Reddit Reddit reviews Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well, Updated & Expanded 2nd Edition (CompanionHouse Books) The Must-Have Manual: Confront Fears, Sharpen Handling Skills, & Learn to Ride Safely

We found 44 Reddit comments about Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well, Updated & Expanded 2nd Edition (CompanionHouse Books) The Must-Have Manual: Confront Fears, Sharpen Handling Skills, & Learn to Ride Safely. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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44 Reddit comments about Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well, Updated & Expanded 2nd Edition (CompanionHouse Books) The Must-Have Manual: Confront Fears, Sharpen Handling Skills, & Learn to Ride Safely:

u/codeduck · 15 pointsr/motorcycles

I guess I'm going to be the first in here with unpopular advice.

> ended up laying her down so I didn't hit the van

Yeah, no. If you'd braked properly you'd have had the same result, without a broken bike or road rash.

> Luckily I didn't hit my head, but I have some road rash on it.

A $50 helmet would have saved you that pain.

I seriously don't get why you guys do this. I get it - riding with the wind in your hair is cool. But is the wind in your hair worth losing what looks like a significant patch of skin?

Mate, you got lucky. Buy and wear some proper gear and do yourself a favour and learn how to perform an emergency stop without dropping the bike.

I highly recommend a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough.

u/katzider · 10 pointsr/Guadalajara

Yo he tomado básico e intermedio con cemovial y los puedo recomendar ampliamente. Abarcan bastantes temas incluyendo frenado, curveo, countersteer, manejo en tierra, etc.
http://cemovial.com/contacto-cemovial/
Si quieres algo más deportivo puedes probar con el equipo de Italika racing GDL. Yo tomé curso con Italika racing del DF y la neta si hubo un antes y después en mi manejo.
https://www.italikaracing.com/ciar

Y cómo no todo es cursos presenciales también te recomiendo estos libros, a mí me han servido mucho:

https://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760343446/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1539741867&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=total+control+motorcycle

https://www.amazon.com.mx/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=asc_df_1620081199/?tag=glemobshopmx-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=295472311811&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11203509227990690069&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1010079&hvtargid=aud-530251625033:pla-437013819598&psc=1

También te dejo el canal de este compa:

http://www.motojitsu.com

Tengo entendido que en agencias de BMW también dan cursos, puedes checar con los de Jurgen. Con ellos nunca he ido.

Ánimo y rueda seguro.

u/BuckeyeBentley · 8 pointsr/motorcycles

Read Proficient Motorcycling and A Twist of the Wrist II, and watch the movie A Twist of the Wrist.

u/jpgPGH · 7 pointsr/flying

I took the Motorcycle Safety Program for free through my state DMV. That got me my license, but I knew I was just getting started as far as actually learning to ride. I like to read a lot and I found a book titled, “Proficient Motorcycling” by David L. Bough that was really good. Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_PmADDbC4VZWVX

After that it was just a matter of riding more, riding farther from home and going on bigger (busier) roads. After a couple of months, I did a weekend trip across the state (about 270 miles) and surprised my folks with my new purchase. (And boy were they surprised,) Good luck!!

u/TheStonedMathGuy · 6 pointsr/uofm

That's an awesome bike, I almost went with one for my first bike. Is this your first motorcycle? If so, let me throw a quick couple thoughts out. If you are a seasoned rider, you'll agree these are good points.

  1. Look for a motorcycle safety course through the motorcycle safety foundation. They are offered in the area and can be very valuable.

    2. If this is your first bike, read this book. I've been riding for years and I still read this every spring. it's a very easy read and catches you up on the basics of riding - it's not the same as driving a car. I cannot say enough praise about this book. If you don't want to purchase your own copy, I'll let you borrow mine, it's that essential. I recommend this book to seasoned riders, so this recommendation is equally valid if this isn't your first bike. Improving your knowledge on the road is always important, and this book is a great tool to do that.

    Just remember, motorcycles demand a healthy level of respect. There is no reason to fear them, but ignoring safety practices with them is foolish. Always wear your full safety gear; /r/motorcycles calls this All The Gear, All The Time (ATGATT). Speaking of the motorcycles sub, we'd love to have you join.

    You should also check out the Michigan moto club on Facebook. I don't have a bike any more, so I can't offer to ride with you, but there are always people on that page looking to ride with other students.

    Honestly, just explore the city on your motorcycle. Need to go run and grab a notebook in the middle of the day? Take the scenic route down to the Meijer on carpenter (East on Geddes -> South on Huron Parkway -> East on E Huron River Drive -> South on Hogback Road which will turn into carpenter). The most mindless tasks just got very fun!


    Finally, enjoy the ride. You've got a great bike in a very fun city and the freedom to explore. Take the most of it!
u/howheels · 6 pointsr/orangecounty

> grab all brakes and lay down the bike

This is never the right answer. There is no situation where "laying it down" is the optimal solution. If you think it is, I highly suggest learning more about safe motorcycle riding, practicing, and improving your skills.

The stopping distance of a bike with both tires on the ground is dramatically shorter than the distance your body will slide on the ground. That is, until your body collides with an immovable object. You are risking death by intentionally laying it down just as much as intentionally slamming into a car. Either option is demonstrating a lack of control of your motorcycle. This is unsafe both for you and for everyone else on the road.

Source: 15+ years riding experience. Never "had ta lay 'er down" a single time. Also I regularly practice emergency braking maneuvers.

https://saddlebackridertraining.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199

u/funnythebunny · 6 pointsr/motorcycles

Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough is available in both print and Kindle. This is the best book you'll ever read about how to become a better rider; it explains the basics and dynamics of a motorcycle and how to put the best skills to work for you. It's a great read for both Novice and Skilled Riders; no one will disagree on this.

Now for pointers: LOOK into the turn to where you want the bike to go; don't fixate your eyes on a single object. Slow down BEFORE the turn and roll the throttle into it.

Watch this ridiculously directed training video; once you get past the goofy characters, it teaches a lot of good riding habits.

Edit: Got name mixed up - Thanks for the heads up.

u/opusknecht · 6 pointsr/motorcycles

You’ve got most of the basics. You’re starting out a lot more informed than most.

Not sure what country you’re in but if you have local training classes available, take them. Always keep learning.

Always remember that being in a hurry almost never gets you there that much faster. A couple minutes (if that) is not worth the risk of hurrying and not paying attention.

Even if you have the right of way, that will not console you from the hospital bed. Sure, you may have been in the right and they should have stopped. And yes they will hopefully cover your medical bills and totaled bike. But wouldn’t you rather just avoid all of that in the first place? We cannot afford to hold our own while riding. Make yourself visible and always use your lane space to your advantage, but give way if needed.

These two books have an amazing amount of practical knowledge for street riding:

[Street Strategies](Street Rider’s Guide: Street Strategies for Motorcyclists (Motorcycle Consumer News) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081326/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ijwaCb4M23P86)

[Proficient Motorcycling](Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DlwaCbBZ1YK5Q)

u/elkster88 · 5 pointsr/motorcycles

> instructor stressed that speed is the rider's biggest asset in any and especially unexpected situations

Speed IS an asset... not sure this is one you want to be relying on as a beginner, though. Especially on a 250. Learning how to brake very quickly without locking up the wheels is a real survival skill on a bike.

Your safety is highly dependent on your awareness of what is happening in traffic around you, and how you deliberately choose to position yourself in it.

I could write a book about it, but I won't because David L. Hough already has (and I am sure he's a better writer than me). Please read it before you go on your trip.

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

I would also advise you do at least 2 rentals: one or more for a day or two to do a little practice near home before your trip.

u/e60deluxe · 5 pointsr/motorcycles

(1) Ok so licensing and basic training is pretty easy in the US but it still varies state to state.

All states use a rider training program, the majority of them being of the MSF curriculum, a small handful of them being run by the MSF themselves. other states will have their own, but the process is usually more or less the same.

you take a 2 day course that takes you from the point of never having sat on a motorcycle to being a licensed rider (some states will still make you take the DMV written exam however) some states will REQUIRE you to take this class if you are under 21. best to check with your state on the process.

This is where you should start. this is not where you should end however. these courses will give you the skills you need to operate the motorcycle, but before being road ready they need to be drilled down in a parking lot. after getting your bike hopefully you can ride it home in a light traffic hours or have it delivered, and be prepared to get out to an empty parking lot and practice the exercises taught before getting into full blown traffic.

in addition to this, your rider education should not stop. i advise you to check out some books from your local library if not purchasing a copy yourself. i will link below

(2) the clutch in a manual car is more difficult than on a bike, but the same interplay between the clutch and throttle applies. most bikes are also designed with wet clutches which allow them to slip more and take more abuse than dry clutches, also gives them a more linear release (although some Italian bikes have dry clutches) . Bikes can also move off easier without throttle which makes things easier in the beginning. hills starts are not as much of a problem on a bike than a car. one advantage a car has however is a mental one, you dont have to worry about keeping the vehicle upright while you are learning. doing this plus learning the clutch could make things challenging. for the most part, though, a motorcycle will be easier than a car.

(3) at your height most bikes will fit well. there's only a few bikes that you can be too tall for, most of the time its the other way around, where as a beginner you want to be able to flat foot the bike. so a lot of this comes down to which bikes you like.

the other things is that a lot comes down to body geometry so not all 6'2" are going to be equally comfortable on the same bike. best it to go and sit on a few bikes. if you are into sportbikes/sport standards, most of the entry level 250cc-300cc bikes actually fit taller people better than say, a 300cc cruiser.

that being said, when you go to take the course. expect to be slightly uncomfortable. a lot of these bikes used at courses tend to be bikes with very low seat heights so that shorter people can still flat foot them...while you are learning you will have to put your foot down a lot, which can be make a taller person feel cramped on the bike. once your riding, these bikes are mostly fine for us taller folk but in the course with so much stop and go, and bike walking exercising, with such a low seat height, its kind of uncomfortable.


Recommended reading:

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well
by David L. Hough
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/
This book is pretty popular and its VERY good. your local library probably has it. I was actually able to get an ebook from the library to read on a tablet in full color without getting off my butt.


The Follow up:
https://www.amazon.com//dp/1935484869/

If you are into sportbikes:

Lee Parks Total Control https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R31222S

Nick Ienatsch Sport Riding Techniques https://www.amazon.com/gp/1893618072/

u/sudonem · 5 pointsr/Atlanta

As someone who's been riding since he was 19 (and is now noticeably older than that) I strongly recommend that you pick up a copy of Proficient Motorcycling and read that shit cover to cover on a yearly basis.

It will literally save your life, as it has mine on multiple occasions.

u/Some_Old_Man_Fishin · 5 pointsr/motorcycles
u/SlidePanda · 5 pointsr/motorcycles

Yep - sounds like you're probably past a lot of the on-bike portions of the BRC. But there is some valuable class room stuff for someone who's not ridden on the streets.

Lucky for you the BRC course book is online - bam:
http://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook.pdf

Another couple books that are worth looking at
David Houghs - Proficient Motorcycling
http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199

And Lee Parks - Total Control
http://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760314039/

I like Parks descriptions of the more technique oriented content. But Houghs book covers a lot of road/traffic survival techniques that are touched on lightly or not at all in the Parks book

u/calamari_kid · 4 pointsr/motorcycles

Sign up for the MSF course. Good way to get familiar with the basic workings of the bike and you'll have your endorsement at the end.

Pick up Proficient Motorcycling. Covers everything from road strategies to basic maintenance and will give you a solid foundation.

Keep the rubber side down and have fun!

u/keith0718 · 4 pointsr/NewRiders

It would be bad if you weren't apprehensive. Your fear is a good sign that you respect the inherent dangers of motorcycling . I was in a somewhat similar situation - this time last year I was set on getting into motorcycling when I ran into the statistic that one is 30 times more likely to die on a bike that in a car. I got spooked. I did some research and after reading David Hough's book, Proficient Motorcycling I was confident that "it is possible to reduce the risks of motorcycling to an acceptable level through skill and knowledge", as Hough states in the introduction. But you really have to study the risks (through books like Hough's) and develop the skills and habits to avoid them.

I ended up starting on a 2014 Honda CB500F. I'm glad I didn't start on a 250, but there was one occasion where a bigger bike would have gotten me in trouble. You should be fine on a 650. Just be careful; don't throw yourself out there in situations that will require a skill set you haven't yet developed. Read books like Hough's so you know what's coming at you and the stupid things you should avoid.

u/aidanpryde18 · 4 pointsr/scooters

I definitely would not have a test ride of someone else's scooter be your first experience.

I recommend everyone, even if you never plan on riding a motorcylce, to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course. It's a 2.5 day course that will teach you everything you need to know to ride safely and it does it in a relatively safe, controlled environment. Depending on your area, they may even offer the Scooter Safety Course. Having to learn how to operate a manual bike at the same time may seem intimidating, but operating the controls is one of the easier parts of the course. The majority of it is how to handle the bike when things go wrong and that is something that translates directly to scooters as well.

Since you are looking at a freeway legal vehicle, you will really be doing yourself a favor to be properly trained. I have had incidents while riding that I know would have resulted in a crash had I not taken the course.

If you don't have a center in your area, I would recommend picking up the book Proficient Motorcycling. It won't replace hands-on instruction, but it will teach you the concepts that you need to understand.

Also, if you want a learner bike, go with something in the 150-200cc range. Buy it used and once you feel comfortable, you can sell it back for basically what you paid for it and purchase a bigger scoot.

Good luck and ride safe.

u/-Gravitron- · 3 pointsr/nfl

Take one of these courses and read this book. I was shitting my pants the first time I went over 25 mph, now I have 60k miles riding experience. Never give other drivers the benefit of the doubt and never stop trying to pick up little things to keep you safe. Cheers!

u/MistahGoobah · 3 pointsr/motorcycles

This is an excellent book that I'm currently reading: Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

If riding's your thing, you should definitely check out this book.

u/cdnrider1 · 3 pointsr/motorcycles

Agree with all of the other comments and add these:

Watch this series.

Buy and read this. Regularly.

u/Diet_Christ · 3 pointsr/videos

Lol, nice edit.

Seriously just read, you don't know what you're talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495428029&sr=8-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling

edit: Just to put this to bed- yes, you can shift the center of balance and weight distribution of a motorcycle in any number of ways, one of which is front end geometry, but you will NEVER overcome this rule: the majority of your braking power is in the front.

I'm not arguing the baby basics of motorcycle handling with you any longer. You will not find a reputable source to back you, and if you live long enough, you'll learn anyways.

Countersteering is not an impressive reference. Again, these are the basics.

u/whats_this_switch_do · 3 pointsr/motorcycles

Practice and doing it is the only way. Just like you said it needs to become muscle memory and the only way to make that happen is to do it over and over and over. Like u/Some_Old_Man_Fishin said, find an empty parking lot and practice there. Do the drills you learned in your BRC again and again. Once you are comfortable enough just doing the basics, try adding some 'emergency' stops and lane changes and what not.

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well is a great resource and has tons of great information.

Also 150cc is a pretty small engine, with your weight + the weight of your gear, I wouldn't recommend any highway riding.

u/Stabme · 3 pointsr/motorcycles

Everyone is saying take the MSF, which is absolutely correct, but the bare minimum. Ideally you should be learning as much as you can about motorcycles before you get to class. That way the information feels more like a refresher and allows you to devout more attention to the skills portion.

I recommend starting with the book, which is filled with great information.

Then watch youtube videos. Learn the controls and basic maneuvers. Watch people ride and practice scanning for threats(crash videos in particular work to highlight where the danger is).

u/dougdoberman · 3 pointsr/motorcycles

Practice using the clutch on your buddy's ATV absolutely as much as he'll let you. Operating a clutch on a bike is probably the single most difficult thing to get a handle on because you're worried about falling over at the same time. :) If you can go into the class with a solid grasp on finding the friction zone and manipulating the clutch lever and throttle, you'll be way ahead and able to concentrate more fully on the actual riding part.

Ignore the idiots who are telling you that no studying is required. You are making an extra effort to educate yourself. That's always good.


Read Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough: https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=pd_sbs_14_2/131-3659562-5044126

Read Total Control by Lee Parks: https://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760343446/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0

Go watch MCRider & Motojitsu's Youtube channels.


Good luck. We look forward to hearing that you passed the class and have taken your first ride. :)

u/jpesh1 · 2 pointsr/motorcycles

I picked up my bike for $2200 with a clean title but definitely had been laid down. Then I put about $200 and a few weekends of time into it to make it road legal and safe to drive. I had my parents buy me a nice helmet and MSF class for my birthday as they didn't want me to skimp on the most important safety items, if you're young I'd highly suggest this route. I put about $200 more into a jacket and then I pay $350 annually for insurance, split with my dad on the policy to reduce costs since I'm a 23 y.o. male. All in all I put in about $3000 and I think I'm pretty well set.

I'd also highly suggest buying this book. I thought it was very informative on the risks of riding and helped me approach motorcycling with a more mature attitude than I would have otherwise. I read it before I'd even set foot on a bike and then also read it again after I had started to learn the basics.

All in all good luck! And know that once you start, you won't be able to stop... I'm still hoping it gets to over 50 degrees here in Ohio this year...

u/offermychester · 2 pointsr/motorcycles

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1620081199?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Is a good book, you might know must of it but I guarantee there's some stuff you haven't thought of, good luck out there. I'm pretty new too

u/porkrind · 2 pointsr/motorcycles

You have to ride as if the other drivers mean to kill you. The examples I listed are not just my bad luck or some super crazy situations I encountered. They’re unfortunately very common. For a lot of reasons, motorcycles are just invisible to drivers.

If I remember the stats right, the most common kind of motorcycle accident is a single vehicle accident. The rider runs out of skill, isn’t paying attention or is drunk and runs the bike off the road and hits something.

Of the rest of the accident types, it’s the left turner that's going to get you.

> The single most dangerous situation for motorcyclists occurs when cars are making left-hand turns. These collisions account for 42% of all accidents involving a motorcycle and car.

And remember this...

> Motorcycle accidents, though not necessarily more frequent than other types of accidents, are more likely to result in serious injury or death. According to the federal government, per mile traveled in 2006, there were 35 times more deaths from motorcycle accidents than from car accidents.

My number one reccomendation to all new riders is to buy and read David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling series. We are way too fragile to ride bikes poorly. I’ve lost friends to motorcycle accidents. Other friends don't walk quite right or have freaky scars. Riding is the most enjoyable thing I do and I won’t give it up until I just can’t do it any more, but I take it deadly seriously and stack the deck in my favor with every tool possible.

https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FYD1RE4VR7CQ06PP8DA9

u/utc-5 · 2 pointsr/berlin

Proficient Motorcycling is an excellent book. I've taken multiple advanced rider courses and this book covers the everything that was in them (mid-corner braking with each brake, for example, and the results of each)...

u/wafflingcharlie · 2 pointsr/motorcycles

Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track https://www.amazon.com/dp/1893618072/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_ZwW0AbMMYHP0P

And

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_ryW0AbSGD7P6H

And the others by Hough - his books are good on the strategies and decision making of real world full-time riding.

u/Dioreus · 1 pointr/motorcycles

Extended reading; David L Hough's Proficient motorcycling

It should really come standard issue with every motorcycle

Amazon link for the lazy

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1620081199/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1458831961&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=david+l+hough&dpPl=1&dpID=61eBOMa7NpL&ref=plSrch

u/Nowaker · 1 pointr/CCW

You cannot control someone else's feelings and emotions, is it guns or motorcycles, but what's really important is the safety of both the rider and other drivers. Physical safety applies to the rider obviously, but there's also mental safety. If you're hit by a car and die, it's going to be a nightmare for the driver even if it was your fault. For this reason I only split when both cars in both lanes stand still. Period. If they're in motion, even 5mph, I'm too - with them in a lane.

I don't remember how I learned it but I guess it's either from Proficient Motorcycling or Street Strategies.

u/LittleHelperRobot · 1 pointr/uofm

Non-mobile: 2. If this is your first bike, read this book. I've been riding for years and I still read this every spring.

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

u/lgop · 1 pointr/motorcycles

Your weak spot will be analysing traffic situations. Watch a lot of videos, read a lot of books. Try to internalise all of the various situations that happen and how accidents can happen.

Other than that, go slow, be predictable, give people a chance to see you and don't put yourself where they don't expect you to be. People are not actually out to kill you, its just that they will often not see you or do crazy things.

Riding is not a death sentence. Most riders do not die from riding a motorcycle they die from the same things everyone else dies from, heart disease and cancer.

A good book:

https://www.amazon.ca/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1/143-1261988-6650100?ie=UTF8&qid=1503338226&sr=8-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling

some videos:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=street+smarts+motorcycle

Your family is just concerned, they will mellow out in time.

u/BillyBudd1 · 1 pointr/motorcycles
u/sew_butthurt · 1 pointr/SuggestAMotorcycle

Ah, that's a fair point. Where do you live?

When a riding class isn't available, I highly recommend this book, it is well worth the $20 or so: https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498827350&sr=8-1&keywords=david+l+hough

u/SirRatcha · 1 pointr/motorcycles

The Hurt Report showed that, compared to the average, people who took classes were half as likely to be in accidents, while those who were taught to ride by friends or family were a third again more likely to be in accidents. I'd be curious to see what a modern study would find about watching YouTube videos to learn the basics.

I've just started reading Proficient Motorcycling to up my game. Sure, I find it a lot of fun to lurk on r/CalamariRaceTeam but my personal goals are in order:

  1. To applaud my kid graduating from college
  2. To be standing up while I do it
  3. To never in my life have a skin graft
  4. To enjoy motorcycle riding

    Achieving proficiency rather than balls-out squidliness fits those goals nicely.
u/CRF250LDad · 1 pointr/motorcycle

Folks on the internet really swear by Proficient Motorcycling. I'm sure someone who has read it will chime in here to confirm. I haven't read it yet because it is on freaking backorder at amazon, but your library might have it.

u/ihatechange · 1 pointr/motorcycles
u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/gifs

You can learn from other people's experience, you know? There are many books and classes and videos discussing the sorts of hazards you will encounter and how best to minimize those hazards. This book is a good starting point. Riding a motorcycle safely requires all of your attention.

Being rear-ended at a stop can be mitigated by staying in first gear (instead of neutral) and watching your rear-view mirrors. If they don't look like they are going to stop in time, release the clutch and get out of the way. Or lane split. Or something between the two.

Many motorcyclists idle in neutral, unfortunately. Its not a activity that draws overly-cautious folks, typically.

Also, it helps if you don't brake hard for regular stops; motorcycles are capable of remarkable stopping power, but the vehicle behind you might be matching your speed, and will be unprepared. Coming to a stop slowly forces the other vehicle to take a bit more notice of your presence.

u/joeverdrive · 1 pointr/motorcycles

Congratulations on becoming a real motorcyclist and making it to 5000km!

Can you give us more details? I'd be in a better position to help if you told me what your passengers are saying or what behaviors they are showing instead of being hyperbolic. Same goes for the "ignorant" parents. What misinformation are they getting?

It's going to be an uphill battle to get girls into riding with you if you say they're over-reacting and that their parents are idiots for worrying about putting their daughters' lives in the hands of a rookie rider on a sportbike (even a 125 can look fast to the average person). Listening, understanding, and empathizing come first, then education.

There's a great book you can get for less than $20 called Proficient Motorcycling that will help you--not just with riding two-up, but with overall street skills. It's written for an American rider, but most of the principles are universal.

u/minus0 · 1 pointr/motorcycles

Here you go: Proficient Motorcycling

Specifically the section on how to brake properly in different situations. Learn the entire book though. You can work on going "advanced" from there but this is a great book for learning the basics.

u/CrustyPrimate · 1 pointr/houston

Been riding here for two and half years and other places for more years. Cycle gear has Dainese mesh armour for under 200. It has held up well, but it smells awful if you don't wash it. Full face helmets with tinted or mirrored shields are your friends and keep you from feeling like an ant under a magnifying glass when the sun is out.

The HOV is your friend. The people on the HOV and pretty much anywhere else are fucking terrible drivers. Any day I'm only merged into twice each commute is a good day. Take it slow, give yourself space, check your mirrors often and watch out for idiots on their fucking phones. I've never had anything thrown at me, but that's probably because I'm all black and people don't see me. Friday and Saturday are the worst nights for riding in town. Sunday, people are not aware enough to care. People are terrible, and you might as well be a tin can in the highway for them to run over. Just be cool and let them by.

The heat is terrible if you are stuck in it. Soak your head, your shirt, a bandanna around your neck to help keep you cool. When you get more miles under your belt, I recommend filtering when traffic isn't moving. Most people won't see you/won't move over, don't give a shit. Some people will honk, or move to block you so keep your levers covered and watch people's mirrors. Go slow, but keep moving. I won't do it around cops, but any time traffic's under twenty and congested, or there's a long line at the light, or morons on the HOV are at a standstill because they want to check out a wreck all the way across the freeway from them, I'll split. Just don't be a douche about it. Be respectful and most people will ignore you. I've been honked at a few times, and yelled at/followed by an angry lady once, but it doesn't get to me. I'm gone by the time most people notice me, and if they're that angry, they should get a bike and boil on it, too.

Get gloves with pockets behind the knuckles, you can fold your toll money in there and pull it out fairly easily to pay tolls. Don't ride tired. Don't drink and ride. Don't be a douche around cops (or in general) and they'll pretty much leave you alone.

Pick up a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. Take the MSF course, it's like 200 bucks and worth it. And fun.

The city is not great to ride in, but riding makes commuting in the city bearable. Highways are best. FM roads and back roads are fantastic.

Be Safe!

u/sdguero · 1 pointr/motorcycles

Sorry about your crash dude. That looked rough!

When you get another bike, check out the MSF course. They point out stuff you wouldn't think about otherwise. Also, this book is great, explains a lot of the physics involved with a motorcycle vs a car:
https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467129570&sr=8-1&keywords=motorcycle+training

When I got my first bike, I practiced swerving and emergency braking at speed in an empty industrial park and it helped a lot. I still locked up the rear at 80MPH and did a few other stupid things in traffic the first couple months, but it helped. IMO hanging out with experienced riders who can share their horror stories and watching the crashes on youtube also helps somewhat. All those things get you thinking about what could possibly go wrong so you don't put yourself in bad situations as often.

u/bgrouphero · -3 pointsr/motorcycles

Truly! No, not, but dude... recognize you got really lucky that didn't go a lot worse and learn something from it other than that KTMs are sweet. That mistake could have killed you. Or don't, I'm not the boss of you.

Edit: Good reading if you haven't come across a copy yet. http://smile.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425319807&sr=8-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling