Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling

Following the success of Proficient Motorcycling in 2000, author David L. Hough released a second book of motorcycling topics and lessons called More Proficient Motorcycling in 2003. Now, a decade later, Hough returns to overhaul the book for a new generation of riders with new lessons, safety tips, illustrations, and full-color photos. A favorite of safety courses and instructors, Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling, 2nd Edition will be the must-have guidebook to motorcycling across the country. The 2nd Edition will be updated with the tips and lessons that are most commonly asked of the author, with answers conveyed through added text, illustrations, colorful graphics, and recent statistics.

David L. Hough is a longtime motorcyclist and journalist who has traveled extensively by motorcycle throughout North America and Europe. Davids daily motorcycle commutes through city traffic for twenty-five years led him to write articles about riding skills and accident avoidance tactics. His work has appeared in numerous motorcycle publications, but he is best known for the monthly skills series “Proficient Motorcycling” in Motorcycle Consumer News, which has been honored by special awards from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

David has been employed professionally as a technical illustrator, photographer, and instructional graphics specialist, so it is natural that his articles are profusely illustrated by photos and drawings, all of which he creates himself.

In his spare time, David has produced the worlds first comprehensive training system for sidecar operators. He has also served as a consultant on motorcycle safety and training for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the American Motorcyclist Association, the Motorcycle Riders Foundation, the State Motorcycle Safety Administrators Association, and too many other groups to mention, both here and abroad.

1.0 Mastering the Ride

The Professional Attitude

Airplanes and Motorcycles

1.1 Your Mission Today Is…

Traffic as Combat

The Checklist

The Mission Plan

Combat Tactics: OODA

Becoming Skilled

1.2 The Right Machine for the Ride

Friendly Advice

Is Bigger Really Better?

You Might Be Ready for a Three-Wheeler

1.3 Cops and Robbers

Risk vs Scofflaw Behavior

No Passing Zones

Different Rules

Fast Traffic

Speed vs. Risk

The Truck Tango

The Speed Enforcement Game

Radar Detectors

1.4 Wimpophobia

Wimpophobia

Not Just a Big Rally Problem

Ride Your Own Machine

Single File in the Twisties

Riding Skills

Hold On…Are You Talking About Me?

Avoiding Wimpophobia

1.5 Passing

To Pass or Not to Pass?

Look Before You Leap

When In Doubt, Back Off

Getting Passed

Lane Discipline

Traffic Speed

Group Rides

Politeness

2.0 Riding in the Real World

You can Lead a Horse to Water

Do What I Do

2.1 Public Roads vs. Race tracks

Controlling the Situation

2.2 When In Rome…

Legal vs. Acceptable

Laws

Insurance

Stock is Good

Regional Booby Traps

2.3 Street Hazards

Speed

Follow Me

Reading the Signs

Reading the Surface

Edge Traps

Tar Snakes

Seal Coating

Slick Paving

Riding Tactics

Traffic

The Distracted Driver

Aggressive Kids

Irresponsible Drivers

Commercial Trucks

2.4 Expert Eyeballs

Eyes Up

Dense Traffic

Bike Follows Nose

Vision Tricks

What Are You Looking For?

Hints and Clues

Seeing is Believing

3.0 Are You Fit For Duty?

Vision Problems and Eye Exams

Hearing

The Hearing System

Doesnt a Helmet Reduce the Noise?

Strength and Stamina

Familiarity with the Machine

Aging Motorcyclists

3.2 Quickest Ticket to the Daisy Farm

Uh Oh, Preacher Dave

A Second Opinion

Down the Hatch

Down the Drain

Im Not Too Ride to Drunk

Alcohol Content of Drinks

Come On, Dave, How Serious Can it Be?

So, Whats My Safe Limit?

DWI Cues

But I Dont Drink

Lets Make it a Taboo

Optional sidebar: The Long Arm of the Law

3.3 Spring Training

Put Your Brain in Gear

Automatic Reactions

Steering Practice

Slow, Look, Lean, and Roll

Braking Practice

The Braking Chute

Speed Concerns

Quick Stops in Curves

3.4 The Rider Training Dilemma

Other Training Courses

Three Wheeler Training

4.0 Developing Muscle Memory

The Subconscious

Post Notes for Yourself

4.1 Mastering the Throttle

Front-Rear Weight Bias

Traction vs. Suspension Feel

Throttle Steering

Throttle-Brake Transitions

What About Hills?

So, Whats Your Technique?

But, I Just Ride a Cruiser…

4.2 Shifting

The Smooth Shift

4.3 Countersteering vs Body steering

The No BS Bike

Strange Steering Geometry

Steering Practice

Speed Wobbles

Body Position

Front End Pivoting

Pushing Forward or Down?

What About Body Steering?

Perception vs. Reality

4.5 Quick, Stop!

Stopping Distance

Quick Stops in Curves

Built in Limits

Different Bikes, Different Braking

Do Powerful Brakes Produce Quicker Stops?

Making it All Work

Braking Feedback

Avoiding Panic

Practice

4.6 Cornering Lines

The Trendy Delayed Apex

Whats a “Delayed apex”?

Real World Observations

Tricks for Delayed Apexing

4.7 Feeling the Bike

Steering

Riding Experiments

Whats the Point?

Suspension

Brakes

Frame

5.0. Seeing and Being Seen

5.1 Why Dont They See Us?

How Humans “see” Our Surroundings

Seeing = Focusing On the Details

Visual Priorities

Inattentional Blindness

Multi Tasking

Judging Speed and Distance

5.2 Conspicuity Tactics

High Visibility Jacket

Headlight On

Seeing Is Believing

6.0 Know When to Fold ‘Em

6.1 How Do You Know When to Quit?

Weather

Social Crisis

Financial

Debit or Credit?

Find Someone to Lean on

6.2 The Aging Rider

Average Age

I Dont Want to Talk About It.

Going Out in a Blaze of Glory

Healthy Aging

Dealing With the Youngsters

Compensating for Age

6.3 Breakdowns

Panicky Paul

Moto Mack

Beemer Bill

Different Strokes

Different Reactions

When the Whatsisframus Goes Blooey

The King is a FINK

Whats the Problem, Anyway?

The Options

Suggestions

Help ‘N Hands

Anonymous Directories

Motorcycle Emergency Road Service

Medical Emergencies

6.4 Biker Bills Last Ride

The Road

The Road Disappears

What Happened?

Closer to the Edge