Mental Motorcycling, what

[BanjoBoy]

I’ve been watching this thing on the tube about the history of Rush. Niel Peart (One of the greatest drummers ever to grace this planet) often rides his rides his GS from gig to gig. It seems a lot of riders I know are musicians, & musicians I know ride.

I too play the drums every morning, (Though not like Niel!) and I think that mental stimuli really helps exercise my little brain before I go out riding.

What do y’all do before riding? Anything?

 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

I remind myself "it isn't how well you ride, it's how you look".

 

Seriously? Not much before I get on.

Once on, I make sure the first move I do on the bike has proper head and eyes. Usually the second is a balance stop at the stop sign a hundred feet away....or attempt thereof. If I can't crank off a good balance stop, I actually pay a tiny bit more attention to form and technique.

 

 

[upflying]

Could be something to musicians and motorcycles. Come to think of it, any profession that uses extremities independently probably make good motorcyclists. Pilots and heavy equipment operators are some that come to mind.

I prepare myself for riding by mentally preparing for it. Kind of a personal pre-flight check list. Feeling well, no drugs or alcohol, no emotional issues, hunger and thirst checked, drained personal holding tanks, route planning, time in route, weather, destination, load, purpose of trip, trip necessity, condition of motorcycle, parking concerns, security, objects to bring etc.

A well prepared ride means little or no stress..important to me.

[Quinn]

I go pee one more time.

 

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[MAT2CHI]

I practice spinning my sticks before I ride - loosens up my fingers for the clutch and brake levers.

[Shaman97]

Sometimes, knowing you don't 'have it' on a particular ride is helpful.

 

Since going to the California Superbike School, I pick one skill to improve upon (though they all need work). Whether it's throttle control, or picking my turning points, I try to go over in my mind what I'll be doing differently than the last time I rode.

 

If it helps at all, it actually made me cut a ride short because I wasn't paying close enough attention to what I was doing. Almost went off the road due to not 'watching where I should be going'.

 

For me, it's the theory of 'continuous improvement' that guides me before riding.

 

 

 

 

[Skywagon]

I preflight the bike first ride of the day. I take my time getting atgatt just right. Gear on, er6i just right, get on, get comfy, ride away.

[CoarsegoldKid]

I go pee one more time.

 

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come to think about it and if I'm home then I kiss the wife goodbye

[Indy Dave]

Neil and the boys were in fine form last night in Columbus.

 

If I'm tooling around town, I don't do much - except as another posted, if my first stop and turn are not spot on, I (re)think what I'm doing and how. On any other kind of ride - pleasure, county cruise, trip - I go over a check list I have posted in my garage - the last point being that the objective is to able to ride again tomorrow. I find that thought goes through my head often as I begin to 'work' on various curves - and I find it allows me to go easy in search of the perfect line, not necessarily the fastest line.

[ka5ysy]

 

On leaving the driveway I do a figure eight to warm up slow speed maneuvers, then I have two fire plug markers that I do swerves around left and right, then a quick stop in a right 90 degree sweeper, then a quick stop straight ahead at the stop sign. After that, into the combat zone..

 

I always assume I am flying a combat mission and everybody is out to kill me. Keeps the head spinning around for situational awareness.

 

And I have fun with a clear mind!

 

[Whip]

What do y’all do before riding? Anything?

 

I like to watch Rossi passing Stoner in the dirt at Laguna Seca.

 

 

[elkroeger]

I stop and visualize myself tumbling down the freeway, helmet screeching against the pavement, collar bone broken, my knees busted around backwards, and a pickup barreling down on top of me.

 

Really. It keeps me scairt and paying attention.

[KTsRidin]

While putting on ATGATT I have the internal checklist of making sure my head's in the game, then I start the bike, listening for how she sounds and do a visual check around me before we move.

 

Like so others have said, I do a few "checks" to see where my skill set is (i.e., balanced stops, tight-slow turns from stops, etc.) that way I psych myself up and keep my "rider ego" in check... that is, I remind myself that even if I'm feeling good, there's someone else on the road who might not be and I need to be situationally aware.

 

During the Iron Butt 5000 I was reminded just how much mental attitude has to do with your riding.