Am I not cut out for biking?
Discussion
Hi all,
I'm here on a quest for some wise advice...
I passed my DAS at the beginning of September (first attempt, two attempts on that blasted Hazard Perception ... 9 years driving without incident etc etc - enough of that).
My problem that I want to ask advice about is a fear of cornering!!!
I took the CBT back on a sunny May day and loved every minute of it. So returning for the DAS, jumped straight on the 125 for the morning session and got back into the swing of things.
Come the afternoon it was time for the big bike, that seminal moment when you get to fire up a 500cc and be wowed by it's performance and the exhilaration on offer.
Problem is, I found it terrifying! I very quickly developed a complete fear of corners to the extent that I'd completely freeze my body on the bike and not trust it/myself to get round a corner at all. I had a real problem with the concept of leaning the bike over to get it round a corner, either freezing up completely or leaning myself rather than the bike. Also I suffered a significant level of target fixation.
The following day it started wet and ended dark and wet, by the time I'd finished I was ready to jack it all in.
Come test day I spent a sunny morning on the bike during which things did improve, but I was still nervous about corners and took most of them like a granny. This was, much to my surprise, sufficient to get me through the test though!!
So, I'd passed, but had not enjoyed much of the faster riding and so was not convinced whether biking was for me.
To top this off, chatting to a colleague of mine, he told me he'd spoken to a (very old and wise!) biking friend about my challenges who had apparently said that if I'd not got the hang of cornering immediately (and we're not talking knee sliding here!) then biking was definitely not for me and it would be dangerous for me to pursue it (that is over and above the inherent dangers of biking).
So, over to you wise people, anybody heard of a similar problem? Anybody had a similar problem? Is it actually pretty common? Should I get out and get a bike, let myself ride like a granny for a while to get the hang of cornering etc or should I never look at a bike again?
Thank you all.
I'm here on a quest for some wise advice...
I passed my DAS at the beginning of September (first attempt, two attempts on that blasted Hazard Perception ... 9 years driving without incident etc etc - enough of that).
My problem that I want to ask advice about is a fear of cornering!!!
I took the CBT back on a sunny May day and loved every minute of it. So returning for the DAS, jumped straight on the 125 for the morning session and got back into the swing of things.
Come the afternoon it was time for the big bike, that seminal moment when you get to fire up a 500cc and be wowed by it's performance and the exhilaration on offer.
Problem is, I found it terrifying! I very quickly developed a complete fear of corners to the extent that I'd completely freeze my body on the bike and not trust it/myself to get round a corner at all. I had a real problem with the concept of leaning the bike over to get it round a corner, either freezing up completely or leaning myself rather than the bike. Also I suffered a significant level of target fixation.
The following day it started wet and ended dark and wet, by the time I'd finished I was ready to jack it all in.
Come test day I spent a sunny morning on the bike during which things did improve, but I was still nervous about corners and took most of them like a granny. This was, much to my surprise, sufficient to get me through the test though!!
So, I'd passed, but had not enjoyed much of the faster riding and so was not convinced whether biking was for me.
To top this off, chatting to a colleague of mine, he told me he'd spoken to a (very old and wise!) biking friend about my challenges who had apparently said that if I'd not got the hang of cornering immediately (and we're not talking knee sliding here!) then biking was definitely not for me and it would be dangerous for me to pursue it (that is over and above the inherent dangers of biking).
So, over to you wise people, anybody heard of a similar problem? Anybody had a similar problem? Is it actually pretty common? Should I get out and get a bike, let myself ride like a granny for a while to get the hang of cornering etc or should I never look at a bike again?
Thank you all.
Your mate is talking b
ks.
Once you pass your test, you really start to learn.
There's nothing wrong at all with being wary of cornering in the wet - It's better that than being overconfident and dropping it.
Just take your time and enjoy the experience.
Don't compare yourself to other faster or more experienced riders, just ride at a pace that you're comfortable with.
Biking is a whole new experience to you, so take your time with it and don't give up because of the opinions of others.
There's alot to learn but, look at it this way, the more that you ride now - the better a rider you'll be in the spring, when all of the other bikers are brushing the cobwebs off.
Just relax and enjoy the whole new experience of being a biker.
Take more training if you wish, but don't just give up. The more that you ride, the more confident you will become.
ks.Once you pass your test, you really start to learn.
There's nothing wrong at all with being wary of cornering in the wet - It's better that than being overconfident and dropping it.
Just take your time and enjoy the experience.
Don't compare yourself to other faster or more experienced riders, just ride at a pace that you're comfortable with.
Biking is a whole new experience to you, so take your time with it and don't give up because of the opinions of others.
There's alot to learn but, look at it this way, the more that you ride now - the better a rider you'll be in the spring, when all of the other bikers are brushing the cobwebs off.
Just relax and enjoy the whole new experience of being a biker.
Take more training if you wish, but don't just give up. The more that you ride, the more confident you will become.
Assaid before, your mate is talking out of his arse. Just get out there, taking it nice and easy. When you relax, riding the bike will be a piece of cake. Tense up and you won't be able to corner. Target fixation will be a problem when you first start, but the fact that you recognice that you're doing it is half the battle.
Stick with it and just take it easy. It's not a race. Where abouta are you? Any other mates with bikes?
Stick with it and just take it easy. It's not a race. Where abouta are you? Any other mates with bikes?
keep at it mate and see how it goes,with mileage comes expierence, thats the key ...for most but not all...
However some people are not cut out for it IMHO ,chap down the road from me is a bit of a loon in his car but just cant get to grips with the extra width of a carrigeway and cornering within it a bike brings, the undulations and way a bike naturally moves around scares him(his words), he also nigh on slams the brakes on going into corners and sometimes mid corner as he just cant seem to read the road and plan ahead,in my mind the fact he has to concentrate so hard on the whole steering,braking,leaning process takes away all his brain power ,nothing else is left to process information so he is always faced with constant "surprises" on the road, in 3 years and despite taking some IAM training to gain him some confidence he's still very,very poor.Its his choice but in my mind he is a danger to himself and others.
Another friend of my crashed probably every 2-3 months, he persisted for a couple of years and gave it up as a bad job, I think he did the right thing.
BUT id have to say its only a handful of people that ive known of in 25 years of riding that fall into that catergory so dont go panicing just yet!
However some people are not cut out for it IMHO ,chap down the road from me is a bit of a loon in his car but just cant get to grips with the extra width of a carrigeway and cornering within it a bike brings, the undulations and way a bike naturally moves around scares him(his words), he also nigh on slams the brakes on going into corners and sometimes mid corner as he just cant seem to read the road and plan ahead,in my mind the fact he has to concentrate so hard on the whole steering,braking,leaning process takes away all his brain power ,nothing else is left to process information so he is always faced with constant "surprises" on the road, in 3 years and despite taking some IAM training to gain him some confidence he's still very,very poor.Its his choice but in my mind he is a danger to himself and others.
Another friend of my crashed probably every 2-3 months, he persisted for a couple of years and gave it up as a bad job, I think he did the right thing.
BUT id have to say its only a handful of people that ive known of in 25 years of riding that fall into that catergory so dont go panicing just yet!
The fact you enjoyed the CBT shows you've got it in you. Your problem is you're worried you're going to be bad at it so you freeze up and therefore are bad at it. Once you relax and and are familiar with the bike you should be fine. I'd suggest you get a 500-600cc commuter (GS500, Bandit, Diversion, that kind of thing) that will be easy to ride, and get out and practice. Once you get a bike it's well worth finding an empty car park and practicing a bit of slow riding and leaning the bike over at fairly low speeds to get your confidence up.
I think the most important thing is to relax on the bike. Some dry quiet roads with sweeping corners are great for learning. I was rubbish when I first started riding. Roundabouts were a nightmare, especially in the wet. I was upright and slow. Get out on the bike on dry days and just enjoy it. Have you considered additional training?
This is some cracking advice, thanks guys!
I'm pleased you're all so supportive because each time I see a bike on the way to work I go all doughy eyed!
Podman, your examples ring a few bells (I am a bit of a loon in the car and do find road positioning in corners weird), but I'd like to think both examples are quite a bit more extreme than my situation.
By the sounds of it I shall be out shopping in the next few weeks!
Cheers guys!
I'm pleased you're all so supportive because each time I see a bike on the way to work I go all doughy eyed!
Podman, your examples ring a few bells (I am a bit of a loon in the car and do find road positioning in corners weird), but I'd like to think both examples are quite a bit more extreme than my situation.
By the sounds of it I shall be out shopping in the next few weeks!
Cheers guys!
It's a cliche, but it's totally true that you only start learning when you start to ride. I have only been doing it a few months (although done a good 3k miles!) and I still discover stuff every day that I didn't know I could do, or just safer, better ways of riding.
I used to be very scared of cornering and very scared of speed, but eventually it just became second nature to ride. Now I'm just learning and learning just as much as I was the day I passed.
Good luck.
I used to be very scared of cornering and very scared of speed, but eventually it just became second nature to ride. Now I'm just learning and learning just as much as I was the day I passed.
Good luck.
Just ride for a while on local roads you know when it's not too crowded..
You should know that if you brake mid corner with the front brake (hard / emergency) that the bike will want to go straight on.. you can over come this a little by braking less with the front and more with the rear but only in this scenario.
It might help to read a book on motorcycle cornering by a guy called :
Keith Code
A Twist of the Wrist (and A Twist of the Wrist II)
You should know that if you brake mid corner with the front brake (hard / emergency) that the bike will want to go straight on.. you can over come this a little by braking less with the front and more with the rear but only in this scenario.
It might help to read a book on motorcycle cornering by a guy called :
Keith Code
A Twist of the Wrist (and A Twist of the Wrist II)
mojitomax said:
I think the most important thing is to relax on the bike. Some dry quiet roads with sweeping corners are great for learning. I was rubbish when I first started riding. Roundabouts were a nightmare, especially in the wet. I was upright and slow. Get out on the bike on dry days and just enjoy it.
From my experiance all this rings true.I remember my first day out after passing my test on a big bike, a road I know well and can drive it like a demon, Shat it on my bike and had some old giffer in a punto passing me I was that bad, But time and miles have sorted that out, and I am still learning.
The biggest problem you have now will be the weather, I hate riding in the wet, theres just no joy in it all for me,
Sunny riding days are fantastic and definatly worth it.
B1G GK said:
mojitomax said:
I think the most important thing is to relax on the bike. Some dry quiet roads with sweeping corners are great for learning. I was rubbish when I first started riding. Roundabouts were a nightmare, especially in the wet. I was upright and slow. Get out on the bike on dry days and just enjoy it.
From my experiance all this rings true.I remember my first day out after passing my test on a big bike, a road I know well and can drive it like a demon, Shat it on my bike and had some old giffer in a punto passing me I was that bad, But time and miles have sorted that out, and I am still learning.
The biggest problem you have now will be the weather, I hate riding in the wet, theres just no joy in it all for me,
Sunny riding days are fantastic and definatly worth it.
I commute 25 miles to work along a twisty B-road. In the car I can do this usually in 40mins (25mins being the record)....on the bike I can do it in 40mins but it feels like I'm going a lot slower, especially in the corners. Obviously the rapid acceleration on the straights evens things out. I know the road like the back of my hand and could drive the entire 25miles blindfolded, but its a case of learning what liberties you can take on a bike compared to a car.
As a newbie I think it's worth having the mentality that the bike will ALWAYS corner harder than you think it will. Whenever you get the feeling you're going too fast for a corner link this consciously to the thought "the bike will do it" .. then look where you want to go, relax and hang on!
You will always get around the corner!
You will always get around the corner!
I would not worry at all about what your friends said, riding is an individual activity.
As others here have said here, if you enjoyed your CBT and continued through to pass your test, then you are cut out for riding. When I passed my test I was feeling good but I was to comfortable that I could stand up and run so to speak. The only way is to get the miles under your belt, you can rent bikes at a cost in some shops to practice if you do not wish to commit to a large purchase yet. This will also help you choose the right machine for you.
My suggestion would be that you could invest in a bike safe course run by the Met police. The cost is small in comparison of what you get back; the wealth of experience inspires confidence and will make you feel better.
Go, get those miles!
Andy
As others here have said here, if you enjoyed your CBT and continued through to pass your test, then you are cut out for riding. When I passed my test I was feeling good but I was to comfortable that I could stand up and run so to speak. The only way is to get the miles under your belt, you can rent bikes at a cost in some shops to practice if you do not wish to commit to a large purchase yet. This will also help you choose the right machine for you.
My suggestion would be that you could invest in a bike safe course run by the Met police. The cost is small in comparison of what you get back; the wealth of experience inspires confidence and will make you feel better.
Go, get those miles!
Andy
i was the same, i cornered so slow after my test i was holding up old women in micras! took what felt like ages to get any faster & have the confidence on the bike needed to even ride at normal speeds. i still dont like the wet, but my new tyres are the first ones ive had that feel confidence inspiring in the wet so hopefully that'll change.
oh i passed in jan 2007 & done about 50k on bikes since. still feel like a newbie a lot of the time though.
oh i passed in jan 2007 & done about 50k on bikes since. still feel like a newbie a lot of the time though.
I just passed my DAS a couple of months ago, and am currently riding around like a granny on my ER6-N...
I can tell now though, even at this very early stage, that my confidence is rising.. I get the odd moment when I get a particular corner just right and don't feel like I could've just been overtaken by a milkfloat.. and it puts a big grin on my face!!
I was very very weary of really cornering to start with (and still am!), but it is getting better... I just take every chance I can to get out there and get some miles on the seat!
It all feels so different to driving a car hard.. it's a bit scary to begin with, but stick with it.. every time I go out I feel just a little bit better about it (cornering), and am loving riding every minute....
I can tell now though, even at this very early stage, that my confidence is rising.. I get the odd moment when I get a particular corner just right and don't feel like I could've just been overtaken by a milkfloat.. and it puts a big grin on my face!!
I was very very weary of really cornering to start with (and still am!), but it is getting better... I just take every chance I can to get out there and get some miles on the seat!
It all feels so different to driving a car hard.. it's a bit scary to begin with, but stick with it.. every time I go out I feel just a little bit better about it (cornering), and am loving riding every minute....
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