Less about fun - more about preservation

Originally Posted by Baph

I'll second that!!

From conversations with you on the MIGTs ride you obviously still have concerns in your head. The second you get on the bike all that's forgotten though, as you get "a bit too excited" in your own words.

the bike gets the better of me!

Also, remember that other road users can smell fear. Invariably when you're riding is the most nervous is the time when most car drivers try to kill you.

Try to relax, take things easy and they'll get better.

[Stu]

Can I ask what extra training you have had?
As Baph says above what did you expect the lorry to do? except pull out wide on to your side of the road.
I can't recommend IAM highly enough.

The lastest advert for a Golf? asks when was the last time you just went out for a drive (i.e. not to get somewhere) Well I've just come back from the best part of 1000 miles ride to & around the Lakes which was just purely for the ride, not to get somewhere (apologies, the company was a good bonus) But I can't imagine driving a car for pleasure, but riding a bike for pleasure is quite normal.

I almost hung my leathers up as well,
i had an off in the rain and now i have very limited confidence in my tyres and my brakes when it raining.
there must be something we can do about deisel on the road because it is so dangerous to bikers . . im not quite sure the gov know how dangerous it can be . . . it scares the shizzle out of me
im fine in the dry though
but as i said after 3 offs i really started wondering if it is worth it . . .
in my opinion . . . it is, but im really thinking about further rider training and a trackday in the rain . . .

But i know how you feel mate but hang in there, we both know you love riding its just a shame that when these things happen you question wether its worth it or not.

Originally Posted by Stu

Can I ask what extra training you have had?
As Baph says above what did you expect the lorry to do? except pull out wide on to your side of the road.
I can't recommend IAM highly enough.

I expected the lorry driver to stay put. There was 8-9 other riders behind me in a different group and he saw us from about 2-300 yards away and I was eyeballing him on the approach. He saw us alright - absolutely no doubt. He just pulled out at the last minute.

I used to drive 7 tonners in my dad's coal business for years so I know all about turning, reversing etc. This guy was in a 10 tonner so he could have turned onto his own side no bother. He ran a full length accross the road.

It's not just the lorry driver. It's everywhere nowadays. Idiots in saxo's, people carriers and soft tops trying to antagonise you. I had someone in front hitting the brakes and weaving in front of me yesterday. I mean why?

Like SS says...I may be rocussing on the negative but it's really hard to get out of.

Training - I'm training/learning all the time. It was the 2 second rule and good defensive riding that saved me from smashing into a car that had no brake lights. I take training seriously and I'm doing extra this year. Going on a 3 day advanced rospa/iam course soon.

But at the end of the day, training is all about preservation/safety and not about fun.

Originally Posted by stuartyboy

But at the end of the day, training is all about preservation/safety and not about fun.

At the end of the day, you can't do anything about the idiots on today's roads. You have to be safe first, fun comes later, when safe to do so. That's part of the good thing about living where I do. I can choose, do I run the rat race & filter, or do I go over the tops where I'll be unlucky if I see 5 cars in 50miles!?!?

If you want fun, and don't want to worry about what other people are doing, then track days are the answer IMO.

Originally Posted by Baph

I'll be unlucky if I see 5 cars in 50miles!?!?

I saw your vid Baph. I'm a bit more remote than that. I live in the country, single track for 1 mile then 5 miles before the 1st town. Quiet roads but you still get idiots.

Bring back my honda superdream days.

Forgot to say...track days. Yeah but we only have knockhill up here. You guys are spolied for choice down south.

Originally Posted by lylej

i had an off in the rain and now i have very limited confidence in my tyres and my brakes when it raining.

Not to worry, this happened to me for a while. I had a little slip on a wet diesel spill at about 4am a few years ago and lost loads of confidence for a long time, particularly in the wet I'd go out on rides with my Dad and every time I saw what looked like a remotely damp patch I would tiptoe around the corner almost upright. Granted, on crappy country roads his GS is a little more forgiving but it just took time to get back what I'd lost.

Gradually I found I could lean it over further and it struck me that I had become needlessly paranoid. I was out in the ****ing rain a couple of days ago going through flood waters and realised that not once have I had an 'incident' just because the roads are wet. It has been diesel on one occasion and a slew of farm mud in my lane round a tight bend that have done for me (fortunately both at very low speed). Your brain takes over and makes every little problem a serious threat, when in fact the tyres can cope very well indeed. It'll come back, just hang in there and take it bit by bit

Originally Posted by stuartyboy

I saw your vid Baph.

That video took me from the outskirts of Bangor, past Tesco, up through a local estate passing the test centre, past two schools, a couple of popular pubs, Menai Bridge police station, then down the main road towards home.

Where I turned right into my road, you can go out that way & get back over to the mainland via the train bridge (that runs under the A55) on the service track.

I'll take your single track for a mile & raise you a single track for 7 miles before I *NEED* to risk seeing another or house

EDIT: Since when am I "down south"?

Originally Posted by MeridiaNx

Not to worry, this happened to me for a while. I had a little slip on a wet diesel spill at about 4am a few years ago and lost loads of confidence for a long time, particularly in the wet I'd go out on rides with my Dad and every time I saw what looked like a remotely damp patch I would tiptoe around the corner almost upright. Granted, on crappy country roads his GS is a little more forgiving but it just took time to get back what I'd lost.

Gradually I found I could lean it over further and it struck me that I had become needlessly paranoid. I was out in the ****ing rain a couple of days ago going through flood waters and realised that not once have I had an 'incident' just because the roads are wet. It has been diesel on one occasion and a slew of farm mud in my lane round a tight bend that have done for me (fortunately both at very low speed). Your brain takes over and makes every little problem a serious threat, when in fact the tyres can cope very well indeed. It'll come back, just hang in there and take it bit by bit

maybe your right but im on 7800 miles still on my stock rubber . . do you think its worth changing? lol, im starting to get a white band down the center of my rear tyre . . . i think its time . . but i want something with proven wet weather stability and on that im completely lost . .
as for the breaks ive just got to understand the limits . . . or change the entire front end to the GIXXER 750 . . . the thing we do to boost confidence..