Confessions of a Struggling Rider

[Chitza]

I've been riding for almost 9 years. I'm not a newbie by definition anymore. I took the Basic Rider's Course and 6 months later, the Advanced Rider's Course. I've owned somewhere close to 15 bikes and ridden over 100,000 miles total.
But none of this means I was a proficient rider. I had never ridden before and all the mechanics of riding were new to me. I had no muscle memory or experience to rely upon. And I was 46yo when i started. Not the most pliable brain on the planet.

Every single mile has been a struggle and chasing mastery of proficiency. I've enjoyed most of those miles even though they weren't perfect in execution. I've been good enough to fake proficiency and look like I knew what I was doing but it was mentally exhausting. Constantly trying to get it to "click." I've had "aha" moments and revelations that made things easier.

Being inside my head when I rode was like an international convention of people speaking 12 different languages all trying to decide on which pizza toppings to order.

Hit the apex. Slow, look, press and roll. Focus on the exit. Countersteer. Shift your weight. Kiss the mirror. Straighten out the curves. Outside, inside, outside.

Too many voices. And I developed some REALLY bad habits. I'm ashamed to admit them publicly but if I can help one rider figure this out, I'm willing to take my licks.

After the trip to Alaska, I have only been on a bike 5 times. Yep. Five times in 9 months. Lots of reasons. My health has been a major battle and when I have felt good, I needed to be working on my house. And mentally, I just wasn't there.

This past weekend Glenn hosted a Ride for Pie and I committed to joining the crew in Tellico. Two days before the date, I had one of my absolute worst days ever with my arthritis. But I didn't want to miss the ride. I put my bike on a trailer to decrease the stress on my body and left for Tellico. We rode to Bald River Falls from the campground Friday afternoon and I was struggling. Sandy and Johnny were behind me. When we got to the falls Sandy said she enjoyed watching me ride because I looked so smooth. BIG morale booster.

Saturday morning I joined Mojo1's street ride and continued to struggle with my bad habits and lack of "real" proficiency. We hit a new to me road, Wayah Rd., just outside Franklin, NC. Something clicked. I was in the zone. I had rhythm and flow with my bike. Suddenly my two very bad habits were gone. Everything felt natural. Coming out of the curves, the world was opening up rather than closing in. What was different? I believe taking the break allowed me to be in reboot mode. All of the advice I have gotten through the years boiled down to two simple things, both of which were being blocked by my bad habits. Nothing new to learn or hear or be advised. Just break the bad habits and drop the other mental chatter.

My two rules for riding:
1. Ride in your bike's power band - find that sweet spot for your bike. Mine is 3800-4200 rpms.
2. Ride to the vanishing point - same as look through the turn. Same as Slow, look, press and roll. Just make it simpler.

Both of these rules allowed me to follow Lincoln's advice: LET IT DO. Everything else happens naturally when I followed these two simple things.

So, what were my bad habits?? Okay, I'm willing to be vulnerable here for the sake of other riders trying to improve their skill, so don't be harsh with me....

1. I ALWAYS watched the tail lights of whoever or whatever was in front of me. I could not break away from that without constant mental focus on NOT doing it. If I slacked, I was back to staring at tail lights.
2. I rode curves like gymkhana, feathering my clutch and dragging my rear brake. Yep. I did. Amazing I didn't end up in a guardrail or oncoming traffic, huh? Again, mentally, I could stop it with complete and total focus. But one distraction and I was back at it.

Every bit of the advice I have received has been good, solid advice. But my mental habits were blocking good form. This past weekend, about half way down Wayah Rd, it all clicked. I kicked the habits and I rode. I rode proficiently and living up to the compliment that Sandy gave me. And around every curve, the world was wide open for me.


Thank you Glenn, Greg, Sandy, Johnny, Lynn, Chuck and Susan for this weekend. And to everyone who has tried to help me in the last 9 years. It took every word you have spoken to get me here.

[klaviator]

Great post Karla.  Let me start by saying I have a lot of respect for people willing to try something as challenging as riding a motorcycle later in life.  I can relate to what you wrote here.  Although I started riding street bikes at 22 and consider myself pretty proficient on the street, I started riding in the dirt at 43.  I have gotten where I feel reasonably comfortable in the dirt but have resigned myself to the fact that I will never develop the instincts that riders who started much younger have.  What comes natural to a good dirt rider can be struggle for me.  That doesn't keep me from riding in the dirt or trying to get better.  Most important is that I can still have fun doing it. 

Karla you may not be the most proficient rider on this forum but you contribute a lot with your writing talent and unique perspective.  I for one like reading the stuff you write.   I'm glad you were able to "get in the Zone" on Wayah rd.  I have had those moments as well, even in the dirt.

[jrobinson]

More times than not, our thoughts can get in the way of having a good time. We hear all the expert advice and try to follow it, when we really need just the basics.

Do what works for you. The experts aren't riding your bike in your body. It doesn't matter how unconventional some may be, if it works, LET IT DO.

Thanks for letting us in on your little secret. I'm glad you got that off your back.

[SpeedyR]

glad you are still enjoying the ride. I didn't start riding on the street till I was in my 30's. I had a dirt bike when I was a kid but never anything like an MX bike or anything, more like having an XR80 when you were a kid. I did have a 250 in high school and did some "dual sport" riding with my dad but sold it after I graduated and didn't get back on bikes till I was 30. riding on the street is a lot more 'cerebral' for me, as I had to teach myself how to ride. I did the MSF and ERC classes, and then got my racing license (back then, there weren't track days, my first time on the track was race school, then I raced the next day on my Hawk). Since then I've done a lot more track riding, but I am enjoying the street once again. I hadn't had a street bike in a few years but just got back into street riding (vs. dual sport and off road). It did take me a bit of time to recalibrate my brain for street but find I am decently close to being back on my old pace. typically I don't use my brakes much on the twisty roads, just let the engine braking do it's stuff (big V-twin so plenty of engine braking in lower gears). roll on, roll off. focus on being smooth. when you get it right, it all comes together.

focus on what you are doing right, and see if you can add little bits here and there. sometimes riding new roads helps but I find that my comfort level grows on roads I am more familiar with so again I use my focus on just riding vs. learning new roads or riding with new people.

but whatever it takes to have fun, that's what you need to focus on. if you aren't having fun, why ride?? :)

[Nice Goat]

There are days when I ride well and days when I nearly screw up badly.  You really do have to be rested and in a fluid state of mind to be smooth in the curves.  I try to be aware of my state of mind when I ride.  If I am having an off day, I try to just stick to the main roads, which are usually straighter.

Riding dirt is no different.  If you are having an off day, you can get injured just as easily.

Thanks for having the courage to admit that there are days when you can be better.  Most people are afraid of admitting any weakness at all, but it is a sign of maturity and willingness to grow.  Good on you!

[klaviator]

There are times when I feel like I am riding like crap even on the street.  For me the solution is normally to keep riding until I start riding better.  I usually know what I am doing wrong but it still sometimes takes a while before can get over it.  Riding well is a perishable skill.  Don't ride for a while and I lose it.  I tend to ride best when I ride many days in a row.  All it takes sometimes is a few days of not riding or riding on roads that don't have a lot of curves to lose it again. 

[IceCold4x4]

I've been trying to help a few friends become faster / better lately and it has been making me focus more on what I do. (*I am by no means an expert, but in 2 years of riding I feel like I'm to a point that I can hold my own on the street to where going faster is kinda stupid lol) that being said now I ride the same stretch of road when I try to build skills. Ran into someone on 25 the other day that gave me a tip when going through the hairpin up the hill, I had just plain been taking the wrong line and it had never felt right, took his advice and was amazed and how much better the bike exited the corner. The late apex line there surprised me as to how late it really needs to be to setup the bike right due to the camber. So there's always more to learn. But I'm still surprised when I'm on my way home after a long day and my brain is kind of shot how much better I seem to ride. It's amazing what the human subconscious is capable of if ya just let it work sometimes.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

[polarissalesman]

I've rode most o f my life although I did quit for a lot of years. Ridding has always me 2nd nature & natural to me. BUT after I wrecked last April I find myself fighting the bike 2nd guessing my riding skills, some days it's worse, some days it never crosses my mind. I think if we are all honest we all have demons at some point or another we must face when riding. All I know to do is ride through it and hope it CLICKS again.....

[Fencejumper09]

I grew up riding and racing motocross but not really much street until I got the supermoto wheels! Ever since then I have really struggled trying to find the limit of the bike and the tires. I have never ridden anything with this much stick! It is pretty amazing though when I feel like I am going along pretty good and "someone" on a WR450 sumo blows by you and rails through the next turn. It really makes me realize that I am the limiting factor and not the bike setup.

I know that I find myself making similar mistakes as you when it comes to watching the bike in front of you (I have followed Al G. straight into a ditch before!) and I also find myself over-thinking things trying to ride like so-and-so that I saw on youtube. The days I have the most fun are the days where I just let things go and ride my own ride! One day I hope street riding will bring me as much joy as single track!

So when's the next cone killing day?!?

[Al Goodwin]

I find myself not being as smooth as I was in my younger days.....eyesight not as good, physically not as quick a response time, and I find myself "out of sync" more times than I think I should.....

I understand when you say you "can overcome your bad habits, but it takes complete concentration"...I'm the same way, what used to come naturally, now has become a constant mental state to maintain...  I can ride smoothly, just not as natural any longer.  I can get my turn-ins to the apex correct, but not without constant thought of the process.

I guess I'm just getting old. ???

[kylepeterson]

great commentary Karla. I'm in the same boat as you with just a decade of riding, and that started later than it should have. it's a good thing, because it means some of those impulses for speed/stupid are tamed or already long gone.

just the other day i was cruising through traffic when this happened.

if that happened ten years ago i would have likely been waving my arms, yelling, and kicking mirrors at the next red light.

but maturity wins, sometimes. honestly i don't think i even gave it another thought all day. people are distracted , don't care  and generally have no idea what pavement feels like on a hot sunny day, wether it's just walking on it for a mile or sliding across it.




hearing about your awesome ride to Alaska was so cool to hear through your voice and the respectful voices of all your friends.

not sure where in going with this, other than this thread is making stuff feel good. thanks :-)

[Chuck A.]

For me, I am more centered on safety at my age (54) than I have ever been. I have slowed down in the corners mainly due to the big bike bottoms out faster than previous bikes. I pay more attention to vehicles at stop signs/traffic lights/driveways than before. My air horn gets used when I'm around someone with a phone in their hand while behind the wheel. I've put the strobing headlight device on the bike, wear high vis shirts, and people still pull out in front of me. "Sorry" don't cut it.  With knee replacements, shoulder hardware, wrist damage with weight restrictions, abdomen wall repair, and a cracked skull,,, well you come to terms as you start ageing that going down can be a bad thing for your future. I don't think after 48 years on a bike that I've lost anything in riding, if anything, I'm more aware of my surroundings and I ride in a protect mode.

[IceCold4x4]

I grew up riding and racing motocross but not really much street until I got the supermoto wheels! Ever since then I have really struggled trying to find the limit of the bike and the tires. I have never ridden anything with this much stick! It is pretty amazing though when I feel like I am going along pretty good and "someone" on a WR450 sumo blows by you and rails through the next turn. It really makes me realize that I am the limiting factor and not the bike setup.

I know that I find myself making similar mistakes as you when it comes to watching the bike in front of you (I have followed Al G. straight into a ditch before!) and I also find myself over-thinking things trying to ride like so-and-so that I saw on youtube. The days I have the most fun are the days where I just let things go and ride my own ride! One day I hope street riding will bring me as much joy as single track!

So when's the next cone killing day?!?

I think it's about time we hit up keith codes superbike school.

[polarissalesman]

great commentary Karla. I'm in the same boat as you with just a decade of riding, and that started later than it should have. it's a good thing, because it means some of those impulses for speed/stupid are tamed or already long gone.

True story ..... I was 50 when I started back riding, My Mom had some health issues & I'd go over every morning and check on her. I had just bought a bike and rode over to check in and see how she was, visited awhile and started to leave and Mom followed me out. now Mom lived on a BIG hill & I had parked over on the side, we get outside and mom says "where is your truck" I said at home I rode my motorcycle to which she replied well "DOOOOONNNNY you're to OLD for a motorcycle" to which I replied, no Mom I'm just OLD enough. Mom thought about that and said where is it, I said follow me, she looked at and said "it sure is pretty" never said another word about  it....

[springer]

I grew up riding and racing motocross but not really much street until I got the supermoto wheels! Ever since then I have really struggled trying to find the limit of the bike and the tires. I have never ridden anything with this much stick! It is pretty amazing though when I feel like I am going along pretty good and "someone" on a WR450 sumo blows by you and rails through the next turn. It really makes me realize that I am the limiting factor and not the bike setup.

I know that I find myself making similar mistakes as you when it comes to watching the bike in front of you (I have followed Al G. straight into a ditch before!) and I also find myself over-thinking things trying to ride like so-and-so that I saw on youtube. The days I have the most fun are the days where I just let things go and ride my own ride! One day I hope street riding will bring me as much joy as single track!

So when's the next cone killing day?!?

I think it's about time we hit up keith codes superbike school.

IN!