How do you get confidence back?

[Ixion]

PRATICING dropping the bike is a good start!!!

she now knows what NOT to do in gravel.......

well done to her!...
i think if you asked a 100 bikers how many have done that very thing ... i am sure that at least 50% would admit to it and 50% would be lying...

Any biker who's been there for any time who claims not to have done the "stop, foot down, start to get off, oh shit oh shit, wheres the ground gone, oh bloody hell" thing is a liar. Happens to everybody.

[thehollowmen]

PM me your address and I'll try and dig out the motoman for women VCD and post it up

[MadDuck]

Nah, that's what we have men for.

Thanks Riff Raff I did wonder why they were here

[Phurrball]

A big cheers to everyone for their suggestions. I will show the thread to Mrs P, and take up the ideas on offer.

At times like this it's great to have a pool of experience to tap into.

Just a thought, but she may also find it helpful to ride with another woman. No offence intended to yerself, but if she can see that other women of similar build can manouever the bike ok then that may help.

I entirely agree, it tried to point out that very thing - but you're right, I just don't think it works coming from me. At the end of the day, I'm sure Mrs P could kick my ass on the bike any day...for a starter the machine is carrying 40 odd KGs less!

[crashe]

Maybe we could organise a girl's training riding day... RUN by the Girls'
as there are quite a few gals out west that ride now...
and a few new girl riders have just joined up on KB...
and then go for a ride afterwards...

[Keystone19]

Maybe we could organise a girl's training riding day... RUN by the Girls'
as there are quite a few gals out west that ride now...
and a few new girl riders have just joined up on KB...
and then go for a ride afterwards...

Yeah, OK Crashe. I've been thinking about that for a wee while now. just need to find a date that works. We could do a skills session somewhere (a brief one) and then go for a ride somewhere. I'll talk to you about it tonight.

[Phurrball]

Yeah, OK Crashe. I've been thinking about that for a wee while now. just need to find a date that works. We could do a skills session somewhere (a brief one) and then go for a ride somewhere. I'll talk to you about it tonight.

Keep us posted with any Westie Women's skills sessions...I'll pass any happenings on to Mrs P [I think she only avoids joining KB in her own right as she sees how addictive it is...that and I'm always being told to get off the computer [ie KB] and pay her attention]

[Keystone19]

Keep us posted with any Westie Women's skills sessions...I'll pass any happenings on to Mrs P [I think she only avoids joining KB in her own right as she sees how addictive it is...that and I'm always being told to get off the computer [ie KB] and pay her attention]

Check out the new thread in the Biker Angels section on this - it's entitled Girls Day out. Would love to have Mrs Phurrball along...

[inlinefour]

I want to know the same thing about women...

[spookey]

being much the same situation, dropped mine badly and took mind over matter to get back on and just ride and ride and ride.

I dropped the GN250 twice, both from inexperience.

Now I have a GS500, I have the problem of not being able to lift it.
(Could do with some tips here boys)
Have had to call on neighbours twice now. Once when I forgot to put stand down and the other when it was on a slope and rolled forward.

If she needs someone to ride with I'm happy to do that with her.

Just takes alot of courage and talking to yourself

[Joni]

Now I have a GS500, I have the problem of not being able to lift it. (Could do with some tips here boys)

No... bugger the boys, you need to learn to lift the bike yourself. So that if you are ever alone and in an ugly spot you can do it. There is a great thread on how its done. I will find it for you and pm you the link.

[FROSTY:Me]

being much the same situation, dropped mine badly and took mind over matter to get back on and just ride and ride and ride.

I dropped the GN250 twice, both from inexperience.

Now I have a GS500, I have the problem of not being able to lift it.
(Could do with some tips here boys)
Have had to call on neighbours twice now. Once when I forgot to put stand down and the other when it was on a slope and rolled forward.

If she needs someone to ride with I'm happy to do that with her.

Just takes alot of courage and talking to yourself

Just one thing--putting a bike on its main stand isn't a matter of brute force. -Its a tecnique thing.
Picking up a bike is the same in most cases--hey Im not talking the likes of a FJ1200 here

[2much]

Hey Spookey, you'll be amazed how easily you can lift a bike if you use the right technique.
First off, pick it up straight away, while that adrenaline's still pumpin'.

Grab the lower handle grip, pull it back first, to turn the wheel in, then lift the bike using a good hold of the handle grip/bar. Ideally, if you can, hold the brake lever on to keep the bike from going anywhere. However, if you've got the front wheel turned in, movement should be minimal.
Remember to bend your knees and lift with your legs, not your back.

Hope that helps.

[Joni]

To repeat something Ixion said a while back:

There's a trick to lifting a bike. If you know the technique even a very small person can lift quite a big bike.

Basically, assuming the bikes on it's side, but still on the road (if it's in a ditch that's a bigger problem) , what you is :

Stand beside the bike , on the side the seat is , with your back to the bike, and about 1 to 2 feet away from it (ie you are facing away from the horizontal bike with your back to the seat bit.

Now squat down enough that you can get one hand on the lowest handlebar, and the other grabbing the frame somewhere to the rear of where you normally sit. It's going to depend a bit on the bike, your height and the angle the bikes on. If you can't reach move a bit closer.

Now sort of duck walk backward and straighten up as you do it. You'll find that you'll life the bike quite easily (really, you will, you don't have to be a weightlifter). As the bike comes up , you move backwards , closer and closer, until the bikes is upright enough for you to turn and stand it up in the normal way.

[yungatart]

Not being huge in the confidence stakes myself (and having had a bike lie down for a nap on more than one occasion), I would say that practice is the best thing, also don't ever laugh at her mishaps (makes us very angry and hurt y'know). Get one of the girls to help her out. In no time at all she'll be beating the pants off you!!!