Imwarner73 - learning to ride

[lmwarner73]

I am a new rider. Been riding for about a month now. I went to the MSP class and passed. I parked my bike in the tree there but they passed me anyhow. I try to practice everyday but feel like I am getting no where fast. I know the things I learned in class but feel like I am relearning them all over every day. I dont feel like I am making much progress. Zanna has been helping me and doing a wonderful job. I am just so frustrated. I want to throw the keys and walk away sometimes. I often wonder if I am ever going to get this. I have been riding around our trailer court, but I am getting bored there, and am not good enough to go out on the street. GRRRRR.

[ImaSoftT]

Im73, I have a feeling you are doing better than you give yourself credit for. You would not have passed the MSF class if you didn't have a basics. Now all you have to do is believe in yourself enough to get to the next step. You have mentioned that you get frustrated when you don't pick something up right away, but it seems to me like you have picked it up YOU PASSED THE COURSE!!! You may not be ready to give Evel Knievel a run for his money but you do know how to RIDE A BIKE. You just need to polish up what you already know and get comfortable with it. You also mentioned something about a trial by fire, now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying go out on I-94 and blast down the highway at 70mph, but maybe what you need is a nice little country road (and I'm pretty sure North Dakota has one or two of those) where you and Zanna could go just to ride. Not lessons, no turns and not a lot clutching, just a nice ride so you can feel the wind in your face. Whatever it takes to get you past this place you seem to be in, where you want to throw the keys away. You sound like a pretty smart girl and one that doesn't give up easily, so just try to think about new ways to help you overcome your newbieness (if that's not a real word it ought to be). Please don't give up until you are sure that riding is just not for you, after all Zanna said it herself, she needs a RIDING BUDDY, so give it a all you've got. Believe me it will be worth it.

[adelgadorey]

lm73, if they passed you, then you know a lot more than I probably do! I got kicked out of the BRC within a couple of hours! And that was two months ago. I have a lot more to learn than you. You know what's been helping me? picking out one thing that I'm okay at, and after every mistake, I go back and do that thing. That gives me enough confidence to try again :) I'm sure you're doing a lot better than you think!!! Don't give up, it gets so fun sometimes! But yeah, it gets frustrating for me too. I try to focus on the nice bits to get me through the nasty ones. I just have to hope that there will be more and more of the nice and less and less of the nasty :D

[Luna Tique]

I think getting out out for a spin around the block may be what you need to blow the cobwebs off. Then hit the parking lot for practice.

For the record: :D: Expecting to be proficient at riding in a few minutes is not going to happen. It takes lots of practice and commitment.

As a seasoned rider I can honestly say riding a motorcycle will continue to be a learning experience for life. That means every time you turn the key the cards will be shuffled and you WILL be dealt new challenges..so learning and mastering those life saving manuvers in the lot is critical to street survival.

[lecruz]

lm73, if they passed you, then you know a lot more than I probably do! I got kicked out of the BRC within a couple of hours! And that was two months ago. I have a lot more to learn than you. You know what's been helping me? picking out one thing that I'm okay at, and after every mistake, I go back and do that thing. That gives me enough confidence to try again :) I'm sure you're doing a lot better than you think!!! Don't give up, it gets so fun sometimes! But yeah, it gets frustrating for me too. I try to focus on the nice bits to get me through the nasty ones. I just have to hope that there will be more and more of the nice and less and less of the nasty :D

Hey I do that too, and yes it totally helps! I tend to beat myself up for little mistakes I make. To get my confidence again, I go back to what I know and then I feel better. I have to remind myself of the things I AM doing right. IM73, I bet you ARE doing a lot of things right. Baby steps are the way to go! Keep at it!

[lmwarner73]

I took some advice and am taking a couple days off. There has been alot going on in my life and I feel that that is part of the problem with my riding. I finally got a job today which will help with the self-esteem part I think. I actually feel like I can do it today. It is really too hot out today to try and ride so I am going to give it another day before I hop on. Take some time to reflect on what skills I know and what I need to work on. So far after a day off I feel like some of the pressure is off. Thank you all for the advice and the constant encouragement. It means alot to know I am not in this alone. And Zanna is a great teacher which helps tons too.

[Unforgiven]

I think one thing that people fail to realize is that when they first learn to ride and are doing the parking lot skills, that is actually the most difficult part of riding as you are going slow which is more difficult than being up to speed. More difficult in the way that the bike is harder to control, balance and just keep upright. However, these skills are critical to becoming a good rider and important to learn in a safe environment.

When you hit the street, the first thing you will notice is that the bike now becomes much more friendly in that it holds itself up easier and appears to be riding itself. Don't confuse 'easier' with 'safer' as now you have the dangers of the road to deal with and idiots. But from strictly a riding perspective, the bike is actually riding itself now. With speed, you add stability you get from the gyroscopic affect of the wheels turning that you don't have at slow speeds. The faster you go, the more stable the bike until you can actually hit the other end of the spectrum where the bike becomes so stable it is now hard to turn and you have to add more countersteer pressure and body lean.

Take the two extremes of what I'm talking about. If I sit on my track bike and with the bike sitting still, I lift my feet of the ground and place them on the pegs. I can only balance the bike for a few seconds. The bike is doing nothing to help me and it starts to fall over. Now I take the same trackbike on the backstretch of JenningsGP at 150+MPH through the two kinks. At that speed the bike is so stable it does not want to turn at all. I have to lean off the bike to one side and almost muscle the bike to make it turn.

I hope what I'm trying to say makes sense. The one thing I am not saying is to get out and ride the street because it is will make it easier. Not at all. What I'm trying to say is that you must put in the parking lot time to learn the fundamentals of riding that are clutch and throttle control, braking, starting and stopping and slow turns. While learning these skills, the bike itself is going to be much harder to control because it offers zero help in supporting itself. Then when you have the basic skills down and hit the road, it almost seems too easy because the bike is now holding itself up with the addition of speed.

[lmwarner73]

Unforgiven, I completely understand what you are saying however we live around alot of busy streets. Zanna is afraid that if I get on them right now and go that I will get hurt. My turning skills still need alot of work. I am stopping and starting better now and my foot does not get stuck in the gear shifter as much as it used to. I still turn to wide around here and that may be because I dont go over 15 mph while I am riding....no straightaways for me to go any faster. She is afraid I am going to look straight at an oncoming car and head right for it as I dont like to turn my head when I am riding. I get my helmet on and it seems like I freeze and cant manage to turn my head. I wear a full face helmet and maybe need to get something different. I feel like an astronaut in that thing. Some times I feel like I cant see anything in my periferals and that makes me nervous, am afraid if I turn my head I wont be able to see what is ahead of me. To be honest with you I dont like wearing it but know I have to. Anyhow the other day I crossed a busy street to get to the other trailer court to get a change of scenery... there was no traffic on the road at the time or rather little traffic so I was able to cross without being hit which made me feel good. The change of scenery was good. There were more turns and stops over there than there are in our court. Also new people to ride in front of instead of the ones who now wave at me when I ride around here. Sometimes I wonder when the ones around here are going to start waving flags to tell me I am on my last lap.
Zanna says it maybe all summer before I hit the street which is fine with her though she would like it if I was able to ride with her out in the real world, maybe next year will have to see. I got nothing but time.She realizes it takes time to "grow" your own riding buddy as she would put it. She asked me the other day if I could ride a bicycle. I told her that I could but no one taught me. I was in the 3rd grade before my training wheels came off and that was because they were so bent that I was essentially riding on my own anyhow. Sometimes I wish my motorcycle had training wheels as I think it would be easier for me to learn.... I hear that they make those but I would feel rather silly with them on. One step at a time I guess just glad she is there to "pick me up when I fall" and " dust me off" when I fail.

[ridingAK]

I get my helmet on and it seems like I freeze and cant manage to turn my head. I wear a full face helmet and maybe need to get something different. I feel like an astronaut in that thing. Some times I feel like I cant see anything in my periferals and that makes me nervous, am afraid if I turn my head I wont be able to see what is ahead of me. To be honest with you I dont like wearing it but know I have to.

PLEASE do not give up a full face helmet for one with less protection! You need to learn to turn your head. Getting a less safe helmet may make you feel as if you are seeing more, but it is an illusion at best. Lack of peripheral vision is an argument I have heard people make for wearing beanies, but I will put the peripheral awareness of any good rider up against their peripheral awareness and be confident that a person who knows how to turn their head to scan their surroundings will be safer.

It may be that the helmet you are wearing isn't the best helmet for you, but before giving up on full face helmets entirely, please try a few different styles.

Nut is on his third helmet in five years, and has finally found one that fits him well and that he feels comfortable wearing. It may require some time walking around a motorcycle shop feeling goofy for wearing a helmet inside, but you really can't get a feel for how the helmet fits and how well you can see until you wear it more than a few minutes. Walking around a shop will also force you to turn your head to see where you are going and help get you comfortable with the idea without the added pressure of controlling the bike.

[Unforgiven]

PLEASE do not give up a full face helmet for one with less protection! You need to learn to turn your head. Getting a less safe helmet may make you feel as if you are seeing more, but it is an illusion at best. Lack of peripheral vision is an argument I have heard people make for wearing beanies, but I will put the peripheral awareness of any good rider up against their peripheral awareness and be confident that a person who knows how to turn their head to scan their surroundings will be safer.

It may be that the helmet you are wearing isn't the best helmet for you, but before giving up on full face helmets entirely, please try a few different styles.

Nut is on his third helmet in five years, and has finally found one that fits him well and that he feels comfortable wearing. It may require some time walking around a motorcycle shop feeling goofy for wearing a helmet inside, but you really can't get a feel for how the helmet fits and how well you can see until you wear it more than a few minutes. Walking around a shop will also force you to turn your head to see where you are going and help get you comfortable with the idea without the added pressure of controlling the bike.

+1000! Don't give up on a full faced helmet. If you need any further convincing, here are the crash zone statistics from the H.U.R.T. Report. Notice that 34.6% of impacts are to the full face part of the helmet. Guess what takes the impact if your helmet doesn't have that part? Like RAK said, try different helmets. Some have a wider range of view than others.

http://dontai.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/helmetcrashdiagram.gif

[lmwarner73]

Ok I get that a full face helmet is what I should be wearing and will wear one but I get chlostrophobic ( I know my spelling has something to be desired). It is just something I have to get used to. Zanna suggested I wear it around the house to get used to it. Which I will. Just something as a new rider I have to get used to. Still too hot and humid today to get out and practice maybe tonight it will be better. Had a big weight lifted off my shoulders and mind and now feel more confident and prepared to concentrate on riding. Just too much going on I guess to give it my all. I am ready to get back on and practice more effectively. Sometimes I wish I would have learned to ride a little more before I took the class as I think this would all be a little easier for me. Or at least make a little more sense. Feel like I am starting from square one sometimes. But I will wear my full face helmet and learn to like it.

[Luna Tique]

attagirl :thumbsup::pompom:

[lmwarner73]

So taking a few days off did wonders. I went out yesterday after work and it was wonderful. I am still not out of the trailer court but it was like everything clicked last night. I was able to stop like I should be, my foot didnt get stuck in the gear shifter, and I was making tight corners. Felt good to finally be doing it right. Now I hope it lasts. I think maybe this weekend Zanna and I will try to venture out into the street for a short ride if all still is going well. I am not going to push it but am feeling more confident than i have been feeling. Time will tell.

[ImaSoftT]

:pompom: Don't you just love it when a plan comes together. You are doing great :pompom:.

[adelgadorey]

YAY!!! You are so awesome! It made my day to read this, I'm sidelined till my knee can bear weight again but it's so good to read about other beginners "clicking" and doing great :) I'm terrified that taking a week off is going to ruin all my progress and somehow this makes me a scared wimp but this just made me so happy. I'll be that much more excited to ride again and maybe things will click for me too! Thank you for sharing!:ecstasy:

[ImaSoftT]

I'm sidelined till my knee can bear weight again

Adel sorry to hear your mishap has put you out of commission. Are you on cruches and if so how long do they think you will have to stay off the knee?

[lmwarner73]

Adel, sorry to hear you cant ride. I dont know if taking time off is for everyone but it did me some good. I was having alot of troubles and just needed to step away for a little bit. I had too much going on in my mind to concentrate on my riding and it showed. I just needed to clear my mind and make up my mind that I can do this. I had to convince myself that I dont need to be scared. That it would all be ok. I needed to trust myself. Now we are having bad weather so Zanna and I are going to have to postpone our ride which makes me sad. Been a long week and I sure could use the ride about now. I hope you heal quickly and are back at it soon..... dont worry I dont think you will forget a thing.

[lmwarner73]

Ok so it happened. Zanna took me out of the trailer court and onto the street. It was a short ride but I didnt run into anything and I didnt get killed, it was a good ride. Now I am ready for more. Baby steps she says. But at least I did it. It will still be a while before I go out on my own I still feel the need for her to babysit me.I feel safer knowing she is behind me in case something should happen.

[adelgadorey]

Adel sorry to hear your mishap has put you out of commission. Are you on cruches and if so how long do they think you will have to stay off the knee?

Not on crutches (yet, anyway) but I set up an appt with a doctor on Tuesday. Knee's feeling a little better so I'm hoping on Monday I might be able to take the Twinstar out for a little spin and get my confidence back a bit :)

YAY IM73 congrats on your first street outing! So happy it went well and you had a good time :)

[ImaSoftT]

:clapping: I73 it is good to hear you got out there and kinda enjoyed it. Those baby steps will start to get bigger and bigger and soon you will be really have fun.

Adel hope all goes well at the MD's, please don't over do it. Better to take an extra day or two off than to have trouble with the knee for the rest of your life. Got my fingers crossed for you.

[Luna Tique]

:clapping: I73 it is good to hear you got out there and kinda enjoyed it. Those baby steps will start to get bigger and bigger and soon you will be really have fun.

Adel hope all goes well at the MD's, please don't over do it. Better to take an extra day or two off than to have trouble with the knee for the rest of your life. Got my fingers crossed for you.


:iagree:

[lmwarner73]

So things are going pretty well. I am out on the street more. Still a bit nervous but that is to be expected I think. Parts of me wants to go out on the highway and go faster but the other part of me wants to play it safe at 35mph. I just have to remind myself baby steps. I think I am ready to go out without Zanna and am going to try....out of my comfort zone but it has to happen eventually. I wait until the evening traffic has slowed down a bit before I even think of going out which is annoying because by the time the traffic goes down around here it is getting pretty late and I am so not comfortable with night driving yet.

[ImaSoftT]

Im73, you are doing way to well to take any unnecessary chances. It's so much better to take the WEE little baby steps and stay safe than to take one 'sorta' big step and get hurt. IMHO 35mph is plenty fast enough until you are really comfortable with all your skills. I think you are very brave to want to go out without Zanna but just be very careful that you don't get yourself in a situation that you are not ready for. And if you do find your self out after dark, remember you are invisible so you have to be on super high alert. So you listen to your elders now (hum hum, that would be me) and keep to the quite street for a little while longer. We are all so very proud of your progress, you are soon going to be one heck of a good rider.

[phoenix63]

Im73, you are doing way to well to take any unnecessary chances. It's so much better to take the WEE little baby steps and stay safe than to take one 'sorta' big step and get hurt. IMHO 35mph is plenty fast enough until you are really comfortable with all your skills. I think you are very brave to want to go out without Zanna but just be very careful that you don't get yourself in a situation that you are not ready for. And if you do find your self out after dark, remember you are invisible so you have to be on super high alert. So you listen to your elders now (hum hum, that would be me) and keep to the quite street for a little while longer. We are all so very proud of your progress, you are soon going to be one heck of a good rider.

+1 on IST's comment... she is a sage!! Baby steps, So you don't get into a situation you're not ready for... like a twisty road with a ditch next to it... and wind up with a broken finger (like me).

[zukilady]

+2!

[lmwarner73]

Ok so I went out on my own for the first time tonight. I got about a quarter of a mile from home and ran out of gas! Took me a while to find my reserve tank, took it to the gas station, took off the gas cap.....now you have to understand I have never put gas in it Zanna has always done it....well she had to come to my rescue because I couldnt get the damn gas cap back on. Stranded at the gas station I was. After finally getting it back on I questioned even going riding tonight. I decided to go for a short ride anyhow. Went a couple miles then turned around and came home. I wanted to keep going to what we call "River Road" it is a twisty curvy road that is like 35mph. I ride on the back of Zanna's bike on it all the time but want to try it myself. Tonight I didnt have the courage to do it myself but Zanna said maybe tomorrow she will take me there. Dont know if I am ready to go that one alone yet.

[ImaSoftT]

http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/images/smilies/TwoThumbs%20Up.gif You have made your maiden ride, even if there were a few bumps along the way but you made it out there on your own and you made it home safe and sound, so it counts. One thing about bikes, we don't get the 300+ miles that some of our cars get on a tank of gas, but at least you now know how far you can go before needing the reserve tank, so this lesson will come in handy later on when you are out of town cruising around.

Don't beat yourself up about opting not the ride the twisties on your own just yet, they will still be there when you are ready. http://smileys.emoticonsonly.com/emoticons/y/youve_got_to_believe-505.gif that it will be worth the wait.

[Cyclone67]

Ok so I went out on my own for the first time tonight. I got about a quarter of a mile from home and ran out of gas! Took me a while to find my reserve tank, took it to the gas station, took off the gas cap.....now you have to understand I have never put gas in it Zanna has always done it....well she had to come to my rescue because I couldnt get the damn gas cap back on. Stranded at the gas station I was. After finally getting it back on I questioned even going riding tonight. I decided to go for a short ride anyhow. Went a couple miles then turned around and came home. I wanted to keep going to what we call "River Road" it is a twisty curvy road that is like 35mph. I ride on the back of Zanna's bike on it all the time but want to try it myself. Tonight I didnt have the courage to do it myself but Zanna said maybe tomorrow she will take me there. Dont know if I am ready to go that one alone yet.


You're getting there! You should get with Zanna and have her go over the bike with you. Have her show you how to check the fluids, how to get to your battery, how to adjust your clutch, ect ect. And don't feel bad about the gas cap -- I have seen a few guys trying to figure out how to get the Bonnie one off (you have to press and turn).

Also, while you're sitting on your bike, practice leaning down and turning the petcock to reserve. You need to be able to do it on the move, because eventually you'll be on the highway and you'll have to do it while travelling (stopping in the middle of the highway would be bad!). Just keep practicing so it is muscle memory.

You're doing good, and baby steps are fine!

[Luna Tique]

You're getting there! You should get with Zanna and have her go over the bike with you. Have her show you how to check the fluids, how to get to your battery, how to adjust your clutch, ect ect. And don't feel bad about the gas cap -- I have seen a few guys trying to figure out how to get the Bonnie one off (you have to press and turn).

Also, while you're sitting on your bike, practice leaning down and turning the petcock to reserve. You need to be able to do it on the move, because eventually you'll be on the highway and you'll have to do it while travelling (stopping in the middle of the highway would be bad!). Just keep practicing so it is muscle memory.

You're doing good, and baby steps are fine!

Excellent advise :thumbsup:
I can't tell you how many times I have had to make the switch over to reserve on the fly.

[lmwarner73]

Ok so here is what happened. I talked Zanna into taking me on "river Road" I think I did pretty well. I decided to go on to "Double Ditch" which is a 55mph straight road about 5 miles long. I was doing great and was impressed with myself. I was going way too fast when I came up on the turn off that we always take. So I slammed on my breaks....not seeing the car behind us. Zanna was able to correct and continue on, the car slowed enough not to hit either of us. But I almost got the both of us killed last night. To make matters worse on our way home I broke the gear shifter. A friend of ours saw us and helped us limp it to his mom's house where he found a bolt for us to use to get it home. The bike is now parked in the shed where it will stay. I told Zanna to just sell it. Am I ok? Physically but emotionally and mentally I am not. I cant believe I am so stupid. I almost got one of the most important people in my life killed last night. So you will probably not see any more posts from me for a long time. I am done riding. I hope you all have happy trails and wonderful rides. Maybe someday I will pick it back up again but I think it wont be for a very very long time. Until then Take Care everyone.

[ImaSoftT]

Sorry to hear that I73, but you have to do what you feel is best for you and your own safety. I hope you will reconsider and give riding another chance sometime in the future , but if not then I wish you the best.

[Cyclone67]

You're welcome around here -- riding or not!

[Astir]

I am shocked and saddened at your frustration. :hug2: As ImaSoftT said though, you have to do what is best for you. Perhaps after some more time off, you will feel differently. However, even if you choose not to return to motorcycling, you have it a great shot and you should be very proud of yourself!

And as Cyclone 67 said, you are welcome here riding or not. :thumbsup:

[Mache62]

As a newb myself I can totally understand your decision. I had an accident last week, I also misjudged a turn. I wasn't going anywhere near as fast as you were, however I did go down. On the ride to the hospital I was crying (yes, I admit it) and the paramedics though I was in pain. But the pain I felt was self doubt, did I fool myself thinking I could ride this beast of a machine? Are my loved ones just going to tell me "I told you so" and get rid of it? I didn't see my bike until a week later and this morning was the first time I took "that road" to work.
I know what I was worried I was going to feel when I saw my bike and what I was going to think when I was on that road again.
Give it some time, let your brain wrap around the events and what led you up to them. Then go look at your bike, you'll know whether you will try it again.
Good luck. :hug:

[lmwarner73]

Mache62, I am sorry to hear about your accident.I hope you are ok. I am also frustrated and have ALOT of self-doubt. I wonder the same things you do. Did I fool myself into thinking I could do this? My family does not know what happened and they wont because I dont want the "i told you so's". I am more upset that I almost got Zanna killed than anything. I can deal with the pain and stupidity of getting hurt myself but getting someone else hurt because of my mistakes is just unacceptable. All she was doing was keeping an eye on me and didnt know what I was doing. It took her by surprise and she was quick enough to think to keep going so the car didnt hit her..... which it came so close to doing. Not only did I almost wreck my best friend but almost wrecked her brand new harley ! I have let my brain wrap itself around the events all night and all day today. Been the only thing I can think about. Helped Zanna get the harley out tonight and saw my bike in the corner...told her I am not going to give up just going to have to take a little time away for a while. I am scared shitless right now and just dont know when I will be back on the road. Zanna and I discussed some things tonight and we decided that she needs to lead and I need to follow. I was leading last night and didnt do such a good job of it. Amazing how a split second can change how you look at things. I just cant get it out of my mind. all the what if's and i should have's. I dont know if I am more mad at myself or dissapointed in myself right now, I know better but was not thinking. Thank you all for your support. Maybe someday I will be back on the bike but I think it might be a little while before I get up the courage to ride again.

[VStar]

Whew! Scary ride and 'almost accident', I see that what might have happened to Zanna is causing you the most emotional pain. I think about that everytime I ride with some else, what if my inexperience causes me to do something stupid that gets them hurt? I don't know how I'd get ovedr that, it makes me more careful and watchful.
Take the time you need, don't ride, heal your mind and well being. But I have read every one of your posts, they're full of progress, setbacks, self understanding, happiness, frustration, determination, joy. Settle back, get this a little behind you.
Your first post caught me by surprise, it made me very sad that you are giving up on this dream, but just 5 hours later, there is a little less gloom in your outlook. Today is not the day to make any important decisions, the fear and stress doesn't leave a clear mind. In a few weeks or months, you may want to get back on those 2 wheels and keep at it, or maybe you won't. We are a small community in the M/C world, we need to take care of ourselves and each other, I would be very sad if you decided not to ride but know that you will make a right choice for yourself.
Please don't stay away from TWF, we still want you here, riding or not.

[Luna Tique]

Not everyone that swings a leg over the saddle are meant to be a rider.

Riding and or giving it up is a personal decision.
Noone can say you didn't give it your best.:hug2:

Maybe someday down the road you will want give it another try.

Like SoftT and Astir said you are still welcome here riding or not.

[Dualsport Chic]

Glad to hear you're hanging in there and considering riding in the future IW73 - take your time - there is rush, race to get proficient - it's all about when you feel comfortable.

Whatever you do decide, to echo the many wonderfully supportive folks on this thread, please know you are always welcome here - riding or not - this forum is designed to be a support to women who are stiving to reach beyond their former boundries towards a more self actualized state, while expanding their support network - please utilize this group to the fullest, beit on or off the bike.

:hug2:

[bekefi1]

Everyone has said such eloquent things. Don't rush anything and definitely give yourself time to heal. I think the fear of hurting someone else is far worse than the fear of hurting ourselves.

I sure hope you stick around and continue to hang out with all of us - whatever your decision. :):

You've come a long way and accomplished some amazing things that you can be very proud of. How many women in this world can actually say that they've driven their own motorcycle? What an empowering statement! You'll know what the right decision is when the time is right.

[Mache62]

Mache62, I am sorry to hear about your accident.I hope you are ok. I am also frustrated and have ALOT of self-doubt. I wonder the same things you do. Did I fool myself into thinking I could do this? My family does not know what happened and they wont because I dont want the "i told you so's". I am more upset that I almost got Zanna killed than anything. I can deal with the pain and stupidity of getting hurt myself but getting someone else hurt because of my mistakes is just unacceptable. All she was doing was keeping an eye on me and didnt know what I was doing. It took her by surprise and she was quick enough to think to keep going so the car didnt hit her..... which it came so close to doing. Not only did I almost wreck my best friend but almost wrecked her brand new harley ! I have let my brain wrap itself around the events all night and all day today. Been the only thing I can think about. Helped Zanna get the harley out tonight and saw my bike in the corner...told her I am not going to give up just going to have to take a little time away for a while. I am scared shitless right now and just dont know when I will be back on the road. Zanna and I discussed some things tonight and we decided that she needs to lead and I need to follow. I was leading last night and didnt do such a good job of it. Amazing how a split second can change how you look at things. I just cant get it out of my mind. all the what if's and i should have's. I dont know if I am more mad at myself or dissapointed in myself right now, I know better but was not thinking. Thank you all for your support. Maybe someday I will be back on the bike but I think it might be a little while before I get up the courage to ride again.
Whenever I go out riding with my son and one of his friends, who is an experienced rider, they always put me either in the middle or in the back to follow. Thankfully Zanna is ok and you both learned something, she leads, you follow......take you time and just maybe not on the highways yet! :):

[lmwarner73]

Thank you all for the support and understanding. I have mellowed out over the last few days and really thought about what happened and how to prevent it from happening again. I will get back on the bike it just wont be for a while. First of all we need to get the gear shifter fixed as I broke that on our ride home that night. And second I just still need some time. Zanna is out on her first bike run and though I am jealous I hope she is having fun. Thank you again. Have a good one.

[ImaSoftT]

Glad to hear you're feeling a little bit better about everything I73. That age old saying about sleeping on it really works. Around here in TX we aren't riding much either. 100+ degrees does not make for comfortable riding. Can't wait for this heat wave to go back to hell where it came from. If you read Phoenix63's thread about healing after going down, you will have seen a lot of suggestions for things to do when you're not able to actually ride your bike. You might check some of them out, they may help you decide if or when you are ready to get back in the saddle.

[Cyclone67]

I'm glad your feeling better to. Get back on when you're ready. And don't worry -- gear shifter is an easy fix (and common). I dumped my bike when I was first riding and broke the gear shifter and the clutch -- I think I had my bike a total of 1 week! So don't feel bad. Just remember ride your own ride!

:kcd:

[Flight49]

Broke my clutch lever the 2nd day I had my new bike. You'll know when you're ready and you won't make the same mistake twice.

[lmwarner73]

There is a part of me that wants to go out and ride, but when I go and look at my bike sitting in the shed I get that funny feeling in my stomach and I have to walk away. Does that mean I am not ready? How will I know? Am I just being too big of a baby about this? Shouldn't I be over it by now? Like I said I want to ride but am scared to because I am afraid I will make a mistake again. I know that you will never know everything about riding and that it is a risk every time you get on. I need to ride it over to the dealership to get that bolt replaced and should have done it today as I had the day off but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Cant really ride without it though. GRRRRR. I just need to bite the bullet and do it I guess. Right now I feel like I am back at square one and dont know a damn thing about riding. But I am sure it will all come back to me once I am sitting on it again. Thought about riding it to work tomorrow as it is only about a 3 mile trip there. Will have to see how i feel about it in the morning. I told Zanna I was not going to give up. And I wont.

[Astir]

:hug2: I am apprehensive about you riding to work.

Perhaps a bit more parking lot (or around the trailer park), and practice what happened in a safe area so you can work through it and see that you can react properly? I think once you have had a bit to calm down and practice, you will feel a lot better about your skills.

[lmwarner73]

Zanna and I took that road tonight, I was on the back of her bike. It was a little weird but went ok. I looked for my bolt along the way and thought I saw it. Stopped along side the road to pick it up and well it was a white golf tee ! Guess I am going to have to bite the bullet and just go get one. I think this weekend if it is nice out we are going to go out for a ride and I will take my bike out. I think I am ready, I miss it. My boss told me today that if he quit every time he almost got into an accident or almost got hit he would have stopped riding a long time ago. Time to put my fears behind me and jump back on.

[Cyclone67]

:agreed:

Commuting is one of the more stressful rides -- you know how it is when you're late for work, grumpy, maybe drinking coffee, thinking about a meeting........ Save that for later. IMHO commuting to work is my most dangerous drive even though it is not that long.

Stick to the no traffic areas and get the low speed maneuvering down, turning from a stop, taking off from a stop, learn the friction zone, braking, ect before you start hitting the traffic areas.

Remember that everyone catches on at a different speed. Take your time; you will get there.

:pompom::thumbsup::kcd:

[lmwarner73]

Well we fixed my bike and took it out for a spin today. It was nice to be back on it today. Missed it more than I thought I did. Still was a little scary at first because it has been a while since I had been on it. Zanna is a good teacher and very patient with me. She pointed out all the good things today that I did and told me the things I need to work on also. There are alot of things I still need to work on but am getting better as the time goes by. I am going to take the course again in the spring after not riding all winter. I think we are going to go for a long ride next weekend if the weather holds. I need to blow the carbon out of it as I have not gone over 35mph in quite some time. It will be good for us to take a long ride anyhow as I have not been on one at all and I need to go. I am sorry to hear about your hubby too. Wish I had some advice for you but I am still such a new rider that I have nothing to offer. I learn every time I get on my bike and have a great partner who is always looking for the good that I do and encourages me as much as she can. Hope things get better for you. Dont stop riding though, I almost did and am so glad I made the decision to get back on.

[Mache62]

Nice. I'm so glad to hear you got back on. You'll be ok, just take your time. And something I'm learning too....after and hour or so I get tired and start to loose my focus. I don't know how people ride for so many hours at a time!

[VStar]

Im73, Glad to see you back, here and on the bike, I have missed you, and Zanna has been pretty quiet too. I'm sincerely happy that you took a deep breath and made the decision to climb back on, continuing to learn and ride, retaking the MSF again in the spring is a smart idea. Enjoy that longer trip next weekend, leave your timetable open and the agenda flexible, you don't want to put any more pressure on yourself than just the ride itself will. Ride Safe.

[ImaSoftT]

Dont stop riding though, I almost did and am so glad I made the decision to get back on.

http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/images/smilies/TwoThumbs%20Up.gif So am I Im73. You are going to be just fine, half the battle is the want to, and it sounds like you have that. Keep us posted on how it goes for you.

...after and hour or so I get tired and start to loose my focus. I don't know how people ride for so many hours at a time!

Mach when you are a new rider you expend more energy on thinking about what to do, how to do it, when to do it and if you should do it than you do on doing it. Once some of this stuff becomes second nature to you, you will racking up the miles and smiling all the way.

[lmwarner73]

Well I need to tell you all it finally happened. I dumped my bike. Zanna and I went for a ride and we were almost home. We took an S curve and it was sandy.I didnt down shift fast enough and headed for the sand on the road. I knew I was going to dump it so I aimed it to the softest part I could. Zanna said all she saw in her mirror was a flash of chrome and a poof of dirt. She jumped off her bike and walked really fast to see if I was ok. By the time she got to me I was up and sitting back on the bike after I lifted it back up. This poor lady driving by almost had a heart attack too because she stopped with a panicked look on her face asking me over and over if I was ok. I have some road rash on my arm but other than that nothing. I didnt even scratch the bike or break anything off. I think Zanna is more shook up about it than I am right now. It wont be the first or last time I dump it I am sure. But at least I was not going fast and it was on some nice sand and not directly on the pavement. I got lucky this time and I know it. Anyhow I got back on it and rode it home. Told Zanna I want to go back out tomorrow night but we will see how her nerves are first. I just feel safer knowing she is there in case something happens. I am just not ready to go out on my own right yet. I am sure it would be better on Zanna's nerves though sometimes. I sometimes wonder if she wonders what she got herself into.

[Mache62]

I am very glad to hear you are ok! ....and happy to hear that it didn't scare you off!

[ridingAK]

Road rash? I hope that doesn't mean you are still riding without gear!

[sweptwingnut]

...I have some road rash on my arm but other than that nothing.

How did you manage to get road rash on your arm?

Ok missy,,, I wasn't aware you were out there without protective gear. I can't recommend that you keep trying under those circumstances. Park the bike, buy youself a protective motorcycle jacket, a FULL face helmet, motorcycle gloves, motorcycle pants, and motorcycle boots before getting back on. If not for yourself, then at least for zanna's sake.

[Unforgiven]

Road rash? I hope that doesn't mean you are still riding without gear!

What she said.

http://www.imtorrents.com/images/smilies/Spank.gif

[Astir]

I cringed when you mentioned road rash. Please please wear protective gear - it is a LOT cheaper than hospital bills.

I admire you are ready to get out there and conquer. It sounds like you are improving and confidence is going up. I would like to suggest you and Zanna put yourself on the list for borrowing Proficient Motorcycling (http://www.twowheelfemales.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1069&highlight=proficient&page=9) - better yet buy it. Every time I open a chapter I learn something new, and I have been riding for quite a while.

We just don't want anything to happen to you :hug2: and the couple years is the most difficult and dangerous.

[zukilady]

Hey im73! I put mine down yesterday too! Mine was not the spill yours was. But I will tell you that I am glad you are ok but you simply must get good gear. I was so glad I was wearing mine when I went down. If you are concerned about what to get, or whether or not it will be comfortable, please ask here. You will get lots of good advice.:hug2::hug2:

[lmwarner73]

Ok so you caught me. I did have on my boots and my helmet. It was hot out, we were going on the road we have gone on a zillion times. I knew the corner was sandy. I took it too wide and too fast. So I aimed for the most sand I could catch and the least amount of pavement. I was smart enough to hit the kill switch and hold in the clutch as not to put my arm down and break it. I tried to kick the bike from under me when I went down but was unable to. There was a lady driving towards me who saw the whole thing and stopped asking me if I was ok. She must have asked me a thousand times. I just kept telling her yes as I picked up the bike. Zanna had not even gotten to me yet and I was already on the bike. She looked at me in horror asking me if I was ok over and over again. All I could do was smile and try to convince her I was ok. I started the bike and walked it over to hers while she walked beside me making sure I was really ok. She got back on her bike and we rode the 10 blocks home. Checked out the bike and everything seems to be ok. And there isn't a scratch on it. Zanna cleaned up my arm and I am good to go. All i could do all night was laugh about it. I didnt cry or seem really upset all I did was laugh. I think I was in a little bit of shock and that is how my body showed it. Today I am a little scared of the bike but am not going to let this stop me. I learned from this and I wont make that same mistake again on that corner. Still feel the need to be babysat but that is ok. And just so you all know.... I will be wearing the jacket I bought. My arm hurts and I wont make that mistake twice.

[ridingAK]

All i could do all night was laugh about it.

Riding without gear? Crash caused by target fixation? We are NOT laughing.

[zee]

I may be going out on a limb here, being new myself, but knowing you were going too fast and having enough time to "aim" where you wanted to go AND "hit the kill switch" before you crashed sounds to me like you might have had enough time to NOT crash. Maybe not, and I know you can't do anything about this particular crash now... but perhaps in the future if you DO find yourself going too fast into a corner again, you might be able to try something else. Like counter-steering more. Look where you want to go... through the corner... not AT the sandy corner.

That said, I do understand laughing about it afterwards, nervous laughter maybe. I would probably do the same thing... though I'd probably be upset and cry, too. And I'm sure I'm not the only one who is glad you're a little scared right now. If you weren't, I think I'd be concerned.

A little fear is good.

I'm very glad to know that you will be wearing your gear from now on. ATGATT. Doesn't matter how many times I've gone down a road, or how hot it is, I'm wearing mine. I hope you'll do the same.

[sweptwingnut]

We are NOT laughing.

:agreed:

[chienjouet]

:agreed:, too.

I'm new also and an old fashioned rule follower, especially, where safety is concerned. Maybe because my Dad was a Fireman and my husband is a first responder R.N., but sometimes it helps with my perspective, if I think of how my decisions might effect those around me, or others on the road, while being a new motorcycle rider, sharing the road with others.

I hope that safety, in terms of where and how you ride (ATGATT) and the safety of others around you, become a very, very serious matter to you.

Your life is precious, and so are the lives of those who are on the road with you.

I believe that as much fun motorcycle riding has been for me, and believe me, it is about the most fun I've had in years, I am deadly serious about the responsibility of it.

Be safe, my friend.

[Astir]

Well said chienjouet!

[lmwarner73]

I too was a firefighter and an EMT for years. I know better not to wear gear. I was feeling 10ft tall and bullet proof. Thought that since we had rode that road so many times that nothing would happen. A mistake that I wont make again. I was enjoying myself in fact Zanna was just thinking to herself at the time about how great I was doing. Took that corner too fast and too wide and we were almost home.

[Cyclone67]

Imwarner73,

We just don't want to hear about any more injuries that are avoidable! This shows why you have to stay 100% in the game the whole time you are riding. That one second when your mind wanders can be your undoing! And I think pretty much all accident statistics show that most accidents happen close to home. I know by my house all the ducks are out to get me!! You got really lucky this time.

Keep on :kcd:

And remember, that even that corner you take every day can suddenly have an oil spill, sand, or a new pothole. Always expect the unexpected.

And remember the golden rule -- look where you want to go. If you go into a corner too hot (which I have done); you would be surprised what the bike can do. I totally thought I was going to not make a corner one time but I made myself not look at the guardrail, looked through the corner and made it -- until that moment I had not realized what kind of lean angle the bike could make.

Stay safe and have fun.

[phoenix63]

Taking a turn too wide, too fast.... fixating on a target where you do NOT want to go... Hmmmm, sounds vaguely familiar.

Oh, yeah... that was ME three weeks ago. Thankfully, I was full ATGATT. Thankfully, only my left hand was broken and not my head (thanks to my full face helmet). Thankfully no road rash or other injuries to my limbs (thanks to my armored jacket, pants, and boots). Ok I was in a ditch and it wasn't asphalt, but still...

I hope that you ARE ATGATT from now on, regardless of the heat. Actually, my mesh gear keeps me cool on the bike and I know Im as protected as I can be. Seriously, girl... you were very lucky. But, I'm sure you know that by now.
So glad you weren't hurt worse than a little road rash.

[lmwarner73]

Went on a ride with Zanna this weekend. We went about 10 miles out of town. I had a hard time. I didnt want to go fast at all and was scared the whole time we rode. I was afraid there was sand next to the road and that I was going to dump my bike again. I think it might have frustrated Zanna a little but she took me on a ride on her bike afterwards. I feel safer on the back of her bike than I do driving my own right now. I think I need to stick to in town driving for now. Nothing over 35mph for a while.

[zukilady]

It's OK - you will be unsettled for a while after your spill. I am too. I've been wondering how you are doing. Do NOT give up, whatever you do!

[Astir]

:hug2:

You know what is worse than letting good things go to your head? Letting bad things go to your head. Be gentle on yourself.

[adelgadorey]

Nice job getting back on the bike, I'm so proud of you... It's so hard to go back and try something after a scare... I got on my big bike today after having a pretty intense experience Sunday and after ten minutes I was shaking and scared and turned back. But, I did it! And tomorrow it will get easier, and the day after that... I guess we just haveto keep going and let ourselves have fun and look back to see all the things we've done. Nice work im73, you always help me!!! :-)

[zukilady]

Nice job getting back on the bike, I'm so proud of you... It's so hard to go back and try something after a scare... I got on my big bike today after having a pretty intense experience Sunday and after ten minutes I was shaking and scared and turned back. But, I did it! And tomorrow it will get easier, and the day after that... I guess we just haveto keep going and let ourselves have fun and look back to see all the things we've done. Nice work im73, you always help me!!! :-)


Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :clapping:

[Sedna]

Exactly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :clapping:


I agree! Way to go getting back on! I dropped my bike in a busy intersection a couple weeks back. It was one of those things- I had been thinking it about the fact that I was bound to drop it sooner or later and I made a dumb mistake and *wallah!* there I went, in slow motion downnnn, downnn, downnnnnn. Luckily, I walked away with nothing more than a majorly bruised ego. I'm ATGATT after I saw the torn up gear of a guy who got hit at 35 mph and walked away to tell about it.

While it totally sucked at the time and I felt really lame about the whole thing for a bit, I realized that hey, I got my bike up on my own (win #1!) and then I hopped back on and forced myself to ride a while longer before calling it a day (win #2!). There are always positives even when crap like this happens and I think the biggest positive possible is that we learn from these events. Glad you are okay and I hope that you hop back on and feel proud of yourself for pressing on. Take Care!

[Cyclone67]

:hug2:

You know what is worse than letting good things go to your head? Letting bad things go to your head. Be gentle on yourself.


Great words of advice from Astir -- keep on riding!

[lmwarner73]

Have not posted in a while guess I should. Have not been on the bike in a while still a little freaked out I guess and there just has not been time. I want to but just the thought of sand freaks me out. I ride very nervous and dont seem to enjoy it as much. Will this go away? I dont want to quit riding that is for sure. Guess I just need to take the bull by the horns, put on my big girl pants and do it. I am still more of a town rider than a highway driver. Fast is too scary for me still. Zanna's riding buddy isnt growing very fast.

[zukilady]

I dont want to quit riding that is for sure. Guess I just need to take the bull by the horns, put on my big girl pants and do it.

If you don't want to quit riding, then don't. If you want to continue to learn, and improve, which ONLY continuing riding will do for you, then do it. But you first have to BELIEVE that you WILL continue to learn and improve if you continue to ride.

[Dualsport Chic]

Small steps, short rides, one mile at a time. With each mile, it will get easier, more comfortable, and you will feel more self-assured with each additional effort.

Just try to avoid taking on too much each ride - go somewhere with little/no traffic, roads you like and feel at ease on, and just savor each little accomplishment. The fear will fade as the joy increases.

One day, you'll go out for a ride - and think to yourself - 'Wow - I'm not afraid! I'm totally relaxed. I am at peace'.

We're here I73 - riding along with you - right on your shoulder.

Best,

[Astir]

Sand scares me too, and I have ridden miles and miles of it.

Thanks for checking in - and yes. With time and lots and lots of practice, those feelings will get less and less. :hug2: