DOES YOUR BIKE SCARE YOU ?

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:46 am

Have you ever been on your bike and just enjoying the ride, then it happened..... you almost shit your pants. Whether it was somebody else cutting you off, going into a speed wabble , almost hit something ? And after ,how long before you got your confidence back? The reason I'm asking is last fall I almost lost her on the expressway and I really haven't recovered from it. Don't get me wrong I LOVE MY BIKE !!! But I feel alot less confident than before. Am I getting old? Will this feeling go away? Anybody else have this happen to them ? It's really starting to piss me off. Went for a cruise on the weekend with a large group and I got to our destination dead last !!! Let's scatch the dead word out....Got there last !! I was going much slower than the rest. TAking my turns like a newbie rider. I really hate this feeling .

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:55 am

Quote:

Am I getting old?

Funny you should say that. I was thinking the same thing today. But with cage driving. I was looking at my buddys younger brother and they just got their first vehicles. And they drive jsut like i did at first. But I find mysle ftaking thing much easier after a few close calls. I was thinking that is must be age that starts to nag at us about things like safety. I know being safe is normally a good thing but I too fear that I could start loosing my life to fear. So I am scheduling a sky dive trip with some friends now. Excersize those Adrenal glands perhaps? I don't know a way out of it.
But yeah I have some close several times to buying the farm on my bike. There are some crazy people out there trying their best to kill you if you don't do it first. But at the same time I usually enjoy the adrenaline rush after I get up the guts to do it.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 4:58 am

If you don't mind me climbing into your head for a moment, I'd guess that you don't understand why you almost lost it last fall. Once you understand it, you have control over it. My latest 'pucker moments' have nearly all been when I've gone into corners too hot and nearly run off the road. But I understand that and have learned to control both my entry speed and the times when my speed it too great.

Even things you don't have control over can be understood. You know you cannot control the fonewhale or the mechanical failure or the crap flying off that flatbed truck in front of you. In these cases, we all have to understand the random nature of these risks and choose whether we will accept them as a normal cost of riding and then by our choices we have control over our lives.

I hope this makes some sense to you.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:00 am

Oh yeah one more thing.

No my bike does no scare me one bit. Just myself and the others out to get me on the street. Laughing

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:26 am

I recently (last month) went down on my kz1000 st after giving her some fresh air ,i got off a freeway offramp made my sweeping left turn and less than a heartbeat later the bike did a 180 Shocked

. The rear end had come around on me and i was sliding a ways bout 200 feet when all was said and done.
Needlees to say the short ride back home with the bike was uneasy .
So i parked the SOB ,haven't really looked at the bitch since Laughing

Anyway the next day i rode my 1100f and after a few high speed turns my confidence is back to normal Very Happy

Not sure how i'd feel if my 1100f went down like that....actually i'd be pissed off but not sure how/if my confidence would be shaken because i feel very safe and very much in control of my F, but it will be a while and a few more upgrades before i get back on the Kwak again Shocked

I guess everybody's experience differs in what takes a person to recover mentally after a somewhat traumatic event especially if it felt like a near death deal then that could take some time Exclamation

And yes my bike scares me after the upgrades ...in a good way though cause the bike wants to leave me at any thing above 6000 rpms Twisted Evil

I'm sure you'll be fine after some miles on a lonely country road Cool

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:39 am

First off you really need to have confidence in the bike. If your bike needs something fix it or find another bike. secondly stock older bikes dont like to handle like some of the newer bikes so you need to ride within the limits of the bikes ability.
I do know about those jitters from a few wrecks myself. Each time it made me a better rider . I suppose I`m considered a safe rider now but all my close calls and wrecks were avoidable had i just not been going too fast for the conditions , paid better attention and avoided situations that made me invisible to other drivers.
there is always thing that are out of your control when riding but if you eliminate the ones you can, you will breath allot easier.
short of that the rest is up to you. it wont mean a darn thing if you never got on another bike again. Jitters are good and they can save your life.
Good luck with it all.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:05 am

This sounds weird but its 100% true. In Aug 1991 I took a job in Japan teaching English as a foreign language in Japanese public schools. The first year I lived in the middle of nowhere about 100 miles northeast of Hiroshima. In the second year I renegotiated my contract and moved to the city itself (Hiroshima). Anyway, that first year I had just gotten into motorcycling in the States before moving to Japan, and shortly after I got there I bought a FZR400 - my first crotch rocket. I was about 225lbs then and that bike still would pop the front wheel up quite effortlessly. I got a little intoxicated with the power and handling of that little scoot, and ripped around little country roads in rural japan like a madman, even at night. One night I was driving home from a friends, being a stupid knee-draggin' wannabe, and suddenly my rear tire spun out on me like I'd hit an oil slick. When it "caught" again I damn near highsided into the rice paddy about 10 feet below off the side of the road, but I chalk it up to luck and the lightness of the bike that I wrangled it back under control. The edges of my tire were wet and nasty with what turned out to be frogs. I went back to the spot I nearly lost it, and there were THOUSANDS of tiny frogs crossing the road, climbing and jumping all over each other. One of those things you have to be in Asia or a rain forest to witness, I guess. My bike was a mess where my tire was throwing off the frog guts, and the strip of gore leading away from the frogs is an image I'll never forget. I got lucky and learned a hard lesson the easy way that night. And yes, it scared me. G--damned frogs.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:21 am

zman wrote:

First off you really need to have confidence in the bike. If your bike needs something fix it or find another bike. secondly stock older bikes dont like to handle like some of the newer bikes so you need to ride within the limits of the bikes ability.
I do know about those jitters from a few wrecks myself. Each time it made me a better rider . I suppose I`m considered a safe rider now but all my close calls and wrecks were avoidable had i just not been going too fast for the conditions , paid better attention and avoided situations that made me invisible to other drivers.
there is always thing that are out of your control when riding but if you eliminate the ones you can, you will breath allot easier.
short of that the rest is up to you. it wont mean a darn thing if you never got on another bike again. Jitters are good and they can save your life.
Good luck with it all.

Well said, Zman. Nothing better than close-call jitters to make you better off. Nothing like a previous wreck or close-call to remind us all that it's all fleeting and - to some extent- beyond your control.
My philosophy for city or freeway driving is 100% defensive - never assume the signal means shit or the unlikely is likely.
I'm too old for the bad calls, and have been riiding the F's for 27 years now....had my spills way back when and remember each one vividly...
At the end of the day it's your confidence in the bike, in yourself, and the years on the road that get you safe and sound.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:36 am

I guess I know my abilities and limitations on my F, so it doesn't scare me when I climb onto it. Virtually every time I ride, I have a near miss with an idiot cager. I guess I have a somewhat fatalistic attitude that if "it" is going to happen then there is nothing you can do to change fate, but having said that, I can guarantee you that I will do everything within my abilities to avoid the ultimate "it".

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:11 am

All the above are good advice, Especially the one about getting in your head and recognizing the fear. Something no one mentioned but I think will help quite a lot is to sign up for an advanced riders course. Take the course and you will get to try different situations in a controlled environment. It will also give you more confidence in both yourself and your bike. So far as arriving last, well someone has to. Cool

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:07 pm

My Bike? No.

Me, Hell Yeah!!!!!!

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:11 pm

Larry wrote:

So far as arriving last, well someone has to. Cool

I ride with a group the includes current and former track racers on their Ducati 998's and other Superbike-type machines and I'm happy to be last. I always say I have the first-aid kit and the bail money and will be along shortly. Years ago I would have been right up in the group but I've learned the joy of a more casual pace along with the boredom of long emergency room waits.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:14 pm

Have I ever shit my pants? No, I never shit my pants but, I did almost pee my pants when the fonewhale took us out a year ago this Wednesday.
Does my bike scare me? Oh yes Shocked

, and it would scare you even more.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:48 pm

Something I've always asked other riders, especially new ones, is "have you wrecked yet?". If they say no, I quickly folow up with "you will, so be prepared".

It's the rider's who are not scared that are in the worst danger!

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:48 pm

last year,in May, I was negotiating an 'S' bend,on damp ground, over some streetcar (trolley) tracks and my rear tire skipped sideways on the metal tracks and then gained traction - as it hit pavement the bike came violently back in line.My legs had dropped down to the ground ala training wheel mode and the ignition cover whacked my left leg really hard.....I thought I was going to pile into a parked car but gathered the bike and came to a stop. I had the adrenaline shakes and a rather warm sensation on my left leg. I pulled up my left pant leg and there was a shitload of blood, or so I thought, running down my leg. I was 100 metres from work so I limped in there and I dressed the gash. I was skitterish for quite awhile but by the time RATS TAIL RIDE came around in August I was fine.... Cool

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:16 pm

You know it has been 363 days since the fonewhale episode and I am still leary of intersections. I guess I will be that way for the rest of my life, oh well.
This is the originating land of the "California Stop" & the "rolling stop" and I was guilty of that from back in old days. But now a stop sign means stop to me.
I have been hit, pushed off the road and sandwiched between cars on the freeway where I rode away with a hub cap stuck to my centerstand. None of that stuff fazed me like the fonewhale did.
How long did it take me to get my nerve back? I had to wait 5 or 6 weeks before I could ride again because my wrist was busted but as soon as I could, I was back in the saddle again where I am still.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 3:35 pm

Isn't the line "Don't be afraid, be very afraid!"

No, never have been scared or fearful of what or how I am riding.
For me it's more a matter of a basic mistrust of every other vehicle and situation that I may and will likely encounter when I'm riding. And yes, I have been down, and no, I won't say how many times! Some were self induced by exhuberance and lapses of common sense and better judgement, some were from the presumption that I was not invisible to the other people on the road, some were just plain old stupidity, and some were from tearing the envelope wide open instead of merely exploring it!
I guess the main thing is I'm still here to tell about it!

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 5:15 pm

Not afraid of the bike. But I am leary of country roads with sharp corners.
Sharpe corners around here mean cagers on to the shoulder sending sand and gravel onto the pavement. This is not a good combination when mixed with motorcycle leaning through the corner. Front wheel tends to not want to hold pavement. And I don't care how sticky your tire is.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:48 pm

stoutblock wrote:

Something I've always asked other riders, especially new ones, is "have you wrecked yet?". If they say no, I quickly folow up with "you will, so be prepared".

It's the rider's who are not scared that are in the worst danger!

A very experieced rider that schooled me about riding for many years once told me "There are two types of riders... The ones that have gone down and the ones that are going down" I still have not gone down on the street but when it happens I will be ready.

And yes my bike has scared me a few times, but I kinda like the feeling. It has a lot to do with why I ride. Shinney side up boys.

EDIT: Whats a Fonewhale? Is it a mammal?

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:37 pm

cb900ss wrote:

A very experieced rider that schooled me about riding for many years once told me "There are two types of riders... The ones that have gone down and the ones that are going down"

I always understood that the are actually three types of riders, the two above plus the ones that have gone down and are going down again! Laughing

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:01 pm

Yeah, I'm occasionally scared I'll never get the bitch going again!
No wrenching this week--TMB's dad is in from Fla. & so we're playing host.
Maybe next weekend. TB
P.S. Deer frighten the shit out of me. At least I can get even in the fall; I hunt the buggers.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:44 pm

Quote:

[EDIT: Whats a Fonewhale? Is it a mammal?

It'sa fat Yuppy Bitch on a Cell phone that almost murdered my Good Friend Ray and should be hunted down and Put outta Ray's Misery!!!!!!! Nough Said Very Happy

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:31 pm

Hows "uneasy" sound?

After 44 years on motorcycles, with various times off for Army, Sloth, and detached retinas, I felt somewhat uneasy with my own skills. I still view my 11f as a powerful piece of equipment requiring some significant level of skill to operate safely. The level of ability that I had in 1983 is long gone. After this last 4 year layoff, just returning last year, I thought it might be about time to actually get a motorcycle endorsement on my license. Don't start, Ray.

The way I chose to do that is to take the MSF course. It is required for riders under 21, I think, and optional for anybody else. You can just go to the DMV and take the written test (which I did) and take their parking lot skills test (which I didn't).

The MSF course consists of one 5 hour class, given during the week from 4 til 9 at night culminating in a written test, and two 5 hour range days to teach and test skills.

The classroom bit was every bit as easy as I thought it would be.
The range was another story. The slow speed maneuvering stuff was extraordinarily troublesome for me. The final test consist of three exercises, one of which involves two continuous u-turns inside a rectangular box. This might have been easier on a normal motorcycle, but the motorcycles that they have (at this particular place) are chinese 250 cruisers (they're all over EBay.. check "Tank Vision" models). How does anybody adequately control a motorcycle with their feet way the hell out there? I'd never ridden a cruiser setup before, and won't again. One of the exercises was to ride over an obstacle (a 2x4), rising up on the seat, shifting weight to the rear and accelerating over it. How do you rise up off the seat when your feet are way out there in front of you? You lever yourself up using the bars and a lot of leg muscle. My legs actually were sore at the end of the day. I got through the thing, but it certainly wasn't the snap that I thought it would be.

The good side of this is that I found some basic things which I have developed bad habits about. The next six months will be a learning period for me, with a better feeling of comfort at speed coming along with the territory. Perhaps you could call it "re-learning", but some of this stuff was not consciously learned, you just did it. If you did it right, you didn't fall down much.

To properly answer the original question, Yeah.. I'm afraid of the thing to some degree, and hope that doesn't entirely change.

Sorry for the prolixity, but I've been thinking about this a lot.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:26 pm

Leo, sounds like you took the 1st course in the MSF line-up
(beginner they provide the bike)
(advanced course, you bring yours)
I can only HIGHLY recommend that anyone out there takes a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course... I take them every 2-3 years and I can honestly say that it's probably the only reason I'm still here. If you *think* your a good rider, TRY the course... Guaranteed it's not just gonna be a waste of a day. You'll learn something useful!

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:33 pm

I had a speed wobble that made my butt clenched like never before.
Must have been the impending sense of doom.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, this isn't going to be good.
Funny, it spooked me more than my moose accident.
With the moose accident I didn't have time to be scared.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:34 pm

Thats a good point. Ive been on a street bike since 75`. but have thought about a safety course for a "refresher" or to hone my skills. and for once maybe i could be the smart guy in the classroom.
I took a hietus from riding the last 8 years and could feel the anxiety the first few miles of riding, keeping the bike balanced(feet up) at stops came back no problem but i took a transition ramp way too fast and had to hug the white line. that got me thinking just because ive ridden years and years doest mean it comes back all at once. I really need to get out and ride ahwile get comfortable again.
I feel sorry for the guys that have to mothball their bikes each winter. I think regular riding really helps keep you sharp.
Jeff

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:39 pm

I think most of us here have enough time in the saddle that we already have most of the piss and vinegar out of us either by choice or otherwise. I know in my 35 years of riding bikes I have lost several friends either by their own stupdity or by other's stupdity. I still ride agressively, but I am always aware of the enviroment around me. I haven't been down on a street bike in my 35 years riding years, and I don't intend to go down, but if it happens, so be it. I saw an interesting interview with Michael Jordan, and he was asked how safe riding a street bike was, and he had an interesting reply, " I think riding a bike is much safer than driving a car, because you are concentrating on your riding, you aren't talking on the phone, you aren't eating or drinking, or talking with a someone. All your concentration is focused on your ride". Well said I think.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:19 pm

INTERESTING THREAD~~~Actually, While out last weekend, I was going around town, nothing too crazy. Just around my old "hood", when the throttle began to stick and was not responsive as usual. My thoughts at the time ~ "WTF? why is my throttle doing this now, I JUST REPLACED THE ENTIRE HANDLE BACK SETUP 3 DAYS AGO?!?"
Come to a stop sign and give her some good throttle, as she began to get sluggish after the throttle was sticking. Then out of nowhere, when I was leaving the stop sign and "BAM !" She slipped out to the right and swag back in the oncoming traffic's left lane, as the throttle stuck in the fully open position. I shit my pants immediately !!! As I have not gone down before with this bike, I have gone down at extremely slow speeds. Nothing to worry about, until now! She is screaming with Wide open throttle! On a very narrow road with oncoming traffic, she veers in the left lane, while IM trying to hold her from the high speed wobble. My legs, kick out on the sides like a dead pigeon on his last "crash and burn" dive. OUCH! Shit that exhaust is flippn' hot! Burned my leg, managed to hold her straight from wobble and got it back into the right lane. So. . . as I sat on the sit of the road contemplating my recent near-death experience. . .Im completely and utterly alive! Alive, with a small burn and some minor mental damage. Im lucky to be alive! While on the road, as I look back on my experience, I can remember cars driving by me as Im wobbling, with the look of "Oh SHIT this guy is FUCKED!" look on their faces. I cant express how fast this all happened and how lucky I was to get the bike back on my side of the road! WOW, didn't touched the bike for 2 weeks. Still cant get back on the bike without telling myself, it will happen one day, lets make sure is is not today, and when it does happen, please be ready for everything and anything to happen.
My point is- Everyone falls, hopefully its NOT today!!! RIDE SAFE GUYS! Everyones input and lesson are welled learned from threads like these.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:43 pm

Greg82 wrote:

I had a speed wobble that made my butt clenched like never before.
Must have been the impending sense of doom.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, this isn't going to be good.
Funny, it spooked me more than my moose accident.
With the moose accident I didn't have time to be scared.

Pucker factor is what I have learned to call that.
And somthing about the Big animals like the moose there and the elk here that make me not ride at night through any forests. Some drives at night I have counted over a hundred head of Elk on a 90 mile journey. Granted many were in large groups but that averages over one per mile. ANd they jump out everywhere you think they can't. Evil or Very Mad

Been close as hell in my truck several times. Funny thing is the Elk is the best thing to hit. The poor bastard that tried to avoid them and went of cliffs or into large trees get hurt the worst.

Posted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:53 pm

I always considered elk and deer as a soft target. dont think i would lay it down before i hit them. Of course all my accident were with cars and pavement so an animal seems a whole lot better.
Jeff