Are babies messing with my head?
 

My wife and I had our first baby last year, now nearly six months old.

I haven't used the bike much for "pleasure rides" over the winter. This is my first Suzuki (other than an old X7 when I was 17, a rust bucket which I painted with hammerite anyway) and I didn't realise how much damage winter salt does to them. So this winter it was all sorted under warranty and the bike has only been out on city centre commutes through traffic, dry days or days when I had time to wash it after. It's been getting covered in FS365 after every wash.

I got out for the first good dry 150 mile run recently. I did roads that I know quite well from SV Ecosse rideouts and roads which I would normally take at a fairly quick pace.

I'm much happier to bimble along and watch the scenery than I used to be. Overtaking cars doesn't have the urgency it once did and I'm being very careful in executing them.

On bends I'm not tipping in and sweeping round at speed like I used to, I'm taking it steadier and find myself worrying "what would I hit if i came off?". On lefties watching the traffic coming the other way, on right handers looking to see if theres armco and a wall on the outside of the bend. If its fairly safe like a hedge and a field, I say "OK, that wouldn't hurt me as much" and I tip right in and open the throttle back to my normal pace, but if theres something solid to hit I maintain a nice steady pace.

I wasn't expecting any of this and it's been screwing with my head ever since that ride. Whilst I've always been aware of dangers, I never used to "worry" about any of these things, I just enjoyed leaning hard into bends and thrashing the bike as all the ecosse guys would testify.

What's the matter with my head? Is this just lack of confidence after a low mileage winter or is the fact I now have responsibilities messing with my subconcious? Any other parents had the same thing? Is this permanent and the SV Ecosse guys are going to see a different Ralph this year? Because if it is I may as well go and trade in for a DL650.

Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the ride. I just seemed content to bimble along, which is not normal for me.

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

Yes... I found the same, it easies with time but it is still there in your mind. But then with the mileage I do, the coffidence comes back alot quicker.

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

I feel like this every ride. I don't care how everyone else rides, you can stay behind me or overtake..its fine I don't mind. its not over precautionary, just i like to bimble and I'm no petrol head show off. But I also have a six year old, single mum, and if I get silly, well its not a good thing if I come off.

Nah, just carry on how you like

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

Quite possibly you've gone all paternal, but don't worry - teenage years will soon bring you back (I understand that these start at about 7 years old now)!!! :D :smt030

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

Nowt wrong with bimbling mate, you ride how you feel at that particular time,come the better weather no doubt you'll be back to your old self on occasions,but parenthood does change people

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

wish it did, then Im Indoors would bimble too...lol

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

ok "some peeps"-well it did me:D

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

I don't think it is possible to bimble on a raptor thou is it? Well i couldn't ;) :smt102

I see where people are coming from on how they're thinking but for me personally I tend to be concentrating on riding not thinking what if i... my riding has calmed down a lot in recent years though. It's gone from being fairly reckless (speeding just about everywhere very dodgy overtakes etc etc) to the extent of passing my IAM test last year

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

Hah, give it another 20 odd years, that's when you find yourself caning the living wotsits out of your bike while being left for dead out on the road by your eldest daughter, who is riding an inferior bike...that's what happened to me.

Ride as before, that's what I did and I'm still here 27 years and 4 kids later.

Re: Are babies messing with my head?
 

Later on they will mess with your head in other ways while also screwing with your wallet.