Anyone care to comment/advise

[MSTRS:Me]

My darling would like some help here. I think it may be to do with sub-liminal distractions ie the sub-conscious notices an offcamber and the eyes stop looking far enough ahead. But I don't know what it could be

Just wondering tho, if anyone can help out, I ride a series of corners and all is fine, nice and smooth etc etc and then I come up to another corner and i just freeze/lose all confidence and have to slow right down again. I have no idea why. It doesn't make any sense, (but then I probably don't either!) I have never had an off or a serious whoopsy moment on a corner, if anyone can shed some light, I'd be grateful.

[imdying]

Stop trying to go fast? More to life than being 'fast' on a bike

[Colapop]

This is not a 'speed' thing as such is it? It's more of a riding 'smoothly' thing?

[bugjuice]

clear your head. don't think about what you've just done or where you're going, just go..
worst thing for some is to think too much during a ride. I've done it before
I find trying to clear everything and just being there for the ride, makes a nicer ride

[Mental Trousers]

Happens to me too. For a while I'll get along quite happily and smoothly, but then I'll make a bit of a mistake which will give me a fright. After that, I'm no where near as smooth because I don't trust my judgement anymore cos I might make another mistake. However, if I'm riding like a mad bastard I brush it off and go hard, but if I'm being sensible it messes up my ride quite badly and I have to try and get my head straight again.

[MSTRS:Me]

Moving at all is 'going fast' compared to standing still Yungatart rides conservatively and seldom exceeds even the posted corner speeds. Her concern is definitely with achieving a nice, regular flow of riding style.

[imdying]

Sounds fair. Tell her to keep riding slower and slower. Eventually, she'll get to a speed where she can ride all day every day smooth as she likes Once shes been there, and is feeling real good about her riding, start creeping the speed back up.

[Ixion]

I struggle with this at times. And am also not a fast rider (those are miles per hour on the advisory signs, right? cos that's what my speedo is) .

I think it is due to trying to predict the road - looking ahead, subconsciously drawing a picture of where the roads going. Usually works well. But every so often something deceptive upsets it - what looked like the road continuing beyond that corner isnt, it's a driveway, the road goes the other way: that corner is much sharper than expected, whatever. Then the mind goes "WTF - where's the road gone - it should be *there* and it's not - I dunno what to do , gonna go on strike"

The way i overcome it is simply to recognise that I've been fooled , mutter "OK, you got me- now lets get on with it" and put it behind me. So, it goes left instead of right. OK, left we'll go - now, where's it go next.

Inherently, you mainly get this on roads you don't know really well (most roads, for me). Which is why sprotsbike riders don't encounter it, because they seldom ride unknown roads. They "know" the road - when you don't you have to try to guess, and sometimes the guess fools you.

Actively accepting that the road tricked you "releases" the mental bind and allows you to move on. Otherwise your mind grinds its gears trying to force the reality to conform with what the mond thinks it *ought* to be

[Lou Girardin]

It sounds like she loses the rythym during a sequence of bends. It happens to us all. My worst one was through the Gates of Haast when it was dirt. Luckily the third corner I stuffed up had the bank cut away so I went off-roading and straightlined the corner over boulders and all sorts of crap. Tough bikes those old XJ750's.

[Motu]

Use the rhythm method...you gotta have a flow from one piece of road to ther other,it's not about being fast,it's about being smooth.Like Ixion I am mostly on roads I don't know,they are unmarked and have tricky surprises around every corner.I am often wrong footed and having to make decisions mid corner...this is my preference,and I like to ride like that,but it's hard to make it look like I know what I'm doing....

[buellbabe]

Sounds like the sort of thing ya get on unknown roads... just chill and don't worry about it so much. I would suggest slowing down but apparently thats not the issue.. maybe a handling skills course would help boost the confidence. Theres other factors to consider tho...How long has she had the bike? How familar is she with how far she can push it?

[Keystone19]

Relax your legs Yungatart. I bet they are gripping the tank like a...

[MSTRS:Me]

Thanks for the replies so far. I will point Yungatart at this thread after work & let her answer the questions and/or ask more.

[Grahameeboy]

Relax your legs Yungatart. I bet they are gripping the tank like a...

like a ??

Remember MotoGP riders have moments and lose confidence.

Riding a bike requires a lot of concentration and we all crap it at times. The main thing is that you did not bin it which shows that you are good enough a rider to deal with these situations so take that positive.

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Relax and clear your head. Think of nothing but the road. Lift your head and just enjoy the day. I think you fear falling off and that is normal. But your bike will go around any of the corners at the speed you set them up at. You drop your eyes and you slow down. Just get in the grove and relax. Relax your hands and legs. All said here before.
Are you coming on the Elephant ride? I hope to take a group half an hour before the main group and we can get some good k's in and relax you. A long ride will be good cos you will have to relax and that is what you need. Speights_Bud said you had a good ride on the weekend. You did slow down at times but it was due to dropping your eyes. Look up and out to the end of the corner. You will get it.
Take the corners at the posted speed. You can go too slow and the bike will not flow. Get it flowing like a ????? ??? dancing.