I went out today for a quick ride out with Tol , said goodbye to to him as he went off to work, and had an hour or 2 on my own... i feel i'm hesitant around right handers since my off last year ( a right hander)... and it's pissing me off big style. Lefts, no problem, but roads i know very well, i used to crank the bike right over, i find i'm loads slower and hesitant to get her over and brake far too early and brake into the corner, a sort of panic brake..... I've got 9 days away in europe soon, together with a track day in June...hopefully i'll find me mojo again.... fekin hope so. This normal and is it all in my head??
Yea it's normal mate, I'm nervy round lefts and rights since my big off but especially lefts (side of worst injury's). I haven't got over mine very well as mentaly fcuked me up but most people get over it mate. I think the sooner you get over it the better to be honest and just think to yourself you are more likely to come off by panic breaking than going into a corner at your normal pace
Thats the thing mate, it wasn't a fast right hander that i came off on, hit gravel and boom... didn't even see it coming and it was super quick the way it went.. didn't think it would get in my head but it has. Bastard. I find i'm looking at the road incase of imperfections and potholes beforehand on a right hander. Never done it before. and Tony, yup, I'm a tart LOL.
I fine with right hand bends just don't seem to be able to crank it right over on left hand bends, used to be able years ago
my advice would be to just try and forget about it.... the gremlins will go eventually mate.... took me a couple of TD's after my off in wet to get decent lean angles again in dry... as soon as i stopped worrying about it, bingo, worry gone! my bet is if it hasn’t by the tour, it will do out there as you’re in the saddle all day and relaxing / enjoying the ride! got rear ended stationary in a car years ago - watched in mirror as dude wasn’t looking and drove straight into me, couldn’t stop at lights or traffic and not look in mirror, didn’t think i was "mentally bothered" but obviously was, and took ages to kick that annoying habit - but did go eventually.
My advise would be take it back to basics mate ! Watch a bit of keith code's twist of the wrist 2 and refresh all your techniques ! Every now and then ill watch it and realise my bad habits are back and practise a bit and address them and you soon feel like a hero again A change of tyre are a good one too... Convince yourself that these different tyres that everyone is rating are the dogs danglies... You'll go out with the sticky new bad boys on and think your Rossi
You have to re-teach yourself that Right's are okay. Take it easy on right's for a while don't push yourself when your tense, and stiff. You'll just cock the corner up and make things worse. If you take the slightly slower path to recovery it'll pay dividends. Start with telling yourself your going to take bends were the gravel is least likely to be, in the car tracks. You love it too much for it not to come right. Mike.
All noted. i gave it the bifters as usual today, notably when a dude on a hayabusa was giving it some stick, and nodded goodbye in my mirrors after he was dusted, specially on the roundabouts. Ta-ra my Suzuki riding friend... BUT, it's definitely affected the right handers, no question about it. Haven't had much saddle time since July-ish due to house renovation and other bits, maybe familiarity with the bike will make it all good again?? Hope so...
How about taking your Favourite roundabout nice and steady then increasing the lean and speed like the one at the garage we had a butty at in Abergele then maybe come at another roundabout as though its a bend and just go for it with the warm tyres .If I am not working Sunday come over to mine and we can do a few steady laps of my circuit until the mojo is back might be as simple as that .
How about just going out and enjoying your riding and just letting it come to you. If you try and force it you'll be off again.
All I can say is good. I might be able to keep up now. By that, I mean good you are slower not that you had the off. Nothing wrong with old age Si.
FFS Si, first thing you gotta do is stop braking in the corner 'cos if you do find some gravel you'll be off again. Get your speed right, even if it seems to slow, and let if flow through the bend, build up your confidence as you go. The warmer weather that eventually will arrive should help you relax and ride loose on the bike, cold weather is **** for tensing up too much and making things worse. Keep working at it you'll get there
Working these things out for myself too since i slid in the frost. Just felt like the front was gonna tuck all the time. It has to be a confidence thing....tyres gripped before so I'm sure they still do. irritated the life out of me and I thought it would go away when i changed the bike IT DIDNT! I definitely didn't want to be paying for 4 years for something Id wrecked which certainly didn't help either. Im finding that if i forget about speed and try and be smooth and just enjoy myself...my confidence is 'slowly' returning. In fact I've caught myself enjoying myself too stay safe and within your limits and your limits will expand....fingers crossed!
