I just relieved my pre-ordered copy of How to Buil a Cafe Racer by Doug Mitchel. It is big disappointment. There is much more usable information right here than in the book and the price is better ($27.95 vs Free).
The book starts with a history of the Cafe Motorcycle, sort of like Cafe Racer TV without the insight and attention to detail.
Without belaboring every error and omission let me just say there are many errors and omissions. Style is another problem, or more accurately a lack of style. "For those of us who will keep our riding activities on the streets, there is no real need for radical alterations to the chassis of your motorcycle. Not only will any revisions alter the ride traits but certain modifications will actually reduce the quality of the handling and possibly even the safety of your craft. Careful review needs to be done before you decide to alter the chassis of your machine and talking to expert s is of great value in advance of you turning a wrench." That is a more or less randomly selected passage to give you a glimpse of his style. Opinions will vary but it is mine that anyone who spends that many words to say so little needs to find honest work.
Unfortunately the Author needed a lot of editing that he did not get. This seems to be a problem of modern publishing, as one sees it creeping into magazines and occasionally even serious books. "One way to combat brake rotor warping due to heat is to use a floating rotor versus the solid steel we see on most machines. With the disc being comprised of 2 pieces the heat from the braking surface does not translate to the inner section thus keeping heat from destroying the flat metal required for safe stopping." Perhaps the heat does not translate, but his explanation could certainly use a bit of translation. It almost sounds like keeping the heat in the friction area of the disc keeps it from getting hot? With thousands of English majors flipping burgers can't we find someone to proof read a book and ask the author to better express what is being said?
Perhaps I am being overly harsh with the author, who is after all just trying to make a living. So if you have money to waste by all means spend it, I am sure that Mr. Mitchel and Wolfgang Publications will appreciate the charity.
The book starts with a history of the Cafe Motorcycle, sort of like Cafe Racer TV without the insight and attention to detail.
Without belaboring every error and omission let me just say there are many errors and omissions. Style is another problem, or more accurately a lack of style. "For those of us who will keep our riding activities on the streets, there is no real need for radical alterations to the chassis of your motorcycle. Not only will any revisions alter the ride traits but certain modifications will actually reduce the quality of the handling and possibly even the safety of your craft. Careful review needs to be done before you decide to alter the chassis of your machine and talking to expert s is of great value in advance of you turning a wrench." That is a more or less randomly selected passage to give you a glimpse of his style. Opinions will vary but it is mine that anyone who spends that many words to say so little needs to find honest work.
Unfortunately the Author needed a lot of editing that he did not get. This seems to be a problem of modern publishing, as one sees it creeping into magazines and occasionally even serious books. "One way to combat brake rotor warping due to heat is to use a floating rotor versus the solid steel we see on most machines. With the disc being comprised of 2 pieces the heat from the braking surface does not translate to the inner section thus keeping heat from destroying the flat metal required for safe stopping." Perhaps the heat does not translate, but his explanation could certainly use a bit of translation. It almost sounds like keeping the heat in the friction area of the disc keeps it from getting hot? With thousands of English majors flipping burgers can't we find someone to proof read a book and ask the author to better express what is being said?
Perhaps I am being overly harsh with the author, who is after all just trying to make a living. So if you have money to waste by all means spend it, I am sure that Mr. Mitchel and Wolfgang Publications will appreciate the charity.
