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Old September 18th, 2019, 02:21 PM   #222
Misti
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Name: Misti
Location: Vancouver, BC
Join Date: Oct 2010

Motorcycle(s): currently: Yamaha YZF 250 dirt/motard

Posts: 787
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ducati999 View Post
Im back again to update this thread. I have spent lots of time thinking about the way I have been riding and what is holding me back. The biggest issue is fear. We all have survival instincts that trigger in certain situations while riding that keep us from doing what we know we should be doing. I have found a few and am working on resolving them in my head and on the street.
Hey you!! I don't have much time but it's on my list to go back through this thread and comment on a few separate posts and a few points so that will come....in the mean time, I read the first bit of your comment here and it reminded me that I wrote a whole article on the concept of fear when riding. I've copied it and will paste it in it's entirely below. I know that you are already doing some of the things suggested in the article I just thought it might be pertinent to some of the things you are feeling....anyway, here you go and I'll be back at some point to discuss more

Overcoming Fear:

When you really boil it down, what is the biggest cause of fear when riding?

Fear is an unpleasant and usually strong emotion based on the anticipation of danger. Our bodies react automatically to this perception of danger and try to protect us, but when we ride motorcycles, our reactions often cause more harm than good. Keith Code, author of the renowned Twist of the Wrist series, calls these “survival reactions.”

The seven survival reactions (Listed in Twist of the Wrist II) are:

Rolling-off the gas.
Tightening on the bars.
Narrowed and frantically hunting field of view.
Fixed attention (on something).
Steering in the direction of the fixed attention.
No steering (frozen) or ineffective (not quick enough or too early steering).
Braking errors (both over and under braking).

Take for example, the fear that arises when you feel like you are suddenly into a corner too fast. What survival reaction, or automatic reaction crops up? Without our brains telling us to do so, our wrist often reacts by chopping the gas (survival reaction number 1) in hopes that this will reduce the possibility of danger and personal injury. However, chopping the gas is actually the exact opposite of what should be done in that situation and often increases the chance of running wide, or crashing mid corner.

What are other examples of survival reactions and fear when riding? Another common scenario is getting into a corner with a perceived too-high entry speed and then target fixating on the guard rail or the outside edge of the road and riding towards it, or riding towards the patch of gravel or oil mid corner because you can’t stop staring at it.

So can anything be done to reduce the chance that these survival reactions happen in the first place?

We tend to fear the things we don’t truly understand. If that’s the case then lack of knowledge, experience and expertise could contribute to an increase in fear and fear based reactions. So, in order to lessen the amount of fear it seems only logical that an increase in our understanding of riding skills and techniques would be able to lesson overall riding based anxiety or fear.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if when riding, we could eliminate some or all of those scary or panicky moments and cut down the chances of survival reactions happening all together?

Like if you were riding and found yourself mid corner too fast but you KNEW and had trained yourself how to NOT fixate on the edge of the road and to look ahead and through the corner instead, without even thinking about it.

Or like knowing that you can trust your tires beyond your comfort zone, or exactly how hard and fast you can get on the front brake before it will lock up or how to squeeze the tank to prevent your body from slamming forward under hard braking. Like knowing that if the rear end starts sliding that you should NOT chop the gas and that instead you should either stop rolling on or gently ease of the gas to prevent a highside.

The more you actually know and understand about riding, the more you have learned and practiced how to react correctly, the more likely you are to not have those fear based instincts that actually make situations worse. It’s not the things, or the situations causing the fear, but the lack of understanding and knowledge in that exact situation to know what to do. Since becoming a coach and increasing my knowledge base AND practicing these techniques often, I’ve drastically reduced fear, panic, and survival reactions because I know what to do in most situations that arise.

When is the last time you practiced a panic stop, or visual skills, or how to turn the bike as quick and effectively as possible in case you have to avoid sudden obstacles?

People fear what they don’t know or understand. So, to ride with less fear we must understand more. But how do you do that?

There are many ways. Reading this is a start. Reading everything you can about motorcycle riding technique from a trusted source can help. Going to a track day and working with one of the provided coaches is a safe way to learn new techniques. Taking an advanced riding course and then continually working on improving your own riding and practicing what you learned is an outstanding method.

Make sure your bike and suspension are set up for your weight and correctly for you and the conditions you will be riding in. Pay attention, study, ask pertinent questions, adjust as needed from self awareness and experience. Be open minded and willing to learn and to continue to learn and improve. Practice something every time you ride and leave your ego at home. Riding should be considered a skill that needs continual improvement, focus and work, and don’t forget to practice, practice, practice.

Ride Safe!
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