I just saw this quesiton posted (I’m assuming) to me! Sorry about that…
What do I think about reading these books before taking the class? I don’t have an opinion either way. I could argue both for against, and here is the reasoning;
Pro: The beginner can pick up some of the language and understand the dynamics of motorcycles. Also, understanding the controls better is also useful. Most of the basics (if not all) are universal. As you mentioned, “head and eyes up”, etc.
Con: Depending on the book, some of the concepts may run counter to what we teach in a beginners class. There are practices that advanced riders MAY employ, or riders on a track that we DO NOT teach in the MSF. Every now and again, I’ll get a good question from a student about an exercise where clearly they have heard or read something that is otherwise correct, but not what we are teaching.
At the end of the day, the MORE we know as riders, the better off we are. I say understand all you can from solid, reputable sources.