The Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Guide to Motorcycling Excellence: Skills, Knowledge, and Strategies for Riding Right (2nd Edition)

In a clear, engaging style with detailed diagrams and extensive full-color photographs and illustrations, the book covers rider attitude, protective riding gear, pre-ride inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting, as well as basic and advanced street skills. Tips on how to create a "space cushion" to avoid traffic hazards; stop quickly; countersteer for better control; manage traction; position your body for smoother, more consistent riding; travel skillfully and safely in a group; maneuver effectively and efficiently in off-highway riding; and much more, are included. The new edition also features advice from legendary racers Kevin Schwantz, Nick Ienatsch, Freddie Spencer, Rich Oliver, and Reg Pridmore, as well as contributions from Erik Buell on motorcycle geometry, Keith Code on countersteering, and Paul Thede on suspension adjustment, among other experts.

Founded in 1973, the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) is recognized internationally for its rider-training curriculum, which has been used worldwide by thousands of trainers in teaching more than three million motorcyclists the skills necessary to stay safe and have fun on the road. This book is the essence of what the MSF has learned about teaching students of all ages and experience levels. It is the definitive reference for the sport—a perfect refresher for anyone who has ever taken an MSF course, and an eye-opener for those who haven’t.

As the MSF likes to remind us, "The More You Know, The Better It Gets!" This new edition of Motorcycling Excellence provides the opportunity for every motorcyclist to discover for him or herself the thrills and joys of "riding right" by getting the best from self and machine.

To summarize, this is a book that belongs on every motorcyclist's bookshelf. I'd also recommend taking the classes. With those resources, you will find motorcycling more enjoyable as well as safer. It's saved my skin more then once, and I'd say that I've gotten at least a ten fold return for my time and money. And it's better then needing "First Aid for Bad Riders", "101 Ways to Fall Off Your Bike Gracefully" or "An Idiot's Guide to Compound Fractures" on your shelf. You will be an exponentially better rider if you buy this book, study its contents, and practice its techniques.


This book can save your life! *REALLY*   June 25, 2000
Bibliophile
46 out of 49 found this review helpful

If you ride a motorcycle, you need this book. Period. Buy it now, get it, read it, and commit what it says to reflex-memory - it can literally save your life. It is not, however, a substitute for taking one of the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's 3-day beginner motorcycling courses.

If you are concerned with becoming a better (safer) rider, I recommend you do the following: get this book and read it. Enroll and take the MSF course (they provide helmets and motorcycles and it's cheap). Re-read this book. Practice what you have learned in class and read in this book on an ongoing basis. If you do the above (and always wear a helmet), you will reduce the chances of accident and injury. Yes, motorcycling is more dangerous than riding in a "cage" (that's a car, for you non-motorcyclists). But, with proper training and safety equipment, you can improve your odds significantly.

Just do it.


Be smart...be safe!   March 22, 2006
S. Farley (Santa Fe, NM)
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

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.


Plain talk about the basic skills   February 14, 2001
PJY (Cumming, Ga USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

The first few chapters of the book are mostly common sense stuff. However it is setting you up for some intense reading about street strategies, traction and cornering a little later on. This book is very well written and reads more like a discussion about riding rather than a text book which I appreciated. The chapter tests were a little weak, but I liked the way each topic was broken down by chapter and discussed completely. I would recommend this book to novices and self-taught riders alike. It would teach them both a thing or two.


Don't Ride Without It   September 20, 1999
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

First, take the MSF course, than read this book. Otherwise, you will never know about the critical safety information you need to safely ride a motorcycle unless you learn what you missed the hard way. It's worth every penny.