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Book Reviews The
Race Tech’s Motorcycle
Suspension Bible
MOST people think of motorcycle suspension tuning as a
“mysterious black art.”
In this book Paul Thebe hopes to take some of the mystery out
of motorcycle handling and suspension set-up.
Paul is the owner and chief engineer of Race Tech, one of the largest suspension
modifications companies in the world. In 1994 he created the first Technical Edge
Suspension Seminar and has taught more than 100 seminars and thousands of students
around the world.
Co-author Lee Parks is the best-selling author of Total Control, which is based on his
internationally renowned Total Control Advanced Riding Clinics.
Between them the joint authors have a world of experience when it comes to issues
relating to motorcycle handling and suspension.
This book is well set out with many step-by-step guides, including extensive photo
sequences, that shows riders how to make their bikes handle like the pros.
Thebe gives the lowdown on all types of suspension including cartridge and noncartridge
forks as well as dual chamber and nitrogen charged shocks.
He explains the three forces of suspension, testing procedures even the black art of
chassis geometry.
There is also a detailed troubleshooting guide for dirt, street and track as well as a
great appendix which includes a Race Tech tool list a suspension testing log and even a
glossary of terms.
The book is well set out, particularly the photo sequences, and should take some of
the mystery out of motorcycle handling and suspension issues.
A valuable addition to any motorcyclist’s library.
Race Tech’s Motorcycle Suspension Bible by Paul Thebe and Lee Parks, Illustrated by
Alan Lapp. Published by Motorbooks.
– Dennis Penzo
WHAT an absolutely brilliant book.
This is the English language edition
of Bernt Spiegel’s original German
literary work which is currently in its
third edition and ninth printing.
European motorcyclists have hailed
Spiegel’s work for more than a decade
because of its provocative approach to
improving motorcycle riding skills.
What makes Spiegel’s work so
fascinating is that he brings his
unique perspective as a behavioural
psychologist to the subject of
motorcycling.
He draws on related topics in the fields of anthropology,
biology, physics and numerous other disciplines to look at how
we as motorcyclists integrate with our machines.
As Spiegel says, skilful motorcycling involves a lot more than
just balance, turning and stopping: it requires a sophisticated
self-awareness than can anticipate, monitor and react to an everchanging
set of potential hazards and variables.
His view of motorcycling as a multi-disciplinary and uniquely
complex activity is what we all understand as being “part of the
machine” when we ride our bikes.
The author starts by exploring how the human brain was
Motocourse
2009-2010
MOTOCOURSE is the iconic MotoGP book: for 34
years the book tells the tale of what happened - and
more importantly, why it happened - in the world’s
premier road racing classes.
The cover features the winner of the premier class, so
this time around Valentino Rossi graces the book’s sleeve
and writes the Foreword. Grands Prix - MotoGP, 250 and
125 – take up over two thirds of Motocourse, but that
still leaves 70-odd pages for World Superbikes, the Isle of
Man, Supersport, sidecars and the British and American
Supebike Championships, as well as a roundup of major
world wide results.
The quality of Motocourse is second-to-none and
legendary. Although I disagree with the editor on some
points – to pick Colin Edwards in front of Hiroshi
Aoyama in the Top Ten Riders section I find amazing –
but that’s a minor aberation in a book which is incredibly
detailed, well thought-out and beautifully illustrated.
The insights into motorcycle racing provided by
Upper half of the Motorcycle
- on the unity of rider and machine
shaped by evolution to utilise built-in programs/processes
which optimise foresight and explains how we learn and
perceive the world around us.
The second section builds on how those programs interact with
our consciousness and how they relate to our use of tools, in this
case, motorcycles.
The third section of the book deals with the subsequent
integration of man and tool to create a singular unit with unique
properties - a virtuosity if you will.
The fourth section deals with the techniques that allow a rider
to train him, or herself, for higher levels of performance and the
final section offers practical exercises to improve your riding
skills.
This book will make you look at motorcycling in a new light
and may even offer you some unique perspectives of something
that you may sometimes have taken for granted.
And it’s not all heavy, tedious reading. The book is set out
and illustrated in an interesting manner, often with humourous
examples and many lessons are provided from many forms of
human activity such as music, personal sport and motorsports
amongst others.
A fascinating book for everyone who is passionate about
motorcycle riding.
The Upper Half of The Motorcycle - on the unity of rider and
machine. Whitehorse Press $49.95
– Dennis Penzo
Motocourse
are the
highlights.
From the
State of Racing to
the Technical Round-
Up to the reviews of Teams
and Riders, Motocourse offers
an insight into racing you won’t find
anywhere else.
Although the Superbike section isn’t nearly as long,
there’s still a lot to read about Ben Spies and his impact
on World SBK. Likewise, there are insights into Mat
Mladin’s seventh and final AMA Superbike title, and the
troubles with US racing.
At $119.95, Motocourse 2009/2010 is expensive, but for
the race fan nothing else even comes close.
– Nigel Paterson