How fast is too fast!

[Monkfish]

Ha ha tricked you again! :nya:

This thread has nothing to do with KPH.

My story and question are as follows.

I am concerned with the pace I am setting for, learning & skill progression.
I have owned the LS650 masport (s40 boluevard sounds like a lawnmower) for 8 weeks and have put around 3,500 K's on it. I went from never having ridden on the road (out of second gear) fresh, to feeling comfortable enough to just ride wherever I want on both roads that are new to me and roads I know very well, by myself and keeping a reasonable pace, - avg 100kph (I ride alot in the rural parts).
I am going for rides after work almost every day, and feel expotentially confident.
I also have started attending SASS regularly, (only twice in a row, but it is now planned as part of my week) and they certianly are a wealth of knowledge and wisdom.

The thing that worries me is, will I get too confident too fast. I have had some ass puckering moments, and I dropped my bike in the first week of ownership (hurting my ribs). so I am fully aware of the consequenses of motorcycling. Also I am constantly telling my self not to ride beyond my means.

Question: How fast is too fast when it comes to rider skill progression?

[tigertim20]

you're over thinking it.
one day, one ride at a time dont rush. ride within what you already know your limits are.
for pushing your limits there are things called trackdays so your family dont have to scrape you out of a truck grille.

[Akzle]

go until you fall off, then back off about 3%

[HenryDorsetCase]

get some more formal training. I did one of those ProRider courses last year it was excellent.

[YellowDog]

You need to get some experience behind you. You get that by riding and surviving many situations. You are not likely to come across too many of these in such a short time and hence when you do, you may struggle with doing what's right to protect yourself.
Once you have ridden through all seasons for a few years, you will know what I mean and hopefully also have learnt well from it.

Good luck :yes:

[Glowerss]

Short answer is stick to posted corner limits for awhile and see how that feels. They're usually on the conservative side. Don't take that as "follow the posted corner limits to the exclusion of all else". Read the road as best you can and stick well within your comfort zone. But most of the time you can take the corner at the posted corner speed with minimal fuss.

After that just do what feels comfortable. Gradually you'll learn what sort of pace you and your bike are comfortable with.

If you're getting pucker moments, slow down. If you get at the end of the ride feeling really tired or your forearms are hurting, slow down!

8 weeks and 3,500 KM is a very very little amount of experience! Take it slow!

Keep going to SASS, maybe booking a training day. These things will help.

Also, keep in the forefront of your mind, an S40 is *NOT* a sporty machine :cool: Pace yourself accordingly.

[p.dath]

There is a popular saying that goes "ride your own ride". Basically it means ride at a pace that you feel comfortable at. If you don't feel comfortable, slow down. It you feel fearful, slow down.

It's that simple.


With regard to over-confidence - here is how you detect it. If you ever reach the point you can't see what you're doing wrong - you're probably over confident. There is almost no rider that can't improve some way, and the ones that know their weak areas and what they need to work on tend to have a more reasonable expectation of their capabilities.

[Maha]

Not sure that you ''average'' 100kph?...on our learner rides, the slower group would average 80kph at a stretch, and thats what I look for.
Average speed is obtained by dividing the highest and lowest speed over a given distance.
If you can stick to and maintain 80kph as a learner/new rider, you are doing well. You end up being only a couple of minutes behind the faster group.
You speak of ''I have had some ass puckering moments''....riding outside your skill level can contribute that those moments.
When you understand why those moments have happened, you start to figure things out pretty quickly.

[ducatilover]

If you're concerned about gaining too much confidence, I doubt you'll have a too much confidence issue...

Same ol' story, ride yer own ride etc etc
You'll be fine, but you owe me beer for such an insightful post

[bosslady]

I used to feel how you do. And then it went away, the confidence I mean. I have a vague idea why but I'm not 100% sure. I'm more nervous and fearful, or careful, than I've ever been, lately. Not in a way that would make it dangerous for me to be riding, but means I don't have as much fun. I wish it'd go away!

[Akzle]

Q:

I used to feel how you do. And then it went away, the confidence I mean. I have a vague idea why but I'm not 100% sure. I'm more nervous and fearful, or careful, than I've ever been, lately. Not in a way that would make it dangerous for me to be riding, but means I don't have as much fun. I wish it'd go away!

A: :doobey:
. .

[FJRider]

The thing that worries me is, will I get too confident too fast. I have had some ass puckering moments, and I dropped my bike in the first week of ownership (hurting my ribs). so I am fully aware of the consequenses of motorcycling. Also I am constantly telling my self not to ride beyond my means.

Question: How fast is too fast when it comes to rider skill progression?

Confidence is a large part of motorcycling. Without it ... you take the bus.

Be confident you will survive ... and understand the risks of what you do. Ass puckering moments happen to us all. Some ... our own fault (some say ALL our own fault)

Every ride you learn something. So do plenty of rides. (you wont learn much if you don't ride)

[Tigadee]

I found I only truly started feeling confident after some training with ProRider, after a year on the bike, and after consistently attending SASS.


Not in a way that would make it dangerous for me to be riding, but means I don't have as much fun. I wish it'd go away!

Come for at least another two rounds of SASS and I guarantee it will start going away. :yes:

[bosslady]

I found I only truly started feeling confident after some training with ProRider, after a year on the bike, and after consistently attending SASS.



Come for at least another two rounds of SASS and I guarantee it will start going away. :yes:

I did a pro rider course today and do feel much better, but still, all of a sudden going around a roundabout makes me nervous, it never used to. I was gonna come to sass this week but had to work, next week I hope!

[nerrrd]

I find confidence is an elusive thing at best, it comes and goes, sometimes its too much, sometimes too little, one day I'm relaxed and everything feels automatic, the next I'm gripping the bars too tightly and clunking thru the gears...

Hang in there and you'll get your groove back, and you'll be a better rider for the experience:yes:

[munster]

I did a pro rider course today and do feel much better, but still, all of a sudden going around a roundabout makes me nervous, it never used to. I was gonna come to sass this week but had to work, next week I hope!
I been riding 28 years and I still hate going round roundabouts! Never can seem to get them smooth.

Oh well, always room for improvement.

[Mushu]

I been riding 28 years and I still hate going round roundabouts! Never can seem to get them smooth.

Oh well, always room for improvement.

Approach from the right wheel track and use the slight left kink to get a good line then it's just a corner like any other right hander also I find if you drag your rear brake just a little coming in and let it off just as you find your lean angle to the right it improves confidence

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[nzspokes]

all of a sudden going around a roundabout makes me nervous, it never used to.

Lift your eyes, look where you want to go not in front of you.

[Maha]

if you drag your rear brake just a little coming in and let it off just as you find your lean angle to the right it improves confidence



Makes for a smooth roundabout encounter, gear selection as you enter, rear brake covered, head looking slightly to the right, job done. Its the slower speed that some have trouble with, the 'death grip' ensues and it then becomes an real task.

[DMNTD]

How fast is too fast? Errrrr...if you are starting to feel uncomfortable and having those oh shit moments...then you are going too fast :brick:
It is almost irrelevant what the speedo is saying, it is what you're mind is saying.
If you feel the need to keep up, then fuck off and get some counselling or simply change you riding group ;)

[martybabe]

Be as confident as you like but never be complacent, that's like never! Enjoy but concentrate all the time.

[flyingcarpet]

If you ride in Auckland and your ass isnt biteing the seat , then you havent left your driveway...as far as time frame for learning goes , if your a natural its fast , if you shouldnt be on a bike , its SLOW and you should give the bike to me .

[Mushu]

.... before you can go fast, you must first go slow. Learn pace riding (set a reasonable speed and try to maintain it), be smooth with accelerating and gear changing, read the road conditions as far ahead as is practical/possible and adjust speed through throttle control and road position to setup corner lines. Brakes are for stopping/emergencies.
Get the above right and then you are in a better position to up the pace a little. A little. Do not try to keep up with better riders. Perhaps ask them to keep you in their mirror/s so they keep to your speed.

The above quote is from the thread 'keeping up on a small bike' in the survival section (can't be bothered doing a link cos I'm using my phone. This is the opposite to your thread but the advice is the same. Don't try to keep up with more experienced riders, it will often get you in trouble. And if you're getting scared (death grip, puckering, and etc) you are going too fast, once you pass the point where you are comfortable you won't even be able to ride as well as you can at the lower speeds because of the effect fear has on the body, you lose fine throttle control, with stiff arms bumps are transferred through the steering and at this point a new rider usually picks the most dangerous thing in front of him and concentrates on it so hard he runs into it.

The thread is worth a look, several opinions are put across and the arguing makes it real interesting also there is a ton of reference material suggested to the op, you should take the time to read at least some of it (the book I suggest twist of the wrist 2 has a dvd version to get you started, but the book is heaps better)

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[arcane12]

I've never had an issue with roundabouts. It must be living in Hamilton that got me over them. Otherwise I might have given up riding! I even scraped my first peg on a roudabout!

A lawn mower? Hmm, maybe mine does have a non-standard pipe then... someone was telling me S40's are usually pretty quiet. I kinda like the low 'blub blub blub' of the single thumper ticking over.

[Stirts]

I find confidence is an elusive thing at best, it comes and goes, sometimes its too much, sometimes too little, one day I'm relaxed and everything feels automatic, the next I'm gripping the bars too tightly and clunking thru the gears...

Hang in there and you'll get your groove back, and you'll be a better rider for the experience:yes:

+1 over here. Elusive thing at best is right! Is it when the Earth comes in to perfect alignment between the sun, and the stars within the zodiac and constellations, or you hold your tongue just right. Who knows.


It is almost irrelevant what the speedo is saying, it is what you're mind is saying.

True that. Sometimes I'll be riding and think "fark I am going to fast, best I slow down" look at the speedo and I am barely doing 100kms :scratch:

[Monkfish]

True that. Sometimes I'll be riding and think "fark I am going to fast, best I slow down" look at the speedo and I am barely doing 100kms :scratch:

Un fortunatley I find quite the opposite Im happily bumbeling along and I glance down and see im doing 110 -115 and think fark I better slow down.

I hope I am not riding naively as I still am constantly thinking about who, what, when & where and all the other riding associated things... Its just I find that im comfortable and relaxed when the advice is saying I shouldnt be. :(

I do however plan do a pro rider course sometime in the near future.

[Glowerss]

Un fortunatley I find quite the opposite Im happily bumbeling along and I glance down and see im doing 110 -115 and think fark I better slow down.

I hope I am not riding naively as I still am constantly thinking about who, what, when & where and all the other riding associated things... Its just I find that im comfortable and relaxed when the advice is saying I shouldnt be. :(

I do however plan do a pro rider course sometime in the near future.

Context is key!

Are you happily doing 115 on the motorway or a largely straight bit of road?

Or are you blasting around corners at 115?

If it's the first one, not too surprised. It's easy to go quick in a straight line.

If it's the second one! You should A) slow down on the road and B) go get yourself a race bike license :bleh:

[Stirts]

Un fortunatley I find quite the opposite Im happily bumbeling along and I glance down and see im doing 110 -115 and think fark I better slow down.

Oh yeah, I have had one of those days too. It can be costly :shifty:


I hope I am not riding naively as I still am constantly thinking about who, what, when & where and all the other riding associated things... Its just I find that im comfortable and relaxed when the advice is saying I shouldnt be. :(

I do however plan do a pro rider course sometime in the near future.
In my opinion, as a learner you need to constantly keep your confidence in check. Being confident in your abilities as they stand is great, but being over confident in your abilities is dangerous, and only you will know where that line sits.

And remember... just because you complete some rider training, doesn't necessarily equal to you being an awesome rider. More confidence? Maybe, better equiped/educated? Yes, gained skills? I would hope so. But there have been cases where some have done training and come out over confident and crashed.
What I am trying to say...and not that well for that matter, is just keep a check that your confidence levels match your abilities.

[ducatilover]

Un fortunatley I find quite the opposite Im happily bumbeling along and I glance down and see im doing 110 -115 and think fark I better slow down.



lol you liar, S40s can't go that fast :killingme

[Tigadee]

lol you liar, S40s can't go that fast :killingme

Pish posh, it's an uber Ginny, didn't you know!

[ducatilover]

Pish posh, it's an uber Ginny, didn't you know!

Silly fellow, I have the uber Ginny :bleh:

[Monkfish]

Pish posh, it's an uber Ginny, didn't you know!

I didnt know Ginny's backfired?

coz the S40 backfires like it's just finnished a nice hot vindaloo :rolleyes: :lol:

[Tigadee]

coz the S40 backfires like it's just finnished a nice hot vindaloo

See, Ducatilover! That's why he could go 110-115kph! :laugh:

[ducatilover]

See, Ducatilover! That's why he could go 110-115kph! :laugh:

Makes sense to me, I'm always going well after a good curry

[Old Steve]

Can't agree more with the recommendations to do the ProRider course.

I found, about the stage you are at, that I would lift off or think of braking on a reducing radius corner - that's a corner that tightens up on you. That would straighten you up and send you to the outside of the curve. This was the major cause of my STMs (Sphincter Tightening Moments).

Practice the happy biker weave, on a straight road with no traffic ease alternatively on each bar so you countersteer and weave down the road. That'll help you make counterstreering a natural reaction so you'll push the inside bar when you encounter a reducing radius corner. Or find a nice untrafficked set of corners and practice going through by countersteering in and setting yourself up for the next corner using all your side of the road.

[digger02]

Just keep riding, go anywhere and everywhere. I am still new to riding and hanging out untill I get my full licence. When I first started I would ride on roads where there was a good amount of corners etc to practise leaning & countersteering etc & I found that each time I would travel the same road I was noticing that I was going faster through the corners without actually trying. Now instead of holding up the few cars that travel along that road, they are holding me up. If you ride a familiar route often you will notice sections of the road that once were more difficult are now easy to navigate. This is natural progression and it will just happen without you thinking too much about it, as was said earlier, if you are worried about being over confident then it shouldn't be a problem.

[nodrog]

Stop riding imediatly! You dont get experiance from riding, you need to read "a flick of the wrist" and "motorcycle donut handbook". Only ride afger you can quote atleast 69 pieces of irrelevant information from these.

P.S. Your riding will improve 76% by removing all your fairings.

[Mushu]

Stop riding imediatly! You dont get experiance from riding, you need to read "a flick of the wrist" and "motorcycle donut handbook". Only ride afger you can quote atleast 69 pieces of irrelevant information from these.

P.S. Your riding will improve 76% by removing all your fairings.

You're right, what are we thinking trying to get expert opinion on riding technique. I suppose you were born with the knowledge on how to ride.

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[Monkfish]

P.S. Your riding will improve 76% by removing all your fairings.

OK you got me... This was one of those "go to mitre 10 and get me a lefty screwdriver" hazes for the newbie, was'nt it. :not:

I just spent 20 mins staring at my bike looking for some fairings. :Playnice: :weep:

P.s. Why is KB so mean..... Oh thats right Most people are just a :tugger: :nya:

[nodrog]

You're right, what are we thinking trying to get expert opinion on riding technique. I suppose you were born with the knowledge on how to ride.

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Yes it would appear so.

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[Big Dave]

KB isn't mean. Nodrog is just a caaaaan't.

Sent from my office using a computer.

[nodrog]

Im a realist.

Im still trying to fiqure out what books keith and the donut punchers read to learn?

Sent by casio fx82d

[ducatilover]

Im a realist.

Im still trying to fiqure out what books keith and the donut punchers read to learn?

Sent by casio fx82d
279903

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[Maki]

"Question: How fast is too fast when it comes to rider skill progression?"

If you feel like you are pushing some kind of limit when you are riding on the road, then you are going too fast. Limits are for a race track, not a road. Enjoy your riding and don't over analyze.

[Wayz]

Maybe spend some time on a dirt bike, have a few accidents, break a few bones and you will soon learn to control the urge to override, worked for me. I have only ridden road bikes for a short time but I am comfortable with my pace and ability, all thanks to dirt bikes. Ride your own ride and be safe.