Glorian Posted September 27, 2014 Posted September 27, 2014 Now i've been riding almost a year. Passed my mod 1 and mod 2 first try no issues. But when i ride on my own i find i'm really nervous cornering at slow/high speeds. It's getting a bit dangerous now as on my ride home i fixated on a bush and had to stop and stick my hazards on as i couldn't bring myself to turn. I'm not sure if it's inexperience or a little part of my head reminding me i have crashed and blocking me from riding properly. I've tried going out at quiet times and sometimes i am better but most times i really am not riding well/safe.Does anyone else get or have had this sort of feeling? Im debating getting a days training with my instructor to go over cornering again and see if he can shine some light on it. Quote
Joeman Posted September 27, 2014 Posted September 27, 2014 You seemed fine on our rideout??Maybe having someone to follow helps? Quote
Bonniebird Posted September 27, 2014 Posted September 27, 2014 It's a common problemThe best cure is to ride lots but I'd also recommend doing a Bikesafe course with the Police.Its relativelt cheap ( free in some areas) includes a 1 to 1 session and its a great confidence boost Quote
Tango Posted September 27, 2014 Posted September 27, 2014 Target fixation mate......you need to be looking at where you want the bike to go.....not where you don't want to end up...... Keep your head up.....and look ahead at the stretch of road that you are following......look as far ahead as you can......the bike will go there if you do this, trust me....... Quote
Glorian Posted September 27, 2014 Author Posted September 27, 2014 You seemed fine on our rideout??Maybe having someone to follow helps? Think it helps knowing what speed / position to take following people. It's a common problemThe best cure is to ride lots but I'd also recommend doing a Bikesafe course with the Police.Its relativelt cheap ( free in some areas) includes a 1 to 1 session and its a great confidence boost Will look into this have heard about these courses so might come in handy. Target fixation mate......you need to be looking at where you want the bike to go.....not where you don't want to end up...... Keep your head up.....and look ahead at the stretch of road that you are following......look as far ahead as you can......the bike will go there if you do this, trust me....... This is probably a big part of it. I often chastise myself for looking the wrong place. I think i will try make myself go out on some solo ride outs on the back roads near me see if it helps doing some training =) Quote
OhJay Posted September 28, 2014 Posted September 28, 2014 Talk yourself through it, out loud in your helmetGive yourself a running commentary: what you see in front of you, what corner is coming up, what speed you're doing, where you want to be looking, even if you have to say to yourself all the way though the corner "look up, look up, look up"Don't tell yourself "don't look at that bush", tell yourself to look up, round, further.Makes all the difference Quote
cockercas Posted October 3, 2014 Posted October 3, 2014 Back roads arnt great for it, well not round me anyway. All the feilds are surrounded by hedges.You want somewere were you can see the road around the corner is clear. Quote
BikerMooFromMars Posted October 3, 2014 Posted October 3, 2014 The best cure is to ride lots but I'd also recommend doing a Bikesafe course with the Police.This Also it took me for fecking ever to get over my cornering fear. I'm not shit at it anymore (not saying I'm amazing btw!), but I actively enjoy myself. If I find myself target fixating I immediately make myself look up the road where I want to go. Get your position right, scan the road briefly for obvious danger, and look into the apex - keep looking ahead! And dare I mention countersteering *holy shit*! I found understanding it helped...I'm just throwing that out there! Watch YouTube videos and practice.If you have certain roads that make you nervous, try to take a different route if you can. And relax, enjoy yourself. If you feel yourself stiffening up tell yourself to relax your arms etc. Go slow if you have to. You'll speed up with time.Going on rideouts with people who were happy to go at my speeds helped me a lot too (Bonniebird and Tango were legends for this ). Pillion rides were fantastic to see how much you can actually lean, made it less scary (Aaron and Fozzles helped loads with this too). I think they scared the living shit out of me and made my cornering seem tame so I felt safer leaning a bit more. Could someone take you for a ride or just watch YouTube vids/bike racing. And of course advice from peeps on here was a ma-hoosive help. Don't hug the corners. Great tyres help (my Michelins are soooo much better). Ooh, and listening to music while I ride was the biggest cure of my nerves - singing along to music made me stop over-thinking. I ride almost every day and a whole lot, and the only time I don't have earphones in is when riding with other bikers.Anyhoo...don't sweat it. Don't fret. You will get there, just keep biking and enjoy yourself lovely Btw did you get the issues with your bikey sorted? Quote
Six30 Posted October 4, 2014 Posted October 4, 2014 That was all good advice except listening to music... Can't see how that would help when your nervy about cornering trying to concentrate and you got The Script screaming in your lid. Quote
BikerMooFromMars Posted October 4, 2014 Posted October 4, 2014 That was all good advice except listening to music... Can't see how that would help when your nervy about cornering trying to concentrate and you got The Script screaming in your lid.Meh, just saying it helped me, something to maybe try if all else fails. I was incredibly nervous after my off and over-thought everything. Singing along to music helped me calm myself whilst focussing on the road Quote
Glorian Posted October 6, 2014 Author Posted October 6, 2014 Been out quite a bit recently (unfortunately bike was in shop all weekend with oil leak)Getting better and more used to the weight of the bike. Might try music in one ear. I like classical anyway so thats often calming. Unless i listen to "in the hall of the mountain king" haha. Quote
Throttled Posted December 26, 2014 Posted December 26, 2014 Do a running commentary as OhJay suggested. This is an extreme example of what a commentary is like, a high speed run in a police carhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... VtQ4NN5_-Qbut it gives you an idea of how the driver is always on the look out for hazards and anticipating issues. As you ride up to a corner you would be saying to yourself- that you are approaching a right/left hand bend- there are/are not any warning signs or slow markers for the bend- the view is clear/obscured through the bend- the road surface is good/potholes/dry/wet/oil - there is/is not another vehicle coming the other wayand nothing at all about bushes etc on the verge as that does not matter. Quote
Glorian Posted January 12, 2015 Author Posted January 12, 2015 Update.Definately going better (minus the crap weather) new tyres now and i often have some music going in my left ear which makes me worry less like moo says it helps relax instead of over thinking! Quote
Guest Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 You need a road like this to practice on Tom... http://youtu.be/CH8SEt-FuhA?t=1m17s Quote
fullscreenaging Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 I keep having to get rid of the media tags in order to watch the YouTube clips on my iPad through tapatalk."> Quote
Wednesday12 Posted May 17, 2015 Posted May 17, 2015 Does anyone else get or have had this sort of feeling? Im debating getting a days training with my instructor to go over cornering again and see if he can shine some light on it. I feel like this quite a lot, I have a cruiser type bike and once my peg touched the floor and I had to pull over because I was shaking so much which is ridiculous 'cause people put their knees down lol.Did you have a days training with your instructor? Did it help? Quote
Six30 Posted May 17, 2015 Posted May 17, 2015 Don't listen to any advice from Phil Young ..Sorry couldn't resist Quote
fq-craigus Posted May 17, 2015 Posted May 17, 2015 Don't listen to any advice from Phil Young ..Sorry couldn't resist Cruel but funny Quote
Oasis Posted March 8, 2016 Posted March 8, 2016 ...... Ooh, and listening to music while I ride was the biggest cure of my nerves - singing along to music made me stop over-thinking. I ride almost every day and a whole lot, and the only time I don't have earphones in is when riding with other bikers. Thanks for this tip, I tried it yesterday and for the first time I just enjoyed the ride without over thinking everything. In my first week of learning to ride so sometimes I act like a 3 legged skateboarding dead donkey. One thing though, I did make a tit out of myself at a set of lights when I got a little lost in the music and suddenly realised I was doing a little wiggle dance Quote
RantMachine Posted March 8, 2016 Posted March 8, 2016 Ancient thread alert I sing without the music, helps me improve my karaoke game ready for the rally Quote
Gin Posted March 8, 2016 Posted March 8, 2016 I have pulled up at lights many a time to see a bemused car drive next to me.. I then realise I have been howling along to my music, dancing on the bike.. Even funnier when my pillion is joining in with a headphone splitter! Quote
soll Posted March 8, 2016 Posted March 8, 2016 I have pulled up at lights many a time to see a bemused car drive next to me.. I then realise I have been howling along to my music, dancing on the bike.. Even funnier when my pillion is joining in with a headphone splitter! i find that since i took my baffles out of my exhaust that the bike is easier to corner, because i can here the engine tone and i tend to get around corners better by dropping a cog and then using the throttle/engine braking to get around it, also means i leave the brake alone.Cons makes loads more noise,Pros MAKE LOADS MORE NOISE Quote
Oasis Posted March 8, 2016 Posted March 8, 2016 I have pulled up at lights many a time to see a bemused car drive next to me.. I then realise I have been howling along to my music, dancing on the bike.. Even funnier when my pillion is joining in with a headphone splitter! https://youtu.be/2cNYzOUqXi0 Quote
RantMachine Posted March 8, 2016 Posted March 8, 2016 I've always found that crashing your bike is a good way of learning its limits so that you don't exceed them in the future Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.