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Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well
From the publishers of Motorcycle Consumer News, Shifting Gears at 50 is a one-of-a-kind motorcycling manual for returning and late-entry riders, essentially anyone 40 years old and up who’s looking to hit the road on two wheels. Author Philip Buonpastore, a motorcycle journalist and retired US Air Force photographer, helps readers gear up to get back on a motorcycle (or get on one for the first time).
In Part 1, “Becoming a Motorcyclist,” Buonpastore discusses the basics of buying the right bike, gear, and equipment and getting the bike up to speed. The book continues with a good overview of learning to ride, the importance of taking a road course, venturing out on the first ride, and extending rides to long-distance jaunts. Throughout Part 1 are sidebars by riding- safety instructor and expert Walt Fulton, offering sound advice on safety precautions and execution for every leg of the new and returning rider’s journey.
The author emphasizes what older riders should be aware of and which factors can affect their rides. Adding lots of great firsthand advice are humorous and helpful stories collected by the author and related by returning riders at various ages, from their late 30s to 60s.
In Part 2, Buonpastore shares five of his favorite travelogues covering his long-distance tours around the US, from the American South to the west coasts. This section is illustrated by over 100 of the author’s breathtaking photographs of the various locations he toured on his bike.
The foreword to the book is provided by best-selling motorcycle author David Hough (author of I-5 Press’s Proficient Motorcycling and Mastering the Ride). Hough writes, “If you’re getting into today’s motorcycling at an age your doctor would describe as ‘middle aged’ or ‘senior,’ do you yourself a clever favor and read Phil’s book.”
In Part 1, “Becoming a Motorcyclist,” Buonpastore discusses the basics of buying the right bike, gear, and equipment and getting the bike up to speed. The book continues with a good overview of learning to ride, the importance of taking a road course, venturing out on the first ride, and extending rides to long-distance jaunts. Throughout Part 1 are sidebars by riding- safety instructor and expert Walt Fulton, offering sound advice on safety precautions and execution for every leg of the new and returning rider’s journey.
The author emphasizes what older riders should be aware of and which factors can affect their rides. Adding lots of great firsthand advice are humorous and helpful stories collected by the author and related by returning riders at various ages, from their late 30s to 60s.
In Part 2, Buonpastore shares five of his favorite travelogues covering his long-distance tours around the US, from the American South to the west coasts. This section is illustrated by over 100 of the author’s breathtaking photographs of the various locations he toured on his bike.
The foreword to the book is provided by best-selling motorcycle author David Hough (author of I-5 Press’s Proficient Motorcycling and Mastering the Ride). Hough writes, “If you’re getting into today’s motorcycling at an age your doctor would describe as ‘middle aged’ or ‘senior,’ do you yourself a clever favor and read Phil’s book.”
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
335 people are currently reading
804 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
June 24, 2016
I was reminded of this book in a recent conversation, and as it has a place of honor on my bookshelf, I thought I'd review it.
I've been riding for thirty years, and have owned, at one point or another, almost every type of motorcycle. Cruisers. Sportbikes. Standard UJMs. ADV bikes. I ride 12 months a year, in the height of summer heat, and in sub-freezing temperatures.
This is the book you need, if you want to ride well. Period.
Hough's description of optimal riding technique are dead on, and his explication of the counterintuitive dynamics/physics of countersteering is just about the best you'll find anywhere.
He breaks down riding into discrete categories, giving the best possible advice in all situations. Snow, for example. I've used his advice to get myself home after an unexpected blizzard...40 miles worth of near-zero traction, including a 10 mile stint on a crowded highway full of sliding cars. Hough's recommendations are absolutely correct.
If you're an "attitude biker," Hough may not be for you. He has no patience for squids, or for hooning, or for stunting on the street. He's not an outlaw, because that's ego-riding, the kind of riding that startles and angers other motorists. Hough is not obnoxious, and not out there to prove himself.
Consequently, this book isn't a "fun" read. It's absolutely, unrelentingly serious. Ever see Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai?" Hough is to motorcycling what Kyuzo (The Master Swordsman) was to bladecraft. Cold eyed. Intelligent. A craftsman. Absolutely focused on the refinement and expression of technique.
If that's what you want, you'll find it here.
I've been riding for thirty years, and have owned, at one point or another, almost every type of motorcycle. Cruisers. Sportbikes. Standard UJMs. ADV bikes. I ride 12 months a year, in the height of summer heat, and in sub-freezing temperatures.
This is the book you need, if you want to ride well. Period.
Hough's description of optimal riding technique are dead on, and his explication of the counterintuitive dynamics/physics of countersteering is just about the best you'll find anywhere.
He breaks down riding into discrete categories, giving the best possible advice in all situations. Snow, for example. I've used his advice to get myself home after an unexpected blizzard...40 miles worth of near-zero traction, including a 10 mile stint on a crowded highway full of sliding cars. Hough's recommendations are absolutely correct.
If you're an "attitude biker," Hough may not be for you. He has no patience for squids, or for hooning, or for stunting on the street. He's not an outlaw, because that's ego-riding, the kind of riding that startles and angers other motorists. Hough is not obnoxious, and not out there to prove himself.
Consequently, this book isn't a "fun" read. It's absolutely, unrelentingly serious. Ever see Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai?" Hough is to motorcycling what Kyuzo (The Master Swordsman) was to bladecraft. Cold eyed. Intelligent. A craftsman. Absolutely focused on the refinement and expression of technique.
If that's what you want, you'll find it here.
March 13, 2012
Wade through the dreck and you will be rewarded with some sage motorcycling advice.
June 3, 2017
A pamphlet worth of useful information in a 276 page text. Lots of repetition and unnecessary anecdotal storytelling. There's a few nuggets of gold in there, but lots of noise between them.
October 23, 2021
This is a treasure! 95% of the book's content I haven't found discussed anywhere else. It leaves the performance and track techniques out of its scope, this is not the purpose of this book. Instead it's a prelude to safe motorcycle riding. Obviously this is not all one needs to know about riding, but as far as street riding is concerned, I'd say it's pretty complete. I think it's a must have for any motorcyclist's library!
February 20, 2025
I picked this up as eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book has been around for a while already and will be republished this year.
The author has lived a life on two wheels most riders can only wish for and decided himself when it was time to stop riding - that is a chance not many get to have and speaks volumes of the style of riding and knowledge he possesses. While I am all for the practical part, I do enjoy a peek behind the scenes to know what makes the wheels turn, slide and topple, which is why I found some of the chapters extremely fascinating- especially because I often knew what happens or how it feels but never gave it much thought beyond the “how to avoid” part.
In my personal opinion, it could have used fewer interludes, but that’s a personal preference and they did blend in well, it just made the reading feel more like a magazine at times, than a book.
The content was informative, well-wrapped and direct, which is what a book of this caliber should be, to easily remember certain tips and phrases in case of an emergency or if a rider wants to train for specific (possibly dangerous) situations.
One point I completely underestimated was the location factor: as Europe based rider, who primarily rides the twisties in Germany (with some holiday stints in Asia and European countries) the challenges we face are somewhat different when it comes to traffic, road texture, animal encounters etc. than to what for example US-based riders should prepare for. This was fascinating to me, as I have been and lived in the US and Canada, but only rode motorcycles much later in life and back in Europe. These chapters were thus mainly entertaining and informative for me but still held their value in reminding me of the chance that dangerous situations might vary extremely depending on the country you get on your bike in.
I was extremely lucky to have a great teacher when it came to riding, so a lot of things were already somewhat present for me, but considering not everyone gets started with the same extent of knowledge shared by a much more experienced rider, this book is a great read for everyone who lacks exactly this. One thing I’d still like to add: as good as any book is, it never replaces the input and constructive criticism of actual, other riders with more experience.
The author has lived a life on two wheels most riders can only wish for and decided himself when it was time to stop riding - that is a chance not many get to have and speaks volumes of the style of riding and knowledge he possesses. While I am all for the practical part, I do enjoy a peek behind the scenes to know what makes the wheels turn, slide and topple, which is why I found some of the chapters extremely fascinating- especially because I often knew what happens or how it feels but never gave it much thought beyond the “how to avoid” part.
In my personal opinion, it could have used fewer interludes, but that’s a personal preference and they did blend in well, it just made the reading feel more like a magazine at times, than a book.
The content was informative, well-wrapped and direct, which is what a book of this caliber should be, to easily remember certain tips and phrases in case of an emergency or if a rider wants to train for specific (possibly dangerous) situations.
One point I completely underestimated was the location factor: as Europe based rider, who primarily rides the twisties in Germany (with some holiday stints in Asia and European countries) the challenges we face are somewhat different when it comes to traffic, road texture, animal encounters etc. than to what for example US-based riders should prepare for. This was fascinating to me, as I have been and lived in the US and Canada, but only rode motorcycles much later in life and back in Europe. These chapters were thus mainly entertaining and informative for me but still held their value in reminding me of the chance that dangerous situations might vary extremely depending on the country you get on your bike in.
I was extremely lucky to have a great teacher when it came to riding, so a lot of things were already somewhat present for me, but considering not everyone gets started with the same extent of knowledge shared by a much more experienced rider, this book is a great read for everyone who lacks exactly this. One thing I’d still like to add: as good as any book is, it never replaces the input and constructive criticism of actual, other riders with more experience.
February 22, 2009
I am embarrassed to admit that although this book is well-written, informative and descriptive, I haven't read it all the way through.
It functions as both a manual and a guide, an informative text on how to perform certain maneuvers, better your skills and care for your motorcycle.
It offers cautionary anecdotes to underscore the importance of riding with caution and awareness.
It is a great book, but I've been ingesting it in bits and pieces. I tend to pick it up when I've been struggling with the application of a maneuver -- such as cornering, which was taught to me in the MSF course a certain way, but is often better applied in real life riding through the application of late apexing. The tips and illustrations helped me work through my confusion until I was able to apply the written word to the actuality of movement.
It functions as both a manual and a guide, an informative text on how to perform certain maneuvers, better your skills and care for your motorcycle.
It offers cautionary anecdotes to underscore the importance of riding with caution and awareness.
It is a great book, but I've been ingesting it in bits and pieces. I tend to pick it up when I've been struggling with the application of a maneuver -- such as cornering, which was taught to me in the MSF course a certain way, but is often better applied in real life riding through the application of late apexing. The tips and illustrations helped me work through my confusion until I was able to apply the written word to the actuality of movement.
August 24, 2014
Worth the read even if it was a little dry.
September 1, 2024
I have been riding motorcycles for past 7 years. I've had so many crashes in the early days that people were afraid of sitting as a pillion on my bike. Slowly I started internalizing few things and gradually the accidents stopped. This is a typical journey of how you learn any skill. However, it becomes a problem if you never give yourself a chance to see your skills from first principles and examine bad patterns that you might have internalized.
Reading this book was a refreshing reminder to examine how I ride a motorcycle.
This didn't teach me anything extraordinary, but it explained so many things that I had, just sort of, accepted as given. Like how tyre pressure affects a bike's traction, why counter-steering works, why front brakes are much more powerful (and should be used more frequently) than rear brakes, and on and on.
Pick up this book if you'd like to improve, and understand, how you ride.
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This is also available on my website here.
Reading this book was a refreshing reminder to examine how I ride a motorcycle.
This didn't teach me anything extraordinary, but it explained so many things that I had, just sort of, accepted as given. Like how tyre pressure affects a bike's traction, why counter-steering works, why front brakes are much more powerful (and should be used more frequently) than rear brakes, and on and on.
Pick up this book if you'd like to improve, and understand, how you ride.
-----------------------------------------
This is also available on my website here.
August 8, 2020
Practical wisdom well conveyed
I picked up this book after my only riding experience was in a beginner class held in a large parking lot. My class included a lot of information but this book reinforced the class and gave me a lot more information. I liked the clear writing style - no wasted words and authoritatively grounded in science and lived experience. I re-read it 8 years after my first read and i appreciate it even more after several thousand miles of my own experience.
I picked up this book after my only riding experience was in a beginner class held in a large parking lot. My class included a lot of information but this book reinforced the class and gave me a lot more information. I liked the clear writing style - no wasted words and authoritatively grounded in science and lived experience. I re-read it 8 years after my first read and i appreciate it even more after several thousand miles of my own experience.
January 4, 2023
This and its companion 2nd volume are essential reading for new riders, and if you're not new you'll still learn something most likely. The detractors saying too long, don't like the style etc - waaah - if there is ONE thing that saves your bacon one day in these books, it's worth it. There are plenty of other books about performance riding and handling, but these are the best I've seen by far regarding general riding matters.
September 2, 2021
Ultimate guide that could have been shorter
This book really does cover almost everything about motorcycling from a safety standpoint. Not so much on motorcycle control and riding, so much as what you're going to encounter in the world riding. Very useful stuff, could have been summarized in probably 50 pages though.
This book really does cover almost everything about motorcycling from a safety standpoint. Not so much on motorcycle control and riding, so much as what you're going to encounter in the world riding. Very useful stuff, could have been summarized in probably 50 pages though.
May 6, 2017
The reading can be a bit dry but it's definitely worth it for beginner and intermediate riders. Lot's of great info, tips, methods on how to stay safe out there because let's face it... Most drivers suck and they're out to kill us.
November 14, 2017
A must read for beginners!
Very good book! Got first bike and makes you very aware of the hazards, but, most importantly the rider as being the biggest reason of motorcycle accidents due to not paying attention and defensive driving.
Recommend book for all experience levels!
Very good book! Got first bike and makes you very aware of the hazards, but, most importantly the rider as being the biggest reason of motorcycle accidents due to not paying attention and defensive driving.
Recommend book for all experience levels!
October 6, 2019
There is some useful information in this book, especially for new riders.
What I didn't like is style of writing, lots of anecdotal storytelling and old-fashioned American slang. Books is 3-4 times larger than it has to be.
What I didn't like is style of writing, lots of anecdotal storytelling and old-fashioned American slang. Books is 3-4 times larger than it has to be.
April 10, 2023
Good refresher book!
I’ve been motorcycling for many years - my current bike is a BMW R1250RT. I read a couple of motorcycling technique books each year and appreciate the comprehensive treatment provided by Davids book. Thank you -
I’ve been motorcycling for many years - my current bike is a BMW R1250RT. I read a couple of motorcycling technique books each year and appreciate the comprehensive treatment provided by Davids book. Thank you -
October 1, 2017
Excellent read for learning concepts for riding.
March 11, 2018
Must-read book for all motorcyclists.
Not a huge fan of his writing style, but good info.
Not a huge fan of his writing style, but good info.
March 30, 2018
A must read for everyone on two wheels!
December 21, 2018
Great and informative. I think every rider, especially new ones should read this book. Plenty of information and the quality of the content is superb. Thank you for all the tips and advice.
January 14, 2019
Full of good advice for new and old riders.
June 8, 2019
Some of it will only make sense once you've ridden a motorcycle (e.g., handling tips), but the safety advice is good, and a nice supplement to the MSF safety course.
January 27, 2020
Useful but not without real life practice
May 31, 2020
Back in my "motorcycle onslaught mode" from 2009-2010. I bought this book after I purchased my motorcycle in 2008.
October 27, 2021
Did not find this book compelling but it did have some useful info.
May 22, 2022
Absolutely mandatory book for every novice rider!
November 21, 2022
Took a motorcycle safety class, this was a good preliminary read.
June 2, 2023
recommended by joel z
August 16, 2023
Mandatory!
June 21, 2024
Excellent read. Very informative.
May 3, 2025
An excellent, practical and comprehensive guide to all that is road motorcycling, with plenty of great tips and strategies for most scenarios. 5 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews