Reddit mentions: The best automotive books

I'm 21, 6'2" and 190. Before the MSF class, I had never ridden anything, so I know exactly how you feel. Let me see what I can do:

> So, besides taking the MSF course, what can I do to learn more?

After the MSF class, read or watch Twist of the Wrist 2
(note: you can find these elsewhere for free) TotW 1 is good too, but 2 is more focused on practical street riding.

> What should I know (I realize this may be early since I haven't had any experience yet)?

Before you even touch a bike, you should know that motorcycles are in fact dangerous when compared to other methods of transportation. Be knowledgeable of the studies that prove it. Also, understand that while the activity is inherently dangerous there are many ways to reduce risk. The MSF class should cover most of this, but here's a couple that should be drilled into your head:

• Gear up. All of it. Helmet, Jacket, Gloves, Boots, and something on your legs with more protection than a pair of Levi's.
  
  
• Gear up ALL THE TIME
  
  
• Don't ride in blind spots
  
  
• Always be aware of your surroundings
  
  
• Ride like every car is trying to kill you, because they are
  
  
• Don't be a squid
  
  >Here in Arizona passing the MSF course waives your skills and written test for a license and I have a hard time believing that 2.5 days of experience is enough for me to feel comfortable riding around without more practice.
  
  I took the MSF class and picked up a Ninja 250 a month later with no practice in between. I puttered around the neighborhood streets for a while (about 200 miles worth of residential and <40mph streets) before I took it out on the highway. Mostly, work on your coordination. Keeping track of what gear you're in and what order you pull levers and push pedals can be confusing when you're also making sure you don't get run over. Practice until you're confident.
  
  > Also, I was looking around some dealers this past weekend and almost unanimously they said to ignore the MSF teachers' advice to go for a 250cc bike for a learner because I would "outgrow" it within a few months.
  
  Wrong. Well, Kind of. It's less the amount of time you own it and more the amount of technically challenging miles you've put on it. One piece of advice I love to give to people considering the 250 is this: Don't ever let anyone tell you that you need to have a big bike to be a good rider.
  
  I had my 250 for 3 months and put 3800 miles on it and I was still working on my form when I wrecked it. The people that get bored with a 250 in a couple months are the ones that go fast in straight lines. They upgrade to a 600 supersport, lowside it once and get scared shitless. It's why there are so many cosmetically damaged supersports on the market.
  
  > I've seen a lot of testimonials to the contrary and I mentioned that and then they said that it would be a safety issue, where a larger bike could accelerate out of accidents that a smaller one would get trapped in. Really, I just get the feeling that they are trying to upsell me on a larger bike but I was curious if these things are true.
  
  Plausible, but unlikely. Power is no substitute for safe riding. I feel a little safer in traffic on my 600 than I did on my 250 simply because I can get out of blind spots faster, but all I'm doing is accelerating to get out of someone's way instead of braking.
  
  And yes, the dealer is definitely trying to sell you a bigger bike. Bigger bike, more money, more commission.
  
  > Finally (wow this is a lot of questions) I was looking at a Ninja 250R, probably a used one since the refresh a couple of years ago. Any input on that as a starter bike?
  
  You should check out r/250r for fellow redditors with the 250r. Also, ninja250.org has one of the biggest knowledge databases on the two-fiddy.
  
  > I know it's a "sportbike" but it seems more like a standard bike with rider positioning. Also, would a guy of my height have an issue with one? I sat on one and compared to other bikes I felt like I was sitting very low and wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.
  
  Inseam matters more than height. Cycle-ergo is an awesome tool that can tell you roughly where your knees will be and how much you have to lean. Honestly, at 6'2", the 250 was a little small for me. I had one of the older ones which was slightly different, but the new ones I sat on at the dealer were also cramped though there are guys taller than me that ride them comfortably. Next time you go to the dealer, sit on one with your hands on the handlebars and stay there for a while. If it seems a little small don't worry, there are a handful of things you can do to change the ergonomics of the bike. If you're completely uncomfortable after 10 minutes, you may want to look at a bigger bike. (Not a supersport.)
  
  > Basically, any advice you can give me would be great!
  
  I know I threw a lot at you and it may be a little overwhelming. You did the right thing by signing up for the MSF class to see if you're truly interested. If you don't make it through the class, don't worry; riding isn't for everyone. It's dangerous, it's expensive and it's certainly a lifestyle change. You'll find yourself going out of your way to hit the twisties and showing up late to things. You'll neglect other projects on the weekends so you can get some seat time. You'll shave your head to avoid helmet-hair. You'll hear the sound of an engine and whip your head around trying to see what kind of bike it's coming from. You'll lean into turns in your car.
  
  But riding is also one of the most rewarding experiences in the world. Getting over the fear, accepting the danger and finally throwing a leg over a bike is a feeling like no other. Once you do that, you get to experience the silent camaraderie of "the wave," the butterflies in your stomach just as you lean into a corner, the feeling you get whenever you see one of those 'curvy road ahead' signs, the exhilaration of completing a perfect set of twisties, and much, much more.
  
  Riding is awesome, and I'm sure you'll love it. Good luck in your class!
  
  EDIT: Downvotes? Seriously? I sure hope that was a bot.

Howdy, and welcome to the wonderful world of motorcycling. Good luck on your quest.

First off, does that $2,500 include riding gear or is that just for the bike? Assuming the former, you could spend $500 on a helmet, jacket, and gloves with $2k left over for the bike purchase. For riding gear, I recommend checking out motorcyclegear.com, especially their closeouts. They also have deals called 'almost free' where you receive a gift card for nearly the full price of the garment. You can sign up for their sale emails, check it out.

The bike you posted looks good, but given the age it would be helpful to take a knowledgeable friend along before buying. There is a lot to inspect to prevent unforeseen costs. As /u/DantesDame mentioned, rubber bits get old, brittle, and dry rotted. Think leaky carb boots, fork seals, brake hoses, things like that. Also you should check the valve clearances and ignition timing; personally I find these things fun but I did grow up wrenching on things.

A CB350 would be good, really anything from Honda's CB lineup would be fine, though the 750s and up get pretty heavy for a beginner. If there are many dirt roads near you, maybe consider a dual-sport such as a Honda XR or CRF230L (-R is offroad only, -L is street legal), Yamaha TTR, Suzuki DR-Z. They tend to be light and easy to handle, they're single-cylinders and generally pretty easy to work on.

Back to maintenance--whichever bike you get, get yourself a copy of the service manual. This is a how-to book with detailed instructions for all types of maintenance, including how to take the bike apart down to the last nut and bolt and still put it back together again. If you have that and a friend who knows how to change their own oil, you're off to a good start.

Of course take the class, but if you can meet seasoned riders to talk to or ride with, even better. Just be sure to take your advice from safe, responsible folk. If you can't find people like that, check your local library for this book. If they don't have it, you might be able to get it on inter-library loan:

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536

This is novel, I get to post on this sub as an answerer instead of a questioner lol.

So, I've got 6 VW busses. They are not really for sale so to speak but those are the credentials. I bought my first bus in 1998 for a $300 while still in high school with 0 mechanical knowledge other than changing my oil.

As some have said here the best way to start is to just jump right in! Find one you like and go for it. When I started buying VWs they were still trash vehicles, everybody had an old one in the backyard and they were just looking to get rid of them. Now they are a bit more precious, you will pay much more for a poor condition bus than I would have for a great one back then. But the upside is there are many more aftermarket places for things that were harder to find then. NADA, Edmunds and the like are useless to find out what busses are worth. It's best to get familiar with online VW communities like the Samba they also have an excellent classified section.

I used a book 60% of the time to figure things out on my bus. Two books you REALLY NEED are The Idiot's Guide and the Bentley book. Between these you are pretty much covered. The Idiot's Guide is similar to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, I would recommend reading it cover to cover.

For the other 40% of my VW learning curve I utilized people's advice. Air cooled VW enthusiasts are the best people to get to know. They will always wave and stop to chat when you finally get to drive your bus. Find your closest VW auto club and start joining in activities, make connections and offer to help people fix their cars, it will be a huge help and you will make friends.

Now just a quick final observation and opinion. You said you wanted a "camper van". From that description I can point you to a a '68 to '79 Westphalia. Those are what most people picture with that description. There are three main body styles for busses; Splitty, Bay Window and Vanagon all fall under the general model number Type 2 (beetles are type 1). I don't want to write a novel here so I'll cut it short. If you have any other questions feel free to ask here or PM me, if I don't know I'll know where to look.

Well, you already know about design, but you could specialize in industrial design, or take another course in ergonomics and such. I have no idea what the job market demands are for car-design, but in a creative place, fresh ideas from other perspectives are usually welcome, so maybe being an architect isn't such a bad position to be in.

Now, you can like cars from varying points of view, you may like to tinker with them, to look at them, or maybe just drive them. If you like the driving part, I'd recommend you go several track days, or try to go to a high performance driving school, just keep in mind they can be expensive. If not, try to save up for a place with serious go karts (try and find some that go to 60mph, but you'll find ones going up to 100 or 120 mph) and learn how to really drive. A good go-kart is cheap fun and acceleration/cornering wise is pretty much on par with a decent, winged, single seater, this means it will corner and brake harder than any supercar car and accelerate on par with most of them.

A couple of books that might help you on the subject of high performance driving would be Thisand this one.

Regarding car shows, the most entertaining one is called Top Gear. It's British and it's more a entertainment show that happens to have cars, but most of us gearheads enjoy it.

I don't know much but if you have any questions ask away :)

I'd say to keep remembering that what you're trying to set up is a student run business. Pretend you're Elon Musk trying to tell people how electric is the next best thing in the automotive market, which may be true, but the public (and more importantly, endorsers such as the school) are not going to be swayed easily without proof of concept.

Before I go on, I was the president of the VCU FSAE team in Richmond, VA up until last month (June 2017). The team was in the same predicament as yours 10 years ago, and was getting threatened with the discarding of the half-finished vehicle up every other year until our first competition at Lincoln 2017 (for internal combustion). Richmond is the capital of Virginia, so I'm very familiar with the difficulties of building a vehicle in the city as you've described above. That being said, the information I'm providing is from a team that didn't pass the Noise/Kill-Switch tests at tech inspection, and I'm probably going to be one of the least experienced people to respond to this thread.

Start with looking at the paperwork required for competition, particularly the Business Logic Case. Here, you outline your goals for the vehicle and why you want to build it in the first place and who you will sell it to. Do you want to make the car cheap and market it to a broader, lower income market? Or do you want to make a high cost vehicle which comes with options such as paddle shifting, adjustable front and rear wings, and a carbon fiber monocoque. Every design decision that is made on the car after deciding on your market and budget needs to coincide with the Business Logic Case, which you are allowed to modify if the team decides that they want to market differently for whatever reason. The car should be designed around the Business Logic Case, and we messed up by designing our Business Logic Case around the car, and that's why I want to mention this so strongly.

From there, you'll probably want to assign a few people who have taken their economics/business courses to start on the presentation. There are a lot of things in the presentation that the judges love to see, such as factory layouts, tooling requirements, and labor costs that take a lot of time to prepare and assess accurately.

Design work can start alongside the Presentation, beginning with the chassis. There are a few key points I'd like to throw in first:

1. Have a full 3D model of the entire car before building or ordering anything, unless it's for proof-of-concept or school presentation purposes and can be stored in your student org society room.
   
   
2. Leave yourself a lot of space inside the chassis to work. Leave large tolerances and assure that everything will fit and be able to slot in to its spot. It also helps your team from getting frustrated when you learn that you'll have to drop the engine for the 5th or 6th time this month.
   
   
3. There is a "standard" chassis outlined in each chassis sub-section in the rulebook, and I highly recommend starting with this, as it is guaranteed to pass in the Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet. (Note: The same applies for the Impact Attenuator and Impact Attenuator Data Sheet. A standard one does not require real-world testing results).
   
   
4. Keep as many mechanical items in the car as possible. I would not advise creating paddle-shifters, traction control elements, or any other systems that cannot be fixed with duct-tape, JB Weld, or zip ties at competition. I don't really agree with the decision to go electric for your first car, but even still, there will be more people who can work on mechanical elements in the vehicle instead of electrical elements, simply because electrical vehicles are not the norm in industry yet.
   
   
5. Every system needs a design and cost report!!! Being a first year team, it's going to take forever to get your first car driving. Make sure that every design on the car has a report that outlines why the design team made certain decisions that what the results of their analyses were. A full bill of materials will also need to be done upon the completion of each system. Just make sure that no significant information is lost when people inevitably begin to graduate from your school and your team.
   
   
6. Make sure that every parameter in the Design Spec Sheet is known before a particular system design is "completed". There are a lot of weird values that they want, and it's very likely that only the people who worked on that system of the car will be able to fill in the blanks.
   
   
7. Don't use or buy any parts that aren't free or discounted. This was something I asked a lot of teams about at Nebraska, and pretty much all of them abided by this.
   
   So as a summary, compile all the paperwork that you'll require for competition, and begin working on it as soon as you can. It should go something in the starting order of:
   
   
8. Business Logic Case
   
9. Design Report (from each team, and then compile and shorten to the 6-page FSAE version)
   
10. Design Spec Sheet
    
11. Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet
    
12. Cost Report
    
13. Impact Attenuator Data Sheet
    
    With all of this completed, you should be able to make a very solid case to anybody at the school for building space. I encourage you to keep trying to get work space as you put together the virtual stuff in the vehicle however.
    
    I will leave these resources as well for you to look through:
    
    
14. Emily Anthony's "Key points for a successful Formula SAE team" article
    
15. Carroll Smith's Engineer to Win, Tune to Win, and Prepare to Win books. Everyone on the team should read these as soon as possible before the design of the car starts or gets too far in.
    
    
16. FSAE Forum Book List. Encourage team members to look here to order books before beginning design work on the vehicle. Chassis team members order books on structural components, intake/exhaust get books like Four Stroke Performance Tuning, and etc.
    
    Good luck, and let me know if you have any other questions!

(1) Ok so licensing and basic training is pretty easy in the US but it still varies state to state.

All states use a rider training program, the majority of them being of the MSF curriculum, a small handful of them being run by the MSF themselves. other states will have their own, but the process is usually more or less the same.

you take a 2 day course that takes you from the point of never having sat on a motorcycle to being a licensed rider (some states will still make you take the DMV written exam however) some states will REQUIRE you to take this class if you are under 21. best to check with your state on the process.

This is where you should start. this is not where you should end however. these courses will give you the skills you need to operate the motorcycle, but before being road ready they need to be drilled down in a parking lot. after getting your bike hopefully you can ride it home in a light traffic hours or have it delivered, and be prepared to get out to an empty parking lot and practice the exercises taught before getting into full blown traffic.

in addition to this, your rider education should not stop. i advise you to check out some books from your local library if not purchasing a copy yourself. i will link below

(2) the clutch in a manual car is more difficult than on a bike, but the same interplay between the clutch and throttle applies. most bikes are also designed with wet clutches which allow them to slip more and take more abuse than dry clutches, also gives them a more linear release (although some Italian bikes have dry clutches) . Bikes can also move off easier without throttle which makes things easier in the beginning. hills starts are not as much of a problem on a bike than a car. one advantage a car has however is a mental one, you dont have to worry about keeping the vehicle upright while you are learning. doing this plus learning the clutch could make things challenging. for the most part, though, a motorcycle will be easier than a car.

(3) at your height most bikes will fit well. there's only a few bikes that you can be too tall for, most of the time its the other way around, where as a beginner you want to be able to flat foot the bike. so a lot of this comes down to which bikes you like.

the other things is that a lot comes down to body geometry so not all 6'2" are going to be equally comfortable on the same bike. best it to go and sit on a few bikes. if you are into sportbikes/sport standards, most of the entry level 250cc-300cc bikes actually fit taller people better than say, a 300cc cruiser.

that being said, when you go to take the course. expect to be slightly uncomfortable. a lot of these bikes used at courses tend to be bikes with very low seat heights so that shorter people can still flat foot them...while you are learning you will have to put your foot down a lot, which can be make a taller person feel cramped on the bike. once your riding, these bikes are mostly fine for us taller folk but in the course with so much stop and go, and bike walking exercising, with such a low seat height, its kind of uncomfortable.


Recommended reading:

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well
by David L. Hough
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/
This book is pretty popular and its VERY good. your local library probably has it. I was actually able to get an ebook from the library to read on a tablet in full color without getting off my butt.


The Follow up:
https://www.amazon.com//dp/1935484869/

If you are into sportbikes:

Lee Parks Total Control https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R31222S

Nick Ienatsch Sport Riding Techniques https://www.amazon.com/gp/1893618072/

Just a couple things on your form:

Put your toe on the outside of the peg and pivot from there, this gets the knee in the correct position more naturally. You're big enough that you shouldn't need to hang off more than half a cheek. Also, don't ignore your outside leg, keep the toe pointed into the turn will provide the squeeze against the tank, like an anchor. That will help your lower-body positioning. You should have this done just before you flick it into the turn.

As far as upper body, your vision seems perfect (up and out), but you're still in-line with the bike. If you imagine leaning around the frame of a door to look through, that's the goal. Basically get your chin and shoulder down over the hand grip and keep your eyes up. Also try not to square up your shoulders, instead line them up with the turn.

Once you get comfortable with both of those, it will come together and you'll be tripping the tank with your outside knee and forearm, while your inside knee glides along the pavement!

Aside from body position, throttle control is key. Essentially you want 60% of the weight on the back, 40% on the front. This is achieved with steady, constant roll on the throttle.

As far as suspension goes, I'm not sure if you have rebound on your springs, but at the least set your sag and preloads for your weight. You'll need a friend for this, and a video like this one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAWLaLf1Awc&playnext=1&list=PL0E1D32409F421246&feature=results_video

These two books are amazing, cheap, and I absolutely recommend picking up a copy, or if you're ever in KC, hit me up and I'll give them to you! A Twist of the Wrist and A Twist of the Wrist 2, both by Keith Code.

http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347847984&sr=8-1&keywords=twist+of+the+wrist

Also, your gear on top is perfect but a pair of riding pants with knee pucks and good boots with toe sliders will give you loads more confidence.

Most of all, enjoy it and ride at 80% of what you feel capable of, you'll last a lot longer that way! Ride on.

I don't have a specific recommendation, but I like to do the same thing and I've been using these two books to find good places to explore:

1. Guide To Arizona Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails
   
2. Arizona Trails South Region
   
   Both provide routes with descriptions, photos, waypoints and turn by turn callouts. Each trail has difficulty rating and in the case of the second book, there is also a remoteness rating. We typically pick a route, follow the waypoints as described in the book the first time to learn the area, and then when we go back we explore side trails and such.
   
   The first book has a lot of the more well known routes all are day-trip length, the second book has much more routes and much more detail. trips in that book range from a few hours to a few days long. Each trail on those books typically includes one or more pretty interesting things to see or do, we haven't been let down yet.
   
   If you don't have one yet, get a state land trust permit, many of the backroads and trails go on state trust land, so if a ranger finds you out there without your permit, you can get fined. It's only $15/20 per year and you can do it all online (for an extra $1) by going here: https://land.az.gov/recreational-permit-portal
   
   I lied: If you've read down this far, here's a specific location that is pretty neat: There's an old gin house at the end of the trail that leads to Little Fish Canyon. That should be enough to get you to find it on google maps. satellite view might show you the structure a bit. The building is fenced in to keep the animals out, you can undo the fence on the north side to get through, just make sure to connect it back up when you are done. You can open window covers to peek in and get a better look, but make sure you close it all back up when you are done. do NOT enter the building, that might get you in trouble. All around those trails are a number of mines as well. most (all?) are sealed with gates to protect the bats, but still kind cool to look in.
   
   If you are on Facebook, search for "Tucson Jeeps" group and join it. People there are organizing runs all the time. Some of the trails are difficult and/or remote enough that you'll definitely want to go with others just in case.
   
   EDIT: oh, and about the cows, don't worry about driving through the cows, just take it slow and quiet. they WILL move out of the way before you bump them. I never really knew what to do until I ran across a huge herd being walked right down the middle of a highway once. The rancher was like "You don't have to stop, just keep driving, they'll move!"

That's an awesome bike, I almost went with one for my first bike. Is this your first motorcycle? If so, let me throw a quick couple thoughts out. If you are a seasoned rider, you'll agree these are good points.

1. Look for a motorcycle safety course through the motorcycle safety foundation. They are offered in the area and can be very valuable.
   
   2. If this is your first bike, read this book. I've been riding for years and I still read this every spring. it's a very easy read and catches you up on the basics of riding - it's not the same as driving a car. I cannot say enough praise about this book. If you don't want to purchase your own copy, I'll let you borrow mine, it's that essential. I recommend this book to seasoned riders, so this recommendation is equally valid if this isn't your first bike. Improving your knowledge on the road is always important, and this book is a great tool to do that.
   
   Just remember, motorcycles demand a healthy level of respect. There is no reason to fear them, but ignoring safety practices with them is foolish. Always wear your full safety gear; /r/motorcycles calls this All The Gear, All The Time (ATGATT). Speaking of the motorcycles sub, we'd love to have you join.
   
   You should also check out the Michigan moto club on Facebook. I don't have a bike any more, so I can't offer to ride with you, but there are always people on that page looking to ride with other students.
   
   Honestly, just explore the city on your motorcycle. Need to go run and grab a notebook in the middle of the day? Take the scenic route down to the Meijer on carpenter (East on Geddes -> South on Huron Parkway -> East on E Huron River Drive -> South on Hogback Road which will turn into carpenter). The most mindless tasks just got very fun!
   
   
   Finally, enjoy the ride. You've got a great bike in a very fun city and the freedom to explore. Take the most of it!

1. Haven't taken any, but a good friend of mine, Jerott King, is one of the instructors, and he is excellent.
   
   
2. Corner exit is EVERYTHING. Seat time is a must, but driving the karts indoor at K1 are very different from outdoor gas karts. Use a GoPro so as to see where you are being inconsistent. Always lean out, not into the corner.
   
   
3. Start with this. The whole series of these books are excellent.
   
   
4. Some knock on arrive and drive, but you will learn a ton. The camaraderie between the competitors off track is probably the nicest you'll find across all motorsports, and simultaneously the most ruthless on track. Go do a Super Series at CalSpeed Karting (at Auto Club Speedway outside LA). I think their fields are up to 120 per race weekend now with a huge range of skill and the best maintained and fastest arrive and drive karts in the States. Best value to money out there. They have Sport Kart Grand Nationals in June - four days of all arrive and drive, open to anyone who pays the entry fee. $5000 purse, and some of the best drivers in the States.

Sorry, I typed a reply earlier on my phone which apparently didn't send.

If I were you I would call Skip Barber back and try to reschedule something sooner. If you wait until summer you'll miss at least half of the 2016 season. I'm not sure about series in California, I know there used to be a Pacific F2000 championship but I'm not sure how good it is or if it's even still around. You may get annoyed traveling across the country all the time, but IMO the best place to start is the SCCA's F1600 Championship Series. They straddle the line between club racing and pro. The paddock is really relaxed, but the racing is still really competitive and most of your competition will be career-minded drivers. A new car will cost around $70,000, but you can find older, still competitive ones for less, and a season budget will be anywhere from $30-150,000. Another bonus is that the Formula F is an SCCA class, so you can also run the same car in the SCCA Majors, Runoffs, and there are several championships in Canada that the car can run in with zero modifications. You could run a race every single weekend and still have well over half of your budget intact. If you decide to do this, let me know. I'm working on putting together a program to run in that series myself.

In the meantime, read these two books: Going Faster and Drive to Win. The first is all about racing theory and is the official textbook of the Skip Barber Racing School. Become familiar with that before you step into a race car and you'll be ahead of everyone else at the school. The other is more about what is expected of a racing driver who wants a career. They're both a bit dated but still very relevant.

Also, get iRacing and buy the Skip Barber car. Even if you don't do the Skip Barber series, it's a low-powered formula car that behaves a lot like anything else you'll drive at the beginning of your career. Simracing can't replace real-world seat time, but you can still learn things from it that will help you when you get into a real car.

Good luck, and don't let anyone tell you you can't do it. Honestly I'd trade 10 years of karting experience for an $800k/year budget in a heartbeat. You've already got the hardest problem solved, now go have fun learning to do something well.

With my experience I can say that everything above 100 feels good but is decent. The question is how consistent are you driving? And can you hold this difficulty on more then 2 tracks?

How good are you in overtaking this AI? How good are you managing your tyres etc etc etc.

This is just a bunch of question to dertemine your skill. As you see it is hard to define a good driver.

But with my experience: (I am very consistent, having troubles with tyre usage and I am a strong fighter) I can tell you you should be able to feel good in online races with this perfomance. Depends on your opponent you should be able to become 5th to 10th in a race with 16th to 18th ppl.

But keep on praticing every inch of the difficulty gives you a huge boost. So for instance 104 to 108 means you are twice as good as you are now. Really good ppl are driving 120 and the ppl right below are going 115.

I am using, depending on car I drive, 106 to 110 and competing in online leagues. ;)

I hope I could help you a bit. If you are struggling with your perfomance:

http://www.amazon.de/Ultimate-Speed-Secrets-Complete-High-Performance/dp/0760340501/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1457359706&sr=8-2&keywords=ross+bentley

I can highly recommend this book. Its a summary of 40 years racing coach experience. And will boost your mindset in between the first few pages :)

Ah, I've had this same problem myself sometimes. There are a few ways to approach the problem.

TRANSMISSION

You can look at your transmission, as mkhockeygeek mentioned. I recently posted a short gear ratio tuning guide here. My procedure is for using the engine's power band, which should give you efficient performance in general as you accelerate through your gears. This is a different strategy than what BIGSTIG recommends, so your mileage may vary.

Adjusting your transmission will only fix the problem if your car has plenty of power that was not being utilized. Unfortunately, installing an adjustable transmission adds to your PI points, which means a sacrifice somewhere else, so it may not help you. I think that the highly experienced tuner "Worm" said that a race transmission is almost never worth it.

All-wheel-drive cars have fast launch and acceleration, but lower top speed, so you'll get passed on the straights. Keep that in mind if you converted your drivetrain.


TIRES versus ENGINE STRENGTH

But there is something more basic to think about. You mentioned you can hang in the corners, but you get passed on the straights. I think this means that your car has good handling, which is important, but this comes at the expense of speed. For example, if you install narrow tires or less grippy tires, you can move those PI over to the engines power. Because many human beings like flashy powerful things and "big numbers", a lot of people are tuned for speed, not handling, so they are really fast on the straights. Downgrading your handling will let you upgrade your speed stat and compete on the straights.

"It is the car that wins in the straights, but it is the driver who wins in the corners." I like this quote. I am personally more interested in corners than straights. However, any great racing teacher will attest, rightfully, that torque wins races. You spend more time accelerating than cornering. Make sure you have the torque you need to beat the pack.

YOUR DRIVING

Usually the driver who begins accelerating earlier out of a corner will be the fastest. You should think carefully about your racing line and make sure you take corners in the way that lets you (1) maintain as much speed as possible and (2) accelerate as soon possible! Here is where BIGSTIG's tuning guide can come in handy, since by adjusting your roll bars, differential, camber, and springs, you may be able to corner faster and accelerate sooner.

The "driving" is how slower cars beat fast cars. A weak car used effectively can of course beat a powerful car that is sloppy.

This question has been asked a bunch of times, but the one post I've found the most helpful was /u/that_video_art_guy's response in this post. For quick reference, here's the copy/paste:



I've read many of these books, I'm partial to the mechanics and team member books but find all of them to be very enjoyable.


The Super Collective Super list of Super Good F1 Books:

Mechanics/Team Members


[Life in the Pit Lane: Mechanic's Story of the Benetton Grand Prix Year](
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Pit-Lane-Mechanics-Benetton/dp/0760300267/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356716346&sr=1-5&keywords=steve+matchett) - Steve Matchett

[The Mechanic's Tale: Life in the Pit-Lanes of Formula One](
http://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Tale-Life-Pit-Lanes-Formula/dp/0752827839/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356716346&sr=1-1&keywords=steve+matchett) - Steve Matchett

The Chariot Makers: Assembling the Perfect Formula 1 Car - Steve Matchett

Team Lotus: My View From the Pitwall - Peter Warr

Jo Ramirez: Memoirs of a Racing Man - Jo Ramirez

Art of War - Five Years in Formula One - Max Mosley, Adam Parr, Paul Tinker

Tales from the Toolbox: A Collection of Behind-the-Scenes Tales from Grand Prix Mechanics - Michael Oliver, Jackie Stewart


Technical Books

Red Bull Racing F1 Car: Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual

McLaren M23: 1973 Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual

Lotus 72: 1970 Haynes Owners' Workshop Manual

Tune to Win: The art and science of race car development and tuning - Carroll Smith

Engineer to Win - Carroll Smith

Nuts, Bolts, Fasteners and Plumbing Handbook AKA: Screw to Win - Carroll Smith

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics: Problems, Answers and Experiments - Doug Milliken

Chassis Design: Principles and Analysis - William F. Milliken, Douglas L. Milliken, Maurice Olley

The Racing & High-Performance Tire: Using Tires to Tune for Grip & Balance - Paul Haney


Technical Driving

Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Complete Guide to High-Performance and Race Driving - Ross Bentley

Going Faster! Mastering the Art of Race Driving - Carl Lopez

Working the Wheel - Martin Brundle


Drivers and Rivalry's

Senna Versus Prost: The Story of the Most Deadly Rivalry in Formula One - Malcolm Folley

The Limit: Life and Death on the 1961 Grand Prix Circuit - Michael Cannell

Winning Is Not Enough: The Autobiography - Sir Jackie Stewart

Shunt: The Story of James Hunt - Tom Rubython

Alex Zanardi: My Sweetest Victory: A Memoir of Racing Success, Adversity, and Courage - Alex Zanardi, Gianluca Gasparini, Mario Andretti.

It Is What It Is: The Autobiography - David Coulthard

Flat Out, Flat Broke: Formula 1 the Hard Way! - Perry McCarthy The Black Stig, Damon Hill

F1 Through the Eyes of Damon Hill: Inside the World of Formula 1 - Damon Hill, Photography: Sutton Images


People Of F1

Life at the Limit: Triumph and Tragedy in Formula One - Professor Sid Watkins

Beyond the Limit - Professor Sid Watkins

I Just Made The Tea: Tales from 30 years inside Formula 1 - Di Spires

Bernie: The Biography of Bernie Ecclestone - Susan Watkins


Picture Books

McLaren The Cars: Updated 2011 Edition

Art of the Formula 1 Race Car - Stuart Codling, James Mann, Peter Windsor, Gordon Murray

All I could find is this: http://powerhouse411.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_5

There are much cheaper eBay kits, but I think it goes without saying that if you know anything about turbocharging a vehicle you don't want to get an entire kit off of eBay.

You can do it for cheaper if you're handy and want to DIY, I recommend reading both http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1932494294?pc_redir=1410935474&robot_redir=1

And: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0837601606?pc_redir=1410868060&robot_redir=1


The first deals heavily into understanding how it all works and makes you more comfortable with the process. The second will teach you everything you need to know about adding a turbo to a (your) vehicle.

Reading these will save you a lot of money if you end up deciding not to turbo your car, or they will build your confidence in it. I think a turbo V6 would be unique instead of the "V8 cop out".

After that do as much research as you can into your vehicle and read up on some v6 turbo builds, I'm sure it's been done. A turbo v6 can end up putting down some serious power (Note: GNX). Reading other builds will give you an idea of the overall cost. If you can part together a decent kit for pretty cheap, you still have to see if the trans and supporting parts can handle it.

http://www.mustangevolution.com/forum/f133/t10565/


If you're still interested after all of that, don't rule out superchargers! Larger engines tend to accept them better and you won't experience any lag.

So, judging by the comments is this actually you or is it your friend? Either way, 90% of us (myself included) went through the squidly phase of "trying" to drag knee, and posting evidence of such transgressions on reddit is not going to end well.

Kudos to whoever that is for at least doing it in a more controlled environment than a two-lane road. Now that he has got it out of his system, as others have said, he needs to work on the actual techniques that will make dragging knee more of an option than a goal. Getting a knee on deck should be the consequence of proper body position, decent lean, and a knee slightly extended. What he is doing looks and feels unnatural, but optional kneedown territory looks and feels natural, and the knee only needs to be out a tiny bit to touch. Now, the fledgling squid may say in their defense "No way man I was barely trying to stick my knee out". However, the dead giveaway is the distance from the foot-peg to the ground. A "natural" knee down comes when the pegs are just about touching the ground.

He didn't crash so his technique can't be too terrible, but I would say; his head needs to be more towards the inside of the turn, he should probably scoot his butt back and lean his upper body more forward/down, his foot needs to be more towards the inside of the peg, and his knee to be to be in a lot more.

If your friend is interested in becoming a proficient, quick, and safe rider, two excellent books are Nick Ienatsch's "Sport Riding Techniques" and Keith Code's "Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles" Nick's book is more of an all encompassing road/track guide that has tons of good information including proper body position. The "Soft Science" book is a bit more advanced and goes a more into theory and what one can do to make themself a more adaptable and competent decision maker on the bike.

​

https://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541093996&sr=8-1&keywords=sport+bike+riding+techniques

​

https://www.amazon.com/Soft-Science-Roadracing-Motorcycles-Procedures/dp/096504503X

​

Lastly, don't necessarily listen to the more "refined" riders who tell you not to drag knee. Riding a motorcycle is about fun, and sticking a kneedown is fun as hell, even if you don't need to. The point is to make sure you FIRST learn the techniques that allow you to do it safely, and to do it in a controlled environment (the track).

​

​

I picked up my bike for $2200 with a clean title but definitely had been laid down. Then I put about $200 and a few weekends of time into it to make it road legal and safe to drive. I had my parents buy me a nice helmet and MSF class for my birthday as they didn't want me to skimp on the most important safety items, if you're young I'd highly suggest this route. I put about $200 more into a jacket and then I pay $350 annually for insurance, split with my dad on the policy to reduce costs since I'm a 23 y.o. male. All in all I put in about $3000 and I think I'm pretty well set.

I'd also highly suggest buying this book. I thought it was very informative on the risks of riding and helped me approach motorcycling with a more mature attitude than I would have otherwise. I read it before I'd even set foot on a bike and then also read it again after I had started to learn the basics.

All in all good luck! And know that once you start, you won't be able to stop... I'm still hoping it gets to over 50 degrees here in Ohio this year...

If you're really interested in it, a good book to read is Tune To Win by Carroll Smith. It was written in the 70's so it's a bit dated but still plenty relevant, especially to new drivers/engineers. But if you're studying finance you probably already have more than enough on your plate.

Basically, driving a race car is about managing weight transfer to balance the car around each corner. The more load one corner or end of the car has on it the more grip it has. The driver controls lateral load transfer with the steering wheel and longitudinal load transfer with the gas and brake pedals.

Tuning the suspension is another way to influence how load is directed around the car. For example, if the front springs are very stiff, the front of the car won't squat as low under braking, less weight is transferred forward so the rear of the car has more grip. So that's why if you're struggling with turn-in understeer you might want to soften either the front sprigs or front (low-speed) compression damping. Alternatively you could also soften the rear low-speed rebound damping (take not that when talking about dampers, speed doesn't refer to speed of the car, but of the piston traveling through the fluid in the damper. Think high speed=bumps, low speed=weight transfer).

Anti-roll bars are a bit different since they manage lateral load. They also link suspension systems together, so if you hit a kerb or a bump with the right front wheel, the left front will feel it as well. Very generally, softer=more grip. The book I referenced goes into a lot more detail than I can, but I like to think of it as making that end of the car more malleable. Although I don't think that's entirely technically accurate. It also may be worth noting that when tuning the car, anti-roll bars are the first thing real-world teams play with, and a lot of cars have anti-roll bars adjustable from the cockpit. The team uses it as a sort of guide to lead other larger setup changes.

To your second question, the car can behave differently in different parts of the corner. It might feel great when you turn in (usually at which point the car is slowing-meaning forward weight transfer), but then lose all front grip when you're accelerating out of the corner. This means that you're transferring too much weight to the rear under power, so the solution is to stiffen rear springs or low-speed damper compression. If it happens earlier in the corner, when there is more lateral load, then stiffening the rear anti-roll bar (or the opposite, softening the front) might be a better solution.

This isn't even getting into things like camber/castor/toe, which I don't really understand enough myself. The general rule of thumb is to try to keep the outer/middle/inner tire temps as even as possible. I think it's also common opinion that cars should always have at least a little bit of toe-in. Edit: This video has a good overview.

Your third point is absolutely correct. Race car setup is an unsolvable equation. There are too many interdependent variables for there to ever be an ultimate solution. Add on top of that different driving styles and one setup might work well for one driver and be trash for another. It's more of an art than a precise science.

I hope that helps!

I just started -- the first thing is just learning how to drive like a race car driver. It's a lot different than other racing games.

There are a lot of good resources online on how to drive fast. Or if you want a good book check out https://www.amazon.ca/Speed-Secrets-Professional-Driving-Techniques/dp/0760305188

The first little while will be pretty frustrating. Learning a new track and new car involves a lot of spins and crashes. There will be new stuff you're not used to -- going over a small bump in the track will cause the wheels to lose grip. Braking and turning at the same time will send you into a spin.

Spend a whole just learning the track -- several hours at least, until you can drive clean laps without wrecking.

Once you can get around the track a couple times without going off, then jump into an open practice. There you'll learn how to be on track with other cars. Try following other cars around the track. See if you can drive close to them without wrecking. Learn to follow someone into a corner and stay with them coming out.

When you're ready to move up to racing, don't think about winning for the first little while. You'll just end up wrecking and feeling frustrated.

The first job is just to get the car back safely. Think of a race as just lapping with other cars. Honestly if you start in last place, you will probably finish fourth or fifth if all you do is just keep the car on the track. Learn how to let a faster car go by without hitting them (harder than it seems.)

As you get faster, you'll start to be competitive and then you can start racing. Then you'll learn how to pass people without hitting them (also harder than it seems.)

The more you can stay calm and avoid crashes, the better off you'll be. That's true at every level.

Also as you level up, don't feel like you have to race in the highest class. I moved up to the IMSA races too quickly and I wasn't really ready for it. I got DQ'D from.a couple races, and it knocked my rating waaaay down.

So I've dropped back down to the Skip Barber car and I'm having a lot more fun. This isn't like other games where you have to level up to have fun. Your rating is about your driving skill, and it's better to have along slow climb than to yo-yo up and down, wrecking along the way.

Oh -- also check out the Crew Chief app. I just installed it (it's free) and it's way better than the built in spotter.

Good luck! Have fun!

If all of the black trim is original, that is very likely a 110 "very stripped" standard edition. Originally would have come with partial headliner, cardboard door cards and more. It does look as though the seats have been replaced with something else, but otherwise not bad.

New running boards will improve the visuals by quite a bit.

As you've never owned an aircooled beetle before, the first step should be reading the owners manual cover to cover. Pay particular attention to pages 16, 17, 20, and the tick marks on the speedometer seen on page 12. The tick marks go with page 17, and are one of the tricks to keeping the engine running more than a week. A PDF of your owners manual can be found here: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/74beetle/1974_Beetle_Owners_Manual.pdf

Two books you should buy are the Orange Bentley manual. This is the factory repair manual, and should be your first stop for any repair steps: https://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Beetle-Karmann-Official-Service/dp/0837616239/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543597712&sr=8-1&keywords=Beetle+repair+bentley
You can find these used on thesamba.com, craigslist, used book stores or a VW show. But get one before you need it. I pay $15-20 for pristine used ones, $5-10 for ones that look used.

The second book a lot of people will recommend you is "How to Keep your VW Alive". It's a fun read, has a lot of good information in it, but should ONLY be considered a secondary source to the orange book. How to keep your beetle alive does have a fair bit of incorrect information in it. BUT if you're just starting out with cars, it is quite helpful. I do think new VW owners should read the book, but double check all his repair procedures against the orange book. The artwork inside is worth the $25 to buy a new one: https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1543597922&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=how+to+keep+your+volkswagen+alive&psc=1

If that right front headlight is filled with water, swap out both headlights for H4 lamps. They use a replaceable bulb, and are significantly better than what came with your car. A little bit of rewiring is required (I can help with that remotely), but otherwise they are drop-in. You can buy these from your Friendly Local AutoParts Store (FLAPS), a number of the VW online vendors or often Amazon. Heres the kit you want: http://www.myhellalights.com/index.php/products/auxiliary-lamps/sealed-beam-conversion-headlamps/vision-plus-7in-conversion-headlamp/ Order it at Autozone, Pep Boys, NAPA, etc by the part number. Often they have them in stock.

If you ever want to upgrade your car to chrome bumpers, trim, handles, etc. There are guys (like me) who will pay for your black stuff. It's generally undesirable except to the German Look guys.

Your best bet would be a VW, a chevy, or a ford. Chevy's are super easy to work on and parts are easy to find and relatively inexpensive. Pretty much same with Ford. VWs are also great for beginners. The parts can be a bit more difficult to find, but they're great to learn on. Just get "how to keep your volkswagen alive" http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1566913101/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/185-8215834-7045105 it is the best car repair for noobs guide out there. Try to find something that is solid and runs 1970 or older and you'll be set. I also recommend you go to some car shows and meet & greet with people who have similar tastes in cars. Most car guys are more than willing to help out the new guys.

It's definitely because you haven't figured out how to handle it yet. I'm an instructor with Doc Wong Northwest. It's a free riding clinic & covers the finer details of sport riding. We teach the concepts covered by Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist 2. I personally help run the clinics in Albany, but they originally started in PDX. You should check them out. They meet the first Saturday of every month at BMW Motorcycles of Western Oregon in Tigard. Not only is it a great way to learn more advanced riding, but it's a good reason to get out and ride & a great way to meet other riders in the area.

I'd also like to recommend a few books to get you started:

• Twist of the Wrist 2
  
• Sport Riding Techniques
  
• Total Control
  
  Seriously, when you know you'll be in Eugene with your Bandit...PM me. There are a lot of great roads around here.

I completely understand where you're coming from. I also took the class and passed but I was still so uneasy about riding. It baffled me that I was a licensed rider because there was no way I was ready to get on the roads.

I bought a bike (Kawasaki Ninja) because I found an amazing deal on it. I figured I just paid to get my license and I should use it. The bike was cheap enough for me to justify spending the money even if I decided I hated riding in a few months. A friend came with me to check out the bike and also rode it back home for me. I kept it at his house because, like you, my parents would have killed me if they found out.

After getting my bike, I literally just rode around neighborhoods for weeks. Weeks! I nearly dropped my bike after popping the clutch in the first few days of having it. I was always so nervous riding that I avoided doing so as much as possible. I'd make excuses why I couldn't/didn't want to ride and when I did ride, I only rode with friends. But it gets easier, I promise. Everyone always told me that one day, things will just click. I thought they were just trying to be nice, but one day, it happened. It just clicked. The nerves went away and I felt comfortable riding.

There is no way in hell I thought I'd be where I am now. I'm still very much a novice, but I feel so much more comfortable riding now. My parents know about my motorcycle. My dad got his license and rides with me now. I'm looking to get a new bike next year.

Check out Twist of the Wrist. You can read the intro here. I think back to it all the time, how I'm using less attention doing the small things that I once found so difficult.

I don't have advice about the parents thing to be honest. My parents just accepted it because I had already had the motorcycle and license for so long (I told them about a year after I got it). If you can figure this part out, I definitely say find a cheap starter bike and start practicing.

Just like /u/w0lf3h said, you'll make mistakes. But don't quit just yet! If you want to do it, don't let your fear hold you back. Fear is good, as it will keep you cautious and alive. But don't let it hold you back from doing something you really want to do.

If you want to talk more personally, feel free to PM me!

If you want reliability.. I'd respectfully spend the extra on an engine case that doesnt need line boring. Line bored engines tend to have a shorter life, it's hard to do right (most use a handheld tool) and it usually costs 200-400 to get it done, plus 150-200 for cylinder boring. A new aluminum case (They are a bit heavy compared to as41 mag...) is roughly 830 dollars shipped, and it would include boring for larger cylinders. (aa performance, use code AASAVE15 )

As for the build, it has gone VERY simple. I used gasgacinch everywhere, and aviation permatex on the jugs for the most part. I replaced a LOT of parts with aftermarket ones, including my heads (the old ones might be rebuild-able, but i found a pulled out spark-plug thread in one..) That said, This is my second re-assembly of this engine. I did a non sealant full assembly to check fits, bearings, clearances, etc.

There's lots of little gotchas with measuring this, that, and the other. Some parts are only available in inferior versions, etc. If you can find a complete vw engine for 200-300, you're saving a lot of money on things like the distributor drive pinion, tin, 1.1 forged rockers, cooling fan, oil relief valves, alternator, etc.

Whatever you do for the engine case, do look into 'full flow' modifications. These permit you to add an external spin on oil filter, which is a big improvement. I'm doing a filter pump.. which isn't amazing, but works. Also look into a sand seal to keep crud and moisture out of the oil, and have a proper crankcase ventilation setup (basically, vac hose to air filter, consider a catch can.) When you go to build the engine, measure everything, including stuff that 'should be' correct. Consider having the crank, crank pulley, flywheel, pistons, rods balanced, then the clutch pressure plate (yup..) balanced. That way, you can replace the pressure plate without hosing the balance on the engine. It's really not super required, but it will help make for a longer life engine. Make sure to get a forged crank, cast cranks are problematic in VW engines because they only have 3 real main bearings. If you're not stroking, it's REALLY hard to beat original forged German cranks, unless you want counterweighted (not needed unless you're revving to the moon...)

All of this is really building up to.. make sure you're basically running a cleanroom on final assembly. Wash even new parts, chase threads carefully, then wash again and bottle brush the oil passages. If your build table is dirty, lay down some paper to keep it clean, etc. Then learn to love the assembly lube. And have all the torques on hand. and torque patterns. You're probably going to be about 1.5-2k into the engine, to be totally honest, tack on another few hundred for your choice in carbs, and whatnot. You can do it all cheaper if you find an engine in fantastic condition that just needs some cleanup, and new P&Cs. Those really do not exist, to be honest, outside of finding an older person's projects when they pass...

ALso: Go get a book. Good overall and excellent for engine building. Saves you money.

Jeesus. I was in college when you were born. Anyway... It's hard to give general tips without sounding like a broken record, but here goes:

Get decent gear and wear it, people will tell you that you have to spend $1,000 on gear but that's BS, just keep an eye on closeouts, my favorite site is http://www.motorcyclegear.com/ a few hundred bucks will get you everything you need if you're not fussy about having the best, latest or flashiest stuff.

Take the MSF if you haven't already.

Get this book and read it, it's the best book there is for teaching rider safety on the street. http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536

Take short, easy rides at first, your riding brain is like a muscle that you have to work out to build up over time.

Get out there and have fun!

Northern AZ XJ guy here. Not sure about local places around PHX, but a good place to start is this book and be ready to travel a little. There are a number of great trails and off road areas throughout the state. The southern areas require a good cooling system, and the when it snows up north, a good heater! A really interesting place to live; I hope you like it!

Guide to Arizona Backroads

>Hi, I'm interested in joining my school's FSAE team. Unfortunately I have next to zero knowledge of cars and the process required for assembling one.

Not really a problem, most new guys dont know anything, which is why most teams have things for you to do that don't require you to know much.

>I realize that many of you will say that I should just join the team and learn as I do, but the FSAE is fairly competitive and I might not get a chance to do that.

Most of the 'competition' for team positions can be won by simply showing up time after time, and being reliable source of labor for team leaders to shove work on.

>I will be applying to the Baja team as well so that might work out.

Mini Baja is a totally different competition, you can learn just as much, but be sure that the end goal of what you want to work on is available within the team you choose. If you are looking to do studies on jump dynamics and position dependent damping, you will not find that in FSAE for instance.

>Anyway what I'm looking for is a book or website that will give me an introduction to racing cars, so I can have some knowledge going in. Thanks for any help.

As suggested here, Caroll Smith's Tune to Win series is an excellent start. Most teams have the full set of these, see if you can borrow one, or just go to the shop and read them there between jobs people give you, or if it's slow.

Other good books (for suspension I admit) are Gillespie's Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics and Milliken's Race Car Vehicle Dynamics, though this one is much more technical, and considered the Race Engineer's bible, so to speak.

I could go on for hours about basic vehicle dynamics tbh, but suffice it to say that there are countless variables that go into determining handling characteristics. If you're really interested, the definitive introductory resource is this book, which if you can find used would probably be best. It's certainly not an easy read.

For a more accessible read, this book is pretty great too. It's also much cheaper.

IMO, you should probably do a bit more research about common solutions that people have for your particular car. I'd recommend, before changing anything, learning a bit more about basic vehicle dynamics. You don't even need to learn fancy math or anything, just kind of get an idea of what changes generally affect which characteristics.

So I got this bug from my wife's best friend. She is moving and she couldn't take it with her. She knew I've always wanted a bug and she didn't want to scrap it so she gave it to me. I'm super excited to finally own one and I can't wait to learn all about it. I've been a mechanic most my life (I'm only 33) but never worked on older cars. I ordered a copy of https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101 because everyone said it's a great book. I'm not 100% sure what style I'm going to do, but I was thinking Baja/hot rod(exposed front wheels, lowered not raised). I just really want to strip it down and see what I'm working with. The motor is locked up supposedly so I may just look into a new/rebuild one. I hear 1600 duel port is a good place to start? If I want to go highway speeds(65-70mph) would that be enough, or would a 1700+ be better to look at? Anyway, I'm happy to be apart of the Beetle family and I'll be posting pictures along the way. So excited to get working on this bug!

I definitely would not have a test ride of someone else's scooter be your first experience.

I recommend everyone, even if you never plan on riding a motorcylce, to take the Motorcycle Safety Foundation's Basic Rider Course. It's a 2.5 day course that will teach you everything you need to know to ride safely and it does it in a relatively safe, controlled environment. Depending on your area, they may even offer the Scooter Safety Course. Having to learn how to operate a manual bike at the same time may seem intimidating, but operating the controls is one of the easier parts of the course. The majority of it is how to handle the bike when things go wrong and that is something that translates directly to scooters as well.

Since you are looking at a freeway legal vehicle, you will really be doing yourself a favor to be properly trained. I have had incidents while riding that I know would have resulted in a crash had I not taken the course.

If you don't have a center in your area, I would recommend picking up the book Proficient Motorcycling. It won't replace hands-on instruction, but it will teach you the concepts that you need to understand.

Also, if you want a learner bike, go with something in the 150-200cc range. Buy it used and once you feel comfortable, you can sell it back for basically what you paid for it and purchase a bigger scoot.

Good luck and ride safe.

I took the Motorcycle Safety Program for free through my state DMV. That got me my license, but I knew I was just getting started as far as actually learning to ride. I like to read a lot and I found a book titled, “Proficient Motorcycling” by David L. Bough that was really good. Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_PmADDbC4VZWVX

After that it was just a matter of riding more, riding farther from home and going on bigger (busier) roads. After a couple of months, I did a weekend trip across the state (about 270 miles) and surprised my folks with my new purchase. (And boy were they surprised,) Good luck!!

At the very start of the video you hear the engine throttling up, then a slight skid, followed by the throttle being chopped. This tells me the rider was rolling on the throttle either too aggressively or too early and the rear wheel broke traction and started sliding to the outside of the turn. Anyone who has read or watched "Twist of the Wrist II" knows this as "Survival Reaction #1:" chopping the throttle causes the rear tire to re-acquire traction and kick the bike upright, which usually results in a high-side. It sounds like the rider got lucky and didnt get thrown over. Instead, he hung on and was attempting to regain his composure (get his feet back on the pegs and finish the turn) but ran out of room. Its at this point that target fixation kicked in and the rider became a passenger. He watched himself ride in a straight line off the road, across the dirt shoulder, up the hill and into the air thanks to the large boulder.

Technically, this rider seems to exhibit all seven of the Survival Reactions (instinctive fear-induced reactions) that Keith Code explains:

1. rolling off the gas
   
2. Tightening on the bars
   
3. Narrowed and frantically hunting field of view
   
4. fixed attention (on something)
   
5. Steering in the direction of the fixed attention
   
6. No steering (frozen) or ineffective (not quick enough or too early) steering
   
7. Braking errors (both over-and under-braking)
   
   In this scenario, the ideal course of action for the rider would be to not have gotten into the position that we see in the video. This accident occurred before the video even started.
   
   But short of that, once the rear tire started sliding out, had he kept the throttle input the same instead of chopping it, there's a chance the skidding wheel would have kept the bike tipped over on the ground, causing a low-side instead.
   
   And there is a slim (and I mean SLIM) chance that had the rider INCREASED throttle, the spinning wheel might have had enough force to power its way out of the slide and get back into line with the front wheel: Power on, lean a little more and hope that the turn doesn't have dirt on it from the last time someone wiped out there. With some luck, he might have been able to pull through the turn and wind up on the straight without any damage.
   
   Now, keep in mind that all of this takes place in less than a second. Even if your reaction time is FLAWLESS, that still doesnt leave much time to 1. identify the problem, 2. predict what's going to happen 3. decide on the best course of action and 4. execute that plan as quickly as possible. Even the best riders in the world get it wrong from time to time.
   
   Plain and simple, the rider sealed his fate the minute he started rolling on the throttle. Which - Im guessing - was motivated by his need to look cool, knowing that this turn is populated by people with video cameras.

As already recommended, DanDan's Youtube is a wealth of good information. I'd also check out MotoJitsu's channel. Both of them do a great job of explaining concepts and giving you visual examples.


While some people think they're antiquated in these days of streaming video, I'm going to recommend a couple of books as well. I've read pretty much every motorcycle book ever published. These two I reread regularly.

https://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760343446/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_

Lee's basic curriculum has replaced MSF in several states, including CA, which has the most riders. The sooner more states follow that lead, the better, IMO. MSF is better than nothing, but it leaves a LOT to be desired. Read his book. He's from Chicago. He gets back home and teaches a few classes a year in the area. https://www.totalcontroltraining.net/

​

https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1

Just a TON of great street-oriented info in this book (and its sequel). Covers a lot more than just the physical skills of riding.


Good luck. I'm up in the FAR north suburbs. Gimme a shout when you've got wheels, we'll go on a ride.

Been riding here for two and half years and other places for more years. Cycle gear has Dainese mesh armour for under 200. It has held up well, but it smells awful if you don't wash it. Full face helmets with tinted or mirrored shields are your friends and keep you from feeling like an ant under a magnifying glass when the sun is out.

The HOV is your friend. The people on the HOV and pretty much anywhere else are fucking terrible drivers. Any day I'm only merged into twice each commute is a good day. Take it slow, give yourself space, check your mirrors often and watch out for idiots on their fucking phones. I've never had anything thrown at me, but that's probably because I'm all black and people don't see me. Friday and Saturday are the worst nights for riding in town. Sunday, people are not aware enough to care. People are terrible, and you might as well be a tin can in the highway for them to run over. Just be cool and let them by.

The heat is terrible if you are stuck in it. Soak your head, your shirt, a bandanna around your neck to help keep you cool. When you get more miles under your belt, I recommend filtering when traffic isn't moving. Most people won't see you/won't move over, don't give a shit. Some people will honk, or move to block you so keep your levers covered and watch people's mirrors. Go slow, but keep moving. I won't do it around cops, but any time traffic's under twenty and congested, or there's a long line at the light, or morons on the HOV are at a standstill because they want to check out a wreck all the way across the freeway from them, I'll split. Just don't be a douche about it. Be respectful and most people will ignore you. I've been honked at a few times, and yelled at/followed by an angry lady once, but it doesn't get to me. I'm gone by the time most people notice me, and if they're that angry, they should get a bike and boil on it, too.

Get gloves with pockets behind the knuckles, you can fold your toll money in there and pull it out fairly easily to pay tolls. Don't ride tired. Don't drink and ride. Don't be a douche around cops (or in general) and they'll pretty much leave you alone.

Pick up a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. Take the MSF course, it's like 200 bucks and worth it. And fun.

The city is not great to ride in, but riding makes commuting in the city bearable. Highways are best. FM roads and back roads are fantastic.

Be Safe!

You can do that with the Ninja 250. It's all practice. Like V_Glaz_Dam mentioned you should watch the Twist of Wrist 2 series.

Here's something I wrote for one of my friends.

For books, I personally like this one the most. I feel like Nick took a lot information from the Twist of the Wrist books and made it more modern.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1893618072/ref=oh_o02_s01_i00_details



But I also learned a lot from Lee Park's book. Lee Park hosts a rider school where he runs over all the drills in his book and helps with rider technique. You have to google the class schedules but he comes around California at least once or twice a year.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0760314039/ref=oh_o04_s00_i00_details



The there is the Twist of the Wrist series
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1330372612&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Basics-High-Performance-Motorcycle/dp/0965045021/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1330372612&sr=8-2

I haven't read those books but the Twist of Wrist II videos are on youtube so you can check them out.



The last book I would recommend is Proficient Motorcycling. I highly recommended reading that one because it focuses a lot on general riding. Techniques that everyone should learn just to stay alive riding on the road. The book can be found at some libraries so you can save some money by just loaning it.
http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1933958359/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1330372534&sr=1-1-spell

The rest is all practice.
Also youtube "ninja 250 track" and you'll see a bunch of videos of guys racing their 250s on the track.

I wouldn't get on a track until you are at least familiar with your motorcycle. Get some miles under your belt before you decide to do it. After you are comfortable on your bike I would try to hook up with some local riders who are better than you. That way you can talk to them and learn from their experience. But remember to take most advice with a grain of salt. I personally use meetup.com to meet a lot of other guys to ride with.

Glad you're alright!

As a new rider, I highly suggest you pick up Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough. It's an amazing book that is very honest about the risk, and lays out tons of techniques to handle stuff like different road hazards that you'll eventually run into, and how to basically perfect defensive riding.

A lot of this stuff isn't in the MSF manual, and the book goes into great detail about how to safely navigate through stuff like gravel on the road, around train tracks and any edge traps, oil on the road, slanted roads with bad traction, deers and dogs, etc. This kind of stuff will make you eat shit if you don't know how to handle it - it did me. We all have instincts for these emergency situations, instincts that can often be the wrong thing to do, like cutting your throttle as soon as you hit an oil patch and start slipping. You can't always trust your instincts and experience.

I've googled for a while trying to figure out these tips but it's really hard to find a good deal of information on the internet on this stuff. This book really puts it all together and teaches you how to be a safer rider. Highly recommend it.

Welcome to the club! And remember, about two years in when you're feeling much more confident as a rider, you're actually at a higher risk because riders get more cocky. stay safe

Just a brief overview/summary of 3 main concepts to understand that can improve your car control & competitiveness in motorport games:

1. Weight Transfer
   • when accelerating, a bigger portion of the car's weight transfers rearward onto the back tires (squat) & off of the front tires
   • when braking/decelerating, a bigger portion of the car's weight transfers forward onto the front tires (dive) & off of the rear tires
   • when turning left, a bigger portion of the car's weight transfers laterally onto the right (outside) tires & off of the left (inside) tires
   • when turning right, a bigger portion of the car's weight transfers laterally onto the left (outside) tires & off of the right (inside) tires
   • when accelerating & turning simultaneously, a much bigger portion of the car's weight transfers onto the rear outside tire (which can sometimes cause a spin-out)
   • when braking/decelerating & turning simultaneously, a much bigger portion of the car's weight transfers onto the front outside tire (which can sometimes cause a spin and/or cause the car to plow straight through the turn off the track & into a wall)
   • oversteer (turning too much) & understeer (not turning enough) are usually caused by an imbalance of too much lateral weight transfer at one end of the car without enough corresponding lateral weight transfer at the opposite end of the car
   • cars with different engine placement (front-mounted, mid-engine, & rear-engine) and different powertrains (front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, & all-wheel drive) behave differently due to the engine's position & which wheels are powered influencing how the car reacts when weight transfers
   • changing a car's tuning settings is often done specifically to alter how a car behaves when weight transfers
   • your manipulation of the car's inputs while driving (throttle, brake, & steering), along with the car's configuration & setup, and the track's conditions, all affect when, where, how fast, & how much of the car's weight transfers
   
   
2. Tires & Grip
   Your car's ability to go anywhere depends entirely on the quality of the contact between the tires & the road. Each tire's ability to do what you want at a given time (grab traction while turning, slow your car under braking, and/or transfer engine power to the road when accelerating) is dependent upon things like:
   • the surface
   • the tire type/compound
   • the amount of surface contact area the tire has (contact patch)
   • temperatures
   • the forces pushing on the tire (vertically, laterally, & forward/momentum) in that moment
   • the amount of rotational engine power/torque going to the tire
   ...Too much or too little of anything (weight, heat, power, etc.) on a tire can greatly reduce (or completely eliminate) the tire's ability to perform.
   
   
3. The Racing Line
   The fastest path around a track, which, through each turn, includes things like:
   • braking point
   • turn-in point / corner entry
   • apex
   • track-out / corner exit
   
   Weight transfer, tires & grip, and the racing line are inter-related & all play into each other. Many challenges you might encounter with oversteer, understeer, grip, & lap times are caused by - and can therefore also be alleviated by - how your driving (when & how much throttle, braking, steering input you apply) and your car's setup affect the way weight transfers onto & off of your tires in an effort to keep more of your momentum flowing through the optimal path.
   
   Of course, this short list is not complete coverage, but just some quick nuggets to hopefully get you started & provide a taste of the types of topics involved in the study of high performance driving. If you feel like diving deeper into it, here are some links to more (& better) info:
   
   • DrivingFast.net
   • TurnFast.com
   • iRacing Racing School YouTube playlist
   • "Ultimate Speed Secrets: The Complete Guide to High-Performance and Race Driving" by Ross Bentley
   
   Good luck & have fun.

It sounds like you're after the basics of how mechanical things work. These aren't bike specific but the principles remain the same.

Engine basics

How oil systems work and what your engine oil does

Gearboxes and what gears do

Early braking systems and what brake fluid does

Cooling system

Yes these are old but I think explain things in such an easy to understand method. Some things are far outdated by today but all basic principles are exactly the same.

If you're after some books. How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive by John Muir is one of the best mechanical guides around. Sure it's about VW stuff but it explains things is such a great way and how to think when working on something, mechanical problem solving etc. It's helped me when I worked as a race car mechanic and it just provides advice that sticks with you and applies to anything mechanical.

If you have access to a shop with a lift and vaguely-competent help, then there's no reason you should stress over the potential big-ticket replacement stuff. The much-maligned HPFP can be accessed after maybe an hour's worth of disassembly. The water pump would probably be more work (no firsthand experience), but a lift would make it much more pleasant. Any job you might need to do, there's probably a DIY available online.

The scanner issue is easily solved; you can do basic troubleshooting with Carly and a bluetooth OBDII dongle. Alternatively, if you want to go the JB4 route, you can add the JB4 bluetooth adapter and read codes to your phone with the JB4 app (my preferred method).

If you intend to do your own work, you should also invest in a Bentley repair manual. Alternatively, you could probably find a free download online for the thing, but to be frank, if you think $100 is a steep investment, then maintaining a 335 may not be for you. I prefer to have a physical book I can lay out beside me while I work.

All in all, I've had my 335 for about nine months now. Here's a rundown of compulsory work I've done to it:

• Replaced all vacuum lines to fix underboost condition ($30 for 15' of silicone hose)
  
• Replaced both vacuum canisters when new lines didn't fix underboost condition ($71 for two canisters)
  
• Replaced low-pressure fuel pressure sensor ($76)
  
• Replaced exhaust VANOS solenoid ($121) (only ever threw a code at the track, kind of a preventative replacement)
  
  I've also invested about $2k into performance stuff and associated costs; most of that was from a set of KW coilovers and the required alignment afterwards. Then there was the JB4 and a few other items.
  
  Overall, I love the car. The turbo system has been finicky, but I think mostly I've been cleaning up negligence by the prior owner there. With the JB4, the car is pretty damn quick, and it's plenty of fun on the track as well.
  
  My name is /u/N546RV, and I own an N54 335i out of warranty.

I've used one on a custom car we made in high school. It was (relatively) easy to fiddle with if you know what you're doing. If you want anything custom(sequential injection or coil on plug ignition), you're going to have to know how to solder. It's pretty good for turbo applications (IMO) because they have a pretty good boost control solenoid for relatively cheep that's easy to install and a built-in MAP sensor. A megasquirt is what I'm going to get when I do my KA-T build. They're also pretty expandable if you want to change anything later.

If you do decide to go the megasquirt route, I would suggest reading a book like this or this so you really know what in the hell you're doing when it comes time to "mess with the tables". It was pretty challenging on that custom car.

Also, Porsche is awesome.

Heh, of course no one can hold their best 500 m time for 2k. But if you're well-trained, you should be able to predict your 2k time to a very rough approximation from your 500 m time. Yours isn't that far off, I would say. My bests were around 1:29 and 1:44.

A couple caveats: It's not a direct linear relationship, as split scales to the 1/3rs power of power output, and human power output is, obviously, a function of exertion time.

The linked plot appears in Bicycling Science, which has a ton of interesting information about human power output and endurance in general, which is applicable to rowing.

EDIT: Now I'm bored and curious. I'm going to apply the Concept II formula to the data in the human power curve. I will report back with a rough idea of humanity's rough limits for split vs. time. If I'm still bored, I'll give best efforts to distance and compare with actual records.

DOUBLE EDIT: Here we go! The splits here are comically low, which I believe reflects the fact that they're not only best efforts, but best efforts for an ideal mechanism, which the erg, while pretty good, is not.

TRIPLE EDIT: And here's the theoretical best times!. All the same caveats apply as before. Also note this is a log-log scale, rather than a semilog scale as before. The record data came from concept II. There actually is an individual 1 megameter record, but it's off the plot range it's so high. I'm not fixing the spelling error in the first plot.

Great advice.

Just be aware- what is taught in the basic rider course is the most basic elementary stuff. It's also not really everything you need to know- it's just enough to give you a fighting chance of not being killed immediately, and hopefully gives you a solid starting point to improve your skills.

It takes conscious effort to learn riding techniques, and it takes continuous practice to improve. Simply putting on miles without understanding that you need to put focused effort into improving will get you miles under your belt without developing superior skills. Staying alive on the street is a combination of riding skill and observation & planning skills. Some of this you can learn from books, I recommend David L. Hough's books "Proficient Motorcycling" and "Mastering the Ride: More Proficient Motorcycling", and also his "Street Strategies: A Survival Guide for Motorcyclists" book.

And there are many others who have written good books on riding, but those are the ones I own. When my wife and later our kids decided to ride, those are the books I strongly recommended to them.

Take more formal instruction after you have a little experience on the street. The MSF advanced rider course, or a dirt bike school, a police motor office course, anything with a pro instructor. Track days can be good too, if there is good instruction and coaching available. Right now, you don't really know what you don't know.

I'm going to recommend something a little unconventional around here: an actual paper book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0760313318/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_6wgwybXHCREVS

I bought this sort of on a whim when I started riding and was in the same position as you, and it was unbelievably informative and interesting to read. Its slightly out of date in that it precedes the advent of common electronic aides, but 100% of the stuff in the book is useful.

Also, while I'm recommending books for new riders, Lee Park's "Total Control" (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0760343446/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_Mxgwyb3MVM3CF) is an absolutely brilliant book. Its specifically about street riding (as opposed to track) and is targed towards newish riders. This book basically singlehandedly changed me from a hesitating novice to a confident (though a little reckless, it taught me to ride well but doesn't teach thoughtfulness the way Keith Code does) rider.

And, of course, the great grand daddy of them all, Twist of the Wrist 2 (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0965045021/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_aygwyb1BB573F). This book is so good and so dense that I still find new things to practice every page or two. The definitive riding technique book for good reason. No, you don't need to read part 1.

You probably want this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

It is about air cooled VWs, but it goes through all the automotive systems. Later chapters cover things like VW disc brakes and fuel injection in the 1960s. It's a clear book with pictures and a humorous approach to the basics of a car. You can start from a point of no knowledge and get a pretty good idea of internal combustion principles.

Good luck!

Learn more about driving.

Many techniques and principles from racing can be applied on the road at perfectly legal speeds. Some of this can be demonstrated at 30mph or even less.

The techniques can make you a safer driver as well. Practicing the various skills as you drive, even on something as simple your commute will help keep you engaged and focused on your driving. This helps keep you attentive like you should be anyway, so it's just a bonus.

Who cares? You're 17! Whatever happens, you'll have a great story to tell for the rest of your life. I would have LOVED to go on an adventure like this at your age. Remember, "Adventure is misery recounted at leisure."

The car may be able to go about 65-70mph on the freeway but I wouldn't recommend running it at that speed for long. This car was made before the national 55mph speed limit but 60-65 is probably about as fast as you want to go on a sustained basis if the car's top speed is 73. Running ANY car at or near its maximum speed for any length of time stresses it pretty badly.

I *would* recommend that you carry a spare alternator belt, ignition points, spark plugs, and condenser. Know how to change those out at the side of the road, and how to set dwell and timing. Get a copy of How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive by John Muir. Carry a rudimentary set of tools: assorted screwdrivers, assorted pliers, a set of metric combination wrenches, a metric socket set, a dwell meter and timing light.

It's not unlikely, if you get towed to a shop, that yours will be the first Bug the mechanic has seen outside of a museum or a car show. Mechanics who know how to work on those cars aren't that common, any more.

If this is a *literal* cross-country drive, like, you're starting out on or near the West Coast...be aware that we're heading into the time of year when roads and passes through the Rockies can get shut down because of snow conditions. If you're traveling through desolate areas, don't count on cellphones to work. If you'll be traveling through the desert, read this.

ETA: Hopefully you can get your parents to agree to all of this. Also, if this is a multi-day trip, at 17, you may have problems doing things like getting a motel room, because you're a minor. I'm not sure how that would work even if your parents were to authorize you to use one of their credit cards.

Pyrometer

Low profile jack stands (flat feet, safe for tarmac)

Racing gloves

RaceQuip Helmet Support

A GoPro off-brand accessory kit To help mounting that GoPro to whatever you want to mount it to.

Some Mechanix gloves lots of options

Paint markers various colors.

F4 self-sealing silicone tape

Going Faster
Speed Secrets
High-Performance Handling for Street or Track

Another few things would be to find out what the driver uses for brake pads, brake fluid, rotors, oil filter, etc., as those can be pricey and nice gifts. (I use Hawk DTC-60 front, HP+ rear pads, Motul RBF-600 fluid)

Portable battery powered air pump for tires I have one very similar to this. It's cheap and great to use for adjusting pressures before sessions.

A decent tire pressure gauge This is the one I have and have used for several years and I have been very happy with it.

A subscription to Grassroots Motorsports

Torque wrench, +200 ft/lbs This is the one I have been using for a few years and it works well.

I've got lots of other ideas for tools and such; specific socket sets, impact gun & sockets, special bits for your car, magnet, flash lights/head lamp/stick light, channel locks, stubby sockets, various wrenches, extensions, breaker bar, bits, allen wrenches, vice grips, pry bars, adapters, pliers, cutters, etc that would be good to put on your list if you don't have them in your kit.

Happy holidays!

Your missing that bicycle spokes are loaded purely in tension. Section modulous and moment of area aren't terms I know (am bike mechanic and motorcycle customizer, not engineer) but i suspect the apply in resisting twist, flex, and buckling. None of those can happen to a spoke in a properly built wheel, they are all under tension.

One good reason to use many thin spokes is it minimizes the span of rim between spokes. This helps spread shock, instead of putting it all on one section of the rim.

Another good reason is that when a rim deflects under load or impact, you do NOT want the spoke to go slack. So ideally you want all the spokes loaded with enough tension that they stretch more than the rim can safely deflect. With fewer but heavier spokes, this tension would be very high, requiring a thick spoke bed to avoidpulling the nipple though the rim, and unless deap in section the rim would get flat spots under the nipples. Many deep section rims are in fact built into wheels that use fewer spokes with thicker cross section than normal- not because it is stronger, but because it is more aerodynamic.

For a really good explanation of bicycle wheel design, check out Jobst Brandt's book on the subject. He even includes finite element analysis. Using his principles, I've built 26 inch wheels that survive flat landings from loading docks under my grace less 200 lb ass, and stay within .25 mm of build true. They aren't light, but they use MUCH thinner spokes than conventionally used on such wheels, since i aimed for optimal spoke elongation, not maximum spoke strength.

Edit - this is the book I mentioned - http://www.amazon.com/The-Bicycle-Wheel-3rd-Edition/dp/0960723668

Sure thing! I realized I forgot to answer the book question, the driving books that I learned a lot from were Ross Bentley's Speed Secrets books - less so on raw technique and moreso on thought processes and way to approach things. Back when I read them the first time (I was probably 11 ish so... 2006 I guess?) They came as a series of books but they're now all compiled into one book: it's on Amazon here and is absolutely worth the money. Plus it's way cheaper than it used to be. It helps understand how to break down corners and think about what's going on which then applies the knowledge you have of the vehicle to apply it. It takes longer than reading a simple how to but as a result you'll be a more complete driver after - and potentially get yourself the skill set to drive the fsae car or other cars more quickly and easily.

A good way to practice is iRacing or rfactor or pcars - something with a more real tire model than say Forza or Grand Turismo. Obviously this isn't cheap, sim racing on a college budget can be tough but it's something to look into. It's much more forgiving than real life.

These are the two Banish books I'm most familiar with: Engine Management: Advanced Tuning, Designing and Tuning High Performance Fuel Injection Systems. They're pretty similar but the main difference is obvious from the title: the former is just tuning with a little bit of hardware and the second is about half and half hardware and tuning.

I try to remember that the RPi isn't really targeted at hobbyists, it's really an educational board. There are definitely better options if you're willing to give up the support and community. The Banana Pi is looking pretty good as well as the whole ODROID line. Since I'm not a coding guy I would probably be running a tuning PC program hence the requirement of x86.

That's a beautiful bike. Treat her with respect and she'll last a long, long time.

In case you're interested, this is my favorite book on motorcycle concepts and technique. That book and a MSF course will put you well ahead of the curve (no pun intended).

Ride safe and enjoy!

I originally tried the same thing (googling everything) but trying to find all the information I was looking for in one place was next to impossible. Plus you have so many contradicting views on how to go about tuning...etc.

Engine Management: Advanced Tuning by Greg banish. Its a little older (written in 2007) but still covers all the basics you will need.

http://www.amazon.com/Engine-Management-Advanced-Greg-Banish/dp/1932494421/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416614952&sr=1-1&keywords=engine+management+advanced+tuning

Automotive engine management systems by Jeff Heartman. This book came out in 2013 (i believe) and deals a lot with volumetric efficiency (VE) based engine management systems (like the AEM infinity). This book was the first one I read and it really gives you a good understanding of things. Its much longer then the book above, but seeing as how it goes into greater depth and more aspects of tuning its worth the read.

http://www.amazon.com/Modify-Automotive-Engine-Management-Systems/dp/0760343454/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416615138&sr=1-1&keywords=automotive+engine+management+systems

Other honourable mentions:

Maximum boost by Corky bell (the book is a bit older, but its really well written and interesting)

"How to build" Max-Performance Mitsubishi 4G63 engines, by Robert Bowen (and Robert Garcia of Road Race Engineering RRE)

Engine Airflow by Harold Bettes

I highly recommend reading this book . I'm a beginner too, and have learned a lot from it, I know people will say practice is the only way to learn, but reading from veteran riders is also good for you. Like many here suggest, make sure to get your gear, license, driving courses and insurance (both for you and your motorcycle) beforehand. Read thoroughly all your local traffic laws applicable to motorcyclists and make sure you have a place to keep your new baby safe. Go for it :)

In Vancouver there's an awesome community bike shop called Moto Method where you can do your own wrenching. Tire swaps are always easier to let somebody else handle. The further south you are the easier it is to find nice Mexican mechanics/muffler shops that you can haggle with to let you use tools you don't have packed and/or weld something up for you.

I prefer to do this kind of travelling solo. Forgive me if I'm getting a little philosophical, but I think Ted Simon explains the benefits of solo travel best in his book Jupiter's Travels: he speaks of how the only way to truly let the world change and affect you is when you travel alone, because if you travel with a partner you tend to see yourself as a reflection of how they see you and their perception of you is resistant to change. Why else do we travel but to let the world sweep us up and affect and change and become a part of us in some meaningful way?

Here's a list, off the top of my head - I know all these are on my bookshelf, but I'm probably missing a few more:

Hell's Angel: The Life and Times of Sonny Barger and the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club by Sonny Barger

Freedom: Credos from the Road by Sonny Barger

Ridin' High, Livin' Free: Hell-Raising Motorcycle Stories by Ralph Sonny Barger

Dead in 5 Heartbeats by Sonny Barger

Under and Alone by William Queen

No Angel: My Harrowing Undercover Journey to the Inner Circle of the Hells Angels by Jay Dobyns

Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library) by Hunter S. Thompson

Street Justice by Chuck Zito

The Original Wild Ones: Tales of the Boozefighters Motorcycle Club by Bill Hayes

Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road by Neil Peart

The Masked Rider: Cycling in West Africa by Neil Peart

Against the Wind: A Rider's Account of the Incredible Iron Butt Rally by Ron Ayres

Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry into the Value of Work by Matthew B. Crawford

Honda CB750: The Complete Story by Mark Haycoc

Shovelhead Red The Drifter's Way by Roy Yelverton

Shovelhead Red-Ridin' Out by Roy Yelverton

A Twist of the Wrist 2: The Basics of High-Performan​ce Motorcycle Riding by Keith Code

Total Control: High Performance Street Riding Techniques by Lee Parks


Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values by Robert M. Pirsig - Still my favorite. A high school english teacher bought it for me when he found out I had just passed my motorcycle road test. I've read it at least 15 times, and get something new from it each time.


But the best recommendation - Buy the FACTORY SERVICE MANUAL for your bike and read it. Read it often, until you can almost turn to the exact page for each procedure.

OK. I got a really weird suggestion. Go buy this and read it cover to cover:

http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step---Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420493624&sr=8-1&keywords=john+muir+complete+idiot+VW

I know. That sounds weird as hell. But that is the single best technical manual for any motor vehicle, and an air-cooled classic VW is actually very similar tech to a Harley or a lot of other air-cooled motorcycles.

This book is the ancestor of the entire concept of the popular "idiot's guide" books, but none ever did it better.

If you want a true and proper "feel" for wrenching, this book is an awesome place to start. I know about it because I built a Baja Bug as the last "fun car" I ever owned before getting into motorcycles nearly 30 years ago.

Sorry for posting late, but definitely buy this http://www.amazon.com/How-Cars-Work-Tom-Newton/dp/0966862309/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346804838&sr=8-1&keywords=how+cars+work

I read this while taking Auto Tech through high school and it helped a ton.

There is also this website, although it uses some larger words and is a bit harder to understand right off the bat. http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/tech_index.html

Try, to concentrate on one system at a time afterwords (brakes, suspension, electronics, etc.) since it makes it more focused.

Good luck :)

• In short, there's nothing you can say or do now that will ease her mind.
  That all comes with time. Save up and pay for your own bike and gear, take the safely course. Try not the crash in your 1st year of riding. Show her you're responsible adult.
  
  
• Don't ride in the rain, Take public transport. But sometimes it can't be helped. Just take it slow, wait for the rain to die-down if it get too heavy (what's heavy? you have to make a judgement on that)
  You can get riding gear that's water proof, but my experiences with them is that they don't work. Just carry a water proof backpack with a change of clothes in there, Kriega makes great stuff. The bike should be fine in the rain, but it's best to find a shaded area to park.
  
  
• Just keep in mind that you're a beginning and know your limits. A twist of the wrist 2. Read it or Watch it.

It was a long time ago, but yes, I recall something similar. I just want to add a word of warning that while you may feel more relaxed now, you must never become complacent. "They" say that the 2nd year of riding can be the most dangerous simply because of the situation you outlined. You get comfortable, relaxed and think "hey! I haven't crashed! I think I have this 'riding' thing down!" So keep your guard up and start practicing the next level of riding.

Oh, and if you haven't yet, I highly recommend reading Proficient Motorcycling - excellent reading no matter what your riding style/skill level.

PPS - nice bike - I have two of them (Gen I) ;-)

My impression of you seems to be that you don't have very much mechanical experience. I would for the sake of preperation, with the assumption you'd want to repair it yourself,buy a a bentley manual or visit this website. I would also encourage you to purchase a code scanner. At the minimum, this would put you in a leveraged position. As you wouldn't rely on your stealership or a joeSCHMOE as much as you normally would to tell you what's wrong with your car. I find people who buy bimmers either have the money to have them repaired and not dent their wallet or have the know how to repair it themselves. There's nothing wrong with the first type, but I wouldn't be caught dead waiting for someone to change my tire. I encourage you to learn more about your engine, to take things apart. Whatever you may hear may be hear-say. Your car is definitely different than the others.


Good luck!

Well, you have some decisions to make. The constants will be the dimensions of the hub and the inner diameter of the rim. The variables will be the lacing pattern -- how many times the the spokes cross each other on the way from the hub to the rim -- and the gauge / type of spoke.

Since you're building a 36 spoke wheel, I assume that you're building this for heavy duty road riding or touring, where most riders will select a 3X pattern. (For example, radial laced spokes don't cross each other at all -- like a wagon wheel -- resulting in shorter, lighter spokes. A 3X wheel requires longer spokes but allows softer riding characteristics.)

I couldn't get the drop-down menu's to work on the Wheelbuilder link, but another calculator can be found here. But unless you can find a reliable database of measurements, you will need to learn how to make the proper measurements yourself.

One book you might want to read can be found here. It's a start but not gospel.

One option: Go to an intelligent LBS and have them make the measurements and order the spokes for you. You can save the labor and build them yourself.

Good luck!

Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough is available in both print and Kindle. This is the best book you'll ever read about how to become a better rider; it explains the basics and dynamics of a motorcycle and how to put the best skills to work for you. It's a great read for both Novice and Skilled Riders; no one will disagree on this.

Now for pointers: LOOK into the turn to where you want the bike to go; don't fixate your eyes on a single object. Slow down BEFORE the turn and roll the throttle into it.

Watch this ridiculously directed training video; once you get past the goofy characters, it teaches a lot of good riding habits.

Edit: Got name mixed up - Thanks for the heads up.

In addition to his excellent list, familiarize yourself with where everything is on that particular model. Where is the spare tire? Is it a full sized spare? Where is the battery and the jumper posts? (they are sometimes at a different place than the battery itself) Where do you put the jack when changing tires in all 4 locations? How do you change a tire safely? Where do you add oil and change the oil? You can find all of this by getting a copy of the owners manual for that car (online?) and reading it backwards and forwards. I recommend that you actually change the tire once when you get the car.

And instead of getting frustrated by all the info on the Internet about cars, buy a basic book instead...more focused and better organized info. I recommend this one :

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0966862309

Good luck.

I can't recommend "Ross Bentley's speed secrets" enough as a resource for learning to drive well. It's succinct and a good resource to read and re-read picking up new hints as you go. The author is a ex indycar racer who is pretty well known as one of the best driving coaches around these days (for the west coast US at least).

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Speed-Secrets-Complete-High-Performance/dp/0760340501

Aside from that as mentioned above these are sims more than games and you can't expect to jump in and go. New tracks will take a hour or more to really learn, for each one. You have to enjoy the challenge to enjoy this sport.

Everything in that warning is true, but IMO, Hill Country is a great place for a novice to practice their technique. He needs to be careful, of course, but a rider who learns out there won't get into the habit of out-riding his sightlines.

Maybe you could pair the Butler Map with a copy of Hough's Proficient Motorcycling, which is a great manual for riding safely in real-world situations.

I tend to think the same way you do. Don't know where to start, just wish I could have someone explain everything and let me ask questions. While I'm sure that exists in the sense that there might be some expert out there willing to sit down and teach it, but what you're asking for is a course and instruction. Again, I'm sure that exists and it will cost money, I don't know where to start with that.

Otherwise it is completely up to you. Start scouring the internet, look through build threads and tuning forums, and read books on the subject. I just finished this one and I think it is a pretty good place to start if you need the basics on turbos. After that I'm moving on to this one to learn more about tuning. Just like most things in life, there is no easy button. If you want to learn it you have to do it yourself.

Huge learning curve and I agree the site is pretty difficult to get used to. Here are some bookmarks i saved from when i was researching. Hopefully it'll help you out. Happy boosting!

Turbo parts suggestions and advice:

http://www.miataturbo.net/diy-turbo-discussion-14/any-advice-building-turbo-kit-comparable-fm-ii-hydra-scratch-83155/

Feul inj. conversion:

http://www.rceng.com/technical.aspx

Book to read before tackling the project (basics of tuning and etc.):

http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Boost-Turbocharger-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837601606

I love my Harley, but just FYI for OP who sounds a little cash-strapped atm: you can also take a regular MSF course for much less money, and they take you all the way from "this is the throttle" to "you are now taking your license exam" in 1 weekend.

The one I took was very good and between that course and Twist of the Wrist (http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013) I increased my competence and confidence by a ton.

You're not going to find one 'decently priced'. Just give up on that ideal right here and now.

VW Nerds like myself, and those who are packed to the rafters at VW Vortex, The Samba, TDI Club, etc, etc. are always on the hunt for aircooleds. You can pretty much rest assured that anything that approaches 'steal' territory will be snatched up within a few days, if not hours.

You're almost guaranteed to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a project, just due to the demand and the market price.

So if you're serious about buying one - set aside an appropriate amount that you're ready to spend at the drop of a hat, and search ads as often as possible. When something pops up, you'll be ready to go.

In my area a $300 Squareback was posted, and it was sold within 2 hours - just as an example.

That said - figure out which generation you want.

Do you want aircooled, or watercooled?

Do you want a T1? T2? T3? Westfalia? What about a Doka?




Aircooled engines are the easiest things you could ever rip apart. This book is the holy grail for aircooled VW's. Anything you could ever want or need to know lies within those pages - or on the Samba.

Watercooled VW engines are all covered by Bentley manuals - just seek one out, and you're golden.

Also, if you're interested, join us over on /r/Fahrvergnugen !

Read Proficient Motorcycling. It's a great book, and will give you exercises to practice and advice for how to ride safely and more confidently. Good luck.

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536

Here are the two best intro books on the subject:

https://www.amazon.com/Race-Car-Vehicle-Dynamics-Experiments/dp/0768011272

https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Premiere-Books/dp/1560911999

Formula SAE in college is a great resource. Look for a co-op opportunity in vehicle design (it'll probably have to be in Michigan unless you're lucky or go into commercial truck). Experience is highly valued when you're trying to get that intro level job because co-ops and internships are so widely available in the industry.

I've built many wheels over the years and find each new build is easier than the one before. The hardest part is choosing the components and getting the spoke length right. Components can be researched on the web (manufacturers' web sites, reviews & opinions) and the LBS can work out the right spoke length for you.

When I'm building a wheel, my attitude is that my time is valuable and I won't waste it by using sub-standard parts (or previously used spokes) and hoping that nothing breaks.

The process of building a wheel can be broken into three parts:

1: Getting all the bits (the fun part);

2: Spoking the wheel (the basket weaving part);

3: Truing the wheel (the tedious but rewarding part).

I have used and can recommend The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt as a book to get started with. I have also read Building Bicycle Wheels by Robert Wright. It got me enthused, but was a little simplistic for me.

You will also need some tools: a spoke key and a truing stand.

It comes down to your skill level. Rear braking and downshifting can set up your rear suspension, braking with power helps you control your exit.

Shifting works the same way.....

Way over simplified, but it's a good idea to get used to the feeling of controlled braking and/or adding power through corners. You never know when an off camber or decreasing radius turn ( or something slick that knocks you off your line) will toss something scary at you.

My racing days were a LONG time ago. A good first read -- http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013

Also, anything that works on the track will help you on the road. Being able to maneuver and or stop ridiculously fast will help avoid most incidents in traffic.

I'm just learning how to do it on a big cruiser. The first time I grabbed a handful of front brake last week at a quick light, I almost blew through the intersection (after 25 years of riding.) Today I was giving those big brembos all they could take to find out where my loss of traction would start and to see how stable the bike is with some front wheel slide. Very stable, happy to say. But, I had to know.

Practice and doing it is the only way. Just like you said it needs to become muscle memory and the only way to make that happen is to do it over and over and over. Like u/Some_Old_Man_Fishin said, find an empty parking lot and practice there. Do the drills you learned in your BRC again and again. Once you are comfortable enough just doing the basics, try adding some 'emergency' stops and lane changes and what not.

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well is a great resource and has tons of great information.

Also 150cc is a pretty small engine, with your weight + the weight of your gear, I wouldn't recommend any highway riding.

Well looks like you got alot of good advice and help here, I'll just add some further reading you can do from the comfort of the couch:
Kieth Code: Twist of the wrist
Although it looks like a racing handbook its also a motorcycle skills book. Enjoy!

Getting away from 1%er type books - this is a pretty well known book in Europe but maybe not so much in the US, I don't know to be honest.

In 1973 Ted Simon set off on a 63,000 mile round the world trip on a 500cc Triumph Tiger 100. He did it again at the age of 70(!) in 2001 as it happens, but this book's about the first '73 trip which took him 4 years. Well worth a read if you haven't come across it. The US Amazon site has jumped the distance up to 78k miles, I have no idea why. He wrote a follow up, Jupiter's Travels.

Guy's a rider, that's for sure.

Ted Simon - Jupiter's Travels

The bike

His website

Sounds though you still have the mindset that you are responsible for your driving and they are responsible for theirs...On a bike this is shit. You are responsible for your self and any other traffic. You have to assume they WILL cut you off they WILL not see you etc.
It's a part of a defensive strategy. I would suggest a good book on motorcycle safety:
https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536

Again, I am not saying I don't run into issues or that I am the perfect rider or that I never have road rage. None of that. But I do now realize that If I don't account for bad drivers ACTIVELY I will eat dirt one day. KNOW that cars are out to get you and just maybe you can prevent it. Just my take on it.

Okay.

Checking for spark: Disconnect one of our spark plug wire boots and hold it against the engine block while you have a friend turn the engine over. If you see a spark, you know the ignition system is correctly getting spark to your engine.

Checking for fuel: Take the fuel hose that runs from the fuel pump to the carburetor off and put it in a clear container. Again, have a friend turn the motor over and see if gas squirts out of it.

Check to make sure you didn't accidentally disconnect any wires or anything else while you were changing the oil.

If you own an air-cooled and intend on working on it yourself, you would be well advised to buy this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503889652&sr=8-1&keywords=idiots+guide+volkswagens

That book is the Bible for air-cooled backyard mechanics.

Go classy. See the world on a motorbike. Camp along the way. Carry more than on a bicycle but be highly approachable, fuel efficient and relatively low impact. Here are some good examples of folks who have (I'm sure there are many others as well):

• 'Ultimate Journey' motorcycle travelogue from aRound The World couple
  
• Horizons Unlimited forum for RTW motorcyclists
  
• Article about pioneering female motorcycle traveler
  
• English dude who rode through Asia and Africa from Europe
  
  Also, for additional points read Ten Years on Two Wheels, One Man Caravan and Jupiter's Travels for inspiration.
  
  

I read a bunch of different answers. I only use the brakes for slowing or stopping. When I've accomplished that, I let them go or let up. I try to be as efficient with my controls as possible, only using what I need, when I need it. That gives my brain more time to process the "big picture". I used to think of the bike as an extension of myself. Now, after experience and practice, it is :)

There is a lot that needs to be paid attention to when riding, so taxing your brain in a pseudo "ready mode" or other taxing thought processes isn't as good as fully paying attention to the present. Definitely practice any riding skills until they become natural. My goal is to have total awareness of my surroundings as much of the time as possible, but instantly focusing 100% on any potential emergencies while spending as little time in that state as possible, then going immediately back to total awareness. For example: I'm sitting at a stop light, swivel my helmet and see some one coming up fast. I then take action. Could be tap the brake, turn on my turn signal, or grab the bars and make my best effort to move to safety if needed depending on the situation. Then reset and scan.

With more practice, one can grab the clutch, twist the throttle, shift to 1st, and start releasing the clutch in well under 1 second or seemingly simultaneously. I've been riding for 21 years and it's 2nd nature, (I don't think about it) which allows for they key to being on the road in any vehicle = pay attention.

--

This is an absolute must for ANY rider weather you're racing, riding , or driving:
http://amzn.com/0965045021
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-II-Keith-Code/dp/0965045072

If I could give you one piece of advice and no other it would be this....

Make absolutely CERTAIN all your engine tin is in place and that your engine seal is in fantastic condition. You really want to keep all of that heat out of your engine compartment. Here's a pic of a beetle seal http://beingwolfy.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/dscf3758.jpg. but that's the idea

I chased so many other things to attain good cooling on my last motor, got everything fixed with my new hot rod engine though. The air cooled design only works well when every piece of the system is there. Probably any parts shop could show you anything that is missing and they'd be happy to sell it to you.

Also get the Idiot Guide, it helped me survive driving a $0 beetle to college and making it run right.
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step---Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1371515944&sr=1-1

Oh I have so much else to say...

Have fun, keep an open mind and get ready to read and get greasy!

You’ve got most of the basics. You’re starting out a lot more informed than most.

Not sure what country you’re in but if you have local training classes available, take them. Always keep learning.

Always remember that being in a hurry almost never gets you there that much faster. A couple minutes (if that) is not worth the risk of hurrying and not paying attention.

Even if you have the right of way, that will not console you from the hospital bed. Sure, you may have been in the right and they should have stopped. And yes they will hopefully cover your medical bills and totaled bike. But wouldn’t you rather just avoid all of that in the first place? We cannot afford to hold our own while riding. Make yourself visible and always use your lane space to your advantage, but give way if needed.

These two books have an amazing amount of practical knowledge for street riding:

[Street Strategies](Street Rider’s Guide: Street Strategies for Motorcyclists (Motorcycle Consumer News) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081326/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ijwaCb4M23P86)

[Proficient Motorcycling](Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DlwaCbBZ1YK5Q)

If you'd like to learn to be a better driver and gain some knowledge about the fastest way to get around a track, I recommend reading something like this book, it made me aware of mistakes I was making and is very easy to read. it shows diagrams of lines to take into corners etc. It doesn't have to be that one, there are many like it, that's just the one I personally used.

It's not a long trail 3.4 miles but it is a lot of fun as you drive on the rocks and there is one optional part you can play around on that goes almost straight down that the Jeep tours scare people on. Easily the best 4x4 trail in AZ and a top 10 in the USA. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/arizona/broken-arrow-4x4-trail

Now that you have a 4x4 in AZ go get this book and it has broken arrow in it. https://smile.amazon.com/Guide-Arizona-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/1934838195/ref=tmm_other_meta_binding_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1523235879&sr=8-5

If you have a GPS the traxs are nice to have to but not required.

Everyone is saying take the MSF, which is absolutely correct, but the bare minimum. Ideally you should be learning as much as you can about motorcycles before you get to class. That way the information feels more like a refresher and allows you to devout more attention to the skills portion.

I recommend starting with the book, which is filled with great information.

Then watch youtube videos. Learn the controls and basic maneuvers. Watch people ride and practice scanning for threats(crash videos in particular work to highlight where the danger is).

Yeah I read long way round.. but you HAVE to read Jupiters travels.. it's what inpired Ewan and Charlie in the first place..

GET JUPITERS TRAVELS!!!!! BEST BOOK EVER.. and it's a better route than the Long Way Round crew took.

http://www.amazon.com/Jupiters-Travels-Years-Around-Triumph/dp/0965478521

Parts are best ordered on line unless you live some place where there's a lot of VWs and some specialty retailers/parts houses.

Internet:

http://www.wolfsburgwest.com/
http://www2.cip1.com/
http://www.socalautoparts.com/
http://www.jbugs.com/
http://www.mamotorworkstv.com/vwgclid=CNzrraP14LMCFQSg4AoduisA_w

The Samba is a great community and source for info, etc.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/

A couple of books that you should have.

http://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Beetle-Karmann-Official-Service/dp/0837616468/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1371863777&sr=8-1&keywords=1968+vw+beetle+bentley+manual

http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step---Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1371863840&sr=8-15&keywords=1968+vw+manual


Hope this helps. CiP has good quality parts and if you wait for a sale, they're not to expensive.

Depends on how you define "work".

Does it change how your engine runs, and give you a noticeable difference from stock? More than likely.

Is the way your engine now runs healthy and effective long term? Almost assuredly not.

An engine runs as a complete system, and you can't just change one input into that system to be properly effective. If you tweak one piece, you have to tweak the others to account for it, both physically (larger intakes, turbo/super charger, etc) and electronically (different mapping, etc).

If you want a really good explanation and understanding of the basics of engine tuning, I suggest the Corky Bell book called Maximum Boost. It explains what the various sensors do and how they affect the engine "maps", and you can quickly see just how lame these types of "chips" actually are.

They prey on people who don't understand basic engine tuning.

But on the bright side, they probably come with a "type R" sticker.

the turbo piece get the book
maximum boost

https://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Boost-Turbocharger-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837601606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500339982&sr=1-1&keywords=maximum+boost

the rebuild piece plenty of rebuild books out there, check this one out since its very similar (import 4 cylinder)

https://www.amazon.com/High-Performance-Honda-Builders-Handbook/dp/1884089216/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1500339882&sr=1-3&keywords=high+performance+engine+build

to do it right you will need some new tools to your collection.
borescope (plasti gauge), ring files, piston ring compressors, torque wrench, feeler gauges, straight edge, to name a few
a great machine shop (more than just the head resurface, line hone, bore and hone, valve guides/seats/angle cuts)
a factory service manual is key (torque specs and specific details on your engine vs a basic covers it all book).
Research your cars engine and see what have worked well for others. let them teach you what parts to stay away from.
good luck

I would just start it up and feel the air around the exhaust looking for the pressure escaping, (don't burn yourself) but there may be better and safer ways of checking. If you have heater boxes on the J pipes the leak could be inside one of those and a lot harder to find. And do make sure you have the engine timed correctly, I remember seeing a chart showing that throughout the model years the timing changes between 10 BTDC, 7.5 BTDC, 0 TDC, and 5 ATDC. This Book was very helpful to me and I would absolutely recommend it.

For further reading, check out Proficient Motorcycling. This is an excellent resource and I generally recommend it whenever I can because I really believe it helped me become a better, safer rider.

He mentions that there was a growing concern about motorcycling safety so they rounded up a bunch of expert riders and put them into tough (staged) situations. So many of them crashed when trying to cross an uneven road surface that they came up with the "45 degree" rule.

The N52/N51 in a 328i is a very reliable motor. Like you said, NA and not a turbo. Most everything on these can be DIYed, and if you end up buying one also go get a Bentley service manual. Those books are amazing and worth their weight in gold.

That being said, it is a BMW. Stuff that is easy to do on other cars, even plugs and coils, can be a PITA on this car. Some routine replacements, the electric water pump for example, require SEVERAL other parts to be removed before you can even reach it. The most common problem with these motors is definitely the gaskets, but hopefully those have been done recently and aren't currently leaking (Oil Pan Gasket, Valve Cover Gasket, Oil Filter Housing Gasket). The Oil Pan Gasket requires the subframe to be dropped and the engine raised 10mm to replace. I have to do that on mine soon. Like I said - everything is in the way of everything.

It's really just down to the previous owners and whether things have been replaced or serviced on time. Gaskets, cooling system, brakes, suspension bits, ignition system, fluid changes, etc. could either be perfectly fine and fairly new or in dire need of replacement.

The Hurt Report showed that, compared to the average, people who took classes were half as likely to be in accidents, while those who were taught to ride by friends or family were a third again more likely to be in accidents. I'd be curious to see what a modern study would find about watching YouTube videos to learn the basics.

I've just started reading Proficient Motorcycling to up my game. Sure, I find it a lot of fun to lurk on r/CalamariRaceTeam but my personal goals are in order:

1. To applaud my kid graduating from college
   
2. To be standing up while I do it
   
3. To never in my life have a skin graft
   
4. To enjoy motorcycle riding
   
   Achieving proficiency rather than balls-out squidliness fits those goals nicely.

Sounds like the fuel pump to me. I always keep an extra in my trunk because I’ve had so many go bad on me (I’m on my 2nd electronic one after going through FIVE cam-driven ones in 2 years).

I’m heading for bed, so I can’t be much more help, but go over to thesamba.com and search the forums. That site is the absolute best!

Also buy the John Muir book if you don’t already own it. It was an excellent intro when I first got my Karmann Ghia.

The book Bicycling Science is a great resource. It doesn't have all the answers but it has some really good information as a starting point to understand some of the more recent discussions.

https://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Science-Press-Gordon-Wilson/dp/0262731541/

If I recall correctly that's more about handling than rider fit. The modern approach to rider fit is based on stack and reach, which you can read about here:

https://www.slowtwitch.com/Bike_Fit/Choosing_a_Tri_Bike_via_Stack_and_Reach/The_Stacktennial_3432.html

I've not read it yet myself but I see Twist of the Wrist recommended here pretty often. There is a movie as well but books usually trump all. :)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0965045013/ref=redir_mdp_mobile

Finally, something I can answer:

I have two books in my repertoire:

Bike Science 3rd Ed. - This breaks down the physics of what's happening. It goes in depth about materials, history, really everything bike related. It doesn't go into detail about makes and models though.

Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance - Where Bike Science is the why, Zinn gets down to brass tacks and gives you useful information on how to fix a bike (note that there is also a Zinn book for Mt. Bikes and triathlon bikes which I haven't read yet...). This is my go-to reference when something goes wrong with my bike.

BikeForums.net - So I don't know everything about anything but this is the place to do research. SRAM vs Ultegra? Trek vs Cannondale? Someone has already asked the question and it's on BikeForums somewhere. I trust people who've actually ridden/owned a bike I have a question about far more than some online review that was vetted by the manufacturer.

Hope it helps.

Twist of the Wrist
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013


full of stuff that seems counter-intuitive, but is consistent with the laws of Physics. Easy read, easy to practice, can save your life.

IF you are mechanically inclined, check out getting a Honda CB (or similar 70s Jap bike) and wrench/rebuild it your self.

Yep - sounds like you're probably past a lot of the on-bike portions of the BRC. But there is some valuable class room stuff for someone who's not ridden on the streets.

Lucky for you the BRC course book is online - bam:
http://msf-usa.org/downloads/BRCHandbook.pdf

Another couple books that are worth looking at
David Houghs - Proficient Motorcycling
http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199

And Lee Parks - Total Control
http://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760314039/

I like Parks descriptions of the more technique oriented content. But Houghs book covers a lot of road/traffic survival techniques that are touched on lightly or not at all in the Parks book

While this edit is significantly better, Code's techniques are still woefully outdated (and exceedingly complex). Please, if you really want to improve your riding, pass on Code and check out anything by Nick Ienatsch. Not only is his methodology way better, but what he teaches draws heavily from what we've learned from MotoGP/WSBK about how motorcycles actually operate.

His book is the best source for how to improve your riding. http://smile.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413476530&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=nick+ientasch

No affilliation whatsoever, but have been involved in motorcycle instruction for over 15 years.

Again, please stop trying to apply your physics 1 understanding of friction to this. The way friction is taught in a course like that is completely inaccurate and flat WRONG with how friction and tires actually work. It would be like trying to newtonian physics in astronomy, where relativity is incredibly important.

Have you ever stopped to think and ask why sports cars have wide tires? According to your sources and the physics 1 modelling of friction, surface area has no factor in lateral force, so why would they ever want to have those big, heavy, wide tires when they could just get nice skinny and light ones which get the same amount of grip? Its because friction is a nightmarishly complicated topic and all of those numbers youre looking at are at best rough ballpark guesstimates dont hold up in reality.

First off, in YOUR OWN SOURCE, there are items in there with higher than 1 coefficient of frictions, so its clear that even the completely basic (and wrong) understanding of friction isnt bounded at 1.

Second, there are a ton of readily available examples of street cars exceeding 1G in acceleration, braking, and cornering. Basically every reasonably quick sports car today has a higher than 1G skidpad, most of which dont generate any downforce, and even the ones that do arent generating anything meaningful at skidpad speeds. Under your assumption it would be literally impossible for the corvette z06 to hit the 1.2G on a skidpad that it did in car and driver's test. The Tesla model S also would not be able to hit its 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds, and it definitely isnt generating downforce. On top of that, basically every car on the market can hit >1 peak braking Gs.

third, "you dont increase the u" is completely wrong. u is an ungodly complicated variable which depends on temperature, chemistry, surface conditions, surface properties, deformation, contact angle, system dynamics, and funny enough the normal force as well. Its why you have to warm up a racing tire, its why race tires use very different rubber compounds and construction methods than street tires, its why racing brakes dont work worth a shit the first few times you try to stop, its why vehicle suspension matters, its why vehicle weight matters in a corner.

Start on page 13 to start learning about how tires and friction actually work then after youve read that book about 10 times go buy race car vehicle dynamics and read that about 5 times. Then go work on a racing team for 5 years, then come back and talk to me about your understanding of friction.

1. Watch Twist of the Wrist for information on cornering and general riding skills.
   
   
2. Read Proficient Motorcycling to understand some of the roadcraft you'll need to keep yourself on two wheels. If you hunt around long enough, I'm sure you can find a pdf somewhere.
   
   
3. Take a training course! This will save you tons of money in repairs and hospital bills. I'm not from Australia, but 5 seconds of googling landed me a few potential leads.
   
   
4. Don't worry about keeping track of what gear you're in. Just shift up or down as necessary to keep the bike in a reasonable rev range and you'll be fine. The only time you'll really care about exactly what gear you're in is when you're at a stop light and need to be in first, or when you're on the highway and try to shift into seventh.
   
   
5. Practice braking in a parking lot to get a feel for how your bike behaves. Start out by getting up to 15-20mph in first or second gear, and gradually try to stop in shorter and shorter distances until you get a feel for how quickly you can stop without locking the wheels.
   
   Good luck!
   
   

1. Its spinning faster, making more power. in general, good riders keep the bike in power band: where it makes most power. on your bike, HP levels out around 8-10K, so shifting between 8-10K is good idea for spirited riding.
   
2. Ideally, you should blip the throttle and downshift through every gear, though this might be problematic in the city.
   
3. This is engine braking. you shild blip the throttle/rev match for smooth downshifitng.
   
4. Its good idea to stop the way so you can take off rapidly - it just makes your riding safer.
   
5. Thats because when you downshift without blipping the throttle the RPMs are growing rapidly, plus you are putting additional stress on transmission. no, you don't suck, you are just learning and sking right questions.
   I would suggest some reading though: https://www.amazon.com/Sport-Riding-Techniques-Develop-Confidence/dp/1893618072/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473751156&sr=8-1&keywords=sportbike+riding+techniques is an excellent read.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1620081199?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Is a good book, you might know must of it but I guarantee there's some stuff you haven't thought of, good luck out there. I'm pretty new too

It's definitely worth pursuing.

I can totally recommend investing in a copy of the Police Riders Handbook (not the new edition, it's terrible and a waste of money), and also the Police Drivers Handbook.

They are dry as hell to read, but it is definitely possible to teach yourself at least the basics of the system and begin to apply it, without ever needing to pay quantities of money to IAM or Rospa. Then, once you're back in the black so to speak, you'll have a baseline to work from and a decent knowledge of what is expected.

Bikesafe actually threw in a goodiebag for us that contained an IAM book that gives you a good foundation.

Beyond that, Nick Ienatsch's book is a great read too for sportier riding.

I have no suggestions but wanted to let you know this post felt so full of love. Keep it up Mama. I teach middle and high school kids and it’s a rough time. If he’s into building cars, why not get him a book related to that? Something on mechanical engineering? How Cars Work by Tom Newton looks good. how cars work

They definitely are! I highly recommend you read Twist of The Wrist by Keith Code. There are some very good points on downshifting, and useful techniques that you can apply to street riding.

http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Motorcycle-Roadracers-Handbook/dp/0965045013

I bought my first car in 1984, a '71 Beetle, for $300 when I was in high school. It had over 200K miles on it. Me and my buddy dropped a $450 rebuilt engine in it in my dad's driveway and neither of us were mechanics, but we were armed with a copy of How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive.

That Beetle ran pretty well for 8 years until I sold it for $500. My Beetle was not seen by me as "the car to have", by any stretch of the imagination, but at the time it was the only car I could afford. Although it had a few quirky problems, I remember it fondly. The car was as basic a vehicle as it could possibly be. So simple it was kind of charming. Still, I would have preferred a GTO.

When I drove it for long periods of time, it would vapor lock. Air would get in the gas line feeding the carburetor when the engine got hot and the engine would quit. Sometimes you just had to wait by the side of the road for the engine to cool down, then it would be fine again. Sometimes when I was going down a large hill, I would shut the engine off and coast to cool the engine. Later I relocated the fuel line away from the engine, and eliminated that problem.

Although the car would go in the snow like nothing I've ever owned since, there was almost no heat. Most of the car would remain at the outside temperature, but the driver's side vent would keep my left foot comfortably toasty no matter how cold it was. I had to keep an ice scraper in the car to remove the frost buildup. On the inside.

The windshield wiper fluid was powered by the pressure in the spare tire. I would over inflate the spare to get good pressure. The one time I got a flat and needed the spare, it had no air in it.

One winter, I backed the car down somebody's icy driveway and parked. It was one of the rare times I got the car stuck. My wheels couldn't get traction and just spun futility. My Vdub was a two speed auto-stick (no clutch), I put it in 2nd, got the wheels spinning, opened the driver door, got halfway out and gave it a shove. The wheels gripped and the car got away from me as it trundled up the driveway, across the street, through a neighbor's fence, finally coming to a rest against a tree.

Thanks =)

Also I recommend Twist of the Wrist II. The DVD is entertaining in a "Vanilla Ice 1980's" sort of way.

The MSF certificate plus your learner's permit should get you your M1 license without taking the riding test. I took the written test, then took MSF, turned in my certificate, and got my M1. That was back in 2003, so maybe it's different now.

I bought an '03 Ninja 250 new for $3,500 or so, rode it exclusively for a year, and since then it's got occasional miles on it. Mine has 15k miles. I chose to get a new one because I am not a good mechanic and I didn't want to have problems with the bike while I was learning. One big downside to buying new is the engine break-in period. Basically my top speed was 35MPH for 500 miles and 55MPH until 1,000 miles. I was learning though, so I stuck to side streets and it was good to keep it slow. I couldn't commute until I got to 3k miles. At my first fill-up, during the break-in period, I got 92MPG! After I started driving more vigorously my economy dropped to about 65MPG. Now the carbs are a little dirty and I get about 55.

A 250 is absolutely a great beginner bike, and you can stick with that size if you have the temperament for it. I expect there to be a lot of 250's out there cheaper than the one you found, but listings won't pick up until just before spring.

One reason a 250 may not work for you is if you are over 200 pounds. I had to upgrade the rear shock on mine because it was either causing or worsening some lower back pain. The upgrade was from a newer model Ninja, though, so maybe that's not an issue after 2003.

Make sure to budget for gear. I think I spent $1k on gear at the time I got the bike. Also budget for insurance. At the time I got the bike, insurance was much cheaper than for an auto.

A couple good resources:

• Ninja250.info forum. Great for learning about how to care for the Ninja 250.
  
  
• Book: Proficient Motorcycling. It probably covers a lot of what you learned in MSF over again but I was happy to have read it.

THis is a repost for me... but fits the situation. You will inevitably come up with the idea that you want to try to get sponsorship as well as everyone thinks it would be easy and I talk about that here:

Ok... From someone that is doing the same thing and has ridden on all but one continent, I will start off being blunt as I was initially told.

YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING SPECIAL!!! NOTHING!!! This goes for sponsorship... There are probably 10k people or more right now on Round the World trips in various Degrees. Some guys on prewar sidecars.. guys on scooters, sportbikes, people doing it 2 up, some with kids.. yada yada... You WILL NOT get a bike sponsorship at all... This will be assured. You may be able to get discounts on gear though, but even this is far fetched as you have NOTHING to bring to a sponsor. How are you going to get them a return? How are you documenting it? Are you filming? Are you a photographer? What gear do you already own? Basically you need to do it for yourself with your own money. Once you get a charity involved you need lawyers as how much of the donation will go for your trip and how much will go to whatever you are donating? 10%... 90%???? I am assuming you wanted donations to help pay your way, but I may be wrong. The only way you may is through your church, as most churches are gullible as hell and have money to burn when it comes to thinking about someone riding the world converting heathens on some mission.

Your bike choices are just meh and all aren't really RTW bikes. You are on a crap bike that will leave you stranded on a bike you are unfamiliar on. Also, getting a bike in and out of some countries is a PAIN IN THE ASS not to mention the cost of anything over 125cc in the rest of the world once you take taxes in to consideration. A non kitted BMW Adventure will run about 18k in the states... while in SE Asia, the bike is 38k-44k. Mind you this is a 1200 and a big bike. What you need to be looking at are Dual Sports be it a BMW or Honda. I'd look at a BMW Dakkar or Honda TransAlp for the budget conscious. Forget the sidecar as it just adds weight and can be a pain in the ass for a novice rider and stay as far away from an unreliable Ural for this type of trip.

I don't know what your financial situation is or your work situation, but it is something you need to save for. The bike being your most important asset. It is what will make or break your trip. Then you have all of the gear associated with this. Also, where have you ridden before? Is your longest trip 1500km? 10000km? 50km? Have you ever been on a bike for 2 months straight? How mechanically inclined are you. Can you do your own maintenance? All of these are musts. You will need to be as self sufficient as possible. This even comes down to first aid and being rescued. Do you have evacuation insurance? Insurance on your bike in each country? Are you getting a Sat Phone? GPS tracking with rescue ala a Spot tracker? Do you know how to travel in different countries, like where to keep money, carrying 7 or eight copies of your crucial documents, carrying multiple copies of an international DL as well as. Do you even know what an International DL is?

I am not saying you that your trip is impossible, but the way you are thinking about it is very very unlikely. Why did McGreggor and Boreman get shit??? Well it is fucking Luke Skywalker and the money behind the name. Rewatch Long Way Around again and notice how THEY almost didn't get a bike sponsorship and were bluntly turned down by KTM. This is with the backing of the BBC. I was told long ago, you need to do this trip for yourself if you want it, not for someone else. This comes in everything. I know guys that have climbed Everest with sponsorship.... their second time. Once you show you are able to do something on your own, and show a viable product... this is when sponsorship will come. But then, it is only helping you do what your passion is. right now, from the rest of your posts it seems that you are 2-3 years of really getting into this before I would even recommend this to you. This is after you have ALL of the gear and about 80k USD in the bank. You never know what will happen. Plus, some of the coutries you mentioned mandate you have a Carnet of Passage. This is basically an insurance policy stating that everything you have with you will be with you when you leave or you will pay for it. This alone cost me 50k bond to be held by the company holding my Carnet. I am not including this mandatory 50k in the 80k you should have in your banks.

When I mentioned 80k that was for a RTW trip and being gone for a year. It won't be as much for you as you are not having to take into account the $1k it costs to ship bikes between continents and then your airfare. Also, this is purely a rough estimate and a reserve fund. Your trip will probably cost about $10-15k depending on how fast you travel and where you stay. Camping isn't normally done unless you are out in the severe outback, as most of where you are going will have fairly inexpensive hotel lodging. Always have double the money you think it might take as a reserve. So if you think it would cost you 15k have 30k at your disposal in case of injury, bike breaking down, the grand or so for tires you will need, accidentally killing some farmers goat, ransom, bribes... all have a chance of happening.

How many people? Another bike? Or Two up with your significant other? Even the best friendships will get strained just being with one person for months. I have been there... hell even in LWR they couldn't stand each other for the last legs of the trip. It happens and if you say it won't, you are being VERY NAIVE. Also, what is your nationality? This makes a huge difference too. Americans can't travel into some countries that you have planned. Well, at least not with a ton of red tape and finding people that will help you.
What gear do you own? Plan on buying quality gear as it will make your life so much easier. Don't worry about spending $500 on those riding pants or $900 on your jacket as you will be in them EVERY DAY for a couple months and they could save your life. You must be safe. Read this thread. Clayton became a quadriplegic after hitting a burro in mexico on his way to South America. After a while of living in this state, he killed himself. Shit happens.

You need to read, and read a lot. Buy these and use them as your bibles:

Adventure Motorcycling Handbook

Jupiters Travells

Two Wheels Through Terror

Or Glen's other book One More Day Everywhere

Get them and read. Can you ride offroad? There is a reason nearly everyone does a RTW trip on a dual sport. This is why I said 3 years. Gear costs money...

It is basically said:

PLan on a 6 month planning time frame for a trip in between countries, 1-2 years of planning for multiple continents. Also remember, that bike you buy has to be paid off. No leans. this means you have to come up with the cash for this upfront.

My last trip across North America was 28k km, lasted 3 months and cost 10k after I already had my gear. This is also camping everywhere in the US and Canada and hoteling it in Cental America. My trip to South America was about 14k for a similar time frame. Remember everything cost money. You want to go to Machu Piccu... that is 150 bucks. MMMMM.. wanna see the Nazca Lines from a plane, that will be 200. There will be tons of things you will want to see as well on your trip. And you can't say FUCK I dont have the cash to see it. That defeats the complete purpose of the trip.

Having the will is great and so is optimism. But Blind optimism gets you injured or killed. Where have you ridden before? What is your longest ride? Honestly you sound like every other person that has seen LWR and made their way to the net with grandiose plans only to realize that it is A GREAT DEAL harder than you thought. Even if you had the funds.. which you don't as you probably balked at having 80k in the bank... a multiple continent motorcycle ride is difficult. But the benefits are AMAZING!!!

All That being said, it is the problems you overcome that will be in your memories and stories forever. Nobody ever remembers that day where you rode and stopped at a little restaurant for coffee then pulled up into a hotel. No, they remember the time you ran out of gas and blew a tire 200km from anywhere and you had to put your bike in the back of a military truck to get to help. That story you will tell FOREVER!!! The adventure begins with the adversity.

Sorry for the long wall of text...TLDR READ IT ALL....

OH... all my cost are in USD

It doesn't come over night and there are no simple tricks. Practice, Practice, Practice. Here are two really good resources:

Book: Ultimate Speed Secrets by Ross Bentley

Video: Skip Barber Going Faster

Enjoy and have fun :)

Great info, thanks so much. I will be getting this book in the mail tomorrow, and I intend to read through it before I go to town. Much appreciated.

The Bicycle Wheel 3rd Edition

THE definitive source for wheel building IMO

Available used for <$10

Earlier editions perfectly OK for 99% of wheel builders

Sheldon Browns page on this is also very good, just not to the depth Jobst Brandts book goes to

Going Faster is a widely recommended book for real life driving and racing. I say driving and racing because you need to focus on two different objectives. There is the ability to go around the circuit fast (Driving) and then there's Race Craft, which is the art of passing, defensive lines, etc. You need them both to be a winner, whether real or simulation. Enjoy.

There are excellent books on this. If you have a kindle, one book worth getting is Ultimate Speed Secrets by Ross Bentley. He knows his shit, and this book will give you a boatload of information. Best $12 I ever spent. The general knowledge stuff will help you be a much better driver on the street as well, especially in adverse conditions.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Speed-Secrets-Complete-High-Performance/dp/0760340501

Sport Riding Techniques: How To Develop Real World Skills for Speed, Safety, and Confidence on the Street and Track https://www.amazon.com/dp/1893618072/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_ZwW0AbMMYHP0P

And

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_ryW0AbSGD7P6H

And the others by Hough - his books are good on the strategies and decision making of real world full-time riding.

'Top end' usually refers to a valve job on the heads, and maybe it had the case bored out for bigger cylinders.

She looks beautiful! For a good explanation of the care and proper maintenance your bug, check out https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

Check out Twist of the Wrist. There's a DVD and a book. Both are excellent. There are some great excerpts from it on youtube as well.

Book:
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Basics-High-Performance-Motorcycle/dp/0965045021


Some bits from the DVD on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWH_QiXw5n4&feature=related

Beetles are great first cars. Easy to learn on. Parts are (relatively) inexpensive, and easy to find. Plenty of knowledge available online these days (back when I had mine I relied heavily on my Compleat Idiot's guide.)

Woah! I have the same color for my 74. Is that a Canadian Edition Auto Stick too by chance?

Have fun! Seriously, I thought you had my car for a minute there but then realized you'd have to take it off the jack stands and find the elusive 4th tire I need ;P


Edit - To answer your question!
http://www.amazon.ca/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

Check out that book if your beetle needs some work to get running. It's been great for me.

I owned a '66 Beetle for about 3 months when I was 17. It didn't end well. (Not a wreck, it just needed a lot of small to medium work from the previous owner, and in the end I couldn't afford even the modest things that had to be done.)

I've wanted another one for my whole life since then, but it's never been the right time - so congratulations to you!

I very strongly recommend this book, it's both entertaining and informative.

Not my thing, but dude, kudos to you for build finish and worksmanship. I'm really impressed.

You are going to have wheelbase changes as you corner, and the rear is too narrow for the front end. I would have made that rear tire as wide as possible. It will tend oversteer a lot and will be difficult to use the throttle to balance the vehicle. Chassis could use more triangulation too, but from a glance, the tubing looks big enough to hold.

If I can suggest a reading, please check out https://www.amazon.com/Tune-Win-science-development-tuning/dp/0879380713

And the best book for learning about repairing Beetles:

"How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive"
http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101


The same publisher put out similar style books for a few other cars, unfortunately not many and none newer than 1985-1990. They may be the best books for absolute beginners to learn about car repair in general.

Do you have any wide open stretches of pavement you can screw around on without drawing unwanted attention? A big un-lit parking lot in an industrial area for example? The best way to learn driving is by doing it, and particularly by screwing up in a controlled manner so you can learn how the car feels when you take it over the limit. If there's nothing to hit for hundreds of feet you can go out when the weather is bad (I don't think you guys get snow, but rain works almost as well) and intentionally put the car out of control knowing that if you don't get it back under control you at least won't hit anything.

Beyond that, this book is always one I've heard of for being very good: http://www.amazon.com/Going-Faster-Mastering-Race-Driving/dp/0837602262/

I've never read it myself but it comes up all the time on various forums when this sort of question is asked.

There's nothing really special about driving this specific car. It's a front-engine front-drive with independent front suspension and a beam axle out back. The turbo is small enough that lag is not really a huge factor and you don't need to think about it much at a basic level. Most hot hatches have a similar formula, with the main difference being some of the nicer ones have independent suspension in the back too.

I started writing up some basic instructions here, but then I figured there are enough people here who actually race competitively or semi-competitively and would be better at it than a guy who knows the theory but puts it to practice mostly hooning on back roads and playing video games.

Nice! To help your problem along, I'm pretty sure this is the AZ 4x4 bible. Might be worth ordering or at least checking out from a library.

You can mix some of your hobbies into one, fellow simracer. Your desire for car knowledge can lead you at being a better driver. Using myself as a example, I have read this book to understand more about race techniques and this one to have a better general understanding of racing. I read them while I was bored at home or in a bus going/coming from college and at home I practiced those techniques.

Not the solution for all of your problems (I cant see a way to mix 3D modelling with anything else), but I hope that it helps a bit.

Sign up for the MSF course. Good way to get familiar with the basic workings of the bike and you'll have your endorsement at the end.

Pick up Proficient Motorcycling. Covers everything from road strategies to basic maintenance and will give you a solid foundation.

Keep the rubber side down and have fun!

Still waiting on my Haynes manual to give me all the nitty gritty, but I have to say, I cannot recommend this one enough - How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive

(https://smile.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1497149142&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+keep+your+volkswagen+alive)

It covers all the basic stuff, and helps a newbie like me grok how all the systems work together.

It's an OK placement. You really want the BOV as close to the throttle body as possible... this gives the fastest release of the pressure from the system.

For anyone interested... there's a great book called Maximum Boost on designing and building turbo systems... LOTS of good information in there.

At that mileage you may want to have a look at your engine seals. In particular the valve cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket.

If you're a DIY kind of guy, pick up a Bentley manual. It's basically the bible for your car.

Like someone else said, e90post.com. Great section of DIYs there. There's also a good section where you can get the BMW software for diagnostics and programming. A little finicky to get set up, but once you do, it can be a life saver. My e90 went into Transport Mode randomly and without the software, I would have had a trip to the dealer.

/r/bmwtech is a good place too.

Upvoted for truth. Prepare to live on the Samba and look into this book https://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step-Step/dp/1566913101

IT will help you with everything you need to know about Aircooled.
Investing in a Bentley Manual is wise as well.

If you're interested in continuing to talk with him about this, ask him how weight impacts tire grip, and how the force needed to turn plays into that.

You see... more weight does mean more grip from the tires. The problem is, the added grip provided by the weight is less than the added grip needed to control the weight. So more weight means less grip:force for the same move. Adding weight to the car means its maximum cornering speed is lower.

If you're interested in more, Think Fast has a good breakdown, without being overly heavy or technical. Speed Secrets is another good book on the subject of performance driving, but my memory is that Think Fast does a more effective job of succinctly explaining technical/engineering realities in an easy-to-understand fashion.

I will say apex also has better beginner bikes then the Harley class in Fairfax. the apex, and while the Harley class is longer they both cover the same info , I'd recommend also getting and reading a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough

This book is great if you're looking to improve at the track as well. There is also a dvd that covers most of the material in the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Wrist-Basics-High-Performance-Motorcycle/dp/0965045021/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342376172&sr=8-1&keywords=twist+of+the+wrist+2

I agree, David Hough's books are great. Also recommend Nick Ienatsch's Sport Riding Techniques and his article The Pace.

This is a great book I recommend that I’m using and gives you over 100 trails and gives you all the info on them and location and rates them from easy, med, and hard.
Guide to Arizona Backroads

Find the organizations that hold track days at your local tracks and sign up as a beginner with an instructor.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CarTrackDays/

Some reading: https://www.amazon.com/Going-Faster-Mastering-Race-Driving/dp/0837602262

Don't get too caught up in the didactics, as there is no replacement for seat time. But it's a good introduction so you have the right frame of mind and get the most out of your instructors.

There are no winners at track days, but there can definitely be losers.

Be safe, and have fun.

Good luck! Here's some crucial literature as well!

http://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Station-Official-Service-Manual/dp/0837616352/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416243503&sr=8-3&keywords=vw+bentley+manual

http://www.amazon.com/Keep-Volkswagen-Alive-Step---Step/dp/1566913101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416243535&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+keep+your+volkswagen+alive

You'll want to get the Bentley repair manual which will cover all the technical details of any repair and augment that with the Muir How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive book that will help explain things in casual speech. Those will be great teachers.

There's a book by that very name: https://www.amazon.com/Bicycling-Science-Press-Gordon-Wilson/dp/0262731541/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

I've only read a few chapters, but it covers a lot of pretty interesting topics.

Read this book, seriously. I've been sim racing for almost a decade and have been reading it recently and even though I know the vast majority of stuff in it I'm still picking up helpful tidbits, or finding new ways to think about stuff. I wish I had read it when I got started. Even though I got fairly good very quickly, I would have reached my current level much faster if I had read the book back then.

Let me recommend a book to you. Proficient Motorcycling by David Hough. It has given me a boost in confidence in riding the twisties here in western NC. And I've been riding them on a motorcycle for almost 10 years! Check your local library for it, that's where I found mine.

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics (Milliken)

Tune to Win

Good Luck!

Get the STi springs. Subaru spent a couple hundred grand engineering them for a reason.

Are the strut bars bumping you up a class? If so ditch them and run in a more proper class.

As for the bodyroll, that might be a driver mod. Too much braking, not enough gas. Scoobies don't like lifting. That being said, your first problem is absolutely lack of suspension travel due to the drop. 1.6" is a TON of lost travel, and those rates are per inch, which you've chopped off.

I don't think your spring rate is too high, STi's are over 200 stock. But those Epic springs are 100% for looks, and not for handling. Even says so on their website.

>Epic Engineering springs are designed to give your Subaru a more aggressive stance, and increase the intensity of the driving experience while maintaining a smooth and comfortable ride

Further:

>The decrease in ride height effectively lowers the coefficient of gravity, as well as the front roll center and hence inclines the vehicle roll axis further up to the rear.

And, as anyone who's read "Tune to Win" can tell you, lowering the front roll center will promote understeer.

So change the springs for the STi ones. Takes an hour if you DIY and borrow the spring compressors from Autozone (or buy a set for like $40). Just make sure you get the cone washer on top of the struts going the right way!

Cool build, and I hope it lasts for you.

A couple notes to anyone thinking they want to slap a turbo on their car to get more power:

1. Slapping a turbo on a gasoline/petrol engine that isn't designed for one is a very different animal, and much research should be done, starting with reading this book a few times.
   
   
2. If you dismiss #1 you shouldn't be doing work like this on cars.

Maximum Boost by Corky Bell is an excellent resource for understanding turbos. I loved it. http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Boost-Turbocharger-Engineering-Performance/dp/0837601606

Just go to Amazon right now and order this and this right now. Do it. Will save your life and make riding fun.

Sport Riding Techniques by YCRS lead instructor Nick Ienatsch Essentially a good portion of the concepts in the school. A good primer if you're interested in investing in a class.

Though not really applicable to the engine side, and likely too conceptual for the tire wear models, this one is really good from the dynamics side and translates many aerospace concepts over to vehicle dynamics (Stability derivatives, etc.):

Race Car Vehicle Dynamics, Milliken & Milliken

You mention being versed in CAD. Have you studied vehicle design for input on the suspension, driveline, other aspects? If any engineering schools local to you offer it, it's probably money well spent to take a Vehicle Dynamics class. At minimum, here is the book my alma mater uses for that class which is very well written and easy to understand: http://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Vehicle-Dynamics-Thomas-Gillespie/dp/1560911999

While you are making reading recommendations, can I suggest that you point him in the direction of A Twist of the Wrist by Keith Code? It really is one of the best instructional books in existence for becoming a better rider.