Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38512 in Books
• Brand: Motorcycle Safety Foundation
• Published on: 2005-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: .47" h x 8.36" w x 10.52" l, 1.56 pounds
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Features

• Softbound 8.25" x 10.5" 176pp. w/color illustrations

Review
"The most authoritative book ever published on safe riding techniques."

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

100 of 102 people found the following review helpful.
"The more you know the better it gets" (from the frontispiece)
By John Joss
MOTORCYCLING EXCELLENCE is perhaps the best nuts-and-bolts primer on motorcycle riding yet published. It covers the subject thoroughly, a single source for knowledge and wisdom in the basics. It addresses attitude, basic skills, controls, gear, safety inspections, night and group riding, streetb strategies, off-road techniques . . . the gamut of essentials. Plus the basics of training, from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, official authors of the book.
Most people, perhaps 90% of road users, consider motorcycles as 'just other vehicles.' They aren't. Motorcycles are as different from four-and-more wheelers as swimming is from walking, as reading is from watching TV. Learning to operate a motorcycle safely and well is as difficult, but as challenging and rewarding as, say, learning to fly, scuba dive or climb mountains--and survive. Like those other unforgiving pursuits, do it right or risk serious consequences. Motorcycling is an honest trade: incompetence, inattention or bad luck can kill or maim in seconds. That's where this book shines, in identifying and hammering home the essentials.
Expert contributors--a 'who's-who' of experience: Nick Ienatsch on picking the right bike, World MotoGP champion on safety gear and bike control, Paul Thede on suspension, AMA 250 champion Rich Oliver on stopping, Erik Buell on bike geometry, Reg Pridmore on the need for smoothness, Keith Code on counter-steering, World MotoGP champion Freddie Spencer on trail braking.
Why read this book? Complex, high-risk activities demand study and practice at all experience levels. In an era in which school-student driver training has been discontinued and the road IQ of most car drivers is at flat-worm level, riders are at risk and must defend themselves. Every ride is a learning experience. This book will enhance the first, high-risk 50,000 miles in every rider's life (thus it's an ideal gift for offspring). And the next 250,000 miles for experienced riders.
The illustrations and photographs are lavish and excellent. The appendices--MSF training, proper bike inspection, and a glossary--are thorough and well done. There are omissions, though, whence the loss of a review 'star:' e.g. tire compromise between wear and stiction (which is not yet intuitive for many riders), the availability of waterproof linings such as Goretex for gear. The editing, too, lacks polish--too many passages are prolix and rambling instead of being tight and tough. The message gets through, anyway.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful.
Ok if you've never touched a bike, worthless if you've taken the MSF course already.
By H. Arvin
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...

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
Be smart...be safe!
By S. Farley
If you are one of the thousands of new (and older) bike riders out there, do yourself a BIG favor and read this book! It is hands-down the best on motorcycle safety. It describes, in detail, situations in which you'll find yourself in city traffic or open roads where you will need to make split-second decisions to save your butt! I have ridden bikes for 40 years and I have learned things in this book that I hope will allow me to ride another 40! Buy it, read it, and follow the great tips on riding safely.