Rating: 
Summary: Don't let the cover fool you
Review: Despite the misleading cover, this is a wonderfully compiled book of all things related to how a motorcycle handles. I passed over this book several times because the cover made me think it was a book on how to do wheelies and stupid sportbike stunts. I could not have been more wrong. This is a must have book for anybody who likes to wrench on their motorcycle in the garage and wants to improve upon the design without making things worse. Cameron is brilliant at explaining the physics of how and why a motorcycle behaves the way it does without having to delve into the intricate mathematical equations so commonly found in books of this nature.
Rating: 
Summary: EXCELLENT! A MUST-HAVE for any two-wheel enthusiast...
Review: For fans of Kevin Cameron's "TDC" column in Cycle World magazine, this is your book! Kevin possesses a unique ability to take the most complex topics related to motorcycle technology and make them not only understandable but also *enjoyable* to read. Even if you're not a fan of race replica machines, don't let the title, "Sportbike Performance Handbook" keep you from considering it. Kevin covers every major motorcycle system, in most cases without regard for the genre. So whether you ride the latest Yamaha YZF1000-R1 or a Honda GL1500 Gold Wing, if you're interested in maximum performance there's something here for you.Kevin doesn't take the approach, "for this bike, use these components and settings." Instead, he uses thorough explanations to educate the reader about how and why things work. Then the reader can choose performance modifications that match his riding style, pocketbook and maintenance tolerance. Throughout the book he encourages the reader to be realistic about his expectations and to match the mechanical changes with improvements to his riding ability. With the information in this book you'll be able to make your bike exactly the way you want it, and more importantly understand how and why you made it that way. This is the book we all hoped Kevin would write someday...
Rating: 
Summary: Good Basics - Little detail
Review: I found the book quite useful as an introduction to various performance topics, but there is little useful detail which is needed to actually put these concepts to practical use. For example, there is a description of the concepts and theory of ram-air box design, and general hints on the sizes and intake dimensions, etc. but the formulas lack any units of measure required to actually design/create your own ram-air box.
This similar lack of detail throughout the rest of the book results in this piece being good enough as a starting point, but further detailed reference elsewhere is needed to be any practical use in actual tuning / design work you would want to attempt.
Rating:
Summary: Just what I was looking for!
Review: I received this book today. Gave it a quick look through and it seems to be just what I wanted. I don't want a book that says do this and that to your bike, I need something that give me the theory and lets me plan it myself. I have been building and restoring bikes for 5 years and basic performance is not a problem for me. I am building a CBR600 from the ground up this winter and need to know what to do and what not to do to keep it reliable, but add a good kick.
This book seems to have lots of pics and drawings that explain how to tweak the entire bike to your needs. Goes far beyond bolt on and shows just about everything under the sun you could do. does talk about bolt on products for beginners though. Looking forward to reading the entire thing this weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Just what I was looking for!
Review: I received this book today. Gave it a quick look through and it seems to be just what I wanted. I don't want a book that says do this and that to your bike, I need something that give me the theory and lets me plan it myself. I have been building and restoring bikes for 5 years and basic performance is not a problem for me. I am building a CBR600 from the ground up this winter and need to know what to do and what not to do to keep it reliable, but add a good kick.
This book seems to have lots of pics and drawings that explain how to tweak the entire bike to your needs. Goes far beyond bolt on and shows just about everything under the sun you could do. does talk about bolt on products for beginners though. Looking forward to reading the entire thing this weekend.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding information but poor organization.
Review: The book cuts through the ridiculous claims made by many aftermarket parts companies. It covers pratically every performance modification you can make to your bike, listing the advantages and disadvantages of each. By far, the best part of the book is that it explains the "why?" behind the modifications so that you can make the best decision based on your individual riding skills/style. Firestone and Ford should read the section on tire pressure!
Rating:
Summary: Good info for beginner on up
Review: This book is very informative and simple to read. Cameron easily educates you without getting too technical. In about 15 minutes he had me understanding the operation of a turbo system without boring me with scientific jargon. He covers all aspects of the bike. Good for people who want to know about exhaust, jetting your carbs, suspension setup, etc. Loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Read it, Live it
Review: This book really changed everything for me with regard to motorcycle performance. Before reading this book I (like most other people) thought that motorcycle tuning was just a question of upgrading say airfilter, jetting and a louder pipe and of you go. What this book teaches is that the world is not that simple. A bike is a system of interrelated parts and you can't just change one of the parts and expect good results. Even if you do the tuning right there is still a price to be paid in performance. You want top end? Be prepared to sacrifice the lower end and the reliability. It's all about what you want from your bike. In the end the book changed my focus from engine tuning to suspension and brakes and I really love the result. The above-mentioned mods was what I originally intended and would have destroyed the trait of my bike that I love the most. A killer torque straight from the bottom and up.
Rating:
Summary: Sportbike Performance Handbook
Review: To give this book only five stars is an understatement; it deserves ten. Kevins deep rooted knowledge of motorcycles and skillful writing ability to explain why and how the systems and components work or don't work is truly amazing. This is a book that will be read, re-read, and referred to for years to come. I would recommend this book to the novice rider or another forty year veteran.
Rating:
Summary: Too Advanced for Beginners
Review: Well, I was looking for something to read along with my new Clymer's guide, thinking that in addition to just the basics about my bike I'd be well served to understand performance issues. This book is probably GREAT for people planning track days, who have a lot of self-service experience under their belt, but for a beginner to the mechanics of motorcycles the information is SO advanced it's basically useless. Good stuff to learn, and I'm keeping the book because I figure by *next* year I'll be saving $$ for track days. Just too much for "all I wanted to know was how to gap my frikken plugs properly!" me. I give it 3 stars as what I read was fairly clear, and the diagrams did seem to accompany the text well enough for me to realize I was WAY OVER MY HEAD. ;)
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