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Post by mrspanner on Mar 20, 2007 22:23:24 GMT
I recently binned my divvy on a roundabout after hitting a patch of diesel in the rain. I was going quite slow as i know that trucks often dump diesel there and i use this roundabout everyday on my way to work. Ever since this happened (about 3 weeks ago) i just lose complete confidence when i approach a roundabout or bend in the wet to the extent that i could walk quicker. This is only the third time in over 25 years of biking ive fallen off and its really screwed me up...if i was going too fast id have thought "serves you right, slow down" but i wasnt. How do i get mt confidence back?...perhaps i need therapy  |
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Post by Dame judgejools44 on Mar 20, 2007 22:33:26 GMT
Only way to deal with it....get back on and keep doing the one thing you don't want to do....the roundabout!!
You'll get there hun!
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Post by 2old2boogie on Mar 20, 2007 22:56:59 GMT
Find a local 'friendly' route, one that you know well. One thats only 5 or 6 miles or so, make sure there's a few bends in it.
Ride it in the dry. Do'nt try to go quickly, just a decent pace. Not ambling along and not racing. Concentrate on what you already know: how to ride a motorbike! Ride the route. Concentrate on your bend skills: Brake gently before the bend, correct gear, feather the throttle through the bend. You know the drill! You've done it enough times!
Just concentrate on your riding. You will find that you will forget your nerves and begin to enjoy just riding the bike again.
Ride the route not just once, but a few times. Your old riding skills will soon return.
Just give it a go. Soonest rather than later.
Good luck
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Post by General Gman on Mar 20, 2007 23:43:09 GMT
Mate, nowt you can do about an off on diesel.TBH, I ride like a girl in the wet (the term girl doesn't include jools there - she's good...) cos I have problems with a slippery rear ;D.Prolly cos I'm ham-fisted with the throttle, and there's 130 odd bhp going through the back tyre. But smoothness is the answer.and try to keep an eye out for diesel - but I know sometimes you just can't see it.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2007 23:44:08 GMT
How do i get mt confidence back?...perhaps i need therapy Not therapy, loads of easy runs at a nice steady speed. You are not alone. It happened to me a couple of years ago, too fast into a bend changed down 2 cogs instead of one, locked up the back wheel and was lucky to get away with it without an off. Really screwed me up for a while, completely froze at right handers and found myself hardly able to get round them. My mate who has millions of miles under his belt kept assuring me it would eventually pass with more riding, and it did. Good luck |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2007 9:07:31 GMT
As everyone says just keep riding. Most of us have had scary moments and accidents at some point. Personally I've been off a couple of times, both times when Mrs B was on the back, I blame her ;-) even she says 'right let's get back on'
At least you can say it wasn't really your fault, in my case one of them was. The jitters will go soon enough.
Ride safe
Dunc
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welshy
Boy Racer
Welsh Dragon
Posts: 232
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Post by welshy on Mar 21, 2007 9:16:54 GMT
I had a nasty accident many years ago when filtering past some slow moving cars. One of the cars decided to get out of the queue (is that how you spell it?) and do a 3 pointer just as I was going past. I ended up with a broken leg and ankle and 3 months off work. I'm still wary about filtering to this day because you know that no matter how careful you are there is always the unknown that can get you at any time eg diesel and inconsiderate car drivers. I suppose you just have to jump back on as soon as poss and just be as vigilant and carefull as you can.
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geordie guy
CBT failure
Some people never grow up !!!
Posts: 19
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Post by geordie guy on Mar 21, 2007 12:30:44 GMT
Just suck them in and go for it.  You'll be back to normal soon enough. Cheers, Ivan |
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Post by farmer pf1 on Mar 21, 2007 12:38:42 GMT
Hi MATE Nothing worse than being nervous about riding I was after 30 yrs off bikes but like the others say just keep at it you will be fine, the best thing I found was a full week in Ireland half wet half dry gives you loads of confidence.
Good luck
Paul.
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Post by Fiasco on Mar 21, 2007 13:44:30 GMT
Hi Mark I know exactly what you mean, I am still regaining confidence after an off 18 month ago. Hate to agree with Gurniman but he is right, smoothness is the key in the wet. Forget about speed, that will come naturally as your ride gets smoother. The other thing to do is try and get positive throttle though the bends hence putting the weight towards the back of the bike. I don't mean grab handfulls of throttle, just get the entry speed correct so you can gradually increase your revs through the bend. Throttling off in a bend is a survival reaction that is more likely to see you come to grief as you are loading the front wheel. Have you considered further training ? Thames Vale Advanced Motorcyclists are based in Wokingham and have pleny of Observers in your area, to help you work towards the IAM test. www.tvam.orgStay safe Dave ;D |
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welshy
Boy Racer
Welsh Dragon
Posts: 232
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Post by welshy on Mar 21, 2007 14:11:07 GMT
Dave, that's a good link you posted in here to the TVAM. I am only 10 mins away from where they meet up so as long as I can get away from the wife and kids for a while I will probably join up myself. Have you tried this group or a similar one and are they as good as they sound on their website. If you have any experience of them I would really like to hear it.
Cheers,
Phil
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Post by General Gman on Mar 21, 2007 15:38:04 GMT
Hate to agree with Gurniman but he is right,
errr.... obviously ;D
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wightryder1
Boy Racer
If it ain't broke fix it...
Posts: 209
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Post by wightryder1 on Mar 21, 2007 15:52:47 GMT
I have had a few offs with diesel spillages and now approach every roundabout in the wet with extra caution (you can see the stuff when it's dry) It took me a while to get my confidence back but I think it has made me a better rider as I am a lot more aware.
Stick with it and easy yourself back into your riding again slowy (just what you are doing in fact!)
Steve
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Post by Ghoti on Mar 21, 2007 15:53:06 GMT
Welshy,
I'm sure Fiasco will fill you in on all the details, but TVAM are good. I think they are the largest IAM group in the UK and commonly thought of highly.
At least five of the members here have used them for training and (apart from one incident involving a pillion) I've only heard good feed back. There are 2 members here that are observers with TVAM. I went on a training run with them and found it to be spot on.
IAM are doing a skills for life package. £85 (IIRC) and all the membership, trianing and test you'll need. If you are not sure, blag yourself a St Crispin's day (not sure if you are meant to, but I did) and have a lesson.
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Post by alpaholic on Mar 21, 2007 16:01:54 GMT
(apart from one incident involving a pillion) I've only heard good feed back. You can't leave it at that! What's the gossip? |
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Post by Ghoti on Mar 21, 2007 16:12:28 GMT
You can't leave it at that! Yes I can (but I will PM you). I don't like to slag off the competition . It was nothing bike related. |
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welshy
Boy Racer
Welsh Dragon
Posts: 232
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Post by welshy on Mar 21, 2007 16:26:19 GMT
Ghoti, Does the £85 fee include the IAM test as well as the training. If it does, it sounds like a bargain. Any idea how long it takes to get to the test stage?
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Post by alpaholic on Mar 21, 2007 16:27:23 GMT
You can't leave it at that! Yes I can (but I will PM you). Thanks for the full SP, I didn't know Dave was that way inclined. No wonder the RSPCA got involved. |
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Post by Ghoti on Mar 21, 2007 17:13:59 GMT
Ghoti, Does the £85 fee include the IAM test as well as the training. If it does, it sounds like a bargain. Any idea how long it takes to get to the test stage? You get the lot (even the book). Google 'IAM skills for life' (sorry, funny link that I could not get to work, but somewhere in www.iam.org.uk). If you are under 25 years old, you get £10 off. As to how long it takes, depends on how good you are, how long it takes you to learn, how much time you can spare etc etc etc. I would have thought from fairly novice (assuming you can control the bike etc), 10 lessons should get you to about test level if you pay attention and have a good observer. |
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Post by Dame judgejools44 on Mar 21, 2007 17:37:42 GMT
Mate, nowt you can do about an off on diesel.TBH, I ride like a girl in the wet (the term girl doesn't include jools there - she's good...) cos I have problems with a slippery rear ;D....... Charmer! What you after!? ;D Stoopid question but worth asking...hehehe!! |
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Post by General Gman on Mar 21, 2007 20:59:16 GMT
Mate, nowt you can do about an off on diesel.TBH, I ride like a girl in the wet (the term girl doesn't include jools there - she's good...) cos I have problems with a slippery rear ;D....... Charmer! What you after!? ;D Stoopid question but worth asking...hehehe!! I'm a blerk... we're only ever after one thing.... ;D hehehe....... |
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Post by Fiasco on Mar 21, 2007 22:09:50 GMT
Dave, that's a good link you posted in here to the TVAM. I am only 10 mins away from where they meet up so as long as I can get away from the wife and kids for a while I will probably join up myself. Have you tried this group or a similar one and are they as good as they sound on their website. If you have any experience of them I would really like to hear it. Cheers, Phil Hi Welshy Yup you are smack bang in the middle of our catchment area. We meet at Wokingham once a month where you train with an observer at random, in between times you have an allocated observer who takes you out at mutually convenient times until he feels you are ready to take the test. The cost as Ghoti says is £85 fot a skills for life package, this includes your test fee, a years membership to your local group (TVAM) and a years membership of the IAM once you take your test. If you apply through the IAM rather than direct with a local group you get a book as well. As observers for TVAM we have agreed not to take a fee from you or any expenses, although a cuppa is always appreciated. To join TVAM you just turn up at one of the monthly sessions at St Crispins school in Wokingham on the third Sunday of the month. You will be given a free no obligation observed ride and feedback, after that you can decide if it's for you. As far as how long does it take is concerned, that depends on how quick you learn and how much you and your observer get out. Can be weeks, months or a year (as it was for me) I am sure Teffort won't mind me saying he signed up for TVAM end of October (well he was headhunted ;-) we have got plenty of rides in over the winter and he has now been approved to take his test (no pressure Teff). This from being back to biking after a long period and fairly rusty. If you want to know more drop a line to me or Simon (OldDivvy) who is also a TVAM observer. Regards Dave ;D |
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Post by Fiasco on Mar 21, 2007 22:12:17 GMT
You can't leave it at that! Yes I can (but I will PM you). I don't like to slag off the competition . It was nothing bike related. Mmm every tree has the odd bad apple, not bad if it is only one as we have about 115 observers. Dave ;D |
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Post by Dame judgejools44 on Mar 21, 2007 22:19:29 GMT
Charmer! What you after!? ;D Stoopid question but worth asking...hehehe!! I'm a blerk... we're only ever after one thing.... ;D hehehe....... This is true.....still not washing ya bike though!  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 21, 2007 22:26:23 GMT
If you are under 25 years old, you get £10 off. How much do pensioners get off  |
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welshy
Boy Racer
Welsh Dragon
Posts: 232
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Post by welshy on Mar 22, 2007 11:46:56 GMT
Dave, unless somerhing catastrophic happens in the meantime, I will definitely be turning up at St. Crispins for the Sunday meet in April. Thanks for all the info, sounds like something I ought to do after having around 18 years off a bike and just 4 months back on it again. See you there in April and I'll buy you a cuppa.
Cheers,
Phil
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Post by Fiasco on Mar 22, 2007 13:33:06 GMT
Dave, unless somerhing catastrophic happens in the meantime, I will definitely be turning up at St. Crispins for the Sunday meet in April. Thanks for all the info, sounds like something I ought to do after having around 18 years off a bike and just 4 months back on it again. See you there in April and I'll buy you a cuppa. Cheers, Phil Look forward to it Phil, drop me a line just before and I will look out for you. Forgot to mention a cuppa and a biscuit is 20p  Dave ;D |
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Post by olddivvy on Mar 22, 2007 14:17:20 GMT
Oi Fiasco, Senior if you don't mind!
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welshy
Boy Racer
Welsh Dragon
Posts: 232
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Post by welshy on Mar 22, 2007 15:15:51 GMT
Dave, you never mentioned anything in your earlier post about a biscuit!
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