Reddit mentions: The best driver education books

Lol, liking all 3 is the best, but sometimes you don't have the tools on hand to do all. I'm not too good with actually fixing my car's thing, on account that I have no tools, nor a decent shop to get to work on it, tough I like to think I'm not that bad at diagnosing what's wrong.

And yes, good karts aren't cheap as amusement park ones, but the rush(and beating) you get is at another level, and being able to react quick enough to keep a kart going means anything else will be a piece of cake.

I really enjoy Top Gear too, and frankly, don't really watch other car shows besides it (well, fifth gear sometimes) unless they're featuring a car that really interests me. And rather than focus on high-power, it's probably best to focus on good power to weight (which is why go-karts, Ariel Atoms, KTM X-Bows and Catheram 7s are so much fun) and a good progressive powerband from the engine. Theres no point in making a million horsepower if it's all lumped from 8,900 to 9,000 RPM. A nice, torquey, smooth powerband like that in the Corvette's engine is ideal.

Personally I found Sir Jackie's book really helpful. I've read others but that one has the right amount of tips, and stories that make it entertaining (even if it's out of print right now). Another very respected book is Piero Taruffi's Technique of Motor Racing. It's old (the first real "how to drive a racecar" book ever made), but a lot of people still swear by it. It's a good, if slightly technical, book about the subject, and it's also a good book to have in your collection.

(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/

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!

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 :)

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

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...

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!!

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!

Bare in mind I've only done the ERS and an evaluation ride for IAM, so maybe someone who has been on these courses can give a better answer, but...

A little above ERS, but below IAM/RoSPA.

ERS to me was like an extra after passing, Pass Plus style. I enjoyed it and learnt from it, but it did feel like hooning around the countryside with mate a times ( not saying that's a bad thing, but if you are paying for a course you might think so ).

The thing with ERS, is it's being done by police riders who you'd like to hope are expect to have some of the highest standard of riding.

Bike Safe, IAM and RoSPA all seem to have their grounding in "THE SYSTEM" ( say it like you are in a cold war thriller ). Which comes from the Police Rider's Handbook, which basically lays a ground work of how you should be riding when it comes to reading the road, hazards, etc ( IPSGA )

For me, at £45 it's worth a punt. I know it won't make my insurance cheaper (fucking Hastings Direct), but if I can come away with a little more knowledge then it's all good.

( updated link )

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.

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.

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!

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.

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 :)

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.

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.

We just put together a new racing line infographic. I really like these kinds of quick reference sheets that pack a lot of info into one graphic. Hope you like it.

http://www.paradigmshiftracing.com/racing-basics/racing-line-quick-reference-apex-troubleshooter

The 3rd book in The Science of Speed Series is also now available. The Perfect Corner 2 covers complex track sections and completes our core program starting with The Perfect Corner and Perfect Control.
Here is the Amazon link, but it's available from other retailers as well.

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Corner-Step---Step-Optimizing/dp/0997382449/

Feel free to ask questions as well.

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.

Great bike ;)
As well as Twist of the Wrist - very good read, I'd also suggest you also read "Motorcycle Roadcraft: The Police Rider's Handbook". Not so much "how to get round corners faster", more "how to survive".

Enjoy the bike, I enjoy mine.

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.

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).

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.

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

I would advice you take some time to practice in a quiet car park, get as familiar as possible with the controls and how to control the bike at slow speed, make sure you are 100% confident
In the meantime make sure you know the highway code to a good level, this is a good book to read, look for youtube videos explaining good roadcraft, check out rnickeymouse's channel and learn the common reasons people crash on corners, treat every other driver as a complete idiot who is trying to kill you, stay relaxed, dont tense up especially not your arms and upper body, learn from your mistakes before your run out of luck and you should be fine

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.

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 :)

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.

> instructor stressed that speed is the rider's biggest asset in any and especially unexpected situations

Speed IS an asset... not sure this is one you want to be relying on as a beginner, though. Especially on a 250. Learning how to brake very quickly without locking up the wheels is a real survival skill on a bike.

Your safety is highly dependent on your awareness of what is happening in traffic around you, and how you deliberately choose to position yourself in it.

I could write a book about it, but I won't because David L. Hough already has (and I am sure he's a better writer than me). Please read it before you go on your trip.

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

I would also advise you do at least 2 rentals: one or more for a day or two to do a little practice near home before your trip.

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!

If more people did that, rather than leaving an empty lane, traffic would flow better over all.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Traffic-drive-what-says-about/dp/0141027398

Is a great read :)

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.

I guess I'm going to be the first in here with unpopular advice.

> ended up laying her down so I didn't hit the van

Yeah, no. If you'd braked properly you'd have had the same result, without a broken bike or road rash.

> Luckily I didn't hit my head, but I have some road rash on it.

A $50 helmet would have saved you that pain.

I seriously don't get why you guys do this. I get it - riding with the wind in your hair is cool. But is the wind in your hair worth losing what looks like a significant patch of skin?

Mate, you got lucky. Buy and wear some proper gear and do yourself a favour and learn how to perform an emergency stop without dropping the bike.

I highly recommend a copy of Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough.

This is a pretty fascinating book which goes into similar observations.

This is an excellent book that I'm currently reading: Proficient Motorcycling by David L Hough
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

If riding's your thing, you should definitely check out this book.

Congratulations on becoming a real motorcyclist and making it to 5000km!

Can you give us more details? I'd be in a better position to help if you told me what your passengers are saying or what behaviors they are showing instead of being hyperbolic. Same goes for the "ignorant" parents. What misinformation are they getting?

It's going to be an uphill battle to get girls into riding with you if you say they're over-reacting and that their parents are idiots for worrying about putting their daughters' lives in the hands of a rookie rider on a sportbike (even a 125 can look fast to the average person). Listening, understanding, and empathizing come first, then education.

There's a great book you can get for less than $20 called Proficient Motorcycling that will help you--not just with riding two-up, but with overall street skills. It's written for an American rider, but most of the principles are universal.

So many upvotes because this is such a common thing for riders. I already had a bike when I met my girl but my parents were very anti and still are. I just make sure that I'm never in an accident (or it's as low a percentage chance as possible). This is what I do/did:

1. ATGATT
   
2. Take the MSF course
   
3. Practice panic stopping, swerving, etc in an empty parking lot.
   
4. Understand the physics at play and test them (i.e. step 3). There are some good books on amazon, I really liked this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1620081199/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687542&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1889540536&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=19KF7X31CBHS2TET8VG2
   

Proficient Motorcycling is an excellent book. I've taken multiple advanced rider courses and this book covers the everything that was in them (mid-corner braking with each brake, for example, and the results of each)...

https://www.youtube.com/user/TacticalCardboard/playlists?view=1&sort=dd - Empty box's simracing 101 series is about how to drive, some stuff about simracing (fov,ffb), and racing etiquette.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQRmYMlmdqM

• How to find the best trajectory, what is weight transfer and what it does, racing in rain, etc.
  
  http://www.drivingfast.net/ - lots of info about track racing, some info about cars, offroad racing, road driving etc.
  
  http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Speed-Secrets-Complete-High-Performance/dp/0760340501
  
• Covers almost everything about track racing.
  If you're going to race casually, then the book would be an overkill. But if you're going to race seriosly then the book is almost a must.

If you like books I would get Ben Collins: How To Drive. There are a lot of techniques that he goes over regarding how to brake, how to corner. All of these will apply to you driving on the street as well as on the track.

Ben Collin's

Alternatively, if you like very black and white instruction then I would suggest Ultimate Speed Secrets. It is not as entertaining as Ben Collins's book but it touches on the same material as well as a little more in depth analysis.

Ultimate Speed Secrets

Take one of these courses and read this book. I was shitting my pants the first time I went over 25 mph, now I have 60k miles riding experience. Never give other drivers the benefit of the doubt and never stop trying to pick up little things to keep you safe. Cheers!

Best $20 I ever spent. Or you know.... library.

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199

If you've never done so and plan to carry, make sure that the class covers mindset and the legal use of lethal force. Some are purely marksmanship and gunhandling. Learning Jeff Cooper's color codes will change your life, and they apply extremely well to everyday driving (see Drive to Survive).

Truly! No, not, but dude... recognize you got really lucky that didn't go a lot worse and learn something from it other than that KTMs are sweet. That mistake could have killed you. Or don't, I'm not the boss of you.

Edit: Good reading if you haven't come across a copy yet. http://smile.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425319807&sr=8-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling

Ah, that's a fair point. Where do you live?

When a riding class isn't available, I highly recommend this book, it is well worth the $20 or so: https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498827350&sr=8-1&keywords=david+l+hough

David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling is also a great book.

This was the one I meant. Brilliant book.

You cannot control someone else's feelings and emotions, is it guns or motorcycles, but what's really important is the safety of both the rider and other drivers. Physical safety applies to the rider obviously, but there's also mental safety. If you're hit by a car and die, it's going to be a nightmare for the driver even if it was your fault. For this reason I only split when both cars in both lanes stand still. Period. If they're in motion, even 5mph, I'm too - with them in a lane.

I don't remember how I learned it but I guess it's either from Proficient Motorcycling or Street Strategies.

The Perfect Corner really helped me get faster.

Have you ever ridden before, or is this your first FIRST bike?

If it's your very first, I cannot recommend Proficient Motorcycling strongly enough. It's saved my life multiple times over.

Lol, nice edit.

Seriously just read, you don't know what you're talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1495428029&sr=8-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling

edit: Just to put this to bed- yes, you can shift the center of balance and weight distribution of a motorcycle in any number of ways, one of which is front end geometry, but you will NEVER overcome this rule: the majority of your braking power is in the front.

I'm not arguing the baby basics of motorcycle handling with you any longer. You will not find a reputable source to back you, and if you live long enough, you'll learn anyways.

Countersteering is not an impressive reference. Again, these are the basics.

You can learn from other people's experience, you know? There are many books and classes and videos discussing the sorts of hazards you will encounter and how best to minimize those hazards. This book is a good starting point. Riding a motorcycle safely requires all of your attention.

Being rear-ended at a stop can be mitigated by staying in first gear (instead of neutral) and watching your rear-view mirrors. If they don't look like they are going to stop in time, release the clutch and get out of the way. Or lane split. Or something between the two.

Many motorcyclists idle in neutral, unfortunately. Its not a activity that draws overly-cautious folks, typically.

Also, it helps if you don't brake hard for regular stops; motorcycles are capable of remarkable stopping power, but the vehicle behind you might be matching your speed, and will be unprepared. Coming to a stop slowly forces the other vehicle to take a bit more notice of your presence.

Get yourself one of [these](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Driving-Theory-Test-Practical-Highway/dp/0749577940/ref=sr_1_5?crid=JXPL8NB0E52A&keywords=road+theory+book+2019&qid=1566462887&s=gateway&sprefix=road+theory+b%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-5) . Will help massively.

My daily driver is a 4x4 full of recovery gear (tow strap, chains, tree saver, a come a long and a Hi-lift/farm jack) for selfish uses (getting myself out from being stuck.) I think the better LPT is to have a AAA card and some patience if you're going to be venturing out into the snow with an insufficient vehicle. Just because I have the capability doesn't mean I'm going to tow you out. It is a massive liability.

Off-road/vehicle recovery seems like one of those things that's easy and obvious to do. It is not, and tow truck drivers are skilled professionals. Changing the angles of tows, or using pulleys/snatch blocks, changes the overall load on the system and if you don't know what you're doing you can literally kill yourself from a broken strap or a winch cable. There are whole books written on this subject.

So, if you're really going to do this, don't just buy a tow strap. Know where the tow points are on your car, and make sure you have a recovery chain with d-rings or hooks that will fit the tow points on your car. Otherwise, some redneck is going to wrap a strap around a control arm or an axle and try to rip you out of a ditch that way, and who knows what will break.

Better yet, if you find yourself in deep snow, don't take a car. Use the right tool for the job. You wouldn't go riding around on ice on a street bike, so why go into deep snow in a low, front-wheel or rear-wheel drive car?

Winter beaters are good for this. A decent older 90s Jeep Cherokee XJ 4x4 can be had for $2000-3000, and you can do most of the work on those yourself if you are mechanically skilled. If you can't afford a snow car or SUV gas mileage year-round, snow tires (and snow cables/chains if allowed) make a world of difference in low-traction yet shallow snow environments.

EDIT: Remember what I was saying about the redneck with a strap? Above somebody posted a video about this.

Agree with all of the other comments and add these:

Watch this series.

Buy and read this. Regularly.

I also recommend Lee Parks https://www.amazon.com/Total-Control-Performance-Street-Techniques/dp/0760343446/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A7E8P6M1AASS98SBBC5B

Read Ultimate Speed Secrets

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

Understand the concept of the traction circle.
Learn how your vehicle behaves, as another poster suggested, utilize an empty parking lot in the rain or the snow.
Smooth is fast, don't be a ham fisted dolt.
Driving is like a dance, use your current maneuver to set up your next.

Never push your car on public roads. Keep it on the track, or where you can't hurt someone else.

You could start with the original 'bible' - The Technique of Motor Racing

The second edition of Total Control has a chapter on fitness from a personal trainer who rides. Of course, there's also chapters on riding and bike setup.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0760343446/

I have been driving manual cars since I was 16, back in the 70s! I am also a driving instructor and have taught loads of people to drive manual cars which you can see here: http://www.facebook.com/ABSDrivingLessons My recent endeavour has been to write a guide to How to Drive a Manual Car. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0064OQ6DG As mentioned here, the only difference in driving a manual car is that your left leg is going to get used a lot to control the clutch. A manual car can be proned to "stalling" (engine stops running) if you have not operated the clutch correctly. The main thing, is that the clutch should not be fully released until the car has got to at least a walking pace, and when stopping, the clutch should be fully depressed just before the car slows to a walking pace. If this method is followed, the car will not normally stall. Remember that even the most experienced manual drivers (me included) stall the car every now and again, so dont get stressed out about it and KEEP GOING! Good Luck

Dull but worth reading: Motorcycle Roadcraft

Get and read this book. It goes over all of the necessary information.

https://www.amazon.com/Technique-Motor-Racing-Driving/dp/0837602289

Not specific to karting, but this is a great book on driving technique.

Here you go: Proficient Motorcycling

Specifically the section on how to brake properly in different situations. Learn the entire book though. You can work on going "advanced" from there but this is a great book for learning the basics.

Found two of them - the Urban Survival Handbook,
https://www.amazon.com/SAS-Urban-Survival-Handbook-HarperCollins/dp/0002558033/

And the Driver's Survival Handbook,
https://www.amazon.com/Drivers-Survival-Handbook-John-Wiseman/dp/0002558319/


On mobile, so no formatting.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NCXD947/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Cg3LDbQ97EDKS

This was the book

The Racing Driver: The Theory and Practice of Fast Driving

https://www.amazon.com/Racing-Driver-Theory-Practice-Driving/dp/0837602017/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Good Book

Or Drive Right?

It was http://www.amazon.com/DRIVE-RIGHT-C2010-STUDENT-SOFTCOVER/dp/0133672662/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452744808&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199

This was $3 on cyber monday.

http://www.amazon.com/Technique-Motor-Racing-Driving/dp/0837602289

Non-mobile: 2. If this is your first bike, read this book. I've been riding for years and I still read this every spring.

^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?

Here is the mobile version of your link

Read Proficient Motorcycling and A Twist of the Wrist II, and watch the movie A Twist of the Wrist.

Folks on the internet really swear by Proficient Motorcycling. I'm sure someone who has read it will chime in here to confirm. I haven't read it yet because it is on freaking backorder at amazon, but your library might have it.

In this book, Ultimate Speed Secrets, he basically says to brake hard with ABS because that's the whole point. I still can't let myself do that completely but I mainly drive GTE.

To help drive the point home more: TIRES + AUTOCROSS for reasons explained by dukenukem and rickydlam.

Also-The biggest impediment to a car's performance is often the driver. Take some lessons, read some books and practice at your local autocross.

P.S.-if you buy a fart can I will hunt you down and call you a moron.

Extended reading; David L Hough's Proficient motorcycling

It should really come standard issue with every motorcycle

Amazon link for the lazy

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1620081199/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1458831961&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=david+l+hough&dpPl=1&dpID=61eBOMa7NpL&ref=plSrch

IMHO, you combat fear with experience, knowledge, and/or training. Try one or all of these to develop your defensive riding skills:

a) The DVSA publish a riders handbook. Read it cover to cover if you haven't already.

b) Contact your local rider training school and ask for some one to one training (at a guess this will be about £100-150 a day).

c) After I passed my car driving test, I was given a paper copy of the Police Driver's Handbook by a relative. Not sure if there's a motorbike version of it, but I'd be surprised if there isn't.

(Ninja) edit: Yes there is. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcycle-Roadcraft-Police-Handbook-Motorcycling/dp/011341143X

https://www.safedrivingforlife.info/shop/motorbike (has both books)

> grab all brakes and lay down the bike

This is never the right answer. There is no situation where "laying it down" is the optimal solution. If you think it is, I highly suggest learning more about safe motorcycle riding, practicing, and improving your skills.

The stopping distance of a bike with both tires on the ground is dramatically shorter than the distance your body will slide on the ground. That is, until your body collides with an immovable object. You are risking death by intentionally laying it down just as much as intentionally slamming into a car. Either option is demonstrating a lack of control of your motorcycle. This is unsafe both for you and for everyone else on the road.

Source: 15+ years riding experience. Never "had ta lay 'er down" a single time. Also I regularly practice emergency braking maneuvers.

https://saddlebackridertraining.com/

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

It would be bad if you weren't apprehensive. Your fear is a good sign that you respect the inherent dangers of motorcycling . I was in a somewhat similar situation - this time last year I was set on getting into motorcycling when I ran into the statistic that one is 30 times more likely to die on a bike that in a car. I got spooked. I did some research and after reading David Hough's book, Proficient Motorcycling I was confident that "it is possible to reduce the risks of motorcycling to an acceptable level through skill and knowledge", as Hough states in the introduction. But you really have to study the risks (through books like Hough's) and develop the skills and habits to avoid them.

I ended up starting on a 2014 Honda CB500F. I'm glad I didn't start on a 250, but there was one occasion where a bigger bike would have gotten me in trouble. You should be fine on a 650. Just be careful; don't throw yourself out there in situations that will require a skill set you haven't yet developed. Read books like Hough's so you know what's coming at you and the stupid things you should avoid.

Your weak spot will be analysing traffic situations. Watch a lot of videos, read a lot of books. Try to internalise all of the various situations that happen and how accidents can happen.

Other than that, go slow, be predictable, give people a chance to see you and don't put yourself where they don't expect you to be. People are not actually out to kill you, its just that they will often not see you or do crazy things.

Riding is not a death sentence. Most riders do not die from riding a motorcycle they die from the same things everyone else dies from, heart disease and cancer.

A good book:

https://www.amazon.ca/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=sr_1_1/143-1261988-6650100?ie=UTF8&qid=1503338226&sr=8-1&keywords=proficient+motorcycling

some videos:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=street+smarts+motorcycle

Your family is just concerned, they will mellow out in time.

You have to ride as if the other drivers mean to kill you. The examples I listed are not just my bad luck or some super crazy situations I encountered. They’re unfortunately very common. For a lot of reasons, motorcycles are just invisible to drivers.

If I remember the stats right, the most common kind of motorcycle accident is a single vehicle accident. The rider runs out of skill, isn’t paying attention or is drunk and runs the bike off the road and hits something.

Of the rest of the accident types, it’s the left turner that's going to get you.

> The single most dangerous situation for motorcyclists occurs when cars are making left-hand turns. These collisions account for 42% of all accidents involving a motorcycle and car.

And remember this...

> Motorcycle accidents, though not necessarily more frequent than other types of accidents, are more likely to result in serious injury or death. According to the federal government, per mile traveled in 2006, there were 35 times more deaths from motorcycle accidents than from car accidents.

My number one reccomendation to all new riders is to buy and read David Hough's Proficient Motorcycling series. We are way too fragile to ride bikes poorly. I’ve lost friends to motorcycle accidents. Other friends don't walk quite right or have freaky scars. Riding is the most enjoyable thing I do and I won’t give it up until I just can’t do it any more, but I take it deadly seriously and stack the deck in my favor with every tool possible.

https://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1620081199/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=FYD1RE4VR7CQ06PP8DA9