A Twist of the Wrist Vol. 2: The Basics of High-Performance Motorcycle Riding

I just started out motorcycling and I wanted a book to break down the basic techniques and methodology of handling my bike. This was the perfect book!I would recommend this to anyone needing to understand the basics of throttle control, rider inputs and reactions they have on the bike, and how to correctly steer.The break down of survival reactions and what they do when your riding was minding opening as well. Things I thought that were making me safe were in actuality making things harder and potentially more dangerous for myself. The breakdown of steering and counter steering with your outside pegs was also another game changer. I am starting to turn safer, tighter, and faster that my buddies who have rode for years with bad habits.Get this book, smoke your friends in competition with mastering the basics. There is not a better feeling when you smoke a bike that is technically a better bike than yours but the rider doesn’t know how to handle her and you out class ‘em!!Also don’t worry about the other reviews commenting on the definition and the writing style. It’s not a big deal unless you want it to be one. See photo for proof

This is a great book that could be made better with good editing. Regardless, my riding has improved tremendously since I first got it after a low speed but still scary crash. I was ready to quit and sell my bike. Instead I started reading the book and I've ridden eight thousand miles in four months including some done while caught in the most inclement of weather. Keith's instruction has helped keep me safe and thriving on one of the fastest motorcycles in production: a modified Hayabusa which has a top speed of nearly 200mph. I didn't buy a bike this powerful for my first bike. I was an experienced rider. Even so, I am now much more confident and capable in the seat. In fact, I'm often amazed when I get on the bike and realize again and again how much I've improved and how well what the book says applies to riding faster, safer, and more enjoyably. The salesman who helped me buy my bike is also a racer (I'm not) and he told me this would be "the only book I would ever need". After skimming and scanning a bunch of the books people suggested on Amazons reviews I came to believe he was right. I put everything else aside and dug into Twist II and the companion video as well. The video presents the information in a complimentary, interesting, amusingly corny way. The book and video are compelling enough to keep me involved consistantly with one or the other. The book helped me realize that the most frightening of my minor scrapes which nearly caused me to quit riding was due to the lack of understanding the main premise of the book. Correctly twisting the throttle is the basis of safety, speed, and enjoyment on the motorcycle. Unfortunately, I agree with those who noted that the writing is not as clear and useful as possible. Part of the reason we are all scrambling so hard to understand it is because of the lack of good editing. I'm really disappointed that I have to work so hard at separating the truth from what I simply don't understand or know. Another aspect of the criticism laid against the book is overly simplified definitions which I am not entirely in agreement with. The book was written in part with teaching children in mind as well as adults and that's why time is spent defining common english. I know that because I have seen pre-teens in the video in class learning with rapt attention. Addressing yet another cricism I noticed Keith uses an effective and amusing (not condescending) tone. I can see where some would find this patronizing but if you look deeper into his character you will see that he merely enjoys a jolly joke from time to time. If that's not enough he is after all an expert who had trained some of the best racers ever. He's entitled to an air of authority. All that said, some of the definitions still seem below the vocabulary of even a young group riders. Riders, who, by the way, might make mince meat on the track out of some of the self important readers who see no use for this book. You have to see some of these youngsters carving it up in the twisties to realize Keith's methods are perfectly correct. Admittedly, more explanations which make sense out of jargon or slang that is specific to motorcycling could also be given, however, one particularly scathing reviewer who complained about the lack of properly defining the term "front end chatter" need only read more closely to see that "chatter" is, indeed, defined. Please ignore someone who would tear the book apart though because that's just plain wrong. Its a very important book on the subject. You are not going to find this much knowledge in one place in such a concise manner anywhere else; Knowledge that translates as easily onto the road as it does on the track. Anyone who can have pre-teens running easy lines through tough turns on a real race track knows what he's doing. I'm looking forward to taking courses on the track at his California Superbike School which services tracks all over America. If you are frequently afraid on your bike, like I was after my crash; Or if you are even afraid from time to time, you need this book. Read it and read it well. My fear and panic have quieted down to almost nothing. The proof is in the pudding fellow readers. Please enjoy and apply.

I saw the DVD first and loved it. After watching it twice I ordered the book. Best way to go about it. After seeing the DVD, when I read in the book about a technique, I could picture it from the DVD.The book is very detailed and straight forward. I find myself riding my motorcycle in my sleep. Have I tried these techniques? Funny you should ask. Allow me please to entertain you.Before I bought the DVD or ordered the book, I saw a section of the DVD at my friend’s house. As he barbequed I continued to rewind and review the advices. I found it so fascinating that the next day on my way to work I knew exactly where I wanted to try flicking my bike and hope for the best.The road took me into Northern Virginia. Heading north through some beautiful views of large houses or mini castles, twisty roads, and few traffic lights. When you reach the end of this road there is one last turn. The signs caution you to slow down before the sharp left turn. I hated this turn because I would slow down and I would nervously have to take the turn. Heck, cars would take this much faster than I could. What got me upset was that it was a small turn, I mean; it was a 90 degree turn that was just hard for me to maneuver for some reason.Well, here it comes. I slow down; when I see the obvious apex I flick the bike and apply the author’s techniques. With good body position and the only thing on my mind was to believe in what I just learned and just apply it. Before I could process what was going on completely (since I had not seen the complete DVD or read the book yet), I was at the apex, leaned over, hanging off just a little, chest to the tank, and the bike felt like a darn Porsche, solid, stable, like it was glued to the tarmac, and fast. It felt as if the bike was driving Me around the corner instead of the other way around. As if I was on a horse and as long as you tell the horse which way it should go, the horse was built to go fast and think for itself. The bike was telling me thank you dumb biker. It’s about time you let me do what I do best.When I came out of that turn, faster than I could have imagined, there was a stupid smile on my face, and after that I had to know who this freaking guy was that made that video. Well, the freaking guy wrote this book also. Very cool Mr. Code, very cool. If I get a chance I would like to attend his driving school. Looks like a blast. Hope this helped you to buy this book. This applies to all bikers for all makes and models of bikes. Buy it

I don't understand why this has so many 5* reviews.There is useful info in there, but not much, and it's repeated throughout from slightly different perspectives. It's so poorly written that I find it hard to pay attention and dig out the content: **bold** text all over is shouty (parentheses frequently distract), the dictionary sections are patronising, sidebars have key content but don't seem to be associated with their adjacent paragraphs.I can imagine that in person using a flipchart on a training day this material would come across much better.

I'd thoroughly recommend the book for it's information which is intelligent and informative. Unfortunately the author seems to believe that we need a dictionary at the end of every section to explain the meaning of commonly used words such as 'average' and 'similar'! A glossary of technical terms must have been the aim but it went astray somewhere. The use of the asterisk at every verse end becomes incredibly irritating and the layout is like something off a whiteboard as scribbled during a classroom session.Apart from these niggles it's a great book that just needs a professional author to organise it a little better.

I have been riding since 1989, in 2003 I started Racing and bought twist 2 .Strange logic but I would read twist 2 then go back to twist 1 and the soft science of motorbike racing last.This allows you to go from the basics that he has defined in twist 2 then go back and built on it. The books are good but you really need to go to his school 'California superbike school' to finish the education.I have been on a bike for many years without knowing how a bike steered, what made it handle in corners and where to look etc.most excellent :-)

This book is awesome!! if you go on trackdays or ride the roads in a "spirited way" then this book will help you to not only be faster but safer as well. i went from timid road riding to Oulton park trackday in a year. There is a lot in there, pretty much everything there is to know about riding a bike, but the chapters guide you through the most important stuff first: counter steering, throttle control.

A must read for every motorcyclist.