Encouragement needed please

[mstriumph]

as others have said here, if we are honest we all feel like that sometimes, no matter how long we have been riding

.......my thoughts are that control is what you need to feel - over the ride, your bike, yourself

riding is, above all else, a self-focused, self-absorbed thing [in the nicest possible way, of course ]

sometimes riding with a partner who is more experienced than you [even a very understanding one] can shift your focus, make you feel pressured ... and although a frisson of adreneline adds to the riding experience, feeling pressured and out of control and under observation does not

so go for little wombles on your own, mebbe? ........same roads and corners for a while until familiarity nails them for you, you and the bike and the world are in harmony and you swoop and flow down the road with a big smile plastered all over your face

then take that confidence onto roads you don't know and learn those too .......

above all, ENJOY!!

[Trudes]

Actually, not to put you off or anything, but a couple of us were discussing that if you don't feel like riding or it doesn't feel right to go for a ride for some reason (sixth sense type stuff) you shouldn't fight that, you should listen to it. It's good to push yourself to do things that scare you, but not at the expense of the sixth sense! Good luck doll, you'll get there!

[Paul in NZ]

Don't stress - that fear thing keeps you alive. Experience will tell it how much it's needed (if at all)

I've been riding for.. erm..... 34 years and I still get scared at times and I've also learnt that I don't always want to take a bike... Mostly - it's still the same magic rush it's ever been.

Keep at it - after a bit you will really know if it's for you or not but there should always be just a little bit of fear...

[Grub]

Do a 300k trip every now and again (being easter you have the time!)

That's actually excellent advice. Nasty had her FXR150 for nearly a year and then got the Virago 500 but in all that time she would think of reasons *not* to ride to work. Too windy, too wet etc etc

Finally at xmas we rode Welly to Auckland via the Western Lakes road, back down Highway 31, over the Parapara's in the worst possible wind and rain and back home. That did it, she said that it didn't get any worse than that and it wasn't that bad.

Now she rides every day and looks forward to it

[Xtat1k]

You guys are soooo helpful!

Julie, I hear what you are saying. Even to this day I often don't really get into a ride until I'm on my way home!

Strategies that I find help are to tell myself to relax, not try so hard, and perhaps focus on one thing only. The thing I find most useful is to focus on being smooth around corners - lining them up properly and concentrating on being smooth - even at low speeds.

You will get more comfortable the more you ride. Perhaps you also need to ride with someone other than your partner if possible?

Good call I'd have to agree with that.

[yungatart]

I know how you feel! Magic fairy hit the nail on the head!!
Try and get out more regularly, and find yourself a mentor.
Relax, smile and ride your own ride!!

[Scamp]

I'm a newbie too and I agree with what everyone else has said "Get out more". When I first got my bike I was only getting out once a week, now I'm taking it to work a couple of times a week and using it to visit etc - getting on seems much easier now and I don't seem to make those silly mistakes quite so often.

Good luck, and most of all ENJOY

[gunnyrob]

Hi Julie, wnen I was a noob I did a introduction to riding course. helped my confidence no end. I believe BRONZ run them as do others. Have fun.

[<G>]

I had the same problem, see my earlier posts and the response I received was awesome - from some of the same people that have responded to your post. Not so bad any more...now liken it to being in love...same weak knees, knot in tummy, sweaty palms, heart racing...until we set off and it all comes together - reciprocity.
As the others say...practice and more practice. Sue came out with me the first few times, now I go on my own. I do this at 5am, very little traffic, downside is that it is dark and now getting colder. I go to a carpark and practice the things I learnt at Ride Right Ride Safe - you should look at coming up to Auckland to attend their course - and then I go out on the road - have done up to 30kms at a time (have to then get ready for work). At our age learning to ride doesn't come that easily and experienced riders have forgotten how they felt - but then they were young and invincible (especially men). All the best, it is worth it!

[gijoe1313]

So much good advice in this thread so I will not gainsay pretty much what MackTheKnife has posted. I will just provide the rah-rah gee-up and chorus!

Go, you good thing go! Take the time to enjoy what you are doing too! The freedom you have gained is well worth the journey you are struggling with at the moment

Now, stop reading this and get out there and pootle!

[Hitcher]

Any encouragement at all would be greatly appreciated.

Just fucking do it. You only live once. Sheesh.

[Mr. Peanut]

Where you at the tennis courts the last couple of nights? You might have seen my bike outside Pak'n Save. The white one.

I was intimidated by my 125cc scooter, when I first got it! If you want someone to give you a few tips I'd be happy to help

[SpinFx]

Just hang in there and don;t give up. it gets easier the more you ride. and before you know it you'll be comfortable as.

[Terminated]

Hi Julie,
I am not at all surprised that you are feeling this way, after all it is very early days yet.
I would suggest thinking about your riding carefully in the light of your comments, specifically why are you really enjoying it by the end but reluctant to start.
Is it just fear of consequence or lack of confidence?
If it is fear, relax, breathe and remind yourself of your reasons for wanting to ride in the first place, spend time on the basics in a carpark or contained area on your own, practice is a good thing.
If it is a lack of confidence, understand that the only way to get confident is to do it. Prepare yourself for the ride, plan to practice specific things and notice what is improving in your riding skills. I would suggest doing more than 1 ride per week, even if it is just for 15 mins down the road and back, do more.
Above all, remember that this is a learning journey, compare it to other learning journeys you have had. This one will have similarity and differences, learn from your other experiences. Are you normally nervous about new things, this means it is nothing to worry about, carry on.
Are you usually scared of new things just because they are new and will challenge your skills, great, embrace the challenge knowing that you will be better for it once you have achieved your goal.
Riding is about having fun and doing something you love, you are experiencing that by the time you are coming home. As you improve that will just grow and grow until all the time you spend on a bike is pleasurable, and the anticipation is almost as good as the experience itself.
Relax and enjoy your learning and riding, it will go so much better if you relax. Don't beat yourself up about being worried about it, accept that this is a stage you must pass through to gain skills.

I take my hat off to you MTK, an excellent post.

Julie here is a link to my first days,weeks and months:
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...ad.php?t=30010

Take your time, focus and take a disciplined approach while still having fun. You may want to keep a short diary log [pen and booklet] to reinforce and review your progress.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Terminated]

Julie I just went back to the Newbie Training Update for you, here you go;

As At Wednesday 29th November
Elapsed Time Since Last Update: 7 days
Riding days completed since last update: 5
Distance Travelled 515km
Total Distance 9043km [since 12 May]

Refer Back To 15 November Training Update

DEE-FAP
Over the past week the following DEE-FAP is discussed

Discipline - You will know when you get that pit gut feeling when something goes awry - Expect the Unexpected.

Riding on winding roads with sweeping and blind bends: There were numerous occasions when I met oncoming traffic, cars, SUV's and heavy haulage trailers this past week and two things standout:
1. Avoided target fixation, and
2. Countersteering strategy kicked in and hands were already in position covering front brake and clutch well before the bend/s.

Feedback to myself - Expected [repeat] Expected - the Unexpected

Focus - Have one or two things as key review points each time you get on your bike.

Having moved from Learners to Restricted this month my focus has been at several levels:
1. Reducing speed from 100kph. Without immediately going into full on Emergency braking procedure from 100kph I have practised speed reduction on an open quiet dead-end stretch of road moving up in 5-10kph levels from 70kph without trying to stop in the shortest possible distance but rather focusing on the bike's suspension initial brake pressure then increasing pressure. Also before coming to complete stop stepping straight down through the gears [click to 4th,click to 3rd, click to 2nd click to 1st gear] and getting left foot down then right foot down. This is a topic I want to cover with my mentor on our review ride in December.

2. Countersteering - Now that I am getting out beyond 70kph I am notice more so now the influence of slight knee pressure against the fuel tank and this has been good when moving through open view bends - good feeling of balance and minimal steering effort with the quite good feed back of the 'slight push on the grip'.

Similarly on a good stretch of winding road [Blue Mountains Road leading up to Whitemans Valley] with slow to moderate bike control I have found balance, knee, lean, and gradual winding throttle on very rewarding both going up the hill and back down.

Attention - Develop a habit of cycling through your safety strategy.

Okay hands up how many times have we looked in the mirror and said to ourselves 'where did he/she come from' when you discover a vehicle right behind you.....Two things here:

1. Just because I [and you perhaps] have just got a Restricted licence I don't think we wear the mantle 'King of the Road'. This past week there have been several instances when I have purposefully found a safe spot to let that one or more vehicles pass: an evening ride coming back down the Rimutaka Hill and also down Blue Mountains Road were instances. I have seen the traffic coming and my priority is focusing on my riding technique - so I let the traffic get by and return to my practice. [If I know a vehicle is behind me coming down a hill I want to be constantly aware of how close or far back the vehicle is......you get around the next bend and there is a real time emergency braking situation on your hands.......] Key: I want to control my riding environment as best as I possibly can.

2. Okay I got my hand up and have said to myself 'WTF where did that cage come from?' [Paint a scenario say you came around a bend and there is a real time emergency braking situation on your hands - you flash check the mirrors....'WTF the cage behind is way way too close'.....Potentially you lost control of your riding environment 30seconds, a minute, two minutes ago....] How frequently do you check your mirrors? This is a constant alert reminder to myself 'Buck you're not paying attention.'

As an aside I had the pleasure of joining in the White Ribbon Day ride last weekend with about 100 bikes going around the city and coastline - Head Checks and Mirror Checks were a constant constant.

Personal - How you approach your DEE-FAP Discipline Focus Attention Personal strategies will be evolving as your riding skills develop. Above all be true to yourself when you next go for a ride and think again about where you're riding and how you're riding. Remember you do not have to be overly tense and completely locked into your training program remember to relax.

When thinking about 'where you're riding and how you're riding' can be very rewarding - I continue to ride over parts of Stokes Valley where I did my first 1000km and I conduct an litmus test frequently [if not constantly] and the feedback is immediately rewarding: I recall cul de sacs where I would be hesistant when doing a u-turn where rear brake and clutch combined was still an overly conscious effort. Similarly, I can now look at winding roads eg: over the Holborn Drive and notice how my vision has extended way out and through the bends while at the same time counter steering, balance, lean, throttle are running altogether very smoothly.

Finally, this past week there were a few times when though I had nothing to stop me from going down to the garage and getting my gear on to ride, I just wasn't ready, in fact I even went out onto the front drive way and weeded for quarter of an hour and during this time I was thinking about where will I ride to, and, what will I review today.

Heads Up and Enjoy

Heads Up and Enjoy Julie