Rating: 
Summary: soon-to-be proficient motorcyclist
Review: Being a beginning motorcyclist, I wanted some sage advice on what to look out for from someone who knew. That's exactly what you get from David Hough in "Proficient Motorcycling". This is a great addition (but not substitution) for the MSF Safety Course. The book is plain English and easily read. Great book for either new people to motorcycling or even those with a little experience who want to learn more about how and why a motorcycle does what it does.
Rating: 
Summary: Well written and practical
Review: I have been riding off and on for about 19 years. Decided to to get a new Superbike soon and felt a little reading before taking another MSF course could be a real bonus. This book is filled with practical advice that can really help on the road. The writing is much better than Keith Code's TWOT II and it does not continually insult the readers intelligence with definitions to common words*. (Not saying Keith Code wrote a bad book, Not at all.) Just that alot of the information in this book was easier to understand and the author has given the reader a little vocabulary credit. Codes' books do provide tons of information, it's just that this book was written much better. It is more street oriented than Codes' book as well. Much of the book was basic review but even in review there were some tips and ideas that should prove handy. Well written and recommended, I would especially recommend this book and an MSF class to a novice rider. To top it all off the binding has a quality feel to it as well.
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Summary: Must read
Review: David Hough does for the road rider what Keith Code does for the track rider. Hough takes everyday riding situations and analyzes them from all perspectives. He does not get bogged down in silly definitions or other diversions. He is straight forward and thorough.I have been riding for more than 20 years. Many of the things that Hough discusses were things that I learned the hard way. This book is filled with good common sense suggestions. This is by far the best book for any street rider - even better than the MSF book.
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Summary: This book just might SAVE YOUR LIFE
Review: I bought this book with about 5000 miles of riding experience and it has helped alot. This is a book that every motorcyclist should own. The author also writes a monthly column for "motorcycle consumer news" by the same title. check out this link it is a good example of what the book is about http://www.mcnews.com/ It explains in detail the physics behind what the bike is doing and why. I believe the book has made me a smarter safer rider. It will do the same for you. It also includes actual practice skills for you to improve your riding. great book. In addition take a motorcycle safety foundation riding course, log in to www.msf.org
Rating:
Summary: If you ride, you should own it.
Review: This is the best general introduction to safe street riding techniques on the market -- even better than the MSF's "Motorcycling Excellence," though new riders should read that too. Based on the long running "Proficient Motorcycling" column that appeared first in "Road Rider" and then in its spinoff "Motorcycle Consumer News," the book covers everything from the physics to the gear to the protocols of group riding. The author is a much better writer than the typical bike scribe. The information is sound throughout. It should be on every biker's bookshelf, and I strongly recommend reviewing it at the beginning of each riding season. This man's advice has undoubtedly saved lives. Make one of them yours.
Rating:
Summary: You will learn a lot...
Review: If you are concerned about your riding skills,this is one of the best book you can ever find in the market. Get this book and read it. After a month re-read. It will help you to reduce the chances of accident and injury and improve your odds significantly.
Rating:
Summary: How and Why
Review: Hough gives the why of motorcycle riding technique as well as how. When he writes about how to corner on the street he also makes clear why this is the recommended method. Few wasted words in the text and clear illustrations are another strong point. This is the best book, of the many motorcyling books, that I have read for the nonracing rider.
Rating:
Summary: The best out there -- but could be better
Review: As part of my quest for continuous improvement of my motorcycling skills, I've read most of the books that are available. This is probably the best there is; there are some very good tips, the writing is good, and the layout and graphics are excellent. The narrative on how to corner was worth the price of the book for me. However, the last half of the book is somewhat repetitive and very basic. All of the motorcycle books I've read seem to be about 60-70% too basic, and this continues the trend. I still have many unanswered questions regarding braking and emergency maneuvering. My quest continues......
Rating:
Summary: It's a keeper..
Review: As a born-again motorcyclist (22 years ago I gave up the saddle when my daughter was born, after 8 years of self-taught riding), I read everything I could find about riding technique, style, and strategy. Including the Dummy books, superbike/ego books, brandname books, and a host of others. I re-discovered some old friends from Road Rider magazine, which had morphed into the consumer-oriented Motorcycle Consumer News. There I also discovered David Hough's "Proficient Motorcycling" column, which immediately appealed to me on several levels: he's an unassuming writer with understated yet direct style; his topics were relevant to all skill levels; and, he discussed the minutiae of riding with clarity, consistency, and conciseness. Everything I'd been looking for to re-educate myself on the now unfamiliar world of motorcycling. When I learned this book--a compilation of years of articles and updates--was pending, I immediately pre-ordered it. Yes, this time around I've signed up for the MSF course--but this is the book I'll keep for reference and review. If you are a born-again, or just starting out on a motorcycle, this book will go far toward putting everything into a natural perspective. For the cost of about four issues of Motorcycle Consumer News, I have decade's worth of words that help me intimately understand exactly what I'm doing on two wheels.
Rating:
Summary: Information Is Power
Review: This is one book that needs to be on the shelf of every motorcyclist. Over a period of more than 25 years, David Hough has written the column "Proficient Motorcycling," first for Road Rider magazine and then for its successor, Motorcycle Consumer News. During that time, he has covered hundreds of topics relating to the skills needed for riding motorcycles safely on the streets. Generations of motorcyclists have grown up with the benefit of Hough's wisdom, some owing their lives to advice dispensed in his columns. Here, for the first time is the distillation of Hough's work, packaged in a coherent, well-organized book. If reading Motorcycling Excellence can be likened to getting your Bachelor's degree in motorcycle riding, reading Proficient Motorcycling will earn you a Master's degree.
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