Motorcycling and An Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

This extract extends over three Parts and a OCPD review comment is contained at the end of Part 3.

Applying the 30-40-30 program this week saw new district: ventured up through Whitemans Valley out to Mangaroa and came out at SH2 Te Marua.

Heading back ducked in at Mt Marua and looked at the estate there then pulled into Supercheap Auto, got some Autosol polish. Coffee at McD's Silverstream.

Some serious practice taken up during the week at the Fraser Park off Harcourt Werry Drive in the parking area there: Emergency stops from 2nd gear, 3rd gear and 4th gear, coming down from 20,30,40, 50kph. Remembering to gear down to 1st, check mirrors and emergency accelerate from emergency stop.

Also practised progressive bringing on brake and rolling back throttle to try and keep suspension 'calm' no pitching forward or rocking back. Need to practise this with smoothness in mind.

Close in U-turns, circles and figure eights: moving from sweeping turns and gradually reducing to smaller circles and turns. Looking back over right shoulder, using clutch and rear brake for controlled right turning circles, and over left shoulder looking behind for left turning etc and moved into figure eight with focus and heads up. Good practice program adopted from book 'Total Control' by Lee Parks.

Wellington - What A Beautiful Day I had written in the General section, a classic this week when I took a ride around to Eastbourne.

Today yet another cracker day with the most unusual fog that crept right in around the bays on the way around to Eastbourne this afternoon, while near Eastbourne shops themselves were all misty around 3.45pm as was Williams Park area.

Put myself back into the downtown Lower Hutt traffic, roundabouts and controlled light intersections on the way home. Constantly scanning for danger and assuming if the other driver is stopped don't assume he may not move across your line.

Back into Stokes Valley up over Holborne and into the local shopping centre in the valley.

Looking back over the last 7 weeks there are definite signs of gradual improvement [without being too cocky], and as always being on alert to expect the unexpected.

Wake up call for the week:
Stopped at a pedestrian crossing on the High St outside the hospital, forgot to gear down to 1st [though put the left foot down at stop] looked into mirror, no danger and no close up traffic approaching [thank goodness] - said to myself "Buck you practiced your stopping and looking into the mirror - you spent too much time looking at the pedestrian thought you were doing the right thing and completely forgot your escape plan to gear down and have strategy."

Overall a good week and enjoyable riding and training.



The figure eight and emergency stops are becoming a part of my weekly review and practice.



Wellington - What A Beautiful Day [Yeah Right]
Well I snuck in before the weather turned to custard this week and managed two more milestones:
1. Sunday Afternoon a ride down SH2 from Silverstream to the city, through the Mt Vic Tunnel around Evans Bay back through downtown, and back up the valley.
2. Monday Afternoon a ride over the Haywards north side around the inlet, around to Mana [McD's coffee and cheeseburger] then back south side of inlet. Completed the afternoons ride with an hours practice down at the carpark off Harcourt Werry Drive. [I don't have any cones to work with but had a stack of old ice cream tub containers in the garage and took seven lids [buy $2 shop tennis balls and cut them in half] with me (stacked them tied them altogether in a pile with string and slipped them under the strap on my bike seat). I spaced them out at 18 paces each then reduced to 12 then down to 8 paces - the objective was to practice counter steering (caution note) I didn't run over any lids with my front wheel, and wouldn't want to - the benefit was there however in being able to use the markers effectively. Also set up a 18 metre corridor half metre wide with the lids each side and practised dead slow strainght line in no less than 10 seconds. Finally, three separate lids in a line and did figure 8's.

Have arranged with my Mentor for a review of my riding progress shortly. With just under 2000km since 12 May, I am very pleased and am enjoying the riding very much as each week passes by.

6 July 2006
I have been watching/reading BuckBuck's posts and looking forward to our ride review day.

After all the rain -did a run out to Eastbourne and on the way back brought up the 2000km since 12 May.



9 July 2006 - including the initial run over the Rimutakas to Featherstone and back on 8/7/06.
Total Distance since 12 May 2256km

Mentor Review - Do It, Do It Now.
Thanks to my Mentor, we started out this morning at the Stokes Valley Fires Station at 10am, and the next four to four and a half hours was thoroughly satisfying and rewarding. Like I say 'Do it, Do it Now' for a good review of your riding skills it is never too late for us newbies.

A run down on the day:

Up through Whitemans Valley stopping mid way through the valley and discussing observations and technique.

Whitemans Valley back down to short hop along motorway Silverstream to Kennedy Good Bridge into Lower Hutt coffee at McD's and general chat.

LH out to Eastbourne, from Seaview out and around bays, followed Mentor's lines. General chat and review at bus depot.

EB back along Petone foreshore back up through downtown LH and out to Harcourt Werry Dr and to parking lot to review slow bike control and emergency braking. [Elapsed time 4/4 and half hours distance 90km]

To Sum Up:
I am very pleased with my Mentor's review and share these with you:

1. Blind Left curves - Start out right side leading into curve but staying out too wide and not coming across the apex and through exit point. [Expect the Unexpected oncoming cage cutting the corner and becoming an instant bonnet badge.]

2. Roundabouts - [Intended track is proceeding straight through] On roundabout have sighted traffic stopped at Give Way upcoming on left [giving way to me], I was on my line to proceed through to exit of roundabout however, made an unnecessary head turn to look at stationary traffic as I passed. Hence, by looking unnecessarily this will immediately alter the balance of the bike. Because I have sighted the stationary traffic and proceeded, then rely on my peripheral vision and maintain my line through to exit.

3. Mirror Checks - I somewhat expected this though I was only doing it not as frequently as I should, complacency knowing that my Mentor was right there behind me riding shot gun. Point taken though and a point to practise constant frequency and scanning ahead, behind and to the sides.

Scanning always be vigilant - even I didn't see the pothole until clunck clunck.

Thanks again Mentor and we'll catch up in a months time.

Head Up All and Enjoy

[Here's another line I though about today: remember the famous line from the instructor/mentor in the Karate Kid 'Wax On, Wax Off' think 'Smooth On Smooth Off' ]

Thanks BuckBuck for an enjoyable day and thanks for the positive feedback on my mentoring of you.

Your positive approach to motorcycling is clear in your riding.

Scan everything in your path from road conditions (I saw the pothole) to traffic, dogs, children, cyclists etc........basically everything that's out there.

Once again thanks for the day and see you in a months time.

Here is a link:
www.totalmotorcycle.com/school-SectionFive.htm

Though it is from the USA the concept and theme for us newbies I found to be very good.

Set yourself goals:
Immediate Short Term Goal
Mine was a 1000km target inside my little valley here in Stokes Valley - it was a good 'training ground' still is and I review a lot of slow control work (20-30minutes) most times before I head out of the valley for a ride.

Intermediate Goal [Mentor Review]
Spread my wings and move out of the valley after completing 1000km, having experienced different traffic volumes [times of day eg when school is finishing] in Stokes Valley and feeling confident with the dynamics of accerator, brakes Front and Back, clutch, gear shifting up and down, as well as the essential scanning and 'expect the unexpected' strategy and visualising the escape plan.....whoooo stop it sounds like
too much to take in at this early stage I would imagine for you. Bottom line in my Intermediate Goal was to get up another 1000km and then have a KiwiBiker Mentor take me out for a review of my progress. [I have completed over 2200km since 12 May and aside from several purely recreation rides I have never stopped focusing on two some times three elements while out training.]

Though I have talked in terms of 1000km for each of the above goals, I appreciate that a lot of newbies may be restricted in the amount of time they can allocate if they wanted to reach that sort of distance level - of course it may be unreasonable and therefore it would be necessary to focus more on the available time you could allocate specifically for your own training development. Above all be deliberate and focus, be disciplined while you are out there training, take frequent breaks and reflect 'how did that feel, what could I have done better, I will go back next time [next hour or next day or next week]and do it again and focus get the feedback 'feeling' from the experience and move on.

End Part1