make for an excellent coffee table browser. However, the real value is in the succinctly written nuggets of sport riding wisdom. If you're fairly new to motorcycles as I was when I picked this up, then I strongly recommend it. Start with a quick cover to cover read to get the general idea. Then go back and re-read each section very carefully, with a couple of rides in between to practice and understand everything explained. I feel that I improved significantly and that others in a similar situation will too.



4. Highly recommended reading for beginners through experiened riders. It is evident that the author has a genuine love for the sport and strong desire to improve the safety of those whom share his love. The book is well written, easy to understand with lots of great technical diagrams and photos.



5. I loved this book and the technical information it contained. If you can't ride year round then this book ia a reference to dust off your riding before you start the season is a must have.

5 comments about The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right (2nd Edition).

1. Very well written, easy to read and understand . Alltough I have been riding for many years, I learned a lot from the book. I highly recommend esp. to novice riders. Buy it if you want to do better.



2. In contrast with some popular motorcycle riding books, this is well-written without gimmicks. If you learn what's in this book, you stand a far better chance of surviving on the streets and driving well for fun.



3. This book is excellent for the novice and I am sure it is a nice refresher for all. A newbie would be foolish not to take the course and reading the book in advance of the course is extremely helpful.



4. This book is essentially the expanded version of the booklet they give you at the MSF Basic Rider's Course. As such, I found nothing useful in it. It would be a great book to read before you take the class, though. I was looking for strategies on braking and cornering in various conditions, but what I got was just a listing of road conditions, not what to do about them. It mentions the different types of skids, but not how to recover from them. I guess they want us to have to take their Advanced class...



5. This book is excellent, and covers all you need to know as a first time motorcyclist. The one thing I cannot stress enough: Read it before you take the class (and be sure to take the MSF class, it will save your life!) The first section of the book is identical to the class in many ways, and, although I read through all of it again, it really is exactly the same. If you read this ahead of time, it will have you ready for the written test in the classroom, so that the class itself becomes review, and you can focus more on the hands-on part of the course while you are there, instead of trying to remember all of the new info in your head.

5 comments about Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road.

1. I dont read much, usually cause I'm ridin, but I heard alot about this Ghostrider book, so I took a gander. Well, asin I'm a poor folk, I have to make due with my rations, leavin me quite inventious on the road. This here Neilson guy is a bit outta touch with what I call the soul of motorized cycling. He swipes a credit card, I count out some change, he wrecks and flys home to safty, I find some work for a bit, do some mechanican and eventually move on.
   As far as ridin out yer lonelyness and speedin away from a past you'd just soon forget, well, there aint enough road to cary me to safe distance. I thought maybe, from what I heard, this fellow wrote a book about folks a little bit like myself. Well, his fairy tale is just that. Ifin you wanna read about some pompous, richy rich, softy, that wont teach you a thing bout touring without a pocket full of credit cards, shoot, THIS BOOK IS THE TICKET. Otherwise, it'll make for some easy firestartin nights. Amen.



2. I love Rush and traveling. I appreciate Neil Peart but my main interest in reading his book was his long journey across North America. Of course, I had some concern about the horrible family losses he had to deal with (both his wife and unique daughter died within a year!!)
   
   I really appreciated the way Peart introduced this context and how he managed to deal with his grief while traveling and writing. He his a pretty good writer, that is obvious. The first half of the book is very interesting for people interested in the "traveling" part. Peart gives us a good description of his journey and introduces the reader to great places to visit in North America. I really enjoyed this part of the book.
   
   After 200 pages or so, Peart begins to tell his story through letters, most of them to his friend in jail. He returns to his home for a few months before returning on the road. While at home, he writes dozens of letters to his friend and other people, mostly telling about his evolution in grieving. I understand Peart's intention but I was a bit bored by this part. You may prefer the middle part of the book of you are looking mostly for the "grieving" part.
   
   About 2/3 toward the end, Peart returns on the road, but from there his journey is badly told (not that bad but the first part is really better), skipping more and more parts of his trip. At the end I was getting so bored about his letters, I wanted to skip a few to get to a more interesting part... or even to the end.
   
   Overall, a good book, but oviously most readers will love and hate some parts of it.



3. This is a great book for anyone - whether or not you are going through a tough time in your lilfe or not, this book will touch you....and teach you a few things also.
   
   Well written and incredibly insightful - it ranks a definite 2nd place right behind "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" on my list of books about the philosophies of life - that just also happen to have something to do with motorcycles.....hmmmmmm, coincidence????



4. Having been a Rush fan for over 20 years, I was somewhat familiar with the purpose and topic of this book - Neil's processing of the grief and sorrow associated with the 1-2 punch of losing his daughter and then his wife. Also, I ride a motorcycle as well, so I was interested in reading about his journeys along his healing road.
   
   At first as I read this book, I felt like it was very repetitive. The more I read, though, I realized that what I was reading is just the cyclic processing of grief - and yes, that *is* repetitive. Having not experienced any losses as great as his, I am not familiar with how something of that magnitude gets processed. After realizing that, I had a new perspective on the book and the courage it took to publish these thoughts after completing his motorcycle journey.
   
   There are some interesting "ride report" type aspects to this book as well, but largely, I would classify this book as someone's story of overcoming grief as opposed to telling a story that focuses on a motorcycle adventure.
   
   What I found kind of paradoxical about this book is that Neil proclaims repeatedly to be a very private person who isn't comfortable with people approaching him or recognizing him, however, he pours his heart out into a novel. From my perspective, a book that reveals so many facets of his personality only serves to empower the casual fan with that feeling of really "knowing" him - and should they perchance encounter him somewhere, it is only natural that they are going to want to at least say some "hellos" or what not - but if they were to do that, they'd probably be very unwelcome to be doing so.
   
   If someone is THAT private of a person, I am confused by the fact that they publish not one, but several books, that lay it all out there for the world to read.



5. Thought provoking and insightful, this truly comes from the heart. It is difficult to imagine someone having to go through the tragedies suffered by Mr. Peart but he is able to put together a riveting account of the turmoil he suffers while grieving over the loss of loved ones. If this book does not cause you to shed a tear, you aren't paying close enough attention.

5 comments about A Twist of the Wrist 2: The Basics of High-Performance Motorcycle Riding.

1. Following my first time at a track day - I was frustrated. I didn't have fun and I didn't know why. I was slower than most, despite my 169hp of Honda. I was close to giving up - thinking riding just wasn't my thing. Soon after
   TofW2 arrived and I started to read. I went out on my bike and was immediately better. I went around bends, quicker, safer and got bitten by the bug. Two books and 3OOOk's later I'm loving my riding, learning more and am rereading this amazingly helpful book. Simply, anyone with a sports bike should read this book, but only if you want to get better.



2. Not bad reading at all. Keith does a wonderful job of keeping the chapters to a reasonable number of pages. I would suggest Lee Parks, Total Control to be a better, more useful read.



3. It is difficult not to like this book, Keith Code knows motorcycling. But if you are looking for street riding, there is little here to help you. Throttle control and bike balance was very good, so any understanding about motorcycles is important. I will always honor Keith Code since he was my first teacher with his first twist of the wrist. Thanks



4. Terribly written book. Has many ideas and concepts I've tried and haven't found viable for me. HOWEVER, two chapters in the book are very worthwhile: 1)The 7 deadly Survial Reactions and 2) the chapter on visual directional control--the "Two-Step." These alone make it worth the price of the book. There are many books that teach motorcycle riding techniques far better, that you can actually understand because they aren't written by someone who must have spent his high school career flunking English. Glad it's cheap.



5. I thought I was a pretty good rider, 29 years of experience riding all kinds of bikes - but had never taken an advanced rider class. While reading this book, I quickly realized how many mistakes I had been making. E.g., over the years I had figured out most of the steps involved with making a turn as described in the book, but I did not have ALL the steps figured out - there were some CRUCIAL pieces I was missing.
   
   My riding has improved dramatically since reading this book, and my enjoyment of riding is back to where it was when I first started riding!
   
   I wish I had read this book when I first started riding and every year since. I wish someone had recommended that I read it. I am making sure that all my riding buddies read it if they haven't already. Don't be proud, get this book.

5 comments about Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance.

1. If you are overwhelmed by all the moving parts or are just looking for a reference, this book is for you.
   
   This book contains detailed descriptions and illustrations of everything you need to know to maintain and tweak your mountain bike.



2. zinns book is right up to date on keeping your hi tech bike in good
   shape,the best i have read



3. Now although I ride alot, I'm not really big on reading Mountain bike books from cover to cover. And I actually refer to the companion Mountain Biking DVD-Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance DVD more often. This one, on the other hand is just a wealth of information. It covers so many different areas. I've looked at other books in the stores. If you want to own just one Mountain bike maintenance book, this is it. I myself only have one-this one. If you are a more visual person, as I am - get his DVD video. It's awesome too.Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance
   
   I often ride my mountain bike at night and use these lighting products:Down Low Glow Lighting Kit - Two Tubes-Envy(green)



4. This book was recommended by a friend of mine to facilitate my Padawan ways of bike maintenance. I'm very impressed, and the illustrations are excellent. Everything is broken down into the most basic steps when making a repair/modification. It's so much easier to maintain and repair your own bike, than to have your LBS do it. Don't be a tool, buy the book.



5. Excellent book full of information about MTB parts including differences from one brand to another. Full of drawings that helps understand how things should be done.

5 comments about Jupiters Travels: Four Years Around the World on a Triumph.

1. If you're enjoy taking a trip on a motorcycle or you're planning such a trip, check out this man's adventures on a bike. Surprises around each bend!



2. I read a lot great reviews of this book and I guess my expectations were too high. It is a nice book, a little bit difficult to understand with many complex words. But who understands the brits anyway? It is good literature with all sorts of tales and adventures in the whole world. It is funny that the same things can/will happen to you if you travel around the world, but 40 years later! The world didn't change much after all. This book will keep you reading until you finish it because of the great detail of the adventures. Nice book, worth the price.



3. What can you say about "Jupiters Travels" that hasn't already been said? It's the quintessential motorcycle travel book, a book that inspired many men to undertake similar adventures. (Just watch Long Way Round or read Motorcycle Therapy: A Canadian Adventure in Central America to enjoy the stories of two such men.) Ted Simon will make you shake your head in wonder of his good fortune (at times) and his calm assurance that all will be well under circumstances that would make most men abandon hope. Well written and thought provoking, this is a must read for any motorcycle adventure enthusiast.



4. Contnet of trip around world found to be good however the way it is written it gets extremely boring and at time hard to understand. Have read "Long Way Round" and found that book to be great, but "Jupiters Travels" was dull.



5. This book is almost impossible to put down and is absolutely inspiring to read. Deaf to the pleas of my wife and children I read on into the night. I often felt I was actually there with Ted as he copes with some pretty dire stuff. As a New Zealand motorcyclist living in India I could relate so much to his experiences. More needs to be written about the amazing opportunities to ride in India, so perhaps with this as my inspiration its my turn.

5 comments about Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques.

1. 
   This book may be a good read for someone that is new to riding a sport bike, with only a very basic idea of how to ride. It does go into some good fundemental tips and techniques, he also reviews some riding gear, and setting up your ergo's. So, if this is the first motorcycle book you have ever purchased, and you have only been riding for a little while, and dont plan on being a hard-core knee dragger, then sure buy this book.
   
   However, if you are an experienced rider, this book is flat out boring. I even caught myself shaking my head in disbelief at some of this guys points of view and advice. Plus this guy is just straight up a dork, he try's to be funny, but he really gets on my nerves.



2. This book covers just about every aspect of riding from suspension set up to throttle control to riding strategies, it even includes a section on being a passenger. While I have yet to start doing the excercises included in the book, I have started using some of the techniques, and they do indeed increase your margin of safety. I also have more faith in myself, and in my bike. If you're planning on racing, while there is good information here, you may not be happy with this book, but if you're a street rider as I am, it's a great resource.



3. If there was just one book I had to buy, this wouldn't be it, but I liked it. It had a lot of good things to say about mental attitude. There are some things I would of like to see him leave out, like his pictures. I am glad that I read it and will review it from time to time.



4. "Total Control" isn't the pinnacle of riding techniques. Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling," (both of them) and Ienatsch's "Sport Bike Ridng Techniques" are the hands-down winners in that respect. However, the book has some worthwhile content that other books don't cover. As a secondary source, it is well worth price. Some of his scrunched-up portrait photos would have a buzzard turn around and fly the other way.



5. I first read "A Twist of the Wrist 2: The Basics of High-Performance Motorcycle Riding", then I read this book. I greatly appreciated Twist of the Wrist for providing the geeky details and well-written descriptions of what was happening to the bike and rider when everything is working correctly (or not), but this book was able to add some more pictures that helped to clarify things which weren't clear to me from Twist of the Wrist.
   
   There were some descriptions in Total Control that resonated better with me than what was in Twist of the Wrist, and vice versa. The same thing can be said for the drawings and pictures.
   
   My recommendation: buy both books. If you don't like reading very much and want better step-by-step pictures, then Total Control is probably the better book for you. Once again, I strongly recommend buying both books - Total Control and Twist of the Wrist 2.

5 comments about Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library).

1. I was born in 1962 and was too young to appreciate the special generation that the 60's spawned. The Hell's Angels were definitely NOT to be messed with in that time period. But he hung out with them and wrote a compelling book about the demons on Harleys with deft mastery. They actually almost killed him when they found out they were not getting paid for the information gleaned from HST. The 60's to me were a hazy memory and I remember flower power, Watergate, Nixon, Hippies, etc. But the Hell's Angels were dangerous and belligerent; not to be messed with. They fueled a rage for the tiniest of infractions. Mainstream society in the 60's were definitely shocked and afraid of them with good reason. I sort of saw them as buffoons, but it is a great book. It rocketed HST to fame and fortune.



2. It is really astounding how many definitions of "Gonzo Journalism" there is floating around out there...What really is Gonzo Journalism?
   
   According to many sources, Gonzo Journalism is a "hands on approach."; what the journalist is writing about 'becomes' his subject matter. Compared to Method Acting, this is NOT acting but BEING the subject matter making the representation "real".
   
   (Thompson, in his mind, stoned and alcohol affected, became one of them. (Angels)) But after reading the text again, there is that "objectivism", a couragous journalist, (who loved: writing, drugs, guns, whisky, politics and rock and roll) writing about a topical situation in America at the time - he was in his element.
   
   Timing is everyrthing.
   
   One particular scene in the book is a bit frightening, (this one is a minor one.)
   
   The Angel's, in the 100's are headed for a small town of a population of twenty-thousand - 12 cops and one Chief...
   
   "Consider the alternatives available to a chief of police in a remote town of twenty thousand?...the motorcycle outlaws are due to converge on him in a matter of hours...nothing in his experience has prepared him to face an army of half -human hoodlums, a modern day James Gang...infamous thugs who would just as soon stomp on a cop as they would on a toad, and once they get out of hand, the only way to handle them is with brute force." (P.113)
   
   What does the chief do, but hope for the best...contain them and eventually move them on...well easier said than done.
   
   There is something Romantic about Thompson: a 30's style journalist, cigarette in mouth, punching out the stories on an old Remington between swigs of Irish whisky.
   
   After reading his collection of political stories from various publications from Rolling Stone to the New York Times, one gets the feeling that he was, paradoxically, on the pulse of the Present but writing from another Time.
   
   This in-your-face style of journalism has an aura of honesty...something we have not read in quite sometime.
   
   The "Hunter" was from a generation that now is gone.
   
   In terms of "historical-realistic" texts, Hell's Angels, is a Thompson Classic & the beginning of Gonzo Journalism.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



3. Hell's Angels begins: "California, Labor Day weekend . . . early, with ocean fog still in the streets, outlaw motorcyclists wearing chains, shades and greasy Levis roll out from damp garages, all-night diners and cast-off one-night pads in Frisco, Hollywood, Berdoo and East Oakland, heading for the Monterey peninsula, north of Big Sur... The Menace is loose again, the Hell's Angels, the hundred-carat headline..." With a start like that how could you help but be hooked? This is Hunter before Gonzo.
   
   Hunter Thompson's Hell's Angels is a fantastically written profile of the outlaw motorcycle club from their postwar origins to their explosion on the public conscious in '64-'65. It begins with the Angels gaining nation-wide attention via a fumbled rape trial and follows the surreal path that led to their interactions and then clashes with Ken Kesey and the counter-culture movement.
   
   Hunter takes an odd stance here. He seems to oscillate between respecting their rebelliousness and really looking down on them as worthless losers. This sort of Yin-Yang of the Hell's Angels follows through the book. They are both repellent and attractive and Hunter does a very good job of sussing out why this is in writing that is compelling and often brilliant. Liberally sprinkled with quotes of contemporary articles, song lyrics and scraps of poetry that fit into the text without distracting.
   
   Hell's Angels is a gritty, classic slice of reportage that manages to entertain in the way good fiction entertains with a gripping narrative and larger-than-life characters.



4. In depth report of the infamous motorcycle gang by the only person with enough gall and wit to pull it off; Hunter S. Thompson. Excellent correspondence of what the Hell's Angels stood for in their prime. If you enjoy learning about the brutality humans are capable of then this is a book for you.



5. A very high quality production run, hard-bound with illustrated dust jacket etc. of a very hard to find modern classic. Read Thompson as he was before he became a cartoon character like caricature. Succinct and insightful with the acerbic wit front and centre where it belongs. A cracking good read ! Excellent value too in this Modern Libraries edition. Why pay all-kinds of stoopid money on E-bay for a dog-eared paperback when you can have this for little more than the price of lunch for one alone.

5 comments about Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well.

1. Lots of information on Street riding, covers many topics. Some topics are very basic. But he is a good teacher and explains all of his concepts well.
   If I had one book this would be it. A motorcycle classic.



2. This is an excellent book. I have practiced the recommended exercises on my motorcycle. They are very good and have improved my slow speed control and my cornering.



3. A great source of info and should be handed down to any new rider to ride and study.



4. I bought this book the day after I purchased my first motorcycle. I made a promise to myself, and my mother, that I would take every step to being as careful as possible, so I decided I would read this book and take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (www.msf-usa.org) Rider Course before I began to ride. I am very thankfull that I bought and read this book completely before I took my first ride. There are to many points made in this book to point out, but I'll put it this way; two minutes into my first ride I found myself mentally and physically practicing the fundamentals discussed in the book. Needless to say, the challenge of riding a motorcyle is more than any other vehicle, but knowing some of the things I learned from this book began paying off immediatley. There are so many things taught in this book that novices like myself are not aware of when it comes to riding, especially in an urban environment. And like most of the other reviews state, do yourself a favor and read this book whether your a begginer or experienced rider. Excellent manual on riding safe, which ultimatley leads to enjoying the ride! Thanks for writing this book Mr. Hough.



5. If you ride a motorcycle, you should read this book every Spring. David Hough knows how to save your life and your skin, and how to keep the shiny side up, and puts it together in a very appealing style, with useful photos and illustrations. Keep riding. Stay out of the ER. Read this book and then pass it along to your riding buddy.

5 comments about Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values.

1. this book is amazing. some of the ideas are hard to agree with, although plenty of reason is given for each thought. although the philosophy is drawn out, it is far easier to understand- pirsig explains the thought proccess with which the philosophies arose, instead of just spouting off difficult and ludicrous sounding ideas.
   
   do not go into this book expecting a novel. there is a plot, and a good one at that, but everything is encased in philosophy. it is all fascinating, even to a new comer in the area like me, but you simply cannot expect it to be a story you read straight through.



2. I enjoyed this book in a way far greater than any book I have ever read before. This story makes you think and ponder questions just as the main character is doing. The story is told in the first person and you get a unique view into the mind of a man who is on the razor edge of genius and insanity.
   
   I have read this book twice and enjoyed the second read even more than the first. Many insights into the nature of things (don't want to spoil anything for first-time readers).
   
   There are many small scenes of perhaps half a page that still stick with me and help me understand the nature of people.
   
   I am a better person for having read this and I thank the author for sticking with this book and getting it published where other mere mortals would have given up.
   
   The author has his own trials and tribulations and mentions these after the end of the story.
   
   I will spend many years, I fear, searching for another book as insightful and enjoyable as this book has been for me.



3. that in a couple years I'll rate it a five. I was first given this book by my uncle who was dying. Now, that probably made an impression. He gave me the book and I whizzed through it so that I could talk with him about it. We did. I found the book thought provoking and interesting at the time. Since returning to the book a couple of times since my original reading, I've found the book rewarding. There's so much more I wish I could talk to my uncle about concerning this book, but he's gone now. Ah well.
   
   
   This book can be enjoyed on a couple levels. One, it's semi-biographical. There's also a sci-fi edge to it. Obviously, pretentious blow-hards cling to it for... well... obvious reasons. The ideas in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" are profound and hopefully you'll think about them for a bit.
   
   "Lylia" (I think that's the name) is Zen's sequel. While it too has strong thought provoking segments, it is windy and not too interesting a story... unless you're into sailing I suppose. I'm not going to fault a person for passing it up, but if you have a chance to read "Zen and the Art..." and don't take it... well... that I can't understand.



4. I was required to read this book for an ethics class in college. I did not enjoy it at all and found myself struggling to turn each successive page. Also, I did not find it to be particularly enlightening. I'm sure I fell asleep in the study hall several times trying to get through this barrage of boredom. Suggested alternate title: "Cures for Insomnia and other Musings".



5. I didn't read this book when it first came out to rave reviews. Something about all that enthusiasm with no substance behind it made me wary, and rightly so, it seems.
   
   The narrator is a condescending, pompous egotist and I pity his son and his long-suffering friends who got dragged along into this anti-climactic non-dark non-heart of non-darkness.