Table of Contents

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
Doesn't 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
I'm Not Too Ride to Drunk
Alcohol Content of Drinks
Come On, Dave, How Serious Can it Be?
So, What's My Safe Limit?
DWI Cues
But I Don't Drink
Let's 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, What's 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
What's a "Delayed apex"?
Real World Observations
Tricks for Delayed Apexing

4.7 Feeling the Bike
Steering
Riding Experiments
What's the Point?
Suspension
Brakes
Frame

5.0. Seeing and Being Seen

5.1 Why Don't 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 Don't 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
What's the Problem, Anyway?
The Options
Suggestions
Help 'N Hands
Anonymous Directories
Motorcycle Emergency Road Service
Medical Emergencies

6.4 Biker Bill's Last Ride
The Road
The Road Disappears
What Happened?
Closer to the Edge

About the Author

David L. Hough is a longtime motorcyclist and journalist who has traveled extensively by motorcycle throughout North America and Europe. David's 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 world's 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.