Practice may not make perfect, but...

[zbassman]

So lately I've been struggling with this recurring fear of going to the right. Nothing else, just going to the right. It had got bad enough that last week I was thinking maybe it was time to put the RT in mothballs. I talked to my wife about it and as usual she was far wiser and more insightful than I will ever be.

 

I told her I was experiencing moments of fear while riding and thought maybe I'd better give it up. She said four simple words "Fear is not your way". Okay, that was five words. But she was right. I try not to let irrational fear dictate what I will or won't do. My fear of going to the right is obviously irrational since I've done it before and about every other rider out there does it successfully.

 

So, I started re-reading one of my motorcycle riding books, Sport Riding Techniques by Nick Ienatsch. After reading the first couple of chapters I had some insights in to some things I wasn't doing and some things I was doing wrong.

 

So Saturday I geared up and hit the streets to practic, practice, practice. I went out to a nearby stretch of road that has little traffic and started practicing the basics; Quick stops from 40-60 mph. Then I practiced some u-turns. Then went to a section of road that's got some decent twists and just went through those twists over and over again concentrating on keeping my eyes moving, picking my path, and being smooth. That's all. After a half hour or so of this I was hitting those turns at a much better speed and more comfortably. I know I am still starting the turns slower than I need to by about 20 mph, but by the end I was at least hitting the first turn in (a righty)at almost the speed limit.

 

I've been back in to riding for only about 4 years now and have put in about 50,000 miles in those 4 years. So, I know I still have a LOT to learn before I get to what I would consider being a good rider.

 

But this weekend taught me one thing. There is a huge difference between riding and practicing and if I want to really enjoy the former I have to keep doing the latter.

 

Practice may not make perfect, but it makes for a better, more enjoyable ride.

[Knifemaker]

Keep on plugging away at it and practice lends itself to understanding...Truth be known we all have a little fear/respect for this sport of motorcycling if we don't bad things could happen.

 

Like your music... stay within your rythem and adjust your timing accordingly.

[swilson]

Absolutely... keep up the good work.

 

I ride 40-hours a week plus commuting time... and sometimes get to ride on the weekend too. Even with all that seat time it still pays off to occasionally hit the parking lot and work on the basics.

[Horse]

Practice may not make perfect, but it makes for a better, more enjoyable ride.

 

Practice makes permanent - so practice the perfect!

 

- Hopefully, what you were doing after re-reading the book.

[cruisin]

When I taught summer tennis camps many years ago, we tried to instill this thought into the kids heads, "practice does not make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect." I think the same thing can be applied to just about any sport or activity. Some of the kids got it -- some didn't. Once in a great while now, I have guys in their mid-40s coming up to me and saying thanks for teaching them that in the summer 1976. Most of the time I have to ask them who they are because they look a whole lot different at 45 than they did when they were 12 and 13.

[Misti]

This is a really good point and I think it illustrates that simply RIDING is not the same as taking a focussed approach to PRACTICING certain techniques. I had this debate on another forum where we talked about whether or not track days were used for good practice or just riding experience.

 

Sometimes I just ride and don't really focus on anything in particular. Even though that adds to my seat time and seat time itself is a kind of practice, it is not as focussed and specific as going out and doing drills specific to certain techniques like you did.

 

Were you able to figure out what was holding you from feeling comfortable going to the right? Was it something you were doing, or not doing?

 

Cherio,

Misti

[zbassman]

This is a really good point and I think it illustrates that simply RIDING is not the same as taking a focussed approach to PRACTICING certain techniques. I had this debate on another forum where we talked about whether or not track days were used for good practice or just riding experience.

 

Sometimes I just ride and don't really focus on anything in particular. Even though that adds to my seat time and seat time itself is a kind of practice, it is not as focussed and specific as going out and doing drills specific to certain techniques like you did.

 

Were you able to figure out what was holding you from feeling comfortable going to the right? Was it something you were doing, or not doing?

 

Cherio,

Misti

 

I haven't quite conquered it, but its getting better. I think its two things. 1) I think I was using too much psi in the tires. I'm a big guy and had basically set the bike up for two-up riding. But I tried lowering the psi back down to what bmw recommends. 2) My body position going to the right is different than going to the left. Going to the left I just naturally sort of roll my weight over to my left hip, put pressure on the left peg, press my right leg against the bike and "kiss the mirrors". But going to the right I tend not to put my weight on my right hip, don't use my left leg against the bike, and don't kiss those mirrrors. I'm basically trying to turn the bike while sitting more or less upright. I have to make a conscious effort to get everything lined up right.

 

I have no idea WHY I have this difference. But now that I've identified it I have something to work with.

[Quinn]

 

I haven't quite conquered it, but its getting better. I think its two things. 1) I think I was using too much psi in the tires. I'm a big guy and had basically set the bike up for two-up riding. But I tried lowering the psi back down to what bmw recommends. 2) My body position going to the right is different than going to the left. Going to the left I just naturally sort of roll my weight over to my left hip, put pressure on the left peg, press my right leg against the bike and "kiss the mirrors". But going to the right I tend not to put my weight on my right hip, don't use my left leg against the bike, and don't kiss those mirrrors. I'm basically trying to turn the bike while sitting more or less upright. I have to make a conscious effort to get everything lined up right.

 

I have no idea WHY I have this difference. But now that I've identified it I have something to work with.

 

I may be way off base, but could it be that you're not keeping your eyes level? Try purposely cocking your head and then leaning your body to match the receprocal.

[zbassman]

 

I may be way off base, but could it be that you're not keeping your eyes level? Try purposely cocking your head and then leaning your body to match the receprocal.

 

That could be. I'll have to pay attention to my head position next time I ride. I think I also don't focus my eyes far enough through right hand turns. I tend to focus to close to my position instead of looking through the turn.

[Misti]

 

I may be way off base, but could it be that you're not keeping your eyes level? Try purposely cocking your head and then leaning your body to match the receprocal.

 

A lot of people have a harder time turning right, myself included because of the fact that the throttle is on the right hand side. Getting lower down or putting your body over to the right can make some people afraid that they won't be able to control the throttle as well. A good way of getting by this is to think about leading with your shoulders. For a right hand turn, try to drop your shoulder into the turn, almost lead with it. See if that gets your body to respond.

 

Also a good point about visual skills. Brings us back to the question of what should you be looking at when going around a turn. Do you just want to be looking as far ahead as possible or do you want to have something to focus on?

 

Let me know if any of this helps

 

misti

 

That could be. I'll have to pay attention to my head position next time I ride. I think I also don't focus my eyes far enough through right hand turns. I tend to focus to close to my position instead of looking through the turn.

[russell_bynum]

<hijack>

Misti,

Congrats on your performance at Daytona!

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[Misti]

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Misti,

Congrats on your performance at Daytona!

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YAY! Thanks so much Crazy Crazy Crazy track that is

 

Cheers

Misti