Been thinking how to go about this... Some may know i broke my leg in Italy last year - non fault of mine a van was blocking the exit of a tunnel - i hit the bike in front at a very slow speed, never again will i wear low ankle boots!! anyway.. last month i came off the bike when going around a bend..was slow as i was between cars - i have taken that bend loads of times..i think i slipped on diesel.. but when i went back few hours later it was not there..so not sure..all i remember is the rear just sliding. I also found the front forks were not completely all the way up the yolk - one side was few mm lower then the other..i also rememeber that the steering was little odd..that when i went to lean the bike little the handle bar would just fall to the side i was tuning - could this be tyre related or something else? never had this before...?? So What can i do to build up my confidence? i have a new bike with new tires.. lol
Miles miles and more miles !! Ditch the tyres you've got now, the ones fitted from the manufacture (Honda) are not the same as bought from tyre dealer even if they are the same type,dont know why im sure someone on here will tell you. This time of year buy some mich PR4's or metz M7RR, I cant recommend the PR4's enough and im sure others on here will tell you how fast you can ride on them . I know its a new bike but cover it in ACF50 and ride it on wet roads ( don't mean get wet for the sake of it, but don't be afraid to use it ). when you've worn the tyres out over winter ( and you will, if on wet roads as tyres wear more as they scrabble for grip ) re fit your new tyres ready for the spring when you will be a riding god
Agree with the PR4's as a choice of road tyre. I've done about 6000 miles on them on my Blade and can't fault their performance in both the wet and dry. They can only add to the confidence you have in riding the bike.
If you have had those misfortunes a lot of your problem will just be in your head, just loss of confidence. It is understandable considering what has happened to you. I personally do not like Dunlop tyres although they are probably better than I could ever throw at them so I had them swapped by the dealer before delivery for Supercorsas, not that they would be great for winter riding but I have no intention of taking the bike out when wet or icy. I would just leave the tyres alone, you will just be riding slower until the bike is run in and the tyres scrubbed and you have built your confidence back up, you can then get something more sticky when it warms up again. You may even like the tyres, everyone is different. I just have it in my head that Pirellis are the best but that is just me. I rode my bike down the road the other day ( The one day it wasn't raining) in my jeans and I did not feel confident at all like I do when I have my full leathers etc on, your mind tells you things are not right and you believe it !
Totally agree, nothing better than miles, more you do something better you get at it.... And agree decent tyres are so confidence inspiring why would you not. Makes me laugh when you see a bike covered in mods and shit oem or shot to bits tyres on the bike? Out of interest, you mainly town ride Sam? In the spring maybe book a track day, be great for getting confidence back in grip levels etc
If your blades shod with Dunlop qualifiers you will always be prone to having "moments", they are probably the worst tyres available for a sports bike imo. I changed to Pr4's it's a different bike now.....love em.
Both these mile munchers are right. There is little that substitutes for time in the saddle, getting to when every point of contact with the bike, every nuance of its motion, every syllable of feedback triggers an automatic response from the rider. You admit yourself that the bike didn't 'feel' right so you've not lost your touch in reading the feedback. (Plus get a suspension specialist to give it a going over...)
Can't agree more with the above comments mate. Bin the Dunlop Ditchfinders straight away and get some quality rubber. Pro setup is worth it, but there's a few setups available on here that are spot on for most normal weight road riders. If you want a BPF setup pinged over PM me. Its a mind game, the more crap in your head the worse you will ride, the worse the problem gets and its a vicious circle. Get yourself out on road surfaces you feel confident on, and talk to yourself whilst riding particularly on corners, whilst your nattering away to yourself it settles your posture, so you do not tense up and start to hold your breath, lock your arms etc., primary reason of most crashes on bends (apart from the usual zillion dumb reasons like speed, vision etc etc ). Just build it up bit by bit, it can't be that hard Sam as otherwise we would all fall off every time we go out, and before your offs you weren't either.
Kentblades point about locking arms etc is a really good one. Any tension in you is transferred through the contact points, arms, bum etc to the bike. So the secret is to learn to relax on the bike, build speed gradually and regain your confidence. On an aside Kentblade comes out as Lent ladies on spellcheck, is there something we should know lol
Why not get yourself on a riders course, check local directory to see whats on offer, I've been riding for more years than I can remember, passed my advanced course many years ago, but did a refresher course last year, the extra tuition may give you the confidence you need, also get new set of tyres fitted sure the confidence will return. Good luck
Its sounding like a broken record now but ditch those horrible Qualifiers, they go off very quickly (PR4 lover here too, especially in all weathers). Its all about relaxing and riding roads you love at first then wonder off them gradually so you have a feel for the bike. Just take your time and take it easy and you'll love it and slowly as you relax and stop worrying about dropping your new mistress it will come. If you feel nervy when your out stop for a while and just stare at the beauty of the fireblade....that is enough some times!! Have fun matey!
Agree miles,miles,miles Play the percentage game, avoid bad spots, use long sweeping roads, don't filter, time is not important don't rush. I think the tyres would be OK initially, save your money, buy winter gear, make you feel warm and comfortable = confidence Happy riding dude
Really sorry but disagree - nothing improves the feel and confidence of a bike more than tyres.... That moment you pull out the tyre garage and the bike feels awesome just says it all for me. Fooked or shite tyres are awful....
Totally agree if you have confidante in your tyre then this will come out in your riding ,a sticky soft tyre can give you the edge over you capabilities,it does go a very long way the choice of quality rubber,
oookay..been busy @ work today.. You all mean Michelin Pilot Road 4? how do these compare to Michelin Pilot Power 2CT? I guess i would should go to a dealer to buy and have these fitted...? not sure what what tyres i have at the moment will go check - you would think they give you decent tyres with new bikes! I was thinking of a riding school of some kind..any recommendations? I used to commute to work, but over the years have given up - hoping to use the bike for pleasure only next year...on dry days,, Did one track day this year, maybe some next..
Tyres are a personal thing. I have had Qualifiers on my Gixer 1000 K5 and now on the Blade and had no issue with them at all and I had them right over on both bikes with no chicken strips to speak of. Only changed them on the Blade as even though they were is perfect shape, the rear was down to the wear limits and I had a set of almost new Pilot Powers bought off here which someone took off their new (to them) bike. That's not to say the comments above aren't true, just that different people have different opinions. I try to ride with what I have and not waste cash when there's a perfectly good set of tyres just sitting there. Try the qualifiers and if they don't suit you then try something else. One thing I would take from the above advice though is get the suspension preload set for your weight (you can do this yourself with a second pair of hands) as it WILL make a big difference to the way the bike handles. Ask on here for an ideal start point for the rest of the settings, it needn't cost you anything.
