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This is not the definitive book of motorcycle riding, but certainly WELL WORTH the time and money to read.I also purchased A Twist Of The Wrist II as a supplement to this book, also strongly recommended. Overall, a fantastic work complete with examples, lessons, and practice descriptions.
Highly recommended. Each time you read it you will learn some thing new. The picture of incorrect and correct riding poitions is very helpful. Good quality easy to read book. Very in depth.
When I would take my 2001 Honda GL1800A out onto the marvelous twisties of the area, I'd get passed up by SUVs and lead sleds. Every time I would get leaned well over, the bike would begin to feel spooky, and I'd fear that it was about to slide out. I started reading book reviews and decide to give Total Control a try.It was easy to read and to the point, with good illustrations and enough humor to keep it light. I did not know that it was a famous road at the time, or that it is considered ill-advised for newbies, I was just enjoying a ride.I entered that stretch of road, which has sheer cliffs to one side and rock walls to the other, and no guard rails. I pulled into the hotel in Mariposa with a large grin on my face.The next day, I took 250 miles of twisties up to Mokelumne Hill.
30 miles of tight twisties would leave me exhausted, both mentally and physically. I felt no stress, and just a touch of fear. That got me into a lot of crashes, but I somehow always managed to "bounce." When I got my first "big" bike, a 1981 Yamaha Maxim 650,I promply broke my leg on it. That was all the proof I needed.Sunday I am taking Total Control Advanced Riding Clinic, and 2 weeks later I am taking Level 2 of the same clinic.
I would think, "I want to go THERE," and the bike would go THERE, effortlessly. Fast forward 16 years and I have moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, AKA, motorcycle heaven. I've been riding since 1988. It addresses technique as well as mindset. The bike began to shrink under me and I felt the sensation of effortless flight.
That has served me well and I've injury free ever since. If you don't feel a little fear when riding near sheer cliffs that have no guardrails, you might be in for trouble.Using the lessons learned in Total Control, I was able to hustle the 1,200 Lbs of man and machine through the turns with no more effort than if it had been that first 250 I owned. I found that the GL1800, a 900 Lb motorcycle, is every bit as sensitive as that 300Lb 250 was, and reacted the same way if I got hamfisted with it.I finished that 250 mile ride with a bit of pain in my legs, caused by not stopping enough. Back then, I had a 1982 Suzuki GN250, and I was absolutely fearless.
I would concentrate on relaxing and applying the principles of Total Control, and the bike would settle down. Every now and then, the bike would get that old "spooky" feeling when heeled over. I had sweet dreams of flying on my Goldwing. I continued this for 18 miles of sheer nirvana. Every time it did that, it was my old habits kicking in.
No ghosts visited. I checked into the Hotel Leger, a haunted hotel, and stayed in a haunted room. I hope I get half as much out of the clinics that I got out of the book. I was not tired or tense.
From that point on, I have ridden very conservatively. I took Priest Grade in the wet, Twice, without stress. The stretch is a bit tricky because it can encourage high speeds, but the turns are tight. I did not mind being slow so much as being stressed as each corner came up.
I consider this a self-help book, and, to me, the most important part of a self-help book is the end-result, so I'll just skip to that.Last weekend, I took a ride on my Goldwing down Hwy 49 in California to the stretch known as the Little Dragon.
After reading this book I have a renewed confidence in riding a sport bike as well as a touring bike, I have learned new techniques for handling any motorcycle, and a better understanding of the physics of the relationship of cyclist, bike, and environment.This is a must read for anyone who is serious about riding safely and with increased confidence and skills for handling a powerful machine. As a seasoned rider I thought I knew a lot about handling a motorcycle.
As an MSF rider coach, I am always looking for additional materials to supplement the course material as well as ongoing presentations I present to the Blue Knights mc, on a monthly basis; this excellent publication fills this niche for instructors and safety officers as well as individual riders;the portion on cornering alone is worth the price; highly recommended;
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