Rookie mistakes...will they ever end?

[DSomething]

So I have about 820 miles on my bike. The last two times I went out riding, I made shifting mistakes. Once, I went to downshift and up shifted instead. The second ride, I went to up shift and downshifted instead. I'm thinking thank god for the slipper clutch and that I try to rev match. It's not like I do this every ride or every shift. It literally only happened once with each error.

Anyway, my question is...

I know I'm still a noob but I was just wondering if experienced riders sometimes make these mistakes also. Will stupid things like this happen occasionally or do they tend to go away with time?

Sometimes I feel like I take one step forward and two steps back.

D.

(Sorry if this belongs in the rider skills section. If it does, can someone move it please...thanks)

[csmith12]

To error is human D, but the bigger mistakes do become less frequent with time.

[Singh2jz]

You keep riding and it'll get etched into your brain. It'll be second nature..you'll be doing things without even noticing. That's why you gotta keep practicing in parking lots for the rest of your life. Well, every now and then for the rest of your life lol..

[Baron]

Originally Posted by Singh2jz

You keep riding and it'll get etched into your brain. It'll be second nature..you'll be doing things without even noticing. That's why you gotta keep practicing in parking lots for the rest of your life. Well, every now and then for the rest of your life lol..

This!

Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

[Ninjinsky]

One thing I still do is trying to shift into seventh It does no harm but I always feel stupid when I do it.
You find at some point the whole thing pivots and you make mistakes because everything has become automatic so your attention begins to switch off a bit, talking to yourself and thinking through your day then suddenly the car in front is emergency stopping or a deer runs out and you were running on autopilot.
You will deal with it okay but your heart rate will be up.

Leaving the side stand down used to be a favorite but these days they have cutout switches so you stall instead.

ps Try riding an old British bike, that will give you a co-ordination crisis for sure (right foot shifter one up three down )

[CC Cowboy]

I have a few different bikes and some shift different than others. That being said, I still have to stop and think when shifting and still occassionally get it wrong (and that's after 50 some years of riding). Just remember, if you shift wrong always go to a higher gear to correct.

[Singh2jz]

Originally Posted by Ninjinsky

One thing I still do is trying to shift into seventh It does no harm but I always feel stupid when I do it.

Same here!!!! hahahaha

[snot]

I still count my gears when shifting. I found doing this in the beginning helped me remember up a gear = up shift, down shift = down a gear and I stopped looking for 7 and 0.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by snot

I still count my gears when shifting. I found doing this in the beginning helped me remember up a gear = up shift, down shift = down a gear and I stopped looking for 7 and 0.

If you are consistent in your riding you will know what gear you are in by your speed. However; I don't know anyone that rides that way.

[snot]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

If you are consistent in your riding you will know what gear you are in by your speed. However; I don't know anyone that rides that way.

I do it out of habit now, I can tell by my rpms and speed.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by snot

I do it out of habit now, I can tell by my rpms and speed.

Do you really "know" or just simply not care if the bike and rider are happy?

[Baron]

Originally Posted by Ninjinsky

One thing I still do is trying to shift into seventh It does no harm but I always feel stupid when I do it.

[DSomething]

Originally Posted by csmith12

To error is human D, but the bigger mistakes do become less frequent with time.

Thank god

Originally Posted by Singh2jz

You keep riding and it'll get etched into your brain. It'll be second nature..you'll be doing things without even noticing. That's why you gotta keep practicing in parking lots for the rest of your life. Well, every now and then for the rest of your life lol..

To me, every ride is practice...at least now it is. I'm thinking if maybe I'm in that transition from having to think about the mechanics versus it being autopilot. It literally has only happened in the last 50 miles or so of riding.

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

I have a few different bikes and some shift different than others. That being said, I still have to stop and think when shifting and still occassionally get it wrong (and that's after 50 some years of riding). Just remember, if you shift wrong always go to a higher gear to correct.

Geez, if I ever get to 50 years of riding I'll crack up instead of getting frustrated . Considering I'm 41, well...

Originally Posted by Ninjinsky

One thing I still do is trying to shift into seventh It does no harm but I always feel stupid when I do it.
You find at some point the whole thing pivots and you make mistakes because everything has become automatic so your attention begins to switch off a bit, talking to yourself and thinking through your day then suddenly the car in front is emergency stopping or a deer runs out and you were running on autopilot.
You will deal with it okay but your heart rate will be up.

That's why I was wondering if the mistakes ever go away. Perhaps they fade but never truly go away 100%? And I do try to kick into 7th sometimes. Mostly it's when I just want to be sure I made up to 6th and counted correctly

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm too much of a perfectionist and sometimes can get down on myself when I screw up. I'll try and keep it all in perspective and just realize that I'm still learning and can't be perfect just yet.

D.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by DSomething

Considering I'm 41, well...

So youre 41, that don't mean crap. One of the guys I race with is 87 years young. Your age is just a number. ps...41 here too.

EDIT: I post this because I don't want age to ever to be a reason for any rider to give less than everything they got to riding the best they can.

[DSomething]

Originally Posted by csmith12

So youre 41, that don't mean crap. One of the guys I race with is 87 years young. Your age is just a number. ps...41 here too.

Oh, I know. I'm 41 in age but about 10 at heart and 70 in soul. My point was that if I reach 50 years of riding experience I will be 91. God should only be that kind

D.

[snot]

Originally Posted by csmith12

Do you really "know" or just simply not care if the bike and rider are happy?

Elaborate?

I know what gear I am in while riding, I have worked on watching RPMs, speed and sound. Once I get her back I will need to do this again, even the sound will be different.

I have yet to ride the bike 2 seasons in a row where the bike was set up the same. It's like getting a new bike every season.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by snot

Elaborate?

It's actually kinda really simple. As the rider, you know by feel when the bike is happy and when it's not. Do what you need to do on the street, but when you're at the track, stop counting gears and start "feeling". Counting takes time and attention that are better spent on other things. When you're ready ya know.

[snot]

Originally Posted by csmith12

It's actually kinda really simple. As the rider, you know by feel when the bike is happy and when it's not. Do what you need to do on the street, but when you're at the track, stop counting gears and start "feeling". Counting takes time and attention that are better spent on other things. When you're ready ya know.

On the track I actually go through a lot in my head, I don't count gears. I usually am reminding myself to stay loose on the bars and let the bike do it's job. I go through the whole, stay loose, watch for the entrance and exits, look through the corner, etc.
First time on the track was my best, this years goal is to feel better than I did then. That's why we are going back to putnum.... Back to where I am comfy.

Street I count in town, once out I stop counting.

Good info.

[MrAtom]

Weird. I just upshift until I hit 6 if I'm going at least 25mph. If I'm only going 25, I'll take off in 1st, shift to 2nd, get up to 25mph quickly, then keep the clutch pulled in and stomp it up till it doesn't go up anymore.

Also, DSomething: Mistakes never stop, no matter what you're doing or how long you've been doing it.

[csmith12]

Originally Posted by snot

Back to where I am comfy.

That goes a loooooonnnnnngggg way. I would love to see you at Mid-O, but seeing you reach your goals is much more important to me. Do werk! Report back!

[alex.s]

i try to count but always lose the count inbetween corners. the only gears that are super obvious for me are 1 and 2 and 6

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by DSomething

............Anyway, my question is...

I know I'm still a noob but I was just wondering if experienced riders sometimes make these mistakes also. Will stupid things like this happen occasionally or do they tend to go away with time?

Sometimes I feel like I take one step forward and two steps back.
.............

Mistakes like that are always associated to insufficient attention or focus.
It is perfectly normal in your case, 800 miles since the end of January are not enough to make your control inputs automatic and to direct your attention to riding and traffic.

You have to think before your inputs; with more practice, you will not.
As you don't think about the muscles and movements involved in walking, you will reach a point of proficiency at which you will feel and control the bike like an extension of your body.

Mistakes associated to the operation of the machine should go away with time.
Then, the stage of over-confidence arrives and mistakes of judgment and assumptions regarding traffic and road conditions start happening.
Those are much more serious and dangerous.

I know you don't like reading, but make an exception with the book "Proficient Motorcycling", it may save your life one day.

[snot]

Originally Posted by csmith12

That goes a loooooonnnnnngggg way. I would love to see you at Mid-O, but seeing you reach your goals is much more important to me. Do werk! Report back!

No vacation made it an easy choice, since mid-o is weekdays only.
I will be back to midohio and I will be ready. My goal this year.... I want to feel the bike float and work through the turns again.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by MrAtom

Weird. I just upshift until I hit 6 if I'm going at least 25mph. If I'm only going 25, I'll take off in 1st, shift to 2nd, get up to 25mph quickly, then keep the clutch pulled in and stomp it up till it doesn't go up anymore.

That's weird. These bikes aren't good at being lugged in high gears. Shift when the bike feels like it needs it, keep a little higher rpm for when you need to move or roll on for a turn.

25 mph, I assume I'm in 3rd or 4th? Idk. Those middle gears exist for a reason.

[Ninjinsky]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

That's weird. These bikes aren't good at being lugged in high gears. Shift when the bike feels like it needs it, keep a little higher rpm for when you need to move or roll on for a turn.

25 mph, I assume I'm in 3rd or 4th? Idk. Those middle gears exist for a reason.

I'd go so far as to say very poor at being lugged to the extent of a dangerous lack of power for carving through traffic Best kept on a "rolling boil" between 6k and 10k
Has anyone ever tried the EL250 (the custom version) which is supposedly retuned for better low end characteristics at the expense of top end hp ?

[csmith12]

Yep yep... Mistakes still happen no matter what.

About 20 mins ago, I dropped my tool case. 85 sockets went everywhere. I could get mad and stuff but...



It's attitude mang!

[DSomething]

Originally Posted by Motofool

Mistakes like that are always associated to insufficient attention or focus.
It is perfectly normal in your case, 800 miles since the end of January are not enough to make your control inputs automatic and to direct your attention to riding and traffic.

You have to think before your inputs; with more practice, you will not.
As you don't think about the muscles and movements involved in walking, you will reach a point of proficiency at which you will feel and control the bike like an extension of your body.

Mistakes associated to the operation of the machine should go away with time.
Then, the stage of over-confidence arrives and mistakes of judgment and assumptions regarding traffic and road conditions start happening.
Those are much more serious and dangerous.

I know you don't like reading, but make an exception with the book "Proficient Motorcycling", it may save your life one day.

I definitely agree that it could have been inattentiveness and/or lack of focus. These happened towards the end of both rides and I decided to go back home instead of staying on the road as a result.

I got my bike in the middle of November so the mileage is from then; however, I totally agree that 800 miles is still noob territory. I am glad to hear the mechanics of operation will become second nature at some point. Now that I think about, it's like driving a car. When you first start you're overly conscious of everything but now...not so much.

I didn't think about the next stage being mistakes of judgment and assumptions of traffic and road conditions. Something I will definitely keep in the forefront of my mind as I gain more experience. That most definitely is far more dangerous and a risk I'm not willing to take.

OK, how in the world did you know I despise reading? That's too freaky that you knew that. I even hate reading an owners manual. I much prefer watching the movie over reading the book. I'd say cliff notes, but then that requires reading also . Besides, I am a "learn by watching, then doing" person. I have to visualize something for me to understand.

Thanks for the reply. Lots of good info to digest.

D.

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by snot

On the track I actually go through a lot in my head, I don't count gears. I usually am reminding myself to stay loose on the bars and let the bike do it's job. I go through the whole, stay loose, watch for the entrance and exits, look through the corner, etc.
First time on the track was my best, this years goal is to feel better than I did then. That's why we are going back to putnum.... Back to where I am comfy.

Street I count in town, once out I stop counting.

Good info.

On the track you should be changing gears at the same point on the track everytime. If you consistently change at each marker (reference point) you will always know what gear you are in by where you are on the track. After a while it just comes routine. You will know at a certain corner to down shift two (or whatever), then on a certain straight to upshift 3 gears. It becomes a routine.

[snot]

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

On the track you should be changing gears at the same point on the track everytime. If you consistently change at each marker (reference point) you will always know what gear you are in by where you are on the track. After a while it just comes routine. You will know at a certain corner to down shift two (or whatever), then on a certain straight to upshift 3 gears. It becomes a routine.

I am still very new on the track, and learning. I have yet to top out my speed (I am slow in corners), so I have a lot I try to remember. I am working on the muscle memory as well as improving techniques.

I welcome all advice. Thank you!

[CC Cowboy]

Originally Posted by snot

I am still very new on the track, and learning. I have yet to top out my speed (I am slow in corners), so I have a lot I try to remember. I am working on the muscle memory as well as improving techniques.

I welcome all advice. Thank you!

Best advice is to follow someone (who knows what they are doing) and do what they do. Shift when and where they shift, brake when and where they brake.

[greenaero]

@DSomething, The key is to address the mistakes and take appropriate action. Try actively thinking about your shifting as you are riding; reaching the right RPMS, cutting throttle, de-clutching , shifting, ( rev -matching for downshifts), re-engaging the clutch , and returning to throttle. Work to make every shift as smotth as possible and after a while it will become almost automatic. This strategy applies to all elements of riding: good braking, cornering line, scanning for hazards and threats. One of the things about motorcycling I love is the level of concentration needed to do it well. Ridng well demands all of our attention and focus, otherwise bad things can happen.

[MrAtom]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

That's weird. These bikes aren't good at being lugged in high gears. Shift when the bike feels like it needs it, keep a little higher rpm for when you need to move or roll on for a turn.

25 mph, I assume I'm in 3rd or 4th? Idk. Those middle gears exist for a reason.

Well, if theres a lot of traffic i'll ride in lower gears, but when i turn off into my neighborhood the bike sits happy at a high gear. If there were more traffic in my neighborhood, id ride a lower gear, but there isnt.

[choneofakind]

Huh, well it's your bike and your ride, do as you please. But I do differently, that's all. It's got a happy cruising spot around 5k-7k.

[cbinker]

mistakes never end, i witnessed a far more experienced rider then me kill his bike at a stop light when i first started riding.

[Sirref]

I went to change my oil the other day and took the filter out before pulling the drain plug...

mistakes happen even if you've done something dozens of times

switch to gp shift though, sounds like that'd be more natural to you

[choneofakind]

I'm always going to be a rookie.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by DSomething

.......

OK, how in the world did you know I despise reading? That's too freaky that you knew that........

Thanks for the reply. Lots of good info to digest.

D.

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...7&postcount=10

You are welcome

[liberpolly]

Try to upshift without clutch - on wide open throttle, preload the shifter and roll off the throttle. this way you will never confuse the two - roll off the throttle to upshift, pull the clutch and blip the throttle to downshift.

[DSomething]

Originally Posted by Motofool

https://www.ninjette.org/forums/show...7&postcount=10

You are welcome

OK, so maybe not so freaky after all...but very stealthy...very stealthy.

D.