Feel "Overdue" for a crash?

phobiaphobe · 11-14-2006, 12:23 AM

Bwhip's "season conclusion" thread got me thinking about this, and I think it warrants its own thread.

I also had an excellent season in 06. I had my first trackday, first school, went to Grattan, went to Miller... I had more fun on a motorcycle than every previous year combined. And I know next year will be even better.

There's a part of me that feels a slight twinge on trepidation because I didn't crash once all year. Had a few "near misses" but didn't go down in about 1000 consecutive track miles. It feels like I'm overdue for a crash.

Does anyone else get this and if so, how do you deal with it?

ConqSoft · 11-14-2006, 12:28 AM

I haven't crashed on a streetbike.... Ever.... So I'm long overdue.

bwhip · 11-14-2006, 12:38 AM

Having crashed, knowing how unpleasant it can be, I certainly have thought about it a lot.

I also have a strong desire to get better, and faster, which would seem to increase the risk.

In my case I'm trying to do all I can to avoid it. That's why I've invested so much this year in key areas:

Education/Training
Suspension
Tires
Tire warmers
Trackdays to work on technique (and have fun!)
Even a supermoto bike to learn how to slide better

Doesn't guarantee I'll never crash again, but I'm sure going to do all I can to minimize the risk. Going slower around the track would cost a lot less, but that's not an option I'm interested in.

I also try hard to ride within my limits. I saw a knucklehead at the track yesterday that I passed, then he passed me back, and after doing that he ran right into the rear tire of another rider while going around a fast corner. Fortunately the guy he ran into didn't even seem to notice, but the knucklehead about did a stoppie and ran off the track trying to recover. I want to go fast and pass everyone out there I can, but I know there will always be people faster than me, so I just need to stay cool and ride fast yet safe.

SomeStrangeGuy · 11-14-2006, 12:42 AM

I know the feeling Phobe, I have the same issue as Conq. I've rung my bell plenty of times in the dirt, but never anything more then a tipover on the street. I've come close to crashing, probably closest this year at a trackday I did on the ZX. But alas almost through another year and no crashing.

Although, the trackday I did on August 29...and the bike still sits on stands with no tags, lights, or lenses on it

. I think I'm just getting old, I can't seem to enjoy myself anymore. But I actually have the thought above looming in my head constantly now I feel like.

Oldschoolcbr · 11-14-2006, 2:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConqSoft

I haven't crashed on a streetbike.... Ever.... So I'm long overdue.

Been riding 25 years on the street, never been down........feel way overdue. There have been times I've gone out, and things just didin't feel right, so I've gone and put it up. I've had some unbelievably close calls, and some of those experiences have taught me more about riding than anything else. Some people are just amazingly lucky, I'm happy to be one of them.

HondaGalToo · 11-14-2006, 5:16 AM

I certainly understand your feeling. 20 years of street riding and 11 seasons of track riding with no issues other than the occasional "stop and drop". Hey, I'm 5'4"

Am I overdue? I hope not! I try not to dwell on it. If you think about such things too much, they tend to become self-fulfilling prophecies. Take steps to become a more educated rider and ride within your means (as you have been).

f1_hurricane · 11-14-2006, 5:40 AM

I think the people that are out riding and have a constant soundtrack in their heads of people telling them they're going to crash, they ride a murdercycle or that it's unsafe eventually let it get to them. Granted there are people not thinking about it that have gone down but I think some riders just think about not falling so much..they eventually fall.

Then of course there are the times where "i just had to lay it down because..."

Baketech · 11-14-2006, 6:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

There's a part of me that feels a slight twinge on trepidation because I didn't crash once all year. Had a few "near misses" but didn't go down in about 1000 consecutive track miles. It feels like I'm overdue for a crash.

Does anyone else get this and if so, how do you deal with it?

Good thread topic, but a very tough subject...

After a couple of years of track riding, I started to feel a bit puzzled about this as well. Had a couple of times where it actually became an issue with my riding...

I actually wrote an installment to the "Evolution of a Squid" series dealing with this very issue titled "On Falling"....but it didn't read well, so I shied away from posting it...

My suspense was ended when I wadded and was able to write the follow up story...

Seriously though, this is a really good topic, hopefully it will yield a good exchange...

HondaGalToo · 11-14-2006, 6:49 AM

I probably worry more about the people I care about crashing than crashing myself, for what that's worth. That's a whole 'nother thing...

Hammer · 11-14-2006, 7:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

Does anyone else get this and if so, how do you deal with it?

I do have "That Feeling" but try not to think about it too much.

Red Rider · 11-14-2006, 7:12 AM

If you ride a motorcycle you'll always have that inner fear of crashing...it goes with the territory. I've found that the older I get, the more I enjoy the whole track experience and not necessarily the "chase". Going fast(er) is fun, but it also raises your risk level...

Zeeman · 11-14-2006, 7:44 AM

Yup, I got that feeling. Solution? Ohlins shock and re-worked front end

Now the bike takes care of my stuff ups for me

Z...

seamus · 11-14-2006, 7:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phobiaphobe

Bwhip's "season conclusion" thread got me thinking about this, and I think it warrants its own thread.

I also had an excellent season in 06. I had my first trackday, first school, went to Grattan, went to Miller... I had more fun on a motorcycle than every previous year combined. And I know next year will be even better.

There's a part of me that feels a slight twinge on trepidation because I didn't crash once all year. Had a few "near misses" but didn't go down in about 1000 consecutive track miles. It feels like I'm overdue for a crash.

Does anyone else get this and if so, how do you deal with it?

Focus on your riding and what you're doing. Much like target fixation, if you focus on it, it's going to happen.

I'm still a little gun shy after my lowside earlier this year but it's getting better. This weekend at Barber, it took me a while into each session to stop feeling my front tire sliding. It wasn't but my mind was playing games with my body and made it feel that way.

I got it out of my head by concentrating on the things I wanted to work on. This time it was body position, getting off the bike more in turns and smoothing out my downshifting/braking technique. Keeping my mind focused on those things didn't allow my mind to wander into all the negative.

End result was I "found" the body position I needed to use to get off the bike and get lower into turns. My "blip" still sucks bad but that means I have something to think about for my next track day to keep my mind busy.

abtech · 11-14-2006, 7:48 AM

Maybe I have just paid a few other people's "dues" so they don't have to worry about it

.

Heavy-Dee · 11-14-2006, 8:20 AM

IMO fear keeps you in check.

I know the feeling you are talking about and I guess in the back of my mind I know that it's only a matter of time until some situation happens that is out of my control and I go down...potentially hard. I just make sure that my stuff is in order so that my wife and I don't lose our shirt in the process.

Being in school actually really kept me in check this past season. I knew that I had tons of schoolwork and often finals to start the very next day after the races. So I was very hesitant to scare myself. It forced me to be a scientist about my riding. Being very aware of where I chose to try to make up time and how.

As my wife says. Rule #1 is "No Crashing". And you know what they say: "Happy wife, happy life."

HD

FrenchieR6 · 11-14-2006, 8:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwhip

I also have a strong desire to get better, and faster, which would seem to increase the risk.

In my case I'm trying to do all I can to avoid it. That's why I've invested so much this year in key areas:

Education/Training
Suspension
Tires
Tire warmers
Trackdays to work on technique (and have fun!)
Even a supermoto bike to learn how to slide better

Doesn't guarantee I'll never crash again, but I'm sure going to do all I can to minimize the risk. Going slower around the track would cost a lot less, but that's not an option I'm interested in.

.

Having low sided once this year and almost did it again at Barber in about the same type of left turn

, what Bwhip states is how I see things as well, I obviously have a lot more to learn but that's the beauty and challenge of the all thing for me.

I do want to be faster, smoother, yet all in a smart way. For me, PATIENCE is the key... as much as I want to be "faster"

then all of you, time and hard work will put me there someday (well, I have high goals

)

And like my signature states, "Fear and Distraction are the enemies of presense, and concentration is the cure". when I went off the horseshoe on Sunday, I went back and took that turn with more concentration and less fear. It felt great.

BDA116 · 11-14-2006, 9:23 AM

I feel I'm overdue, so I'm quitting.

abtech · 11-14-2006, 9:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BDA116

I feel I'm overdue, so I'm quitting.

quitting what?

BDA116 · 11-14-2006, 9:28 AM

Sitting on the bike making silly sounds while it is off the stands.

Oldschoolcbr · 11-14-2006, 9:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abtech

Maybe I have just paid a few other people's "dues" so they don't have to worry about it

.

Well thanks then Abtech, here's to you!!

sheepofblue · 11-14-2006, 9:58 AM

I tucked the front on the RC twice this year. The first with outside influence the second caused by Rossi Sheep assuring me the tires could take it

. I am actually a bit bothered by two crashes in a year. When I raced dirt I was rock solid on finishing both mechanically and crashes. The fact that I did two in a year I consider a problem.