Riding like a girl. Is there a cure?

I managed to get out on the Zed yesterday for a bit of a play, and I'm
worried I'm one of those motorcyclists that I hate; fast on the straight
bits [1] and far too slow on the corners.

I'm so used to getting into cars and exploring the grip and handling
parameters by just pushing it harder and harder until it slides too much
then I back off.

On a bike though I don't have the confidence that I'll be able to feel
that I'm approaching the limit and hence seem to avoid pushing it on
corners and breaking by a country mile.

I've not always been like this; I used to be able to confidently touch
the heads down on my R80ST and ground the frame-end of the footpegs of
my XS400. But now, 20 years more experience and now 5 degrees off of the
vertical and that feels like enough.

I'm not expecting to turn myself into a knee-down road god, but I'd like
to start riding in a halfway competent way. Other than just going out
and leaning over a lot and not falling off, are there any sure-fire ways
of getting the cornering confidence up?

[1] the GPS now has a new high score

 

Gyp emerged from their own little world to say

Get a single cylinder trail bike. Something like a DR350/400, Pegaso or
similar. Enjoy riding the tits off it and exploring lean angles. Worked for
me 10 years ago. I'm not the quickest rider on the planet now but I'm not
slow in the corners either.

 

Learn to hate yourself just enough so you won't care if you fall off.

 

Gyp wrote

Pocket Rocket.

 

So in one odd way, my failing to visit you over Christmas was a good
thing?

 

No I bought the Zed for this purpose. I'm not buying anything else.

 

Have you ridden much over the winter? If not, could it just be a case
of getting your eye back in? I have exactly the same thoughts around
this time every year. Then again, I don't get much quicker - I just get
used to being slow.

Of course you could always not worry about it.

 

Give up and buy some nice lacy underwear. Worked for me.

Dave Champney Doctored Bot (Not oily - thanks LC)
ZX9-R E1 BOTAFOT#8 BOD#6

 

I'm probably *completely* the wrong person to offer advice here, and
freely admit I'll never be a member of the FBC, so, feel free to ignore
anything I now say.

I used to do this a lot, then I started thinking about why and went back
to something JP once posted about smoothness over speed. Once I'd wound
the top end back a touch I felt relaxed enough to haul the bike round
corners[1], then the need to slow down went away, the panic braking was
greatly reduced and the corner speed crept up a little.

So, just have fun, and pretend you're smooth.

For me it's still a work in progress, but one I'm probably going to try
transfering back onto a sports bike this year.

[1] For the ZRX isn't exactly svelte.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Gyp

I have two words for you:

Dave

Corden

HTH.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - There are few things in life more sinister than a
public toilet with the lid closed.

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000

 

Pick a road. One you know and isn't rammed with traffic is good, one
with plenty of corners is best. Cruise up and down it a couple of
times - then do it without using the brakes. Once you've got used to
that, pick a gear and stay in that gear for the length of the road -
without using the brakes. Google for "brakeless run".

 

Leave some of the post to which you are replying, for context - works
for everbody else.

If you're going to continue to drag this about at the end of every
post, slip a working separator in above it.

You're an old hand, you should know this.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Gyp amazed us all with this pearl of wisdom:

It's the middle of winter FFS!

You're getting old.

Try a course of 'Just For men' and see if that helps.

Yes, wait until the outside temperature is at least 10 degrees and
there's no surprise wet and greasy patches.

 

Dunno, do you want to ride faster or not?

 

Get something faster so nobody has a chance to catch you on the
corners.

 

On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 06:28:18 +0000, Andy Bonwick

Works for me. Failing that a trackday.

 

Take a MAC course, you dont have to do a full 2 day, just book a single day
and explain you want training on corners
I did this and never looked back

 

Having just trawled through all the posts so far, these are the
nuggets that I reckon are correct.
But what do I know, I ride like a real old woman in this weather too!

1) It's still winter - don't worry about it - you'll probably get more
confident when the roads are less iffy
2) Go for smooth rather than fast
3) Pick a twisty road and practice not braking
4) Get some advice from a person/organisation who's opinion you
respect, i.e. not from 99% of the people here! Personally I found
Bear's and Pip's opinions the most helpful and the BikeSafe 1 day
course was great.

Just my twopenath.

 

I wasn't referring to the advice given in this thread.
I was referring to conversations and ride-outs that I've had with Bear
and Pip.

 

lol
.................but it would be entertaining