This best-selling book is also "#1 book in motorcycle safety"
(Nielsen BookScan) and essential reading for all motorcyclists
regardless of their years of experience. Author David L. Hough, a
revered motorcycle author, columnist, and riding-safety consultant,
lays out a clear course for all riders who want to sharpen their
handling skills and improve their rides. This second edition,
expanded and now in full color, offers new riders and road warriors
the exact kind of advice they need to be prepared for anything when
on the road, how to avoid accidents, and how to handle the
unexpected. Hough, who began motorcycling in the 1960s, tackles
every imaginable topic--from the mechanics of the bike, selection
of the right-sized bike, and basic riding skills to night riding,
group outings, and advanced survival tactics. In the chapter called
"Motorcycle Dynamics," Hough spells out the equipment needed and
basic skills required to control a bike, and specifically keeping
the rider's safety and ability to avoid potentially injurious or
fatal crashes. The author is outspoken and direct when it comes to
safety, and he emphasizes the importance of the rider's braking
abilities and spells out how to improve them. The chapter offers
six tried-and-true techniques for quick-stop tactics, critical for
every rider to understand and master. He also addresses other vital
skills that riders need to evaluate and improve, such as turning,
maintaining balance and stability, and steering. He defines,
compares, and analyzes the ins and outs of steering and control:
direct steering, countersteering, push steering, out-tracking,
coning, u-turns, and directional control. The chapter called
"Cornering Habits" is a virtual master class in acceleration,
deceleration, use of weight, throttle, leaning, and handling
challenging terrain. Hough's skill as a photographer and
illustrator adds a graphic element to his books that leads to
immediate understanding of the concepts he explains. The detail
offered in each section of the book can only come from decades on
the road, and the author is the consummate instructor, assigning
homework to the readers in the form of exercises to practice and
improve specific techniques that he outlines and illustrates in the
text. Any rider who would venture out on the road without David
Hough's voice in his head takes an unnecessary risk with his own
life.
Proficient Motorcycling takes riders from long, snaking country
roads right into the traffic of the big city, and Hough offers the
best advice for riders dealing with the most challenging
conditions, whether it's road construction, snap-jawed
intersections, skateboarders, or suddenly slippery road surfaces. A
critical section of the book offers riders advice on how to deal
with automobiles, including aggressive car drivers, oblivious SUV
drivers, or "blind" truck drivers. The book offers the kind of
first-hand experience that can literally save riders' lives, as
illustrated in the chapters "Booby Traps" and "Special Situations,"
which offer evasive tactics and advice to avoid and handle
everything from slick surfaces, curbs, and construction plates to
ferocious dogs, hazardous wildlife, and difficult weather
conditions. The final chapter of the book, "Sharing the Ride," is
geared toward experienced riders who travel together in groups or
who travel with a second passenger on the bike. Topics covered are
formation, packing for trips, communication between riders,
sidecars, trikes, and more.
The book concludes with a resources section of organizations,
training schools, educational tools, and websites; a glossary of
80+ terms; and a complete index.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!