Had a bit of a minor tumble off of my bike yesterday (the story about it is here (http://604ninja.com/blog/?p=64)). I'm fine and there's just a little damage (http://www.flickr.com/photos/604ninja/sets/72157623847176649/) to my bike (the worst of it is a lot like this (http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=42690), so I'm going to try this technique to fix it).

I've never been the best at cornering (at speed), and I've now completed my full-blown anxiety about doing it. My husband thinks I'm putting too much pressure on myself and I've made a lot of improvement; and our more experienced friends agree that I'm much better, the problem is all in my head.

I know I need to get out there and learn...there are upcoming track days locally through the whole summer, next one is at the end of May. But the thought of going down roads like the ones I'm fearful of has made riding more stressful than fun for me.

Has anyone else felt like this? How did you get over it? It's frustrating because I know it's all in my head. How do you get your confidence back?

Glad you're OK! I don't think there's any magic answer other than practice. The more miles you put on, the more comfortable you'll be. If you're comfortable in some areas now, and you want to gain some confidence back, stay within those areas until you're starting to feel a bit better, and only then branch out to things that you feel are more challenging. There's no rush to this whole thing, right?

Get back on the bike ASAP.

Last time I dumped one...it was a highside, over the handlebar, pelvic brusing, chin busting, doozy...As soon as I could pick myself up off the pavement, and stop the bleeding I was back on the bike.

If you are unsure of your riding skills, and dont feel confident. Perhaps its time for a riding course, and I dont mean the MSF. I mean a track day advanced class. Track days are great for teaching you that the bike's ability usually far exceeds the rider's ability. What I mean by that is that many riders underestimate the bikes capabilities. Many would be amazed at what the bike is actually capable of. When you learn to trust the bike, it really calms the nerves.

Ive seen multiple cases of riders getting spooked in a corner, running wide after heavy braking, and ended up off the side of the road when the bike was no where near its limits on performance. Learning the bikes capabilities in a track environment can go a long way in improving your riding confidence.

Ill leave you with this:
'Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."

Thanks guys; lots to think about in your posts.

I'm going to do some of the local track days, apparently the guys who show up to them are quite patient with the slow/beginner group and beginners get a lot out of them. I'll be eligible to enroll in my school's Advanced Rider Training course after I've had a year's worth of riding experience - I did what would be the equivalent of the MSF course up here.

I hopped right back on as soon as we knew everything with me and the bike was okay - I just went the straight way home. I'm going to have to get over my issues soon...I'm going to be commuting to work on my bike through the very area I'm afraid of!

Looks like the frame sliders did its job. Just imagine the tumble without them.....

sorry to hear bout the spill, i ride in fort langley aswell, when ur back out, let me know il come out and ride, and as for the anxiety, all i can say is ,practice like alex said, iv been practicing on easier turns and i do them for a few hours then , i move up to harder ones, and so im not over doing it

Aside from just getting back on and slowing getting comfortable again, I'd recommend also reading (or rereading if you already have) some books. Stuff like Twist of the Wrist II, Total Control, or Sport Riding Techniques.

After I lowsided around a corner a few months ago, I was really corner shy for a while. Seeing the road turning around a blind canyon wall had me a bit terrified. But after sitting down and reading TotW2, I found that I had a much better understanding of why I crashed and what kinds of techniques could have gotten me out of that situation unscathed. I found myself focusing so much on trying to get the techniques right, that that fear of crashing just wasn't first and forefront in my mind anymore. I think that clarity that comes from a better understanding of how and why my bike reacts the way it does helped me get my confidence back the most.

Ha, I definitely went a lot slower for a while- I probably still do- but I'm not afraid. Ultimately, riding it out is the only way that you'll be able to get over it, but I personally found that a little education helps the process along a little faster. Keep a stiff upper lip and you'll be fine.

On a side note, I actually finally conquered that turn that got me at long last just last week :D Took a while, but nothing feels quite so inspiring as seeing that hard work and practice palpably pay off :thumbup:

What you did was classic a colleague of mine did almost the same thing on is 600 Hornet; he was in a group that had stopped for a chat and then set off. At this point he remembered he had unfastened his helmet and decided to pull over, came off the hard stuff and went down. Unfortunately the bike came down on his leg which was half on half off the road surface snapping it like a twig. If I were you I would go easy for a while, if you ride with others you go in front and get them to ride a 100 yards or more back so there is no pressure on you to go faster than you want. Pick your line and stick to it, slow in fast out don’t panic the little Ninja will hang in there way past what you think is the limit.
Remember never come off the hard stuff.
Steve

The cause of you going down was probably applying the front brake with the wheel turned to the side. You will go down almost every time, even on a dry paved road, as well as on the slippery grass or sand. Slow down before the turn, you can use the rear brake lightly while going slow.
Another reason for going down is looking down. As funny as it sounds, the bike goes in the direction you are looking. Keep your gaze up.
The best motorcycle books to read are by guru David Hough, Proficient Motorcycling, and More Proficient Motorcycling. These are much less technical and easier to read and explain real life very well.

My instructor in MSF noticed that I rode with two fingers always resting on the front brake. After I "jumped" on the the front brake in a slow turn transitioning from one exercise to the next he pulled me aside and made it abundantly clear he did not want to see me ride with any fingers resting on the brake lever or I would not pass the course. :eek: I stopped riding like that immediately and for whatever reason this worked wonders for me.

Here is a little exercise I started doing on my own the night I completed the course and I still do 3-4 times a week. It is all about SLPR (Slow, Look, Press, Roll), keeping my head up and turning my entire head (not just my eyes) in the direction I want to go. You can do this with cones, rocks, parking lots...whatever. I use a small office complex after hours. The parking lot rings the office building forming a perfect oval that I can ride in 2nd gear at speeds up to 35 mph. I simply run lap after lap repeating the whole SLPR and working on my head turns. Over and over and over. I ride taking left turns for awhile then I invert my path and take right turns. It's all about rhythm and repetition of task. I feel like this has helped me tremendously. I also find it strangely soothing. :D

I'm glad to hear you are okay!

First of all I am glad to hear that you are ok. Take your time and do not let anyone rush you into anything. You may want to find a large empty parking lot and set up some cones laid out as curves and do some practicing there. Riding on the back of your husbands bike and watching how he initiates corners and running it through your mind as if you were up front may help. Many athletes practice their technique in their heads before hitting the field so this may help with your mental block. Your plan of going to a track day is an excellent idea as there will be no cagers there to distract you. God luck to ya.

I'm going to do some of the local track days, apparently the guys who show up to them are quite patient with the slow/beginner group and beginners get a lot out of them. I'll be eligible to enroll in my school's Advanced Rider Training course after I've had a year's worth of riding experience - I did what would be the equivalent of the MSF course up here.


Doing the track day is a good idea. An even better idea is if you signed up for a dedicated track riding school, or some kind of intro-to-track-days course. The key difference is that on a track day you're more or less left to your own devices with people giving you tips...while a school or an intro course will have you sit in a classroom first and teach you theory, then stick you out on the track to let you apply that theory.

Given your current situation with your confidence, I'd say doing a course where you have direct and focused instruction on how to ride on a track will be the absolute best way to proceed.

Until then, take it very slowly. I'd recommend against commuting until you've gotten your confidence back. Riding well and riding safely all depend on confidence...if you don't have it and are forcing yourself to ride, you will make mistakes.

Gain your confidence back by choosing the time and places for your rides. Commuting forces you into a lot of situations that will expose you to a lot of unknown elements (ie: unstable traffic conditions, closed roads, unpredictable weather, etc). Gain your confidence back slowly by building up a number of "good" and safe runs and putting them under your belt...then slowly progressing from there.

That's my two and a half cents :D

It's funny, in the beginning people are real skitterish about corners. I was until I trusted and believed in the idea of looking right thru the turn. For me that was the secret to becoming more proficient in the turns as well as commuting to work every day. In a couple of months I got on the bike and low and behold it just felt right. You become one with the bike in everything you do and when you get that feeling.... you know you are beginning to master it. All of a sudden you don't fear it anymore and just move forward into the next realm.... "speed"! :thumbup:

GLAD U R OK!!

I laid my baby down about a month ago and have the scars and bruised ribs to prove it.....you are quite lucky......I ride twisties all the time and have noticed that after practicing those turns you are worried about--IT does get easier....there are a few turns I've always been a bit skittish about (not the one I laid my bike down) and to this day I can say I can take them with ease and confidence....it has taken lots of practice and time...along with reading what all these incredibly smart people write about when going into a corner....I love the twisties and HATE commute riding- what a waste of time....my #1 advice to tell you when going into a turn is SLOW down, lean, and look thru the turn way way ahead.....it does take practice as a lot of noobs would only look a few feet in front--NOPE- you gotta look way ahead......your bike will follw where you are looking....try it

When cornering--I make it a habit of seeing my shoulder in the miror-so then I know I have pretty good body position,.....try it.....