Reddit mentions of The Upper Half of the Motorcycle: On the Unity of Rider and Machine

for learning the basics, nothing beats a good instructor. so, as people have said, take a course.

as for books, i can recommend Upper half of the motorcycle. most of it is not so much about technical stuff, but about the psychological aspects of becoming a unity with the bike, rather than just a piece of luggage it has to carry around.

The Upper Half of the Motorcycle - very popular in Germany, not yet well known in the English-speaking world: http://www.amazon.com/Upper-Half-Motorcycle-Unity-Machine/dp/1884313752/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311352599&sr=8-1

It focuses mostly on the rider itself, what we do wrong, why, and how to overcome your wrong instincts. Also contains a number of small exercises designed to improve your road riding skill.

Thanks!
Another interesting read in the subject of riding in the real world:
https://www.amazon.ca/Upper-Half-Motorcycle-Unity-Machine/dp/1884313752

From the review in Bike World: "In the preface, the author explains that "This book is not about motorcycles per se.Rather, it is about motorcycle riding and the motorcycle rider as a thinking, acting, reacting human being with the unique ability to create, use, and adapt tools, instruments, equipment and machines in an integrative way as extensions, or components, of himself."
http://www.webbikeworld.com/books/upper-half-of-the-motorcycle.htm

Well that part is just physics

Here is a great book I can recommend. It's more about the psychology of the driver, but does a great job to explain the basics of physics.