Fear reaction when cornering

[Corse1]

I'm with princess bandit. I have no problem like yourself following people through blind corners at speed. It is the subconsious telling me that they got through so its ok. I am definately slower and more cautious when out in front.

So when i'm in a group I do not lead very often and I enjoy the ride. When I am on my own I use the slow in and fast out theory and still enjoy the ride concentrating on lines and power delivery on the exit trying to be as smooth as possible.

When I can I try and get to the track.

You just need to relax. I think you were as other people here have alluded to here GOING TOO FAST anyway.

[sinfull]

OMG i'm going in too hot and i'm going to run off the road into THAT ditch moments ?

[MSTRS:Me]

Sounds to me like you've learned enough to get to the point where you now know that 'it could happen to me'...
That is a good thing, because it will help to keep you safe(r). Slowing down is always the right start, followed by learning the skill of ThePace TM. This does NOT mean going fast...it means going smooooth. Learn to cut back your top speed, increase your 'bottom' speed, use your engine/gears for speed control not your brakes, and adjust your focus further ahead on the road (this replaces the function (in your head) of the lead bike you mentioned).
The other thing I'd recommend, if you don't already, is to adopt the Late Apex style of riding. Approach a corner on a line that will be on the outside of that corner and stay there as long as possible, or until you can see the corner exit before getting on the gas. Because you are wide in the corner, you can see the maximum possible amount of road plus you give yourself better visibility to approaching vehicles.

[CookMySock]

OMG i'm going in too hot and i'm going to run off the road into THAT ditch moments ?

Trackday will fix that.

Steve

[onearmedbandit]

Trackday will fix that.

Steve

Well not by itself. You could go and do a 'trackday' and still come out no better unless you understand what is actually happening yourself and learn from it or have someone who does understand teaching you. I can't dance for shit. Putting me in a ballroom isn't going to make me a better dancer.

[FROSTY:Me]

I can't be bothered waffling on. so
1) SLOW DOWN on the road
2) slow down into Jennian (castrol is the last corner before the back straight) -slow in Fast out
3) RELAX -Im pretty sure part of you're issue is you are tense
4) I can't believe I'm saying this -don't think about it so much. (specific advice for the OP in THIS situation. )

[george formby]

I think you have developed survival instincts. Since I cast off my youthful bulletproof vest, my focus riding on the road is always "what if". I cannot ride into a blind corner to fast to avoid a hazard, brain say's noooooo. Their are plenty of corners round here which I know can be taken far faster than I do but I do not gamble when I'm riding. I do try to ride a line which allows me to come out of a corner hot though.
I think you should enjoy riding well, rather than fast. Take pride in being safe & get your knee down when you can see through a series of bends. Knowing you can ride quick is almost as good as doing it, knowing your riding well is best of all.

[spajohn]

I've reached the conclusion I need to take a step back to move ahead.

I recommend some of Keith Code's books or DVD's. It's the basis for the Californian Super Bike school that recently opened in NZ, but has been around for sometime overseas. Have a look here (although I'm sure you can find it locally):
https://secure.echoalley.com/superbikeschool/store/

[MSTRS:Me]

... get your knee down...

Leave that for the track...

[Hoon]

The Keith Code books address all this. You need to overcome your fears. Fear is natural but in most cases unfounded. It takes mental discipline to fight it off but there are a few tricks to make it easier.

Look as far ahead as you can: If you look at the ground near you, everything seems to rush up more quickly and invokes your fear response. The farther ahead you look, the slower and more comfortable things seem. Exiting Castrol for example I have to force myself to (turn my head way right and) look at my exit point down the back straight instead of the apex or outside armco ripple strip, If I don't I can't convince myself to start winding on the throttle way early when I'm still pointing at the wall.

Have an exit strategy: If things go bad and you're in too deep then you need to be comfortable with your exit plan. Whether this is either to stand the bike up and emergency brake or lean over more and gas it, you need to be confident in your ability to deliver the goods. You might need to spend some carpark time practicing E braking and figure 8 knee downs. Once you know you can get out of trouble then you're not as afraid to get into it.

Reference Points: Only applicable on the track. Entry into Jenian I know exactly where I need to tip in, where I should be aiming for and where I should be half way through the entry to confirm I'm on the right track - all from little blemishes/markings on the track surface. From experience I know that if I enter on the correct line, then I'll exit on the correct line and there's nothing to worry about. All my attention can then be focussed on being fast, smooth and keeping my sphincter relaxed instead of frantically searching for a reason to sucumb to my fear and back off the throttle.

[CookMySock]

Well not by itself. You could go and do a 'trackday' and still come out no better unless you understand what is actually happening yourself and learn from it or have someone who does understand teaching you.

Yeah this is true. Much of that CAN be done by yourself if you are very self-aware.

4) I can't believe I'm saying this -don't think about it so much. (specific advice for the OP in THIS situation. )

Yea I was going to say that. Stop trying to ride the bike and just grab the fucker by the horns and ride its's fucking wheels off. It's a new mindset. I had to bump my teenage boy through that - he was always waiting for my permission to set off, and looking to me for my approval - until I told him to bang it in gear and fuck off down the road in it and stop thinking so much.

Steve

[Katman]

Stop trying to ride the bike and just grab the fucker by the horns and ride its's fucking wheels off.

Fuck, you talk some shit.

[nodrog:Me]

Fuck, you talk some shit.

this is the most truthful and intelligent post in this thread.

[p.dath]

I recommend some of Keith Code's books or DVD's. It's the basis for the Californian Super Bike school that recently opened in NZ, but has been around for sometime overseas. Have a look here (although I'm sure you can find it locally):
https://secure.echoalley.com/superbikeschool/store/

I have all three of Keith's books. I'm just reading one other book, but after that I think I'll take another read through them all.

...if you don't already, is to adopt the Late Apex style of riding....

This is another thing that has slowly changed. I started with late apexing, and for whatever reason I slowly drifted into more of a "racing line" over the last year or so, not so much to go faster or anything, it just seems to have happened. Perhaps it is laziness.
They mentioned this at RRRS, and it came to my attention that I wasn't late apexing like I used to. I have recently decided to return to using late apexing for the road, because I perceive it as being safer.

[bogan]

As MSTRS says, ride smooth. Was the best advice I've ever got for riding I think, smooth is safer, speed follows from smooth riding, and smooth is more fun!