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.