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688 Posts
Another view of the crash cage.
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Road bike + gravel = OW! My head..
61 - 72 of 72 Posts
Firstly,
Thanks for all your support and advice everyone. I really appreciate the time you've taken with your posts of encouragement and advice.
Secondly,
Thanks, 1sportbikerider. Your later posts really explained why I was taking off and then suddenly finding myself in a horrible mess (rolling off the throttle). And I didn't take your initial post personally, just felt it was a little harsh and didn't particularly need any help feeling quite awful about being so **** at riding, having TWO decent sized accidents in as many months.
Tely, my first bike was the silver one. She was a economic write-off as I'd scuffed the fairings on the right side and smashed most things on the left side. She still worked and if someone had removed the fairings and put a new left hand peg bracket on then she would have totally been a good bike again. The insurance gave me a cheque and told me to go away basically and they kept the bike. (I wasn't complaining, the cheque was for market value which was about 2k more than I paid for her so it covered everything I'd had to pay for afterwards - vehicle registration, inspection, insurance, new rear tyre, etc).
My new one is the black (actually really dark purple) one. She's two years older but still in good condition (was in better condition before the accident). She now has a scuff up her right side and a new peg bracket. I'm hoping some cut 'n polish will fix the scuff.
I've considered "oggy knobs" or sliders but they're apparently really hard to put on ZZRs. The fairings are in exactly the wrong spot so you either need brackets or to cut holes in the fairings (not going to happen). I'd not considered crash bars. I assume you'd almost have the same problem with oggy knobs as crash bars though.
I'm going to book the lessons next fortnight (after next payday), the price includes the venue and the use of their bikes (Yamaha XT250s) so it's not too awful after all. In the meantime I've been practicing my slow gear changes and taking corners slower and more deliberately.
I'm finding there's lots of little side issues to coming off, as well. Less to do with skill (or my lack of) and more to do with my mental attitude. I'm looking at the road surfaces and thinking "If I came off right now, it would REALLY hurt.".. another thing I need to stop doing.
My eyes are usually flitting everywhere so fixating on the exit point of the corner is a tough one but I'm working on it and so far so good. Trusting the bike to go where I want it to without me "driving" it there is half the issue with not looking exactly where I want to go. It's strange, give me a long sweeper to take at 70kph and I'll have the bike leaned over and exit at at least 90kph, trusting the bike and actively counter steering the entire way. I can take the outside line, the inside line, the shortest line, re-adjust lines midcorner, whatever, it's all good. (I'm not saying I'm a pro or that I know everything btw, just that I feel comfortable doing it) Give me a corner to take 30kph and suddenly I don't trust the bike anymore and have to focus on just getting around it as best I can. Something else I need to work on I guess. Trusting the bike.
Thanks again, everyone.
Thanks for all your support and advice everyone. I really appreciate the time you've taken with your posts of encouragement and advice.
Secondly,
Thanks, 1sportbikerider. Your later posts really explained why I was taking off and then suddenly finding myself in a horrible mess (rolling off the throttle). And I didn't take your initial post personally, just felt it was a little harsh and didn't particularly need any help feeling quite awful about being so **** at riding, having TWO decent sized accidents in as many months.
Tely, my first bike was the silver one. She was a economic write-off as I'd scuffed the fairings on the right side and smashed most things on the left side. She still worked and if someone had removed the fairings and put a new left hand peg bracket on then she would have totally been a good bike again. The insurance gave me a cheque and told me to go away basically and they kept the bike. (I wasn't complaining, the cheque was for market value which was about 2k more than I paid for her so it covered everything I'd had to pay for afterwards - vehicle registration, inspection, insurance, new rear tyre, etc).
My new one is the black (actually really dark purple) one. She's two years older but still in good condition (was in better condition before the accident). She now has a scuff up her right side and a new peg bracket. I'm hoping some cut 'n polish will fix the scuff.
I've considered "oggy knobs" or sliders but they're apparently really hard to put on ZZRs. The fairings are in exactly the wrong spot so you either need brackets or to cut holes in the fairings (not going to happen). I'd not considered crash bars. I assume you'd almost have the same problem with oggy knobs as crash bars though.
I'm going to book the lessons next fortnight (after next payday), the price includes the venue and the use of their bikes (Yamaha XT250s) so it's not too awful after all. In the meantime I've been practicing my slow gear changes and taking corners slower and more deliberately.
I'm finding there's lots of little side issues to coming off, as well. Less to do with skill (or my lack of) and more to do with my mental attitude. I'm looking at the road surfaces and thinking "If I came off right now, it would REALLY hurt.".. another thing I need to stop doing.
My eyes are usually flitting everywhere so fixating on the exit point of the corner is a tough one but I'm working on it and so far so good. Trusting the bike to go where I want it to without me "driving" it there is half the issue with not looking exactly where I want to go. It's strange, give me a long sweeper to take at 70kph and I'll have the bike leaned over and exit at at least 90kph, trusting the bike and actively counter steering the entire way. I can take the outside line, the inside line, the shortest line, re-adjust lines midcorner, whatever, it's all good. (I'm not saying I'm a pro or that I know everything btw, just that I feel comfortable doing it) Give me a corner to take 30kph and suddenly I don't trust the bike anymore and have to focus on just getting around it as best I can. Something else I need to work on I guess. Trusting the bike.
Thanks again, everyone.
youll get there and I know we are rooting for ya! Keep at it and instead of taking the highway home - take the back roads, get as much practice as you can - try to do it when theres not so many cars out there
good luck
kenny
i know how you feel.......but my problem is lack of practice....i come home real late at night and at that time i dont like to go out and practice alone..and when the weekends come, I have to take care of the things at home that I couldnt do during the weekdays.....so, I lack practice...and how they say "practice makes perfect". Just try and avoid the highways for now and take the long way home....
IMO....I admire you for your consistent and not giving up, alot of people in your place, with the scares you've had, would of probably just given up rideing....but you didnt!....and that makes me see the will you have in learning...that will make you an excellent rider one day soon.
You go girl!...and dont give up!
IMO....I admire you for your consistent and not giving up, alot of people in your place, with the scares you've had, would of probably just given up rideing....but you didnt!....and that makes me see the will you have in learning...that will make you an excellent rider one day soon.
You go girl!...and dont give up!
Joined
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688 Posts
lol :mrgreen:
Sometimes this helps you temper your speed, It's something we all have to deal with. You are not alone.
It's tough for a lot of riders, even very experienced ones. Practice aproaching the corner at the correct entry speed (rather than braking all the way up until the turn in point), then smoothly maintaining/rolling on the throttle as you are exiting.
The reason that you feel more confident while riding around in a sweeper, is because, you aren't doing as many things at once.
You execute your turn in, and then settle in to the lean that takes you throghout the sweeper. Later on you straighten up and exit. Even when traveling at a high rate of speed, the time between cornering steps
(
- finding the turn-in point,
- executing the turn-in,
- maintaining throttle and lean,
- straightening up and exiting
)
is relatively long. While leaned over in a sweeper you may be so relaxed you might start thinking of other things or even sing a song in your head.
Conversely, executing a tight 90 degree corner, doesn't leave you any time to think about anything else except how to get around it safely. All the cornering steps are now thoroughy condensed.
By the time you have identified your turn-in point, it's time to begin executing it, and even before you have begun executing your turn-in, you will have to had start looking at your exit point, because you need this as a reference to start applying your maintenance throttle, and then by the time you have really felt comfortable applying your maintenance throttle, you have passed the apex of the turn and you should now be straightening up the bike for your exit.
So, there you go. Now you can see why it seems "strange". One is more hurried than the other. What you need to practice now then, is how to make the execution of the tight corners feel almost as smooth as those long sweepers.
The way you do this is by looking at your exit.
From a standing start, it's very simple. Just turn your head and look towards where you want to go, and just do it.
When coming into a corner it's a little different. Now you have to find your turn-in point first, and then look towards your exit.
PS: U-Turns and other super low speed stuff
For really low speed maneuvers. In addition to the clutch being your speed control at low speed. Keeping light pressure on the rear brake will allow you to roll on the throttle without the bike getting away from you.
I could say more but, I'll leave it at that. The next time you are in a tight space moving really slow, and you need to turn. Just keep your foot on the rear brake and roll on the throttle enough to keep moving.
Everyone has given such good advice and explanation I've really nothing to add there. Sorry you are already one bike down and two spills experienced. Very happy that you weren't hurt badly. Happier still that you are still determined to master the metal beasty.
Joined
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688 Posts
Oooh, just re-read your post. I can't be sure without seeing you, but at 30 kph = 18.6 mph, you might feel better by counter-balancing the bike at low to very low speeds.
Counter-Balancing: Leaning your body and placing your weight away from the direction of the turn. Similar to how you would ride a dirt bike. You will still be countersteering and leaning the bike into the turn, but your body position will be opposite of what it would be while going around a fast sweeper.
================
It's hard to judge from here. But typically, if you are cornering fast then lean with the bike, and if you are cornering slow then counter-balance (lean against the bike).
Joined
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688 Posts
Awesome...
I just Googled the map of Tasmania. There are some AWESOME roads over there.
That C249 (Norfolk Rd.) on the West side looks niiiiice! 8)
Is that road paved?
I just Googled the map of Tasmania. There are some AWESOME roads over there.
That C249 (Norfolk Rd.) on the West side looks niiiiice! 8)
Is that road paved?
Yes, sir. It certainly is sealed. We're really lucky here in Tassie to have some of the best riding roads in Australia. For the northerners it's the "sidling" to Scottsdale from Launceston. You can head from Scottsdale to St. Helens on the east coast which is similar roads to the Sidling. I took the car once and made Mum car sick within two minutes. Definitely a bike road. I couldn't find any decent pics but came across this site. Scottsdale Sideling I was hoping, after my restrictions are off and I can get a grown up bike, to get a camera kit for my bike and show off some of the better roads around Tassie. That'll be at least a year and a half though. My restrictions won't end until Dec/Jan next year at least.
We are taught about counter balancing and I haven't been doing it. There's a huge difference about doing it on the course and remembering to do it when you're worried about the lights, the huge ute pulled up behind you, the mother in the van with the screaming kids on one side of you, the pedestrians, the dog in the ute on the other side of you. I've just to practice is until it becomes second nature and I don't need to think about it.
Tely and antiq, thanks for your words on encouragement. I thought about giving it up but I refuse to give something up because I'm afraid. I'll give it up because I want to and not a minute before.
We all believe in you and know you can do it. It sounds like you are going in a good direction. Keep us informed on your progress.
Joined
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1,657 Posts
Very old thread, you want might want to check the dates. This one was back in 2007. He could have passed from old age by now!!
You might want to post an Introduction thread so people can say "Hi!" to you, and greet you properly.
You might want to post an Introduction thread so people can say "Hi!" to you, and greet you properly.
61 - 72 of 72 Posts
