Getting back in the saddle

[OneTrack]

Motorcyle riding skills, like any other acquired skill, is a decaying skill. IOW, use it or lose it.
When I returned to motorcycling a couple of years ago, I hadn't swung my leg over a bike for over 25 years. While I could still visualize myself riding a bike when driving, the reality was that I had forgotten everything I knew about controlling a motorcycle while sitting still, never mind while actually riding it.
I'm just thankful that I had the presence of mind to start back on an XT225 for 6 months before trading it in for my FZ6.
Don't let your ego get in your way. Take it easy first time out this spring. Cagers aren't used to watching out for bikes in February and March.
I got my bike out a few weeks ago for a few short rides, and it took about an hour before I "settled in" enough to really start riding.

 

[robertdroberts]

I ride everyday, and some days are what I call "good motorcycle" day and some are "bad motorcycle" days. On the good days everything is clicking, shifting smooth, sliding in and out of traffic easily, seeing danger before it becomes danger, just everything is great.

On bad days nothing is going good, gear doesn't fit right, little slow on the brakes, and cagers creeping up. When I recognize those days I slow down, drive the safer routes, increase my trailing distance and eyeball the rear view more.

I do this because my skin doesn't heal as fast as it used to.

PS: Novice rider here July 08.

 

[huxy]

My bikes been in the garage over winter so my first ride out was at the weekend with a seasoned rider (I only passed last year). We did short rides, stopped, bit more, stopped for a cuppa, and slowly things started coming back.

Started commuting in to work this week on it and each ride is feeling better than the last one. When the sun comes out later this year I should then be ready for plenty of smiles per gallon :rockon:

Steady does it.

 

[Doorag]

I ride everyday, and some days are what I call "good motorcycle" day and some are "bad motorcycle" days. On the good days everything is clicking, shifting smooth, sliding in and out of traffic easily, seeing danger before it becomes danger, just everything is great.

On bad days nothing is going good, gear doesn't fit right, little slow on the brakes, and cagers creeping up. When I recognize those days I slow down, drive the safer routes, increase my trailing distance and eyeball the rear view more.

I do this because my skin doesn't heal as fast as it used to.

PS: Novice rider here July 08.

+1 I have days like this too, and I try to do the same.

 

[FizzySix]

Mental skills (particularly vision) are critical to riding safely, and we can practice some of those in the cage right now. Now is the time to work on overcoming the lazy habits we may have developed over the winter, while riding in a car. We can practice:

• Looking through a curve and where you want to go
• Picking a line you would take through a curve, as if you were on the bike
• Looking further ahead than the bumper of the car in front of in front of you - looking through windshields and over/around cars, as far down the road as possible and relying more on peripheral vision for feedback on the immediate area
• Actively move your eyes around mirrors and gauges and different parts of the road and distances, rather than staring ahead like a zombie and daydreaming
• Head-checks when changing lanes
• Playing the "guess what's going to happen next in traffic" game with yourself, seeing if you can predict who will change lanes without signaling, pull out without looking, who ahead of you isn't looking as far down the road as you're looking and will slam on their brakes late after the person ahead of them applied theirs, who is making a left in front of you and not looking toward you, etc.

I think pretending you're riding the bike and keeping the vision/mental skills sharp will help reduce the likelihood of being "surprised" by something on the road this spring...something that wouldn't have surprised you last fall.

Feel free to add to the list, I'm sure there's more.

Besides that, we can go over the bike and gear (cursing the jacket for having shrunk around the midsection over the winter) and curl up by the fire with your favorite motorcycling riding book and wait....

You guys have me looking forward to spring!

 

[FZ1inNH]

Great thread Nelly. Thank you!

Also a good time to mention that it is OK to take the BRC once in a while to get over bad habits and hone your skills.

 

[Fz6Sa]

What is "BRC"?

 

[chunkygoat]

I never left the saddle.