The Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles: The Technical Procedures and Workbook for Road Racing Motorcycles

This book is desirable, as is anything written by Keith Code on the art of motorcycling. However, get twist... 1 and 2 first. This book tackles those trying to race. I'm not a racer and this book was still useful, but I could not take full advantage of this book unless I start racing :-)

Read the book, watched the movie then even took a school. I was a club racer and I rode track very often, after reading the book, I cut over 16 second off of my lap times and the best part is, I did it without crashing. I never had to close my eyes before entering a turn because I was in over my head. The best way I can put it is this, before I read Keith's book, everything or all the thoughts about riding and what to do or how to get faster or what I was doing, was wible wable in my head, I heard somethings here others there, contradicting thing in other places......Keith organized every bit of my thought and built up from the ground up, now i'm running ahead of the pack and I'm not sweating it because usually it would feel like i'm going to crash. Now every corner I take I feel confident that I will make it out alright and will even know exactly what I did to be so.

I just read an interview with 7 time world champ Valentino Rossi, and he talked about riding as a mental sport. Obviously Code had some things to say about that, and a long time ago. 20 years ago when I was endurance racing on a team of 3, my other teammates were both faster than I was. I didn't race as much as they did, so I had to figure out antoher way to pick up the skills. The short story is this book took me from slowest to fastest of our little team, and I raced the least. Just a little reading, then put it to use. I've heard that some really top racers did this too, so I guess I'm not the only one!

This book might not be for every rider. But the data on the different kinds of plans that one can make in relation to riding I think is excellent. Also, when you see the comments by Wayne Rainey (a hero of mine for sure), then you know this information applies at the top level of riding. Also, the section on one's sense of speed--I've been doing some racing and around racetracks for years, and there isn't anyone else that even talks about this (not in a fashion I can understand that is).The checklists that Code provides at the end of the chapters can really help pinpoint a riding problem. That is valuable to me.Again, not for everyone, but a little reading of this book, and a little patience with one's own riding can equal big gains. Well worth it.

I have roadraced for about 5 years now and have used the checklists in this book MANY times to help answer questions that I didn't even know existed within myself. Having this book handy helps since I don't always have Keith there to ask me the proper questions. There are certainly things that should be thought out after a ride or practice session and this book HAS THE QUESTIONS to think with!!!!! I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to ride faster and/or better through those twisty corners.GREAT BOOK!Stoney Landers