Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well by David L. Hough

[KiteSquid]

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well by David L. Hough

 

Who has read this book?

 

What did you learn?

[noahzark]

Here's the URL for Amazon's reviews of this book. I don't think they get into "what did you learn," but it's a start.

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/review/product/1889540536/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?_encoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1]Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well[/ame]

 

Hope it helps.

[Aimhigh]

:thumbsup2:Looks like something I am willing to invest in. Thanks for the post and the heads up.

[KiteSquid]

Actually there is a second edition of it that comes with a CD-ROM of more stuff...

 

Click the book below for the second editon of this book:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1933958359/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1227123547&sr=1-1]_[/ame]

 

 

ALSO there is More Proficient Motorcycling: Mastering the Ride, by David L. Hough a second volume. Click the picture below to go to Amazon.com [ame=http://www.amazon.com/More-Proficient-Motorcycling-Mastering-Ride/dp/1931993033/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b]_[/ame]

 

I have two reasons for asking my favorite question: What have you learned while reading this book/ viewing this DVD/ attending that course or building that kite (my other hobby), etc....

 

1) I want to learn more from others as I am quite thick headed. if you comment about something that I missed, I will go back and re-read that section of the book. It might save my life!!!!!!

 

2) The discussions here might motivate more Royal Star riders to become safer motorcycle riders!!!!!!! I don't want ANY of my riding family to get injured or killed due to a preventable accident.

 

 

When you get on your bike you might as well paint a target on your jacket, as you are invisible to all other drivers on the road............ or at least that is my experience, so if I can become a better rider by reading a book, watching a DVD or attending a course I am all for it!!!! If that motivates you to do the same than we ALL win!!!!!!!

[dragerman]

I come from the old school of biking... fall down, get up and try it again. Problem is that I’m not as young as I use to be and there is much more knowledge and insight now. There is also a difference to dirt bike riding and riding the open road on a cruiser.

 

Having said that, I read the book about two years ago and would highly recommend it! It’s a good book for anyone who currently rides or is thinking about starting. There is no such thing as too much information when it comes to motorcycle safety.

 

That’s what me’s thinks!

[Sunman]

I have read both of the Proficient books, and also his Street Survival Guide. All of them give you great information, that may help you to save your own life. I just bought 3 copies of Proficient 1, to give as gifts to people I ride with, and care about. Lots of experience, and good riding habits were the foundation of this book. Definitely a must read for anyone who is serious about improving their skills.

[CrazyHorse]

Good books I have both. I also like Total Control by Lee Parks.

[Celt]

Proficient Motorcycling is definately a good read, as is Lee Parks Total Control (got both).but for me best money i spent was on Ride Like A Pro V .more interesting to watch than read i suppose.

[pegscraper]

Street Strategies by David Hough is also very good. The information is given in bite sized pieces. Each riding tip takes just one page, so it's easy to read just one page at a time and digest the information. My wife likes this one, as some of the other books mentioned get technical enough that she loses interest in reading them.

 

I've read all the above books. So what did I learn? I don't remember. What didn't stick, I don't remember. And what did stick has been absorbed in my brain and I don't remember that either. I guess it's time to read up again, now that Parked Motorcycle Syndrome is virtually here. I can always learn something new.

[Rick Butler]

Good deal guys,

 

It's good to hear that someone else besides me is still wanting to learn. David Hough (pronounced Huff) is the godfather of proficient motorcycle riding and the dynamics of riding on 2 wheels. I really think the MSF folks took what he started preaching as a contibuting writer for Motorcycle Consumer News (aka Road Rider) and built it into their training curriculum. Ken Condon is now the author of these articles and does a pretty good job. It's better to learn the right way from these folks, than from your 16 year old friend that passed all of his wordly knowledge onto you when you took off for the first time. The "School of Hard Knocks" is not the place to learn and I have the scars to back that up.

 

But am continuosly looking to improve my riding skills and I have read both of his books on Proficient Motorcycling And have ordered his "Street Strategies" and also have read Lee Parks "Total Control" as well as a couple of sport bike books. But I also use these books as reference material to look up riding in special situations.

 

But one of the best places to learn everything you need to know to ride smart is from a track school. I'm very fortunate to have one available to me as well as 2 tracks close by. This is the most fun I've ever had on 2 wheels and is a perfect place to build your confidence and knowledge for riding on our twisty backroads that most of us are fond of. And no, Deals Gap is really not one of them. It's technically challenging but tiring and there are better roads nearby. They teach you brake control, entry points, apex points, earliest exit points and throttle control.

 

So never stop learning and you will be better off for it,

 

Rick

[CrazyHorse]

Good deal guys,

 

It's good to hear that someone else besides me is still wanting to learn. David Hough (pronounced Huff) is the godfather of proficient motorcycle riding and the dynamics of riding on 2 wheels. I really think the MSF folks took what he started preaching as a contibuting writer for Motorcycle Consumer News (aka Road Rider) and built it into their training curriculum. Ken Condon is now the author of these articles and does a pretty good job. It's better to learn the right way from these folks, than from your 16 year old friend that passed all of his wordly knowledge onto you when you took off for the first time. The "School of Hard Knocks" is not the place to learn and I have the scars to back that up.

 

But am continuosly looking to improve my riding skills and I have read both of his books on Proficient Motorcycling And have ordered his "Street Strategies" and also have read Lee Parks "Total Control" as well as a couple of sport bike books. But I also use these books as reference material to look up riding in special situations.

 

But one of the best places to learn everything you need to know to ride smart is from a track school. I'm very fortunate to have one available to me as well as 2 tracks close by. This is the most fun I've ever had on 2 wheels and is a perfect place to build your confidence and knowledge for riding on our twisty backroads that most of us are fond of. And no, Deals Gap is really not one of them. It's technically challenging but tiring and there are better roads nearby. They teach you brake control, entry points, apex points, earliest exit points and throttle control.

 

So never stop learning and you will be better off for it,

 

Rick

 

Well said...

[KiteSquid]

I keep seeing a recurring theme in the posts above:

 

You can always learn, and we learn by repetition.

 

So I should read books, view videos, and attend courses that teach safe riding techniques.

 

And to repeat the training, so my brain absorbs it, as I have a very dense brain.....I learn slowly...

[Bummer]

Absolutely get the first one and read it. More is good but the original is the best. I'd personally place Street Strategies between the two in overall importance. I carry my copy of that one in the trunk. I like to read a scenario ever time we stop at a rest area (I don't always, but I try). The stuff you don't notice in the pictures is amazingly important.

 

I started reading David's articles in Road Rider. When they went belly up I continued reading them in Motorcycle Consumer News. When Proficient Motorcycling came out I got a copy. I loaned it out and had to get another copy. I skim it all over again every winter. I always manage to find something to go 'Hmmmmm' over. Possibly the single most important book any rider can read.

 

What did I learn? Sorry, it's been way too long to tell. He explains a lot of the science behind riding in a way that'll help most anyone. He gives lots of advice about stuff that'll kill you, and how to not let it. As Rick suggested, the MSF probably wouldn't even have a class to teach if it hadn't been for the information that David presented while he was an instructor. (This is a somewhat controversial issue that he's spoken out about over the years. Seems he's not all that happy that they've copyrighted info he developed. Can't say I blame him.)

 

While Ride Like A Pro is an important source of info on how to ride slow and well, Proficient will keep you alive. I had my sister read it when she bought her V-Star. I had my grandson read it when he got a scooter. It's getting cold out. Time to read it again. Hmmmmm.