Mastering the Ride, 2nd Edition, Updated and Revised: More Proficient Motorcycling (CompanionHouse Books)

I’m a 54 year old male thinking of returning to motorcycling after a 20 year gap – that is for 20 years I have not sat on the seat of a motorcycle. However, I am aware of safety and especially how traffic conditions have changed over the years (I’m writing from Sydney Australia a city which has almost quadrupled in size since I started motorcycling in the early 1980s). Moreover, I had a “nasty” fall when riding in my younger days that left me with significant hip damage. So, when I said to a friend, “before I buy any motorcycle to return to motorcycling I’m going to read a book” the response (and expectedly so) was laugher. My friend in his wisdom (who has maintained his riding and has ridden for over 40 years) politely advised that if I need a book then I should give up the idea of returning to riding as obviously it’s about re-gaining the experience and has nothing to do with reading about it. He said “Just do it don’t read it”. He couldn’t be further from the truth. I’m glad I purchased David Hough’s book. I'm saddened that it’s not a must for rider education courses here in Australia. I only wish I had this knowledge 20 years back when I was riding – it certainly would have helped me prevent if not better manage the serious motorcycle accident I had. I realized my “poor” riding habits and fuzzy understandings (eg body steering vs counter steering; inadequate braking techniques). Interestingly, Mr Hough debunks body steering in favour of counter steering thus following motorcycle training guru Keith Code). Moreover, when I obtained my motorcycle licence 30 years ago (in Sydney Australia) there were few requirements. The instructor just watched me from behind on his bike riding a few kms around the block and doing a figure 8 without touching the ground. That’s it! I passed and obtained my licence. Unfortunately, in Sydney there are at present no courses specifically designed for returning riders, in fact, the only courses available are for motorcyclists which have graduated from “learners” to “Provisional” (the course itself is limited and short – within its 3 hours much is missed ie “counter steering”; blipping the throttle for safe downshifting). I can write more. This book has opened my mind to riding; it has helped me better understand what I was doing; not doing; and things to improve upon; I have a “road map” for better and safer riding which makes sense and is immediately applicable – its knowledge I applied and tested (and discussed with the instructor) with the short riding course I recently undertook. Riding is not something “instinctual” as my friend would have it; you need to have the right knowledge which will then become through right application automatic in the right manner. For this purpose Mr Hough’s book is perfect – a no-nonsense informative evidentially based and easy to read guide on riding in whatever situation.

David Hough provides valuable information to get your head into your ride and anticipate and avoid potential problems / crashes. He brings a lifetime (45 years +) of riding experience and 100s of 1,000s of miles of mc riding on several continents, years of writing mc safety columns, etc, to bear on the advice given. His advice is for both new and experienced riders. I have all his books and recommend reading them all. His unique clues of what to look for in actual / anticipated situations, behavior under all traffic and weather conditions is invaluable. And supported by independent reports, statistics, graphs, pictures / photos, including his own as a past illustrator at Boeing; and recommendations on alternative courses and resources. I found all his books to be easy reads, which is good considering that a rider should re-read them periodically to refine good habits and continually work at getting rid of bad habits. Wish I had these resources in the mid '60's when I started riding in CA. He is one of the first writers to discuss the myth of multitasking while driving (us and other motorists), which the most recent studies support (the majority of us c/n multitask when tested objectively). Reading his books provides anlysis of far more riding situations than most of us individually face in several years riding, and could cause us to avoid an unusual life-threatening situation if it presents itself. This book seems to get a little more into the psychology of others on the road and clues to watch for. I recommend all his books as well as Lee Parks's and Keith Code's.

This is a good book for folks just starting to ride motorcycles or folks who need to brush up on basics before riding again. Overall the book really emphasizes the need to continually think while riding your bike and before you even get on your bike. Evaluate the "what if's" of a situation before performing action. Also there are a few more advanced bits beyond the basic MSF instruction about techniques like shiffting more smoothly and learning beyond what was taught at MSF. Also alot of additional information on riding smoothly and mantaning grip . I do wish there was a bit more illustration in terms of some of the techniques (like smoother shifting or throttle blipping on downshifts).

I've been riding (various) motorcycles since 1963. This book has started me on the road to being a much more proficient rider. Besides illustrating numerous things I knew but didn't really practice, it gave me tips to improve my riding skills that make sense and are easily understood - I'm not one who can grasp stuff out of a book very easily. A couple of examples are the "tack" at a stoplight or sign, and the use of the outer three fingers on the brake lever. Tacking at a stoplight/sign presents a larger view of your bike to oncoming traffic so you're more visible. I've tried using the thumb and forefinger on the throttle and the outer three fingers to brake, and I'm going to work on it because it seems to give more control. Explanations of things that affect the ride like braking, shifting, taking the long view, head checks (mirrors are better), other drivers, visibility, and a host of other issues are covered in simple to understand language. Don't know how many times I've said "I know that, why don't I use it?", or "Why didn't I think of it that way?" I don't know about the "Black Belt" ad part, but this book is excellent for anyone who wants to have a million, crash-free miles.

I learnt a lot from this book. I finished reading it just before a long road trip and started focussing on each lesson one at a time as I rode, until a few hundred miles later I found it all coming together as I flowed across the twisties of Ireland. I think I realised just how much difference it made to my riding skills when, whilst flying across the country, I found myself rounding a blind hairpin to pull up calmly behind a slow tractor until an oncoming car had passed and I could overtake. Following the advice in the book let me to make more rapid progress in a far safer style of riding than I'd previously been able to. Anyway, long story short - as a relatively new rider (been riding for about ~5 years), I found this book helped me to explore the envelope a bit further whilst at the same time making me a safer and hopefully better rider.

Es un buen libro para aprender a llevar una motocicleta con seguridad.

Kapsamlı ve içeriği tatmin edici bir kitap. Baskı kalitesi çok güzel, ancak içerik biraz eski hissiyatı verdi bana. Muhtemelen fotoğraflardan öyle bir hissiyat yarattı, kitabın baskısı ya da içeriğinde bir problem yok.

When I started riding, I took a motorcycle safety course. I've now been riding motorcycles for 35 years. Each year, we do road trips running up 5,000 miles in 10 days. I think I'm a good, safe, efficient rider. The reality is I settle into my own particular riding style and probably make many mistakes repeatedly. In some ways I've been very fortunate not to have a problem, but I also ride conservatively (most of the time). So why get a book like this? Simply because it's good to reinforce the positive, and discourage the negative habits we all develop, whether we've been riding for a week, a decade, or most of our adult life. Even though we all "know" what to do when riding as far as knowing the traffic around us, what to do at intersections, how to merge effectively on highways, how to avoid problems on twisty roads, and so on, sometimes actually reading the process again helps make sure you actually do think about it when you have to, instead of just falling into habits. The author David Hough has been writing safe riding columns for a while, and this book is a condensation of all the material he's presented in those columns over the years. None of it is dated, stale, or inapplicable to you. All of it is solid advice we all, as riders, should think about. There's lots of content here that riders of all levels will appreciate, whether throwing your leg over a new crotch rocket for the first time, or settling into your cruiser in well-worn riding gear. While some of the advice may seem obvious or simplistic, in truth it is not if it gets you thinking about your riding. When we're on a bike, we're the most vulnerable thing on the road, and even a few second's lapse in concentration can be deadly, something I know only too well from both sides of the picture. There's lots of useful content here, even for aging riders like me, or those coming back to riding after years away. Yes, there's videos on the Web you can watch. Yes, there's courses you can take. And yes, there's good books, like this one, that will help keep your skills fresh. All those avenues are good ones. And this book is a good read, well written and useful. Strongly recommend for riders of all ages and skill levels, even those old guys like me on our old BMWs, racking up 50,000 miles with a silly grin on our faces every day we're in the saddle. Keep the shiny side up, and read this book to help you do so.

Good book that covers motorcycle safety well. Structure needs improvement as I would have liked to see checklists of things to practice, example scenarios and other practical tips to implement safe riding as a habit. The author does ramble on a few subjects (like speeding for instance), but overall a good read for new and experienced riders.