MOOD - its affect on riding

[TheDark]

Has anyone any comment on how their mood affects their riding?

This morning I rode to work agitated --- I won't do that again;

my usually smooth, enjoyable and almost spiritual ride was replaced by something jerky, aggressive, inconsiderate and pre-occupied.

I rode way faster than my skill level, pissed off other road-users and generally relied on luck to get me thru.

OK confession-time over ............. time to share YOUR experiences.

[WickedOne]

Totally agree, when I am in a bad mood I ride inconsiderably and much faster (and take greater risks) than normal.:o

[Motu]

I've always been an exceptional rider when drunk,few are as fast as me.

[DemonWolf]

Welcome to KB TheDark.. and you are correct.. your mood does affect your riding ability if you let it. When riding you need to concentrate on riding... not on whats pissing you off.. which is why most people (that I know) enjoy riding, because it takes the mind off whats annoying\pissing them off.. and they then tend to relax (from the stressful situation) and concentrate on the ride.

[DemonWolf]

I've always been an exceptional rider when drunk,few are as fast as me.

I've only riden once while 'drunk' way back in my 'hayday' and I dropped the bike doing a U-turn because I missed my driveway.. haven't done it again and will never do it again.....

but in saying that I've riden while being seedy-as-hell which isn't any good either.

[WickedOne]

Welcome to KB TheDark.. and you are correct.. your mood does affect your riding ability if you let it. When riding you need to concentrate on riding... not on whats pissing you off.. which is why most people (that I know) enjoy riding, because it takes the mind off whats annoying\pissing them off.. and they then tend to relax (from the stressful situation) and concentrate on the ride.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Too true, after a short while and when I get into the ride I forget about my bad mood and enjoy the ride. Once in the zone all those problems seem to fade away.

[The_Dover]

I can't relax or find any rythm if i'm fucked off. My whole body is just too tense and I sit upright.

[DemonWolf]

What do you find yourself thinking about though? Are you concentrating on the ride? and if you are already tense before the ride.. how about trying some stretches and calming deep breaths before jumping on the bike? Ya just need to learn how to relax before jumping on the bike.. and if you can't then think about alternative transportation.. not worth risking your life over... IMHO

[WickedOne]

I know what you mean Dover (Have a bit of a hard time controlling my temper/ moods at times). I find the best way to forget about other stuff is to just concentrate on my riding, work on my lines and never forget to laugh at myself (even though I feel a bit insane talking and laughing to myself in my lid sometimes!!!)

[Dont_die_wondering]

i ride fine in all moods, when im pissed off its usually slightly more aggressive , but not by much lol :innocent: - its pritty much like that all the time lmao - its true tho, moods effect the way ya handle things, and LOL@wickedone!

[Smorg]

I've always been an exceptional rider when drunk,few are as fast as me.

Thats what i was going to say, im always way more confident when Im really drunk. No way anyone can match my skills

[MrMelon]

Yeah I'm quite self conscious about my riding... a couple of vodkas stops that though!

[sunhuntin]

i prefer a good short blast in the country if im wound up. it doesnt really affect my riding, but i will wear less gear than normal if its sunny enough. i have noticed when riding in an impatient/late for work mind, that i have more near misses [or so it seems]

sometimes i get to work too early and go for a quick [10-20min] blast up by the lake, that involves a coupla hills and a 70k zone that opens onto a nice straight. [seen a cop on that straight though, so now i ease up first] that generally blows that dust out. depending on which hill i take i can get over the top doing about 60/70k. quick short ride, but encompasses everything i like.

[vifferman]

No, my mood doesn't affect my riding - my riding is always bad! :scooter:

[Str8 Jacket]

I dont find stress etc affects my riding, I go to the gym if im that bad but sometimes I'll get on the bike and everything just feels wrong. I end up riding like shite and like Dover tend to sit upright in a rigid position, nothing I do can stop the feeling. Its weird. Other times I'll get on the bike and everything feels great so I'll keep riding longer and find that I can lean the bike over furthur and brake later into corners etc. The brains a funny 'ol thing...

[Hitcher]

Riding can be therapeutic. I find the trick is knowing when a ride will help whatever it is that's ailing me and when it won't...

[Squeak the Rat]

My moods are fine, but my riding is bi-polar.

Along the same lines as sunhuntin, I find a short blast of adrenaline helps relax me if I'm pissed off, but the flip side is that it's too tempting to do stupid things like pass between two trucks. In heavy traffic and built up areas I have to force self control. On the open road I just get it out of my system.

Depends on your self control. If your mood means you can't focus on your riding then it's probably not a good idea to be on the bike.

[skelstar]

Im always thinking about the next time Ill be on my bike so naturally I cheer up when I ride anyway.

Having said that, I have ridden and have felt dejected and 'depressed' as a result of my riding. Go up the Takas on my own and things just havent 'gel-ed'...start thinking 'Ill never get fast, Ill be a cruising rider for the rest of my life' etc.

[Motu]

A bike is essential to me for controling my mood,it's my destresser.When I lived on Waiheke Island I had nowhere to go - but there was one set of corners I would go and put the XS1 through...swoop,swoop,swoop and sparks flying as I ground everything both sides.Immensely satisfying motorcycling perfection.Nothing fast,nothing dangerous,not much...but it was enough for me.

What I miss in my advancing years of senility is being able to vent my anger by over riding.I used to slam my XR200 into gravel road corners not giving a shit whether I was going to come out the other end or not.You can do that stuff off road too,but there's something about riding that far over the edge on a road that's a bit exciting.I'm not prepard to push the envolope so far these days....life gains value when you finaly see you haven't got as much left as you used to...

[TheDark]

.....................vent my anger by over riding....................not giving a shit whether I was going to come out the other end or not............

Yes. That was how I felt.

[kiwifruit]

My mood greatly affects how i ride,
Mainly how i treat other road users...
if im pissed off for whatever reason i am not in anyway curtious,
i tend to follow closer and pass more dangerously when in a bad mood.
Along with going faster than i should etc.

On the other hand,
if im in a good mood im very curtious,
i don't show agression at all, basicly the oppisite of how i ride if im shitty.

Im basicly more dangerous to myself and others when (if) i ride angry.
I do my very best not to ride in that frame of mind.
Esp on a big bike, wasnt really an issue when i was on 250s 400s etc...
now holding the throttle pinned open for a few angry seconds can result in speeds previously unfathomed.

Welcome to the site by the way :)

[Aaron]

Totally agree, when I am in a bad mood I ride inconsiderably and much faster (and take greater risks) than normal.:o
I too agree with you. Was in a foul mood the night I got my 50 demerits...

[Aaron]

i ride fine in all moods, when im pissed off its usually slightly more aggressive
LOL, get some testorone in ya veins... makes all the difference :D

[Insanity_rules]

but in saying that I've riden while being seedy-as-hell which isn't any good either.

Oh I've been there, Try riding while keeping the revs under 5k. Not good for the bike or rider.

[nudemetalz]

Hmm,...when I'm in a down mood, a blast on the machine always gives me a smile.

You just can't compare anything to 130+hp to give you an adrenaline surge that can overcome what was bothering you.

[Lou Girardin]

I've found that riding affects my mood.
Everything becomes all zen-like.:calm: Then I'm cut up by a cage - :angry2: :2guns: :brick: :bash:

[Dont_die_wondering]

LOL, get some testorone in ya veins... makes all the difference :D lol :msn-wink: when i say "slightly more aggressive" its a understatement on my behalf :innocent:

[Swoop]

...swoop,swoop,swoop and sparks flying ...
You called???


OK back on topic...
Mood - This is where the best athletes and sportspeople excell.
Mind control and being able to use the full potential of the mind when involved in an "activity".
The best performers like Michael Schumacher, Tiger Woods, Jack Jeffries, etc are able to get into "the zone" at will - regardless of mood or circumstances.
Anyone who is honest with themselves will admit that their riding will vary depending on their state of mind.

[TheDark]

My mood greatly affects how i ride,
Mainly how i treat other road users...
if im pissed off for whatever reason i am not in anyway curtious,
i tend to follow closer and pass more dangerously when in a bad mood.
Along with going faster than i should etc. ...............
.........................
Im basicly more dangerous to myself and others when ... i ride angry.
.............

Yes - and not caring one way or another at the time - not caring if you come out of it or not.

[James Deuce]

Riding in a "bad head space" nearly killed me. Broke my neck and back, detached muscles and tore ligaments in my back and was resuscitated 7 times on the road and in the ambulance. I got a good shot in at the dickhead trying to take my helmet off though. That's all I remember. Oh, and waving to the wifely component of the couple in the car that pulled out on me as I sailed over the bonnet.

1. Don't have a huge screaming fight with your wife in Christchurch.

2. Don't take *ahem* 2.5 hours to ride from Christchurch to Picton.

3. Don't waste mental processing power celebrating the fact you managed to make your ferry even though you left really late and "She" said you were an idiot to try, nyeh, nye....bang. Driver with no headlights on and a "few" wines under his belt runs a stop sign.

Mood definitely affects your ability to ride, whether you care to admit it or not.

[Skyryder]

Get some pratt who pisses you off then riding can become a little dangerous. Your anger affects judgment. The scary thing 'is' that it can take a few minutes before you realize you are making bad calls. That's when luck can keep you alive and when it runs out you can be dead.

Stay in tune with your head and don't let the dial start to roam onto another station.

Skyryder

[eliot-ness]

Mood doesn't affect my riding at all. On the contrary, regardless of how I feel beforehand, the moment I turn the key it's forgotten and the bike takes over until I arrive back home. The oddest thing is that I can never remember why I I was in a mood in the first place. Cars on the other hand put me in a bad mood within the first five minutes, which is why I leave all the driving to the wife. (or, which is why the wife doesn't let me drive.)
What does affect my riding to some extent is the fact that over the last few months I've suffered a nagging ache in my knees after about an hour's riding. Old age I guess, but it's enough to affect my concentration if I don't take a break for ten minutes.

[mdb]

Bad mood - agressive and unforgiving
Good mood - aggressive and unforgiving

Hmmm ... maybe I have the wrong attitude!

[paturoa]

I'm dangerous to myself when I'm grumpy, I find myself thinking about stuff and going onto auto-pilot.