Over-coming survival instincts;

[Misti]

I've been in situations where I've started to target fixate and then pulled my gaze away from the object and looked to where I wanted to go. Plus I've had situations where I've started to tense up (like in a tank slapper) and then forced myself to relax.

 

Misti, reading your description, it doesn't sound like those situations involved survival insticts/reactions. A good response was critical to your immediate future so, in a sense, your reactions ensured your survival. But your training and experience delayed the point at which reactionary self-preservation kicks in. That's a good thing in the middle of a tank slapper.

 

I remember one time riding in the mountains on an unfamiliar road. I had just passed a few people and came up on a right-hand sweeper. My entry speed was beyond my comfort level, but I couldn't brake without jamming everybody up and the "runoff" to the left was open sky. I knew that I didn't want to go over the cliff, so I decided to trust my tires and make the turn. It could have been a panic situation but it wasn't. Tensing up would have been Very Bad Indeed. Instead, I looked through the turn and carried the sort of lean angle that sportbikes are designed for but for which I am not.

 

To get to your question, in general, my biggest riding worry is not having enough space/time to stop for something unexpected. I manage this by riding at a moderate pace -- very moderate compared to some here. If I were more devoted to developing my braking technique, I could probably extend that comfort zone.

 

It seems to me that most of these survival reactions kick in after that "oh Sh*t I'm going too fast feeling. Most of the comments have to do with the sense of "speed." It would be pretty cool if we never felt like we were going too fast. The SR that I seem to fight with the most is Tightening up on the bars, I do it when I feel I'm in too hot, when I see gravel on the road, when I go over bumps in the pavement and my immediate reaction is to get stiff on the bars....then I force myself to relax. I'm not sure Mad Max how my explanation of the tank slapper is any different than your example. You said that I was able to react quickly enough for the SR not to kick in but I don't think that is the case. I tensed up which caused the bike to slap violently in the first place, once I realized this I was able to let off (this comes from training for sure)....

 

It's tough to fight the initial reaction and with time I think the reaction time gets better and better....

 

I hope that makes sense, I'm tired and at the airport AGAIN!

 

Cherio,

Misti

[T__]

For you guys that tighten up in a turn that you perceive you are entering too fast just get your eyes & focus back way out in front of you again (force yourself to) .. The sense of speed always increases as you move your focus point closer to the bike.. If you can get your focus out front again the sense of speed slows way down & you gain the ability to have the bike naturally want to go to where you are focusing (way out front).. If you bring your focus & attention to back just in front of the front wheel you reach that spot on the road way before you can even react to it.. Don’t fixate on that road side or the first part of the curve (it’s already too late to do anything there).. Look way though the curve & everything will slow down & the bike will lay right over & go there.. Practice that EVERY DAY until it’s first instinct..

 

Twisty