| Author | Message | ||
     Eagle1 |
Hey guys, Just wanted to get some advice. I let you all know of a low-side I had in October from leaning too far on cold, wet roads. I didn't do too much riding after because of the weather, although I did get back on a few times before winter. Fast forward to lately, I've been riding again the last couple of weeks, with two days in rain/post-rain. I've been skittish when it comes to leaning, being very hesitant to do so, ESPECIALLY when it's wet out (like tonight). I just don't know what to do. I'm scared to lean too far, and I'm sure I have plenty of tire before hitting the sides (Corsa III) What do I do? I'm sure things will be fine when it warms up further and I KNOW that the tires are sticking fully. I'd be lying if I didn't have a moment of feeling like I didn't want to ride anymore since riding scared is too dangerous. Thanks alot for the help, guys. I know there's plenty of you that have been in my boots. | ||
| Kidder |
Don't push it. Listen to what YOU are telling yourself. Take it easy on wet roads, period. You'll gain more confidence with time. | ||
| Vinb |
Just keep at it that's all you can do. | ||
| 1324 |
Been there, done that. Try to learn from the situation and get back on. Try to find an empty smooth parking lot and re-learn how the bike feels when cranked over. A track day is also a good cure. Confidence will come back with the miles. Keep in mind that we all get a bit rusty after a few months off. Nature of the beast. Keep it sane, and build back up. The most important thing is you're here to write about your event and you're able to get back on. Try it out and see what happens. Even if you stop riding, no one on here can fault you for that. | ||
| Dipstick |
Hey Eagle, this is normal, wait till it warms up (including pavement temp.)before you start deep lean angles again. I just don't do deep leans when it's very cold out. (below 50f or so) Don't worry, your confidence will come back, I've lowsided mine too. Remember part of it is just the fact that these bikes aren't made any more and that alone can cause some serious concern. These bikes were created by EB to be enjoyed, so get out there and do so. Parts are still available and should be for some time. All that being said, be sure to check tire pressures. I run 30psi front and 27psi rear, cold in my Corsa III's. | ||
| Bobbuell1961 |
Don't ride over your ability, I have no one to impress, my objective of the day is to have fun and bring my ass home in one piece. Any time i have had an issue it leaves a little paranoia, some stays as a lesson, some as nervousness. This weekend was the first i had the CR out for a real ride(420 mi) nice and ez,she's a lot different then the Uly, it's a beast and the road conditions suck. I think i may have to go for a track day to really get comfortable with her  Bob | ||
| Dalton_gang |
Your confidence WILL come back with some seat time. If you have the means, go out and thrash a dirt bike for a few hours. A few wheelies, jumps, slides, etc. After that the street bike thing won't be nearly as intimidating. Your skills and mind will be sharper. Besides your "riding" muscles could probably use a little workout anyway. | ||
| Firebolt32 |
The guys are right above. A big thing as well, don't be worried or timid. When you worry while riding is when things will happen. Learn from the mistake but don't think about the negatives in the saddle. You don't want that while riding. Hell, I got the shit smacked out of me in Dec by a Chevy. Broke both bones in my right leg. Just started walking with no assistants yesterday. I can barely walk and I'm itching so bad to buy another bike and ride! | ||
| Bobbuell1961 |
And don't forget ATGATT! | ||
| Reepicheep |
Go take the MSF advanced course, or even hire a coach to spend an afternoon with you in a parking lot. They will start you slowly and bring you up to speed, all the while coaching you on what you are doing really well and what you can improve. | ||
| Xb9er |
Just take it easy when the roads are bad. You should already know that....well we know that you already know that. When the roads finally get nice and the weather is warmer just go for a long ride and slowly work your way back to the way you once carved the corners. Remember you have to trust the bike. | ||
| Syonyk |
There's nothing wrong with not leaning much in the cold, wet, or cold/wet. I don't ride hard or lean hard in the cold/wet either. If the roads are wet, or it's below about 50F, I ride very upright - slow for corners, keep the bike upright, very gentle on the throttle/brakes. I've ridden through several winters like this with no real problems. I certainly love hammering a corner hard and rolling to WOT on the exit, but I don't do that unless it's warm, dry, and I know the corner. | ||
| Pariah |
Pick up a copy of Ken Condon's Riding in the Zone. He has great advice on how to build confidence. And not simply confidence from familiarity and miles, but from solid skills (mental and physical) and skill-building tactics. MSF and Lee Parks courses are great investments and are part of his strategy. Also, the 1125 is very responsive to body positioning. At moderate speeds, you can often steer it without leaning, just move your body to the inside. But always think counter-steering first when turning... Anyways, good luck getting confidence back--- you can't ride without it! | ||
| Eagle1 |
Thanks for all of the advice, guys! I guess I was making it out worse than it is and expecting too much too soon. I'll keep at the bike and not push anything till my confidence is back! | ||
| Mountainstorm |
Good advice above Eagle1. I had a pretty serious down the first month when a deer jumped out on me. Took me a long time to even feel relaxed riding backroads after that. I still have not ridden agressively like I used to...but I've gotten over the paranoia. What I did all Winter was concentrate on riding smoothly. All the junk on the road and the cold tires forced me to relearn how I enter and exit turns and it was actually a great help. I now feel more confident and more in touch with the bike/road situation. | ||
| Smoke |
it's all about seat time! find some riding technique books, i like Nick Ienatchs' book. tim | ||
| Fryman1125 |
Read "Twist of the Wrist," there's a free copy out there. It's all about throttle control, wet or dry, especially when your tires are cold. | ||
| Kaotikevo |
I've been there, and was out of the saddle completely for 4 years because of it. But I finally realized it was MY fault that it happened, and I needed to understand how and why .After a complete analysis, the result came back,............................................. .................................................. ...................................I*'m just stupid,.........57mph around a gravel covered hairpin in my neighborhood (30mph zone too btw.), anyway back to basics, got back on a new bike and started all over again. Nerves were gone in about a month of steady riding and I am now happily back to my own respectable riding style and ability. One thing that has also helped immensely is keeping my "core" muscles in shape. Using proper form and keeping the weight off my wrists makes me much more nimble and quicker to react in the saddle. Just give it time and take it easy,it'll come back. | ||
| Drawkward |
Fryman's recommendation of Code's "Twist of the Wrist" is spot on. That book is amazing and will open your eyes to techniques and you'll be saying "oh ya, that makes perfect sense" the entire time you're reading it. Definitely helped me with high speed and low speed turns, throttle control and understanding all about the contact patch, body position etc. What you're experiencing is low confidence in your tires. Until they get hot and the pavement is dry, like all the other guys have said, keep it safe. No use carving a corner on a wet road. Get your confidence back in your tires. I will say this, being scared (not derogatory) when one is riding is one of the most unsafe things I think one can do on a bike. It will launch your "survival reactions" into full swing and you will make mistakes. Also, like some have mentioned, a trackday will help to inspire confidence. You take what you learn on the track and use it on the street. Just be very very careful when you do a trackday...it is more addictive than Heroine or Nicotine.  Good luck man. | ||
| Ratgin |
I was also nervous how it would react in cold wet conditions. I ride home from work at midnight and cold wet roads and all that power is a little intimidating but i found the bike to be very well behaved and im old enough now not to be stupid. One thing i found out is that she doesn't like to be babied when cold. She stalled on me one night as i nursed her down the side walk to the parking lot. Lesson learned, | ||
| Syonyk |
I'm convinced these bikes don't like the cold, period. They don't start well in the cold, and they seem to run poorly when the ambient air temp is below 20F or so. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the low temperature fuel compensation curves are just flat out wrong below a certain range. | ||
| Kickstand76 |
my first accident happened because a little blonde teeny-bopper didn't stop at her stop sign. second one: wasn't leaning enough went off road about 50mph's no damage to bike or me. third: same factors apply as in second. i was trying to keep up with someone who is quite a few rungs higher than me in riding skills. i was on unfamiliar roads. rain had washed gravel onto road surface. i hit a pile of it and i felt front wheel sink in an twist right(right curve). my right foot flew off and slammed against the bike, pain ensued and then it was over. i was riding again. fear will keep you alive. or get the adrenalin pumping so you don't feel you bones snapping. | ||
| Skizzy |
I hit a deer a couple of years ago. Had the same fears, I just new if I didn't start riding again I would regret it. I think I was even having panic attacks, and my wife(great lady) said its fine lets go together. I took it slow and now I'm back in the groove. | ||
| Jandj_davis |
Two words: Smooth and Relax. I often find myself tensing up when the road surfaces get sketchy. The bike will ALWAYS respond better to smooth inputs from relaxed joints. I'll tell you what, it is REALLY hard to turn a Buell with your elbows locked. So, if you are riding and you find yourself tensing up, tell your self to relax and make a concious effort to relax and be smooth. The next corner will feel better, and the next even better than that. | ||
| Musclecargod |
I had a similar thing happen over the weekend. Damn near low sided exiting work onto the highway (in traffic). Rear spun and came around (took me into on-coming lane), I popped clutch, kept bike somewhat upright with my right leg and eased back onto the throttle and into the right lane. Pulled my hip, and learned a lesson (I am lucky). I have exited the same lot 3 times since and use the experience as a lesson in cold weather/tire riding situations. Just gotta clean the shorts and get back in the saddle. My two cents anyway. All the best. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Unless this bike is your only means of transport, why would anyone purposely ride in the rain or near-freezing temps? My suggestion is to STOP riding in bad conditions. The fun stops for me when I can't ride aggressively. (Message edited by fresnobuell on March 24, 2010) | ||
| 1324 |
^^You do realize you are posting on BADweatherbikers.com, right? LOL. Riding in the rain sucks, but sometimes it happens. Riding in the cold is better than not riding at all during the winter in some parts of the country. I'll ride as long as the roads aren't slushy. (Message edited by 1324 on March 24, 2010) | ||
| Syonyk |
Unless this bike is your only means of transport, why would anyone purposely ride in the rain or near-freezing temps? My suggestion is to STOP riding in bad conditions. The fun stops for me when I can't ride aggressively. Because riding in the cold/rain still beats driving a car. I used to say "because it's cheaper," which was true on a '79 Honda CX500, but not so true on a new Buell. I'd still rather ride in the rain and cold than drive a car. With decent gear, it's actually not bad. I rather enjoy riding in the rain, I just don't push it hard at all. My personal limits for riding are 20F and snow/ice accumulation. The 20F is actually a bike-imposed limit (The 1125s do NOT like cold weather), and snow/ice accumulation is obvious. If it's snowing but not sticking, or snowing but blowing around on the roads (if it's been cold), I'm good with riding. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Because riding in the cold/rain still beats driving a car. I would have to heartily disagree with that statement. I used to be a ride-in-any-weather guy when the first couple years, however it was only due to the novelty of being on a bike. That novelty has long worn off. Now if I can't get to the edges of the tire, then forget it. Also, I will throw the bike on the trailer if the twisties are more than an hour away on the slab. F that. | ||
| Froggy |
+1. You haven't ridden till you dump it 6 times in one night on unplowed snow covered roads |
