Riding like a girl. Is there a cure?

What others have said - at the cheap end of the scale is a bikesafe course,
which will improve your road-awareness, and not leave you so worried about
going into corners too hot. Next up on the price scale is a trackday -
riding the same 'bit of road' over and over again in a safe-ish environment
does wonders for confidence. Get a lap or two with an instructor once you've
found your feet. If money's not a worry, then some proper instruction on a
track - California Superbike School gets consistently good reviews, but
expect to spend £400+

 

[Gyp]

If you're having his bikes and his burd, I'll have his wife.

You'd best take the sprog, too.

 

<eyebrows shoot up>

In my defence, I think it is because I'm not a 'natural' rider. I've
not been at it that long (compared to a lot of greybeards round here)
and I have had to work at it. I'm an anal SOB and I like to do things
right, by my rules and I like to do what I do *well* - or I don't
bother. So I analyse, read other opinions, talk about it and go and
do it - then analyse again. And keep practising, and if I find what I
think is a good way to do something, tell other people about it and
await their feedback.

I reckon this approach has made me a decently quick rider, although
I'll never approach the speed of the 'instinctive' riders that are
either reincarnated racers (Daz, for example) or those who were on a
bike while still in nappies (Champ, Bonwick, Loz). I'm happy riding
my own ride, at the back of the fast group or the front of the medium
group. I've not gone hedgebound yet, so something is working.

Building and driving cars with more power than the maker intended has
helped a lot (despite what is commonly accepted, I find that car
experience can cross over into riding a bike) insofar as smoothness
and balancing brakes against throttle - and being in the right gear at
the right time goes.

Get on the right line, get braking and gearchanging done with, settle
down and tip it in. Never **** with anything mid-corner except gently
winding throttle on, and as soon as the apex is past (vanishing point
opens) slap the gas on. If the rear steps out, let it. If the front
lifts, go with it. Do nothing to unsettle the bike and it will get
you down the straight as fast as just about any other fucker you're
riding with ... providing you have a bike with the power to do it, of
course.

Knowing your bike and being one with it, which only comes with miles
and hours, is vital if you want to be reasonable, IMHO. Practice,
practice - and think about what you're doing and how you've done it:
self-criticism is the way forward. I was taught to ride by uk.r.m.,
specifically Paul Corfield, AndyR and Bear. I aspire to riding like
Champ, Bear and Bonwick, but that is unlikely in the extreme as I
don't want to go through the crashing they had to do to find the edge
of the ragged edge.

I ride my own ride and if any fucker don't like it, they can go ****
themselves.

 

Erm... Have I got one of those..?

 

Pip said...

While you're off chasing Gyp's non-existant wife, Champ and I will be
fighting over his lovely girlfriend. I'll win cos I like kids.

--
Lozzo
GSX-R1000 K1, GPZ500S, GSF600W
BOTAFOT#57/70a, BOTAFOF#57, MIB#22, TCP#7,
ANORAK#9, DIAABTCOD#14, UKRMT5BB, IBW#013, MIRTTH#15a/16,
BotToS#8, GP#2, SBS#10, SH#3, DFV#14, BONY#9, OMF#18.

 

A day's instruction with JP or Dave Corden.

 

I am rather boggled to see my name in lights alongside other people who
*can* ride a bike. Not sure why I deserve any sort of mention.

 

The first step on the way to dealing with a problem, is admitting you have
one.......
FWIW - I'm riding exactly the same as you at present:
ie: Like a complete pillock.

Dave

 

You could be right. I was telling SWMBO how I'd been stroking one of the
girls-at-work's Manolo Blahniks and she had absolutely no idea what I
was talking about.

 

My name's Gyp and I'm a straightlineaholic

Yeah, I don't think I'm the only one...

 

"Riding in traffic"

 

Bollocks. I knew one of us had it wrong - and I should have known it
would be me ...

 

neither had I

<googles>

how much...?

--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4583091887

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

Triumph 955iSS / ZX9R / GSF1200 bandit (for sale) / CG125
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11

 

You're just not gay enough.

 

boots I do.

FMBs i definitely do.

spend $1600 on a pair I don't.
--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4583091887

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

Triumph 955iSS / ZX9R / GSF1200 bandit (for sale) / CG125
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11

 

There's a lot of good stuff talked here on occasion.

True. I didn't cover many miles last year and I've only done a few miles
on the Zed since buying it so I guess going out on a winter afternoon is
not the best time to expect to go from zero to hero.

Good point. I'm still doing the "oooh look how the horizon gets closer
when I twist this handle" and arriving at the corners too fast.

I'm used to that on the Harley. I do pull the handle, mind

Oh, I've done that. Bikesafe, 1-1 with police instructor, race school
etc.

I think the best plan is to slow it down and get lots more practice. And
wait for summer. And try and forget that I used to be faster

 

I'd stroke your feet...

 

Buy a cheap under powered bike and ride that for a while. You will have to
maintain a higher cornering speed just to keep up. This will remove your
reliance on point and squirt. The GS 500 is ideal for this.

 

i don't like having my feet touched! worst thing ever was going to a
fetish club and having someone ask [1] if they could kiss my thigh
boots and proceeded to french kiss up and down both sides.

ugh!

[1] actually they asked Dave if it was ok.

--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

Triumph 955iSS / ZX9R E1 / GSF1200 bandit (for sale) / CG125
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11

 

see definition 1 of
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=FMB&defid=132704
--
Adie
(replace spam with nickname to reply)

UKRM FAQ: http://www.ukrm.net/faq/

Triumph 955iSS / ZX9R E1 / GSF1200 bandit (for sale) / CG125
MRO#11 BOTAFOF#7 BOTAFOT#130 DIAABTCOD#17 MIB#24 YTC#16 BOB#15 ex-UKRMMA#22 BOMB#11