Customer Reviews

Motorcyle Tuning: Chassis, 2nd Edition

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is intended primarily for motorcyclist but almost any enthusiast who likes cars and bikes will enjoy reading it. The book covers chassis, tyres, suspension, brakes and development. Most of the information here is theoretical but beginners would probably find it very useful. There are lots of useful formulas, (e.g. how to drill brake discs properly). It ends with some useful programs written in BASIC which is quite dated since everyone is using C++ these days. I refer to this book and its companion book on 4 stroke engine tuning regularly for information and would feel lost without them. Don't expect a lot of nuts-and-bolts info, however, it's mostly theoretical, but VERY useful.

This is a well thought out book! It is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to understand the dynamics of suspensions and how to design modifications that may improve handling.

The relevance of the information is from the 1980's to the present. The author has included important formulas and diagrams that will help you think through your modifications and calculate the consequences of any changes to your Motorcycle.

Some chapters were very enjoyable to read,(braking systems),because I am familiar with those concepts. Others, (Caster,Camber,wheelbase), require a lot of thought and calculation and require a lot of re-reading to absorb.

This book is not for the novice and is not a "how to do it" manual. It requires real effort to put this information to work in improving your motorcycle's handling.

John Robinson gives the layman enough information to understand why and how much a change in suspension will effect handling. It's up to us to evaluate the result and incorporate it into our tuning..

C.J.

The author knows a lot about the subject, but lacks ability in getting the information across in a easy to follow manner. It is more like a rambling on of good thoughts. It would be great if each chapter was dedicated to one subject. There are lots of formula in the book that seem to go nowhere. The Racing Motorcycle, a technical guide for constructors by John Bradley, is excellent. After reading several other books on the subject, this is a nice fill in and would buy it again but I would get Bradley first.