Ever feel like you're riding scared. Or just way beyond your level?

[rubbersidedown]

I've been trying to ride as much as I can these days of late for various reasons. Sometimes when I go out I scare the krap outa myself like twenty times in a 1 hour ride. Am I riding past my skill level(which is low compared to the general poplulace on the org) or have I just lost "my touch". Not to worry ladies,still have my touch where it count...the bedroom.

I'll go into a corner on a ride I know well and hit it hard and come out the otherside thinking...Wow,I made it. I actually survived that. It was ugly,I grab throttle when I shouldn't have,I grabbed tons of brakes when I shouldn't have.

I have never really been a Smoooth rider. Throttle.Brakes.Throttle.Brakes. But now I seem worse.Way worse.

When I get home I often feel like I have cheated death again.

I think I am riding scared,if that makes sense.:cookoo:

RSD.

 

[Superzuki]

NO!!!!

 

[KyleJ]

I've been riding since I was 17 years old and have logged about 35k miles in those 7.5 years. I still occasionally have an 'off' ride. My clutch modulation will be poor, take the wrong lines approaching turns, catch myself riding with poor posture, etc. Generally I attribute it to a lack of focus. I could ride a motorcycle in my sleep but I really have to be in the right mindset to ride well. When I start to drift and lose focus I see myself making more of the simple mistakes.

 

[VaBusa]

I've had rides where nothing seems to *click* and I know I probably shouldn't be out on the Busa. I usually just cut that ride short or take it really easy for fear of doing something stupid. Heck, I have those moments in my car. Off days; we're human, right?

Then there are those rides where everything is absolutely perfect and you almost hate that you're back in your driveway

Just be extra careful when things aren't feeling right Rubb...best advice anyone can give I think.

 

[nosbig]

I agree with VaBusa 100%. At the same time I also think on the days when everything does click you still have to push yourself a little bit or you will never get any better. The trick IMO is to be smart enough to know how much to push before you become a hazard to yourself and/or others.

 

[FlatlandBusa]

I've had rides where nothing seems to *click* and I know I probably shouldn't be out on the Busa. I usually just cut that ride short or take it really easy for fear of doing something stupid. Heck, I have those moments in my car. Off days; we're human, right?

Then there are those rides where everything is absolutely perfect and you almost hate that you're back in your driveway

Just be extra careful when things aren't feeling right Rubb...best advice anyone can give I think.

I agree with VaBusa 100%. At the same time I also think on the days when everything does click you still have to push yourself a little bit or you will never get any better. The trick IMO is to be smart enough to know how much to push before you become a hazard to yourself and/or others.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[rubbersidedown]

i agree with vabusa 100%. At the same time i also think on the days when everything does click you still have to push yourself a little bit or you will never get any better. The trick imo is to be smart enough to know how much to push before you become a hazard to yourself and/or others.

...


rsd.

 

[rubbersidedown]

Before you become a hazard.

RSD.

 

[1busa]

I've had rides where nothing seems to *click* and I know I probably shouldn't be out on the Busa. I usually just cut that ride short or take it really easy for fear of doing something stupid. Heck, I have those moments in my car. Off days; we're human, right?

Then there are those rides where everything is absolutely perfect and you almost hate that you're back in your driveway

Just be extra careful when things aren't feeling right Rubb...best advice anyone can give I think.

Couldn't agree more with you Vabs

Some days I have felt off for some reason while riding my Busa?? And it's not like the 1st day of spring after a long winter or some extended amount of time not riding. Just wasn't feeling it or like Rubb said about lean angles or taking a certain line into a turn. Found myself 2nd guessing or hesitant and uncomfortable. Sometimes I was able to ride out of the funk/fog or whatever the issue was and a couple times I wasn't and just took it easy or cut my ride short and headed home with myself and busa intact. Then the next time I hopped on my busa all was well and I felt comfortable and rode effortlessly?? Can't explain it but I like to think that maybe something or Someone was intervening and slowed me down on those days for a reason.....

 

[fallenarch]

Well first of all if you are still laying the pipe, why worry about it?

Ok this is the cure: I have exercises I do to practice braking, slow bike control, body position and throttle control. When I have that weird feeling I go to a parking lot and practice for an hour and then go home. It removes the fear and gets my head in shape for the next ride. if you are on the road and you are not focused then you shouldn't be riding.

 

[RedBusarider]

Ever heard of biorhythms? I'm sure that most everyone has experienced days where nothing seems to go right.
Then there are days when it almost seems like nothing can go wrong. Most days are somewhere in between.
There are different areas which are effected like passion and emotions and physical etc. So you can be up in one area
but down in another. When they are all up you have better days.

Astrology is another indicator of how things might turn out for someone. Much more general in nature.



I would hope that we are all old enough to know when things are not going as well as we hoped that we can back off.


Even pro motorcycle racers have off days. Have we ever seen anyone win every single race for an entire season. No.
Has any pro motorcyclist NEVER crashed? I doubt it. Granted it's not often but I'll bet every rider sooner or later will
crash if they ride long enough. Since I'm not a pro rider - if I tried to ride like a pro I'm sure I would crash very soon even on a good day.

 

[newman]

I agree with Vabs as well.
I've got home sometimes after a ride and said to Lynne, I've ridden rubbish today and at other times said that ride was so good everything just seemed to flow.
Usually it's just a normal ride but every now or then it seems to go from one extreme to another.

 

[TIMMYDUCK]

All the time but it is NEVER me , always the dam bike.

 

[Blrry]

All the time but it is NEVER me , always the dam bike.

 

[rubbersidedown]

Rode a couple hundred clicks today. First hundred...I sucked. Second hundred,not too bad but still not really "feeling it". I will try again tomorrow. Rubb never quits.

RSD.

 

[mikbusa]

When your riding doesn't feel quite right, check your tire pressures.

Only time I feel nervous now, is when I pull a wheelie, and don't expect it. First time I got the front end up in third gear, it really spooked me, thought I was safe past 2nd gear.

 

[rubbersidedown]

When your riding doesn't feel quite right, check your tire pressures.

Only time I feel nervous now, is when I pull a wheelie, and don't expect it. First time I got the front end up in third gear, it really spooked me, thought I was safe past 2nd gear.

I was just sitting here thinking the same thing. I have not checked my tire pressure since last years riding season.


I will check tomorrow and if they are horribly low I will air them up and then...

not tell anybody how stoopid I feel.


RSD.

 

[VaBusa]

I was just sitting here thinking the same thing. I have not checked my tire pressure since last years riding season.

I will check tomorrow and if they are horribly low I will air them up and then...

not tell anybody how stoopid I feel.

RSD.

Yeah, that will definitely make your ride feel bad...that might be all it is Rubb

 

[Adam G]

I have to add air every 3-4 weeks to keep it spot on. I bet that is part of your problem.

Some thoughts for you RSD:

I have been out about 8 times so far this year. Half of them 70-100 miles, a couple of 15 mile cold rides, and the other 3 somewhere in between. I have a road that leaves right from my neighborhood that about 5 miles up gets really curvy with a couple of roundabouts thrown in. This is my guage on how well I am riding. If I take the 45mph curves at 90 with confidence I am at the top of my game for as hard as I care to push myself as a father of 3.

The first ride of the year I did them at 70 and that was a little hairy. Then of course 70 comfortable so pushed it 75, then 80, then 85. I am confident at 85 now and will push a bit harder as I have more saddle time and I know the roads are sand free. It is interesting how long it takes me to get my Mojo back after not riding for 5 months.

The focus thing is huge for me too. If I am not thinking about riding, looking way ahead to the end of the curve when on curves, and the million other things a guy should pay attention to while riding and thinking more about the crappy day I had at work or some other distraction I am way off. Part of the enjoyment of sport riding for me is if I am paying attention it is hard to think of anything else when I am pushing hard and know I am one mistake away from bad trouble. It is a way for me to forget about everything but focusing on the what I am doing at the moment. Kind of a forced Zen, living in the moment and nothng else kinda thing.

 

[rubbersidedown]

I have to add air every 3-4 weeks to keep it spot on. I bet that is part of your problem.

Some thoughts for you RSD:

I have been out about 8 times so far this year. Half of them 70-100 miles, a couple of 15 mile cold rides, and the other 3 somewhere in between. I have a road that leaves right from my neighborhood that about 5 miles up gets really curvy with a couple of roundabouts thrown in. This is my guage on how well I am riding. If I take the 45mph curves at 90 with confidence I am at the top of my game for as hard as I care to push myself as a father of 3.

The first ride of the year I did them at 70 and that was a little hairy. Then of course 70 comfortable so pushed it 75, then 80, then 85. I am confident at 85 now and will push a bit harder as I have more saddle time and I know the roads are sand free. It is interesting how long it takes me to get my Mojo back after not riding for 5 months.

The focus thing is huge for me too. If I am not thinking about riding, looking way ahead to the end of the curve when on curves, and the million other things a guy should pay attention to while riding and thinking more about the crappy day I had at work or some other distraction I am way off. Part of the enjoyment of sport riding for me is if I am paying attention it is hard to think of anything else when I am pushing hard and know I am one mistake away from bad trouble. It is a way for me to forget about everything but focusing on the what I am doing at the moment. Kind of a forced Zen, living in the moment and nothng else kinda thing.

I have been on Busa (5 so far) and on this site for over 12 years and I always like to read and take notice of the incredibly well written and knowledgeable posts. This is one of them.

All good,especially love this: If I take the 45mph curves at 90 with confidence I am at the top of my game for as hard as I care to push myself as a father of 3. Good on you. I've been running highway exits especially hard,even with a light-weight girl passenger for years. I try and do them,no,not the women,at 3 times the posted speed. It works for some...but never all.

Nice chime in Adam.

RSD.