Twist of the Wrist II

If you have done any research on performance riding, you have more than likely run across the California Superbike School and a book called The Twist of the Wrist.


Run by the white-haired wizard Keith Code, the school is a champion building machine. Putting out dozens of national and world champions, Code's training is legendary. From young-gun phenom Peter Lenz to Eric Bostrom, anyone wanting to improve on their riding tech can learn from what this master of form has to say.


Code's latest attempt to educate us mortals in the proper way to get a road bike around a track is an instructional DVD with a twist.


A Twist of the Wrist II is a complement to book that shares the same title. While having both book and DVD would get you all the information you would need to shave your lap times down, both can be used without each other. The first Twist of the Wrist book has been the "sport riding Bible" for years, and if you don't have a copy you might want to think about picking one up.


The DVD is not your traditional instructional movie like shown in schools. That is unless your school has a fleet of new BMW S1000RR bikes sitting outside that students get to beat on after instruction. The movie is based on two new riders who have fast bikes, but not fast form. When a wise old rider lets them borrow the Twist II book, things start to change for the better. While the acting might not be getting any visits from Oscar, they get the job done while making the movie interesting. There is also a side role played by the one and only Peter Lenz, who shows the new riders how much the proper form can change your ride.


If you have any desire to become a better, faster, and (most importantly) safer rider, you might want to strongly consider picking up some of Keith's instructional material. I'm not saying that your going to wake up in the morning with a 46 on your bike and a sudden need to buy elbow pucks, but with time and some practice you will become a faster rider.


For more info on the school and to order the DVD you can visit the website at:
http://www.superbikeschool.com/



Pros:

- Tons of good info on riding
- Some kind of story line
- Easy to put into practice techniques
- Great for Street and Track riding


Cons:

- OK acting kinda gets old toward the end
- Lots of info at once. Probably be best to watch a bit of the DVD, practice it, then move onto the next step.


Overall Rating:

A-

Icon Alliance SSR helmet

When it comes to riding a motorcycle, protecting that dome of yours is one of the first things you need to think about right after how cool you are going to look on that new GSXRYZCBR600RRR that you just went into debt to buy. While cruising down the street on your new ride with a half-helmet might let you feel the wind in your face and make for easy access to your smokes, when it comes to holding up in a crash...they are garbage. Not to worry though, the full-face helmet is here to save the day!


While Icon started out with a reputation for being "squid gear" or gear that is just made for looks and not performance, the boys and girls at Icon are stepping up their game and putting out some well made protection for a good price.

They offer a range of helmets that dent your wallet anywhere from their $515 Carbon Airframe, to the $140 Alliance SSR.





I picked up a Alliance SSR simply because I'm a little helmet crazy and I fell in love with their Americana model. I mean who doesn't want to look like Captain America while ripping up their local twists?

Once the package came in the mail, I started to see that this helmet that I was expecting to just be a cheap lid that I wear once in a while, was surprisingly a quality helmet. The Hydra Dry liner is pure genius for those hot days when sweat is a problem. The shell is SNELL and DOT approved and the online photos of the paint don't do justice in any means.

After several rides with this helmet, I find myself reaching for it instead of my Suomy or HJC when I'm heading out for a run around town.

Overall I am very pleased with the Icon Alliance SSR and would pick it over almost any other "budget" lid on the market.

Pros:
- SICK paint
- Large vents
- Hydra Dry liner

Cons:
- Cant use the Icon ProShield with this helmet


Grade:
B+

The Blacklist - An Intro

Welcome one and all to "The Blacklist." For all of you that have ever played a Need for Speed game, this name might ring a bell. In the game the "Blacklist" is the group of underground racers you must beat to become the best in the game.

This is a spot where I will be reviewing parts, local roads, racing, and everything else that pertains to the motorsports world. As a future journalist this seems like a good way to get some practice.

With the MotoGP season starting up this weekend and other racing seasons being in full swing, there should be some interesting things to talk about.