Losing my nerve

[usa-vtwin]

Hello...just want to run todays experience past you and see if anyone else has experienced this.

Went for a ride with a mate today to Akaroa (75km ride from ch ch central where we were) and felt fine. Rode back through the longer tourist route through the hills, and felt fine. Started to rain at Hilltop Cafe and we got down to Little River and gassed up.

From here it's open road for 35km to Tai Tapu and I felt a little uncomfortable with my riding feeling a little unbalanced. We had quite a few cars behind us, it was lightly raining and I stiffened up and found cornering taxing. I made it to Tai Tap and stopped at a cafe for a coffee and after relaxing for 15 minutes I felt ok. Got back on my bike and headed off down the road in an 80km zone. Now I seriously felt unbalanced and felt like I was going to topple off my bike...I'd brake and pull over to the left...then start off again...to stop down the road...so I get to some traffic lights and needed to turn right and seriously couldnt make it to the lights and turn through them. I had to pull over and at this point Im like , what the fuck! This has never happened to me before.

We decided it best my mate go home, get her car, and pick me up and we'd leave the bike at her friends near by.

Anyway I decided to keep trying and had to pull over 5 more times as I found it hard to ride.Once I got into heavy slow commuter traffic in town I found it ok...could balance at super slow speed...rode another 12km or so and felt better and in control at 50kph or less in the traffic. About 6km from home on a 3 laner road I felt uncomfortable and pulled off down a side road and carried on home.

I'm wondering if it was just fatigue. The trip was mostly hilly winding roads and I'm wondering if my arms and shoulders got fatigued and that I started holing onto the bars tighter and maybe overcompensated with one arm which upset my balance. And then panicked as I was riding on open road feeling unbalanced and not 100% in control. Normally I feel so at one on my bike.

This was the longest ride Ive undertaken in a long while in one trip (130 odd kms) and whilst I know its peanuts for some, I'd be mainly sticking to 60-70km jaunts over winter.

Has anyone else felt similar?

[p.dath]

Have you got a flat tyre?

[98tls]

Never mate,very odd and cant imagine it was down to fatigue.Have you been feeling generally ok recently health wise?

[YellowDog]

Sorry to hear about this experience.

It also sounds like you tensed up because you were concerned that the rain may make it unsafe to lean into the corners.

If you are struggling with confidence on bends, try swinging out for the bends to force the lean (countersteer). It should help and also make sure you are looking where you want to go.

It could well be also be fatigue, but it also sounds to me like you need to check your tyre pressures to make sure they are spot on.

Good luck.

[MotoKuzzi]

Some people can lose their nerve temporarily, for whatever reason. I know a guy who was a local legend as a logging bulldozer driver but got to his mid 40's and something in him changed to the point where he couldn't even drive it off the skid.

[Ixion]

I never heard of such a thing, and I can hardly conceive that it could be fatigue after so short a distance.

I would without delay consult a reputable physician.

(I am assuming here that you not of greatly advanced years)

[sleemanj]

How is your balance? Inner ear problem perhaps. Had any ear/nose/throat infections lately?

[mossy1200]

Could be something funny like pinched nerve in back causes midsection musle spaz that sucks energy.Maybe blocked ears causing balance issues.Get some rest.

[AD345]

For you - the motorcycling is over.

[bsasuper]

Didn't add a little extra in ya coffee:2thumbsup

[batboy]

my thoughts are, its purely a mental thing, the fear of slick roads and cornering used to put the fear of god into me after i had two major crashes on wet roads due to my inability, it still plagues me to this day, but i have managed to keep it under control, but its still there in the back of my mind it also helps that i no longer use my rear brake at all.

Have you had a spill in the wet?, or have you been away from riding for a bit?
Or just never ride in the rain?

[Chrisnewtobikes]

You and your bike should both get a check up,for your own peace of mind:banana:

[PrincessBandit]

Sorry to hear about your experience. It's a nasty feeling when you're continually worrying about stuff like that and you still have to face the ride home.

Can't really add anything else that the guys haven't; did you feel it was something within yourself i.e. general physical unwellness which impacted on your riding, or most likely to be a bike problem which you then struggled with?

Check out the bike first or get someone who can do it for you as it will probably be easier to eliminate bike causes than your own health! lol. And if you suspect its a health issue then my suggestion is rest, rest and possibly off to the doc.

Hope it sorts out for you.

Dawn

[ajturbo]

old age sucks....

[Biggles08]

how old are you and how long have you been riding for?

[Bronson]

Didn't add a little extra in ya coffee:2thumbsup

Do ya need a little something in ya coffee?:calm:

[Elysium]

I can sort of relate yo what you are saying. I myself had such an experince when I rode my Hornet up to Auckland as I was riding in misty rain on a twisty road with traffic behind and just didn't feel comfortable at all.
I was thinking "was my tyre going to skid?" "am I approaching the corner too fast?" I started to feel better once I got onto some straight rode as I got closer to Hamilton.

As the saying goes, we all have our off days.

[98tls]

I can sort of relate yo what you are saying. I myself had such an experince when I rode my Hornet up to Auckland as I was riding in misty rain on a twisty road with traffic behind and just didn't feel comfortable at all.
I was thinking "was my tyre going to skid?" "am I approaching the corner too fast?" I started to feel better once I got onto some straight rode as I got closer to Hamilton.

As the saying goes, we all have our off days.
Yea we do mate but surely not to that extent,not being able to turn right at a set of lights etc.Id be off to the Doc quick smart.

[usa-vtwin]

Hi.. Im a youthful 41 in perfect health..bike is an 08 and recently serviced. It handled fine there and halfway back before this set in. My mate road it when I pulled over and it was fine. It was definitely all me. Had no colds, my balance is sweet as...no inner ear problems. I havent ridden in the rain for along time. I've been back riding the last 7 months after a long long spell and mostly doing 70-1ookm trips with not a single problem at all. As Rosie can attest, I've always been super confident on my bike, especially around hilly, tight roads.

I drove my car tonight and feel tired/weary like Ive done a good workout, but otherwise feel 100%. I'll check the tyre pressures tomorrow, but its me, not the bike I'm sure of it.

[beyond]

Mate... seriously... you gotta get off the hooch. :doobey:

Nah, sounds like you might have some bad flu coming on or summit.
Better get checked out... maybe ear infection or you need a flush :)

[Elysium]

Yea we do mate but surely not to that extent,not being able to turn right at a set of lights etc.Id be off to the Doc quick smart.

Yep hence why I said "sort of"

I asure you I can turn right at the lights :ride:

[Bronson]

I too can relate to this story. About 30 years ago the same thing happened. Riding between Nelson & Picton, I even got passed by a Newmans bus! Apparently the cause of my discombobulation was spending 3 days on the piss, having only 1 cylinder firing on my Norton & it was bucketing down. Shit happens.

[allycatz]

Could be stress related/mld anxiety attack.....go and get blood tests done for iron, B12, thyroid etc if it hapens again...the above deficiencies can give you anxiety symptons....

[nallac]

It Doesn't sound all that great....

It takes a while to get used to riding in all weather conditions,
some don't like riding in the rain,wind etc. where i enjoy it,
rain,hail or shine.....each to there own.


there has been some days that i've not felt that great on the ride home, but thats most due to lack of sleep due to doing shift work.

[caseye]

Main thing here, don't beat yourself up, go see a doctor, explain what happened to you, ask for their professional opinion, then follow their advice.
I definitely don't like riding in the rain on tight stuff and i do tends to slow down a lot and I dont give a damn about the cars behind me. I intend to get home, slow or otherwise.
Worry not, there will be a perfectly logical reason and it'll not stop your riding enjoyemt.

[rosie631]

Hi.. Im a youthful 41 in perfect health..bike is an 08 and recently serviced. It handled fine there and halfway back before this set in. My mate road it when I pulled over and it was fine. It was definitely all me. Had no colds, my balance is sweet as...no inner ear problems. I havent ridden in the rain for along time. I've been back riding the last 7 months after a long long spell and mostly doing 70-1ookm trips with not a single problem at all. As Rosie can attest, I've always been super confident on my bike, especially around hilly, tight roads.

I drove my car tonight and feel tired/weary like Ive done a good workout, but otherwise feel 100%. I'll check the tyre pressures tomorrow, but its me, not the bike I'm sure of it.

Yep, I ride with USA a lot. He is a very competent rider. Although he's a gentleman and waits for me through the bends, he could obviously leave me in the dust if he chose to. Was a strange occurrence. I haven't been able to come up with any answers either.

[rosie631]

For you - the motorcycling is over.

Very helpful - not

[TomJ]

although this is obviously more serious - I guess we all have off days when we don't ride so well and need super concentration and focus. Some rides are fantastic and others seem like hard work. Perhaps that is why riding is so much fun as every time is differnt.

USA, I hope you are soon feeling better and back on the road again

[98tls]

Sure is strange,dont want to sound repetitive mate (yea i am being) go to a Doc and get checked out,hopefully its something very simple and you will be back onboard soon as.All the best with it.

[Maki]

Baffling. I hope you get well and find out what happened. Could it be a case of just tensing up? You should not be tense at all on your bike, no matter what is going on. Hold onto the handlebars like you where holding a precious china teacup and use your legs to grip the bike and keep yourself stable.

[Headbanger]

The road is not a racetrack.

[nallac]

The road is not a racetrack.


HUH? what you mean ??????

[nallac]

The road is a racetrack.

that's what you really meant?....

[usa-vtwin]

Thanks all...its totally out of character and I dont want to think about it to much. I'll try again over the weekend..and if it happens again I'll go to the doctor. I've had no reason to freak on my bike (no spills) and as Rosie said, I've been up to scratch up till now on all our previous rides together.

*no drugs or alcohol were consumed lol* Thanks for the support from the well wishers...peace!

[Headbanger]

HUH? what you mean ??????

Usually on a Friday night katman is posting inappropriate shit like that where its not wanted, Figured I'd fill in for him for awhile.

[sunhuntin]

Usually on a Friday night katman is posting inappropriate shit like that where its not wanted, Figured I'd fill in for him for awhile.

oi, our town is fucked enough without a katman wannabe living here as well!! :argh:;)

usa... i dont have any furthur advice thats different to whats already been suggested. take it easy, and i hope you get an answer!

[Headbanger]

oi, our town is fucked enough without a katman wannabe living here as well!! :argh:


You just wait until I finish this bottle of Vodka, Then the shit will fly.

[nallac]

Usually on a Friday night katman is posting inappropriate shit like that where its not wanted, Figured I'd fill in for him for awhile.


Oh ok ,Hmmm.....things that aren't wanted...........
Carver and slimewinder?????.

[AllanB]

The road is not a racetrack.

Obviously never been to Akaroa with a bunch of bikes!
I jest and agree with you, but it's known as the 'Akarao GP' around here!

Back to the subject.

That's a pretty shit end to a great ride. I agree that 'off-days' happen but I've never experienced one at the later end of a ride like that. Mine are usually shit from the start and I just call them short and go home.

A couple of things spring to mind - The Akaroa run is very twisty and climbs pretty quickly - it could be you got a bit out of balance on the way back (I've know people to get out of balance playing computer games due to all the screen movement). Do you suffer from sea sickness, car sickness or get a bit giddy in lifts?

Severe fatigue and stress exacerbated by the bloody rain could put you off but that's a pretty bad reaction.

The other thing - and the very best of intentions here (ie not a piss take) - your running 110db pipes on the Nightster - up and down the hills and fating along that road you were exposed to a fair bit of noise ;) - I'm wondering if this ride 2 -3 times longer than you are used to, exposed to the noise for a much longer period threw out your inner balance a bit?

All theory of course - my other option is to book yourself in for the 'man-test' - this probably won't help at all but I can assure you after having something stuck up your arse in the name of medicine, the concerns of the ride back will be the least of your worries! Laughter is good too!

Best bet is to fire the beast up on Sunday (it's looking good weather wise) and going for a fat on the HD - head to Little River for a coffee - or Lincoln for a pie at Hilliers cafe. Just cruise, enjoying the ride - if shit happens again see a doctor pronto.

PS - if you need to drop your bike off in Halswell, I'll look after it :niceone:

[sunhuntin]

You just wait until I finish this bottle of Vodka, Then the shit will fly.

lol :2thumbsup ...............

[nallac]

You just wait until I finish this bottle of Vodka, Then the shit will fly.

fuck i hope you haven't got carver or sidewinder visiting.............:(

[usa-vtwin]

Obviously never been to Akaroa with a bunch of bikes!
I jest and agree with you, but it's known as the 'Akarao GP' around here!

Back to the subject.

That's a pretty shit end to a great ride. I agree that 'off-days' happen but I've never experienced one at the later end of a ride like that. Mine are usually shit from the start and I just call them short and go home.

A couple of things spring to mind - The Akaroa run is very twisty and climbs pretty quickly - it could be you got a bit out of balance on the way back (I've know people to get out of balance playing computer games due to all the screen movement). Do you suffer from sea sickness, car sickness or get a bit giddy in lifts?

Severe fatigue and stress exacerbated by the bloody rain could put you off but that's a pretty bad reaction.

The other thing - and the very best of intentions here (ie not a piss take) - your running 110db pipes on the Nightster - up and down the hills and fating along that road you were exposed to a fair bit of noise ;) - I'm wondering if this ride 2 -3 times longer than you are used to, exposed to the noise for a much longer period threw out your inner balance a bit?

All theory of course - my other option is to book yourself in for the 'man-test' - this probably won't help at all but I can assure you after having something stuck up your arse in the name of medicine, the concerns of the ride back will be the least of your worries! Laughter is good too!

Best bet is to fire the beast up on Sunday (it's looking good weather wise) and going for a fat on the HD - head to Little River for a coffee - or Lincoln for a pie at Hilliers cafe. Just cruise, enjoying the ride - if shit happens again see a doctor pronto.

PS - if you need to drop your bike off in Halswell, I'll look after it :niceone:


Thanks for that...Ear plugs could be the go. You're right re the Sunday ride...I might stick to shortish rides until I'm satisfied its sorted. Cheers!

[Headbanger]

fuck i hope you haven't got carver or sidewinder visiting.............:(

Never been so drunk that I turned homo, so no, I dont expect a visit from either of them.:crazy:

[vifferman]

Can I say summat? :confused:

What's that - fuck off Vifferdork?!? How rude. :weep:

I reckon it's a combination of tiredness and a bit of anxiety (maybe subconcious) about the conditions.

A few years ago, I went on a 5-day road trip with the vifferbabe, and on the way back after most of a day riding, we were on a road that was really twisty. I felt like the bike wasn't handling right, and that my rhythm was off. I pulled over, had a wee rest, and a walk around (not more'n a couple of minutes) and we were off again. It was partly fatigue (not quite arm pump, but similar) and partly mental fatigue. Everything was OK, both mechanically and my riding was safe, but it felt like it was wrong. Just needed a break, and it was OK again.

A similar thing happend two weeks ago, when I went on my first open road ride for a while, to test/dial in my suspension and to look for misfiring problems after several hours of trying to trace an electrical gremlin. I got to the point where I was a bit tired, and sort of lost the plot. I was still riding OK and safely, but got confused with where I was at with the suspension settings, and ended up with it all cocked up, after having it feeling pretty good. Kinda blew the wind out of my sails a bit.

So what's my point?
Don't take things too seriously. The fact that you're not just brushing things off and making excuses is all good. Don't beat yourself up, don't worry too much, just have another ride when you feel like it, take it easy and see how it goes.

[nallac]

Never been so drunk that I turned homo, so no, I dont expect a visit from either of them.:crazy:


whew,thats gooooooood.............

[jimichelle]

been to the coast and back in one day with a guy with same bike and pipes as you he wore ear plugs but riding on the right behind him his bike sounded great but only for short bursts had to keep left the noise gave me a headache he was fine awesome ride too!

[Danae]

Actually I had a similar experience, may not be the same reason as yours though.

Me and motorbyclist went for a ride up to Shelly Beach a few weeks back. I had been feeling sick a few days prior but that morning I was fine. We got to Shelly Beach (the twisties were great and learner friendly) and had fush and chups. Walked it off then went to leave. As I was putting my helmet on I felt a tad unbalanced and lightheaded but we left anyway. A short while later we caught up to a tour bus that was going a bit slow. My FXR wasn't powerful enough to overtake, so we stuck behind them. Then the lightheadedness really kicked in. I was feeling really unbalanced and kept zoning out. I let motorbyclist overtake and pulled over to the side. I had to rest my helmet on my tank to recuperate. I had to pull over a number of times on the way back to his place. When we got back I slept for four hours lol.

[Headbanger]

I didn't realise they made a bike that was incapable of passing a tour bus.

No wonder you were exhausted, I bet the bugger wasn't even running.

[cowpatz]

Do check those tyre pressures. I wondered why my bike was handling like shit until I discovered my front tyre only had 12 psi in it! Not sure what happened but I check them frequently. It sure made the bike handle weird especially making it freel unbalanced.
If not you may have had an anxiety attack.

[cowpatz]

Actually I had a similar experience, may not be the same reason as yours though.

Me and motorbyclist went for a ride up to Shelly Beach a few weeks back. I had been feeling sick a few days prior but that morning I was fine. We got to Shelly Beach (the twisties were great and learner friendly) and had fush and chups.

Great little ride that one.