Confidence Quandry

Neepling · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Karma :

Hi all,
I would like to thank you all for the 'man up' comments in advance - thank you thank you!

Anyway ... ...
In the last 2 weeks I have just upgraded from a very tricked up GPX 250 to a near standard ZX6R.
I've wanted more grunt for a while but... ...
after years of riding my 250 I felt near indestructable - this increase in power seems to have made me ride a lot more cautiously, a lot more! I feel I've dropped in ability.

I know the answer is practise practise practise - and I am!! However I'm looking for advice in how to get it together in my recent upgrade. I'm living in Oxford and often pop down to the Big H cafe for a coffee or a fry up and have thick skin so welcome rideouts and advice!

Mister James · I want to believe! Joined: 10 Aug 2004 Karma :

Man up dude.

No harm in taking it slowly - that's what I did when I got my first 600 (although I still ride like a girly wirly now!).

Take it all at your own pace, you'll soon get more comfortable and start relaxing.
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Chris750 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 08 Oct 2009 Karma :

Where in Oxford you from?

Neepling · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Karma :

currently in Cowley

Dazbo666 · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Karma :

Time and miles are probably the only things that will make a difference.

Just try not to be too impatient and push yourself too soon - that often ends up with unwelcome consequences Wink

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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

Chris750 · Brolly Dolly Joined: 08 Oct 2009 Karma :

Frost · World Chat Champion Joined: 26 May 2004 Karma :

Nothing wrong with going slowly. It's just not something people can brag about, so you won't here anything about it instead all the talk about how fast people are on their fast bikes might make you feel more pressure to go faster.

It's all about confidence and trust in yourself and the bike. Moving up to a big powerful bike might make you doubt yourself, might make you doubt the bike too!

Give the bike a thorough check over, brakes, tires, chain, oil etc will help improve your confidence in it. Check that the wheel and head bearings are okay and that the suspension is as it should be. I know a guy who was seriously put off big bikes when he bought a triumph daytona and hated it. I took it for a ride just because i wanted to know what it was like and the thing was a bag of arse! Someone had tried to set up the suspension on it and made an arse out of it. However my mate didn't know anything was wrong and just assumed big bikes were like that. I tried to sort it for him and he did pick up in confidence. He still sold it and got a fazer but now he's quick enough to make me look like and old man Laughing

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Two weeks isn't long.

A good start might be using higher gears.

I know when I moved up to a sports 600 from a KLR650 half the time I found myself changing up at the KLR650 redline - 7k rpm or something - which on a sports 600 actually gave a similar experience. However when I remembered to rev it, it felt damn fast.

Are you aware of the 'vanishing point rule'? If not, look it up and try practising it a bit - I find this sort of thing can really help smoothness.

I'm in Reading - haven't got much money at the moment for long rides, but do have plenty of time, so don't mind going out for a quick ride some time if you'd like to follow someone with a bit more confidence - and I could do with reminding myself about 'advanced riding' techniques too really.

Neepling · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Karma :

G - quite familiar with vanishing point and other rules - used to think of myself as something as a hotshot rider on my 250 ( was all over it like a climbing frame!!) Observations etc all good - just seen to have got a touch of the fear I think

I've barely taken this ZXR above 9k rpm ( redlines at 16) and it still scares me ! (Thrills?)

Happy to sling you a couple of quid for petrol and buy you coffee and a bacon butty if you fancy a ride out sometime

smegballs · World Chat Champion Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Karma :

Don't worry too much about being slow, especially if you were confident on the 250, I'm sure it will come back.

I'm always being ripped for being slow, but I've pretty much accepted that my natural ability level is pretty slow. I'm still quicker than general 4 wheel traffic but my riding speed for a bike is very slow.

I've no doubt that if I had the inclination to go out and practice the same set of corners, getting incrementally faster each time, my confidence and corner speeds would get much better.

As it is if I approach a corner fast I brake for the corner but get a death grip on the front brake and have to try not to die. Approaching at a speed I'm comfortable with (just roll of throttle for speed control) and I get round with no hangups....

L-Jam · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Karma :

Neepling · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Karma :

L-Jam
Been there, still. doing it! I'm all about ride ride atm. I guess I just miss my feeling of indestructable cockiness I had on my 250. As has been said, guess it's time and miles!

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

Experience brings confidence. But some bikes take quite a bit of getting used to. I've got a WR360 Husky which seemed unrideably mental for the first month I owned it Laughing

It's still mental but I feel I have some control over it now, though I don't ride it on the road.
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