tips for after accident
 

just thought i would get a bit of advice from you guys,

i had my cbr 600 just after i passed my test last year,

about a month later i was out in full leathers and going round a corner the back wheel started to slid out, the bike stood up and the back end flick like a mother fudger to the point that my bumbum wasnt even on the seat as it snaking about for a good few meters,

so that shook me up and made me lose faith in the tyres,

the a week after a car pulled out just in front of me, leaving my to slam on the front brake which locked up and i hit the car and went bouncing down the the road at 40mph, looking back i know it was a rookie mistake, hitting the brake too hard but hindsight is a wonderful thing,

anyway,

now when im out on the bike, im totally fine until i take a corner, at anything but steady speed, and i am scared to turn enough from fear of sliding out,

is this just something that will go with time?

any advice?

Re: tips for after accident
 

Confidence is hard to build, but easy to knock down.

Just keep riding the corners at speeds you are happy with. Doesn't matter how fast/slow you go as long as you enjoy yourself.

Re: tips for after accident
 

p.s i did replace both tyres

Re: tips for after accident
 

I felt shaky after my off too. All you need is miles on the bike. Take it steady at quiet times on known roads and you'll get it back.
Good luck to you.

Re: tips for after accident
 

I had a pretty bad accident back in October when the back end slid out because I hit the rear brake too hard and I ended up getting thrown off.

There is only one way to regain your confidence and that is to get back on the bike and get into some corners. Are the tyres on your bike in good condition, tyre pressure correct and are they a decent make?

Re: tips for after accident
 

Yeah, it will go with time as you build your confidence and faith.
Just take it easy and enjoy your rides.

Re: tips for after accident
 

i need to go out with people too i think, i only ride on my own and therefore it would be a good idea to get a concept of speed from others

Re: tips for after accident
 

I never really got all my MOJO back after a couple of daft low speed spills a couple of years ago on my shiny new Sprint ST, and I've changed bike since then. Confidence does come back with the miles riden, and I've heard that an introductory track day can be a great help. Not tried it though, as I'm scared in case I trash my GSXR!

Re: tips for after accident
 

A good thing to try is pick a reasonably twisty road you know well and are comfortable with. Ride up and down it all day working on your lines, braking points and corner speeds. Slowly you will get faster and more confident.

Re: tips for after accident
 

i though about a track day, wouldnt wanna use my bike though lol

thanks for advice guys, steady riding is what im doing, and i wont ever stop as i love it too much

Re: tips for after accident
 

trackdays will teach you a lot, and do it on your bike as you will learn about it too. Don't be a hero on the day and you shouldn't fall off - there is always somebody faster and somebody slower than you.

Re: tips for after accident
 

I did a novice only track day last year on my pointy and it was great for my confidence in bends. The only minor side effect was a rather melted front tyre.

From your sig. it looks like you're in the market for a pointy. That sounds like the perfect thing. Slow enough that you won't be tempted to keep up with the Gixxer crowd, but still loads of fun through the bends.

So I'd say go for the track day.

Keith.

Re: tips for after accident
 

Just ride more slowly, is not a race. It will come back, i had an issue with leaning in the rain because my back wheel slid out once, a few months of riding and it doesn't bother me now.

Re: tips for after accident
 

Above all else - Mileage! Nothing will restore your confidence on the road like mileage.

Re: tips for after accident
 

do group riding and you'll soon clock up more mileage...

Re: tips for after accident
 

i think the only way to get the confidence back is just keep it steady and with time it will build up

Re: tips for after accident
 

Remember when you do group ride to ride for yourself. It's frustrating when the whole pack disappears into the distance but don't feel compelled to overdo it trying to keep up, you'll just come a cropper.

And yeah, just take it easy. I'm still really nervous in bends after my off and so take them very gently, I am however enjoying this thread on cornering and trying to look further around the bend to where I want to go. Seems to help!

Re: tips for after accident
 

Personally, it is my own opinion that there are several factors in cornering. Of course there is your own rider skill. But there is the hidden aspect which I will call corner analysis.

It is all well and good riding roads you know, learning the corner and how fast you caqn take it. But what happens the day you go out somewhere new? Do you want to then crawl through every bend.

Corner analysis is using the visual indicators you get by looking ahead, is the road tightening or opening up. Watch the kerb, it should tell you what the road ahead is doing. Use other indicators such as walls/hedges.

On left handers, get well out there and look though as much of the bend as you can. Done properly you should have plenty of time to tuck back in as you have advanced notice of any oncoming traffic. On right handers tuck in tight to the kerb to look through the bend before you then take your line through it.

There is nothing clever in being able to corner fast. The smart ones however, do it smoothly, safely and just as fast.

Re: tips for after accident
 

+1 to what Mr Wilky just said.

Best advice i can give is to take it at your own pace, don't be forced into riding outside your ability, especially on unfamiliar roads as this is where you'll get fubar'd, been their, got the t shirt and insurance claim to go with it.
Have a look at going on a bikesafe course, they're free in Wiltshire and run all through out the summer.
This will give you some idea of road positioning and reading corners, ie: vanishing points and such.

Someone on here once said "I'd rather get from A to B 5 minutes later than not at all" pretty good advice if you think about it ;)

Going out with others and taking constructive criticism is always good too. I've learnt more by letting somebody pick apart my riding and then turning the negatives into positives.

Re: tips for after accident
 

I just noticed your location. I'm just down the road in Bradford-On-Avon. Sure we can meet up and go for a ride. :)

After losing the front going round a bend which resulted in a rather heavy accident (see my signature) I lost all confidence and that was after riding motorcycles for a years and years. My confidence was so lacking I actually had a very near miss with a lamp post on a grass verge next to a roundabout quite simply because I did not trust myself to go round it even though my Gran (rest in peace) could have made it round and she has never been on a bike. After that incident I gave myself a massive virtual kick up the rear, a good talking too, and set about getting my confidence back again. Riding is the only way confidence builds. In my situation I already knew what I was doing so just had to build confidence in my own ability again. In yours, maybe some added tuition would be useful. Whether that be professional instruction or out with people who simply know how to ride. If you ever fancy popping round, please feel free. Send me a PM for my address. :)

Have fun.

Re: tips for after accident
 

Just take it steady and your confidence will return, it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you ride at a pace you are happy with. You could always get some advanced tuition as well, IAM or Rospa will help loads.

Daryl.

Re: tips for after accident
 

thanks for all the comments guys,

and stig i will probable take you up on your offer, are your registered on wiltshire bikers forum?

Re: tips for after accident
 

Only moved here about a month or so ago. But this forum takes up enough of my time. :)

Re: tips for after accident
 

Better to arrive 30 seconds late in this world than 30 years early into the next.

Re: tips for after accident
 

I had a similar incident last year, leading to a claim for a write-off (bike flipped and therefore cosmetic damage to panels etc on both sides - insurance co preferred to buy me a new one instead of replacing parts).

More training (BikeSafe, Rapid Training) and riding out one-on-one with some bike copper friends helped me regain my confidence slowly but surely. I found that the most steady way of improving was to focus on getting my positioning in corners right, no matter how slowly I was going. Gradually, speed will come without you even noticing.

Hope your mojo returns soon

Jo

Re: tips for after accident
 

I totally think you should go do a track day. As i have put in many many threads before, i am a great supporter of trackdays for buildiong up confidence. It did me the world of good. Give you a chance to get to know your bike with out cars pulling out on you!!

If you are worried about your own bike, you can get trackday insurance (not worth it IMO) or you can hire a bike.

Where are you based?

Edit: seen where you are. There are a group of us that hire a track near us, no pressure, no stupid sunday warriors, just people learning to ride better. You are more than welcom to join us. There is a wealth of knowledge in the group and we will be able to sort out you getting there etc. PM me if you are interested

Re: tips for after accident
 

It took me a long time to get confidence back after I came off, but it does come eventually. Just ride and concentrate on being relaxed on the bike - if you stiffen up because you're afraid, then your inputs will be jerky and you'll fight the bike round corners. Go as slow as you want, but as Tim says, being relaxed, smooth and anticipating everything is the key. Speed will come.

Re: tips for after accident
 

rai - pm'd

and thanks again for all the comments,

i understand how being relaxed will help :)

Re: tips for after accident
 

As others have said - do a trackday - on your own bike. My cornering confidence increased an enormous amount when I did this.

It also stopped me from going splat in France some time later... I'd gone into a corner way too fast and thought "agh - my bike can't lean this much" - and then (very quickly) drew on my experience from Brands Hatch and thought "just keep on the throttle, and leaning, I leaned further over than this at Brands on this bike" - and I just managed to save myself from bottling it and closing the throttle / grabbing the brake.

Of course, my main lesson from this was about corner entry speed - but I also knew that my bike was more capable than me.

You don't have to push yourself, or "find yours or your bike's limits" on a trackday; it's absolutely not a race. It's about increasing your confidence in your ability and improving your technique in a safe environment. If you ride with your head and not your balls, then there's no reason why you're more likely to bin your bike, and yourself, on a trackday than you are during normal road riding.

And I think this would be a very good idea. Si's nice.

Re: tips for after accident
 

I think my main concern was that my instructer used to race to the bike that I had I.e same model,

and he said that I will bottle before the bike does and that he had to get shorter footpegs and a new engine case cover thing because of the scrapes he used to get from getting so low in the corners,

so I had conplete trust in the bike, maybe I throttles too much coming out of the bend,

I guess I'll never know lol

Re: tips for after accident
 

Maybe, or maybe something on the road reduced the available grip. Just start slowly, focusing on position and looking through the corner, and let speed take care of itself.

Happy riding! :riding: