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 Proficient Motorcycling The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well
2nd Edition David L. Hough

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 Table of Contents

Title Page
Dedication
Preface
Introduction

CHAPTER 1 - RISK!
CANYON BITES
The Taboo
How Far Are You Hanging It Out?
Fixing the Odds
I Didn’t See You

CHAPTER 2 - Motorcycle Dynamics

WHAT KEEPS IT BALANCED?
What Makes It Turn?
The Lowdown on the Slowdown
Taking the Panic out of Panic Stops

CHAPTER 3 - Cornering Tactics

CORNERING HABITS
Cornering Lines
Right Pace, Right Place
Homework

CHAPTER 4 - Urban Traffic Survival

CITY TRAFFIC
Snap-Jawed Intersections
Suburb Survival
Superslab Tactics
Aggressive Drivers
 Evasive Action

CHAPTER 5 - Booby Traps

SURFACE HAZARDS
Curbs Ahead
Running Out of Pavement
Deer, Oh Dear!
Ferocious Fidos

CHAPTER 6 - Special Situations

WHEN IT RAINS
Rain Riding Tactics
When You’re Hot, You’re HOT
Running Cool
Dang Wind
Freezing Your Gas on the Pass
Night Owls
White-Line Fever

CHAPTER 7 - Sharing the Ride

BATCHES OF BIKERS
The Second Rider
Let’s Get Loaded
Sidecars and Trikes

THE END OF THE TRIP

Resources
Glossary
Index
Copyright Page
Dedication

While the content of this book is really collective wisdom gleaned

from fellow motorcyclists and the school of hard knocks, two
individuals were instrumental in allowing this book to come to life.
First, it was Bob Carpenter, the editor of Road Rider, who
salvaged my first article back in 1972. Bob encouraged me to keep
submitting, showed me by example how to write, and then
suggested I tackle the “Proficient Motorcycling” series that eventually
served as the basis for this book. Thanks, Bob. It’s been quite a trip
so far.
Second, my wife Diana has been tolerating my travels, travails,
and tantrums since we got married. She accompanied me on many
long motorcycle journeys on a variety of motorcycles that weren’t
very comfortable; endured more than a few cold, wet, windy days;
put up with my motorcycling fanaticism for the past forty years; and
kept me moving on this project even when I would rather have gone
riding. We got married in a little country church on Bainbridge Island
in 1958, and we’re still together. Pretty amazing, huh?
 Preface

I’ve always been interested in how things work. I remember taking

apart my new cap pistol when I was six years old, then hiding it when
I couldn’t get all the springs back inside. After a few more years of
dabbling in things mechanical, I could overhaul the planetary geared
hub on my bicycle and respoke wheels. I worked on outboard motors
and built a few boats. In college, I took some mechanical
engineering courses and learned about machining, casting, and
welding before I switched over to industrial design. I started
maintaining the family automobiles out of necessity, and when we
needed a new house for a growing family, I learned concrete work,
carpentry, plumbing, and electrical.
When I started riding motorcycles back in the 1960s, it was natural
for me to wonder about the curious behavior of two-wheelers. I
realized that riding a motorcycle involved not only the mechanics but
also the dynamics of how to control them. My commuting to work by
motorcycle eventually extended to thirty years, during which time I
absorbed more than a few lessons about motorcycle dynamics as
well as the joys and challenges of long-distance touring, group
riding, foreign travel, three-wheeled motorcycles, off-pavement
riding, motorcyclist rights, rider training, and yes, writing about it all.
In the mid 1970s, I started putting down my thoughts on paper,
contributing occasionally to Road Rider, a small Southern California
touring magazine with a fiercely loyal family of subscribers. I began
to offer safety tips at the local motorcycle club meetings, and I taught
several “road survival” courses. When the Motorcycle Safety
Foundation came into being, I became an MSFCERTIFIED
instructor.
The “Proficient Motorcycling” column sprang to life in the May,
1984 issue of Road Rider, after editor Bob Carpenter asked me to
write a six-part skills series, which he intended to publish every other
month for one year. I didn’t want to call this a safety column because
I didn’t think people rode motorcycles to be safe. I figured readers
might rise to the challenge of getting more proficient. So I named it
Proficient Motorcycling. Bob immediately decided to make it a
monthly column, which I contributed to for several more years. Little
did we realize at the time that “Proficient Motorcycling” would outlive
Road Rider, capture a few awards from the motorcycle safety folks,
stretch out another fifteen years, and start a trend toward the
inclusion of riding-skills articles in other enthusiast publications.
By 1991, Road Rider magazine had been purchased by Fancy
Publications and was reborn as Motorcycle Consumer News (MCN),
a black-and white, no-advertisements, no-nonsense, quick-
turnaround, product-oriented monthly. The “Proficient Motorcycling”
column jumped the gap from Road Rider to MCN almost without
skipping a beat
MCN editor Fred Rau recognized the value of skills articles and
encouraged me to keep the column going. Today, it’s still a popular
feature of the magazine. Back in 2000, when I put this book together
from years of past “Proficient Motorcycling” columns, I was
approaching age 65, and I recognized the column might well outlive
me. So I helped train my replacement, Ken Condon. Ken now writes
the “Proficient Motorcycling” column for MCN.
When i-5 Press decided to publish the first edition of the book
Proficient Motorcycling, no one really understood the potential, and it
was made very economically. Everyone was surprised and relieved
when the first run quickly sold out. Since then, more than 120,000
copies of Proficient Motorcycling have found their way into the hands
and minds of motorcycle enthusiasts. More than a few readers have
told me proudly that they lent their first copy to other riders, couldn’t
get it back, and had to buy a second copy for themselves.
Considering the enthusiastic reception to the first edition, it’s time
for an update, so here’s the second edition—a little bigger, sharper,
and better organized. I hope you find it useful.

Note: contents based on the “Proficient Motorcycling” series as

published in Motorcycle Consumer News and Road Rider magazine,
1981-1999.
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Introduction
 BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING
I’ve been trying for years to break the taboo about discussing the
risks of motorcycling. Motorcyclists know instinctively that the risks of
riding are higher than those associated with other vehicles, but there
seems to be a general consensus that ignoring the risks will make
them go away. Certainly, motorcycle salespeople tend to sidestep the
safety issue for fear of squelching a sale. Mainstream motorcycle
magazines have focused on the bike as a machine, a lifestyle, or an
addictive pursuit, but seldom have there been articles on how to
control the bike or how to get through traffic unscathed. And if a
motorcyclist is still trying to convince the family that riding a two-
wheeler is an acceptable mode of transportation, maybe it would be
smart to not bring the risks out into the open. In my opinion, it is
possible to reduce the risks of motorcycling to an acceptable level
through skill and knowledge, and we really need to get that concept
out in the open.
I’m pleased to see that today other authors are starting to talk
about riding skills. There are a number of excellent books available,
mostly by authors with a background in motorcycle racing. The ex-
racers tend to focus on fast cornering and deal only superficially with
the business of negotiating the hazards of riding on public roads. My
focus is the opposite. I deal primarily with riding tactics appropriate to
public roads, with much less emphasis on rapid cornering. That’s why
this book includes lots of photos of situations on public roads and
fewer photos emphasizing the motorcycle as the center of attention.
Let’s face the risk questions openly and honestly. Yes, motorcycles
are potentially dangerous, but whoever is holding the handlebar grips
at the moment can significantly change the odds. If you want to avoid
pain and lost dollars, you need to understand what the risks are and
take positive steps to control any situation to your advantage. The
proficient motorcyclist knows what trouble looks like and has the skills
to negotiate whatever happens along. The big payoff is that becoming
a really proficient motorcyclist can be immensely satisfying.
The big payoff is that becoming a proficient motorcyclist can be
immensely satisfying.
I’ve tried to keep discussions of motorcycle dynamics simple, but
some people may still have difficulty understanding the concepts.
Sometimes the dynamics won’t become clear until you take the book
out to the garage and do some experimentation with your motorcycle
or until you take your machine for a spin and feel what it’s telling you.
You can study this book in any sequence you choose, but the
contents are arranged so that one subject leads to the next. It will
probably make more sense to you if you start at the beginning and
read through to the end.
 I’ll try to give you all the no-nonsense information I can, but this is
only a book, not a training course. When experimenting on your
motorcycle or practicing a skill, please wear your best crash padding.
I believe that appropriate protective gear includes abrasion- and
impact-resistant full jacket and riding pants, tall leather riding boots,
full-fingered gloves, a genuine DOT-approved helmet, and
shatterproof eye protection.

Throughout Proficient Motorcycling , you’ll encounter some

characters whom you may suspect you’ve seen somewhere. Here’s
Biker Bob, riding along minding his own business, when suddenly—
crash, wham, bam—Bob’s bike slams over on its side in a shower of
sparks and shattered plastic. Wait a minute! Who is this guy Biker
Bob, anyway? Be aware that most of the characters in this book are
fictitious, although many of the situations are based on real crashes
and incidents. Think of the tales of woe as myths, which may not be
completely factual but are all potential learning experiences. You may
even recognize a bit of yourself in these fictional folks. In some
cases, I know I’ve played the part of Bob myself. And, please, do us
both a favor and don’t get hung up on the names or the sexes.
Consider this book only the beginning of a journey toward
becoming a proficient motorcyclist. Take advantage of skills seminars
at motorcycle events. Read different books on motorcycling skills.
Take a training course, or attend a track school. Mostly, keep yourself
attuned to what’s happening as you motor off toward the horizon.
There are many other lessons waiting to be learned.
CHAPTER 1

RISK!
 CANYON BITES

It’s a sunny Sunday morning in the Colorado mountains. Perfect

weather. Light traffic. The pavement is clean and dry. Motoring
eastbound through the scenic Boulder canyon, Norman and Christine
are enjoying the ride and the view. Both riders are wearing protective
gear, including high-quality full-coverage helmets. Norman is paying
attention to the curves, planning good cornering lines, and keeping
his Suzuki well in control.
Westbound, four motorcyclists on fast sportbikes are dicing with
each other, enjoying their race-bred machines, the excellent road
conditions, and the rush of friendly competition at the spirited pace,
albeit with little regard for speed limits or double yellow lines. At the
moment, Mark is slightly more willing than the others to jack up the
risks, and his Honda is pulling ahead of the pack.
Just east of Hurricane Hill, Norman slows the Suzuki for the sharp
blind turn through the rocks and leans the bike over into a nice
curving arc that should kiss the centerline at his apex. At the same
instant, Mark carves into the same turn westbound on his Honda.
Mark realizes too late that the curve through the rocks is tighter than
he had assumed. He tries to lean the Honda more, but he can’t
prevent the bike from drifting wide across the double yellow lines,
right into the path of the approaching Suzuki.
Frantically, Norman shoves the grips toward the right to swerve the
Suzuki away from a 120-mph head-on collision. Mark frantically tries
to get the Honda turned, but the tires lose traction, and the bike
lowsides in a shower of sparks and plastic. The sliding Honda clips
the Suzuki just hard enough to send it cartwheeling into the rocks.
Mark tumbles to a stop, bleeding profusely but alive. A second later,
Mark’s buddies carve around the corner and spin through the mess of
wadded-up bikes and bodies. Norman dies instantly, his helmeted
head ripped from his body. Norman’s wife, Christine, dies an hour
later at the hospital. Mark and his buddies all survive.
 This is a true story, and I’m not relating it just to gross you out.
Similar crashes occur over and over again on various twisty highways
across America that are popular with weekend motorcyclists. The
term canyon racing comes from California, where the twisty roads
leading up the canyons are the playgrounds of aggressive
motorcyclists. The East Coast has its canyon roads, too, including the
famously twisty road through Deals Gap between North Carolina and
Tennessee, known by motorcyclists as The Dragon.
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