Customer Reviews

The Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles

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

 

 

This book might not be for every rider. But the data on the different kinds of plans that one can make in relation to riding I think is excellent. Also, when you see the comments by Wayne Rainey (a hero of mine for sure), then you know this information applies at the top level of riding.

Also, the section on one's sense of speed--I've been doing some racing and around racetracks for years, and there isn't anyone else that even talks about this (not in a fashion I can understand that is).

The checklists that Code provides at the end of the chapters can really help pinpoint a riding problem. That is valuable to me.

Again, not for everyone, but a little reading of this book, and a little patience with one's own riding can equal big gains. Well worth it.

Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles is quit a good book for tuning your race bike. But it's intended for recrational use. For real racer's it's to basic. While tuning my own bike it was usefull to use the books. The comments are also very handy. It does explain tunning a lot of different bikes so it can be very wide used. All in all it wasn't a bad book at all espiaccialy if you are a 'recrational' racer!

I think Twist of the Wrist 2 is a superior book, but the Soft Science is also a decent read. The concepts are fairly intuitive, but there are many good artifacts of infomation. I recommend only purchasing this book AFTER Twist of the Wrist 2. The concepts aren't cummulative, but Twist of the Wrist 2 is simply a better textbook - in my opinion.

I just read an interview with 7 time world champ Valentino Rossi, and he talked about riding as a mental sport. Obviously Code had some things to say about that, and a long time ago. 20 years ago when I was endurance racing on a team of 3, my other teammates were both faster than I was. I didn't race as much as they did, so I had to figure out antoher way to pick up the skills. The short story is this book took me from slowest to fastest of our little team, and I raced the least. Just a little reading, then put it to use. I've heard that some really top racers did this too, so I guess I'm not the only one!

Soft Science of Road Racing Motorcycles

As others have noted, Keith Code's Soft Science book can be summarized in a few words (same as Twist of the Wrist 1 and Twist of the Wrist 2): Pay attention, develop your plan, and think it through. I have to put this out there: Keith's treatment of "paying attention" was annoying in Twist of the Wrist 1 and 2, as well as Soft Science. Once I see his use of credit cards, coins, or dollar bills, my eyes glaze over and I skip the section. I am sure it is well meaning, but riding is much more intuitive and requires feel versus calculating cents and dollars so I didn't quite catch his analogy.

Some of the concepts are common in other books like Speed Secrets 6. Keith's "sampling" is akin to Ross's idea of driving over the limit to consistently drive at the limit. However, Keith adds to this by discussing feelings. Rather than avoiding sand or rain, how would you handle sand and rain? This is actually something I practiced before I read either book. I have found ways to deal with driving in heavy rain (setting your wipers on HIGH and slowing down is not my idea of handling the rain) or snow although most people just avoid either condition or drive at a pace that is dangerously (to others) slow.

I also found the obsession with racing lines or finding the right line in each corner to not help very much. It is far more reliant on feel and intuition than is described in the book. If you had to calculate braking points and lines, you'd eventually forget or some differing condition would throw this off. The book is also showing its age when it exhibited a "modern racing motorcycle" that would easily fit into a museum of racing - but granted we're not reading this book to learn about the latest technology from MotoGP or World Superbike. The bikes and cars might change, but the ideas remain the same.

Overall: 4/5 stars, not as useful as Twist of the Wrist 2

Keiths books are all great but need updating and better photos. Thay all make you wish for more practice track time.

I was getting serious about road racing and this book was a great reference for someone who likes to read and study the ways to improve your riding.

Soft Science is one of the most analitical books in motorcycle riding. You bet your skills will improve a lot. We have a riding school and I put some ideas in discussion out there to see the results. It's awesome! I recomend it after more than 40 years of sportbikes ride.

This book is desirable, as is anything written by Keith Code on the art of motorcycling. However, get twist... 1 and 2 first. This book tackles those trying to race. I'm not a racer and this book was still useful, but I could not take full advantage of this book unless I start racing :-)

I have roadraced for about 5 years now and have used the checklists in this book MANY times to help answer questions that I didn't even know existed within myself.

Having this book handy helps since I don't always have Keith there to ask me the proper questions. There are certainly things that should be thought out after a ride or practice session and this book HAS THE QUESTIONS to think with!!!!! I really recommend this book to anyone who wants to ride faster and/or better through those twisty corners.

GREAT BOOK!

Stoney Landers