Total Control by Lee Parks is a technical guide focused on advanced riding techniques rather than road safety. It covers chassis dynamics, mental dynamics, body dynamics, machine setup, and rider setup, with practical tips like trail braking and one-handed cornering. While some sections may be too technical for casual riders, the book offers valuable insights for those looking to improve their skills.
Total Control by Lee Parks is a comprehensive guide that delves into advanced riding techniques, making it a valuable resource for motorcyclists looking to enhance their skills. The book is organized into sections covering chassis dynamics, mental dynamics, body dynamics, machine setup, and rider setup. It provides practical tips such as trail braking, which involves braking and accelerating simultaneously to stabilize the bike through corners, and one-handed cornering, which can improve steering by reducing arm conflict. While the book is highly technical and includes detailed chapters on suspension engineering and aerodynamics, these sections may be more relevant to sport bike racers. Casual riders might find some of the material overly theoretical, but the book still offers useful insights for improving riding proficiency. The second edition has become a classic, and Parks' philosophical reflections in the epilogue add a thoughtful touch, encouraging riders to strive for brilliant riding rather than relying on temporary fixes.
Quick quotes
Can you improve your riding from reading a book? No, but if you practice and apply some of the information presented in Parks’ book, you will.
The idea is essentially that since braking makes the bike nose-dive and accelerating lifts the front end, you can use these opposing forces to cancel each other out and stabilize the bike through the corner.
In a special sense, the reason you are reading this is because your riding is a little bit “sick.” When you are sick, the doctor prescribes medicine. The problem is we get addicted to the medicine. But medicine is not food for a motorcyclist. Brilliant riding is food.