Am I crashing too much?

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

I am concerned that i'm crashing too much and although i'm learning from my mistakes I still ride just as fast, though with more knowledge/caution.

I have been riding for about 9 months though already knew how to ride and have been cycling on public roads for the best part of 6 years.

Today however I made a silly mistake with too much brake on a damp surface and before I knew what had happened down I went. No damage to me and a broken clutch lever (again) plus some bits to bend back into place. My other accident was caused completely by a dozy old git at a roundabout, though with experience (now gained) could have been avoided.

So am I crashing too much, did anyone crash more than this in their first 8 months? Compared to most scooter riders i'm very safe but obviously not that safe.

Guess this is more for peace of mind than anything else.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

Obviously crashing once is too much, but in relation to what you and indeed other people have done when they were learning/beggining to ride is it too much?

Perhaps I need to calm down more i'm just trying to work it out. Ive put off doing my full test as i'm a bit worried i'll be going too fast and end up in a heap.

Slightly strange and worrying that if other people do it more that I will find it acceptable to carry on like this and that it is just lack of experience, but that's another debate that I do not wish to enter.
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical

[strag]

As a BAB, who are apparently dangerous, I aint crashed in 3 years but have had a 95 BHP, 145 BHP and a 164 BHP array of bikes..ooo errr.
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carbon bling

[Rookie]

Well damp surfaces is something you learn over time, so I wouldn't worry about that now. It's not about being more careful neccesarily, but about judging the surface better. And I wouldn't worry about the other crash, it sounds like you were in the right, and you haven't been going years like the old hands here.

I've come off twice in 14 months, both in the same very slippy car park. You think I would have learned...

[colin1]

Reuben, I dont think it's too much, as long as you arent repeating your mistakes like Rookie_Biker

I have been riding 9 months and have had pretty similar.

If you realise you are making the same mistakes , try to train yourself out of doing them.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Ichy]

When I had smaller bikes I seemed to spend more times sliding down the road than riding. I think it was a matter of bad tyres and pushing things too much with out the experience or understanding of what to do.

The obvious answer seems to be to slow down until you feel more confident that you won't make stupid mistakes. Find a quiet car park on a wet day and try locking the brakes, AT SLOW SPEED!!!!To get a feel of how your scooter reacts.

Do you have linked brakes? Could be your hitting the back brake too hard.

[Delvard]

[G]

Two accidents in nine months? I'd say you aren't crashing enough .

I crashed my CG loads when I first got it - and to some degree managed to learn some instincts that saved me from bigger crashes later.
(By the way, was joking, don't go out and crash more to make it up ).

[killa]

I have never owned a scooter, the experiences I have had on them scared me, I could never judge the little wheels on them round corners.
Always had geared bikes really, my 50’s were off roaders and I found the travel in the suspension and the enduro tyres made all the difference.

Reuben, those little peds are nippy around town, you need to get into the percentages of braking more, using both front (%) and rear (%) in harmony, resulting in decent ‘gradual’ braking before corners and for filtering.
Remember always more front than rear and don’t brake as sharp on an angle as you would in a straight line the wheels can’t take it.
You don’t have a lot of engine braking on the ped so the brakes themselves are the key to a good ped rider, you should be getting better at judging speed into a corner, so get it sorted while you’re straight up.
Always keep you vision and thoughts almost as far as the road goes, this includes corners, keep your head up.
At junctions and roundabouts I give myself a 4 cars rule, you look at the cars to your right as you approach and then the 2 behind it, asses first how they are on the road and look for indication .
As you come to a stop or slow roll, look to the left car, look right for the final check of the 3 cars actions and you should be good to go every time. This should help you spot the mentalists.

Most ped riders I knew had a bad smash more than once, got a car and stuck to it.
I had one bad crash and my old man said “One down 3 to go” He says if you are a decent rider, your going to have 4 crashes anyway at some point , it might be your having them all now.
Anyways, cycling don’t mean shit on the road before the ped, my advice is to get in your head now that everyone is out there to mow you down mate, scary but true.

Get some decent kit for winter, the winter brings more distractions while riding, if you seem to miss things now you will when your hands feel like stumps and knees turn to ice.

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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[DucatiEVO]

I must be doing better than I thought, only two crashes in 6+ years, one pedestrian who ran out in front of me and one hit'n'run driver, neither my fault!

Half a million close-ones though!

You prolly just need a bit more observation of the roads surface, and be more wary of the surrounding conditions


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aKa: Ducky

[veeeffarr]

Hi

Been riding about 25 miles a day since I got my bike on the 31st July, haven't had any crashes, but a couple of near misses on the same roundabout and I've had the back step out on a drain cover couple of weeks ago (Which I recovered from)

Don't let it bother you, just try and ride below your limits and set a pace you're more comfortable with.

[Spike_R]

no, its not enough crashes.

I have been on the road for a year.

2 NON FAULT accidents
2 Bad weather fall off's

thats it, i dont think its alot tbh.
Spike
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Derbi supermoto with cr500 engine, niceee

[Dom_]

I've crashed 3 times so far... been on the road 9 months too.

[zx636]

I have had a few offs, One with lots of broken bits both with me and the bike. Have I learnt anything. Yes, worrying overly about crashing is like a magnet, keep thinking about it long enough and...

Having the odd off etc is a part of the learning curve and providing you understand your mistake, if it was your fault, or learn what to look our for if its someone elses I believe can make you a better rider.
Its also down to where and how you ride. Living in the sticks with plenty of nice twisty country roads can be less risky than someone like me who commutes into London.

I have been on ride outs with guys who Live in rural areas of Surrey, ride like maniacs and have been doing so for years without 1 little scrape. Others who Live in London are are dam good riders but have had several offs.

[Rookie]

[colin1]

If u know its slippy u shd be more careful but lets not start a flame war.

I disagree with killa, as i think my cycling has helped my motorbiking.
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colin1 is officially faster than god

[Irezumi aka Reuben]

I live in London so idiots causing me to avoid them is quite a common occurence.

@Delvard

What relevance does cycling have to riding a motorcycle on the road? In London to me it's very similar, in fact I can go faster through central London on my pushbike than on my little motorbike. It is not a scooter. I already knew how to ride a motorbike in terms of gears etc so do not spend time concentrating on that, even hitting a false neutral sends me into auto mode, pulling in the clutch then tapping the lever.

This is obviously only on smaller roads, upto A-roads/Dual carriageways. I even used to ride down the A2 on the hard shoulder (this is legal). So from this I feel that I have some experience of messing about on vehicles.

@Killa and others who suggested locking my brakes. My bike is a Suzuki GP125, circa 1986. If you can lock the front brake I will give you a Mars bar.


Went back to the scene with my Dad earlier today and merely said, you should of used your back brake. There is a destination point for busses nearby and looking at the road surface there is a distinct colour change on the tarmac from oi/petrol/crap. At the time the road was fairly damp which according to my old man will make it treacherous and I may have locked the rear brake but held it. The front happened to lock as I was using that (although this was not necessary due to the space I had) and down I went.

Cause of accident understood lesson learnt.

Also to one comment about my other accident with me being in the right, I agree completely and hope the insurance will agree with this. Howeverr in retrospect the accident was still avoidable.

Thanks, least i'm not as bad as G, and he races!
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Pictorgraphicalfantastical