Riding Books

[mcfcbiker]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on the various Motorcycling literature that is out there, has any of you read them, do you think they are worth it.

I will be moving up from a 125 to a bigger bike in the next few weeks and although I feel I am a competent rider I know there is still much to learn about riding.

I will be going further a field when I get my next bike and thought it might be a good idea to try and learn as much as possible in the mean time.

The books I have seen online are Motorcycle Roadcraft : Police Riders Handbook, Lee Parks Total Control, Keith Codes Twist of the Wrist.

Anyone offer any advice on whether these are worth reading ?

I will be going in for my advanced training once I get my bike but these would be in the interim.

Thanks
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Current Bike = 2011 Triumph Street Triple R
Previous Bikes = Yamaha YBR 125, Honda CBF 125, SYM XS 125K

[multijoy]

Roadcraft is very likely to put you to sleep! The book is sound but very dry, it's something to dip in and out of, or to be read alongside further training where you're going to be putting it into practice.

I've not read the other two, but I understand the TOTW is worth a punt. If you can only get one, don't get Roadcraft, if you can get two, get whichever of the second two gets the best recommendations and roadcraft.
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'11 CBF1000A, '99 C90, '98 CB500
silky666: He rode amazingly well considering his bike is the weight of a small van and had slicks on.

[Alpha-9]

I prefer cheesy videos like twist of the wrist. Depends how you learn really, books don't go in very easily; in one eye out the other
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Fzr-600 1999

[esullivan]

The Motorcycle Roadcraft book, as mentioned, is worthy but very dry. You still should read it, though.

Other books I've found helpful:

Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. This is an American book, so you'll need to do some right/left adjusting, and it spends considerable time on some things that aren't an issue here (avoiding deer), but basically it covers the same ground as Roadcraft, but in a much more entertaining/engaging way.

How to be a Better Rider: The Essential Guide by Stefan Bartlett, Jon Taylor. This is the official IAM book. Very light reading, lots of pictures. It's a good light summary of Roadcraft, but I don't think it stands alone.

Ride Hard, Ride Smart by Patrick Hahn. Another U.S. book, with the same right/left issues, but less so than Proficient Motorcycling because it is more about mental strategy while riding. It's a high-level book for people who have been riding for a few years, but I still got a few pointers out of it.

The Upper Half of the Motorcycle by Brent Spiegel, translated from German so not the lightest of reads. This is the most cerebral of the books, more about how riders become one with the machine and how to encourage this transformation. Probably more for instructors, but it does have a few cool ideas that I still haven't tried yet, like using one of those click counters as part of your practice.

Still not read, but on my book shelf:

Total Control by Lee Parks.
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Current: '14 VFR800X Test passed 31/10/12.
Previous: '12 NC700S, '11 CBF 125, '04 SH 125.

[Teflon-Mike]

Right now, I would recomend DSA's 'Motorcycle Riding - The Essential Skills'. It picks up from where the learning to ride CBT to Test book ends. It could be titled, 'Road-Craft' for newbies; and ought to be pretty much spot on for where you are at.
Which is in a little bit of a betweenie place.
You aren't a newbie, who knows nothing and needs spoon feding the basics, but you probably aren't 'ready' for 'advanced' rider training, becouse for all your enthusiasm, you just wont have the range of experience to go beyond where you are at.
Your on a plateau of the learning curve.

And I would seriously not encourage you to read any Keith Cody stuff just yet... or at least treat anything you do read with a lot of room for reservation, and later reference not now application.

Bloke talks a lot of sense, much of it similar concervative and concentional wisdom as contained on Road-Craft; unfortunately a lot of the good stuff is very quiet and in a soft voice, and he harps on and on about counter-steering and over riding natural survival reactions.

Cody's Self publicity almost suggests that he singularly discovered 'Conciouse Counter-Steering' and exploiting progression effects in motorcycle geometry..... and he has, made his fortune writing books, selling DVD's and riding courses that explain the principle.... he's hardly going to down-play the concept; but it IS significantly over-played, and for a lot of Cody-Students it is ALL they take away from the books, vids or lessons, almost to the exclusion of all else, while the suggestion that over coming your own fear responses and IGNORING your own instincts to go faster is a good idea!? I know what he is saying, BUT, its a very dangerous bit of advice! "Hey, when your scared? - Dont back off!"

And in the hands of a newbie, half a clue can be more dangerous than none.

Best reading for where you are?

Haynes Manual... go learn something completely different to 'riding' learn more about your bike, get to know it intimately, and do some basic maintenence on it, fettle it, make it as good as you can.

Then?

AA-Road-Atlas.... go ride the bugger! Have some fun, crank up some miles. Have some fun and put into practice what you have learned up to know, and perfect the techniques you have, and get that much needed experience. In a years time or so, when you have compiled a list of problems you think you have with your riding, or situations you think you could handle better; THEN is the time to start exploring advanced riding techniques; and then it will be useful, becouse you will be applying it to REAL problems.
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Val]

twist of the wrist
2 books and dvds

the best book on riding

[url] https://www.atwistofthewrist.com/[/url]
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Adrian Monk: Unless I'm wrong, which, you know, I'm not...
Yamaha Fazer FZS 600, MT09, XSR 900

[mcfcbiker]

Thanks for the replies up to now guys.
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Current Bike = 2011 Triumph Street Triple R
Previous Bikes = Yamaha YBR 125, Honda CBF 125, SYM XS 125K

[radicalrabit]