Cornering confidence

[Miztaziggy]

I lost mine 2 years ago when I came off at low speed.

I got a little back last year, but didn't ride enough, and now it's gone again.

I go into a corner, knowing that I can easily get round, but as I get to the point im going to lean in, I panic a little bit and can feel myself twitching for the brake.

Today, I went round a couple of lovely wide, smooth corners I would have probably taken at about 60-70 on the storm without even batting an eye lid. I went into them today at about 50 and I felt very uneasy and quite nervous. It's a very strange feeling knowing you can make the corner but at the same time feeling panicked and uneasy. It's like being stood at the top of a tall building and looking down. You know you wont jump and you know you are safe, but you still feel a little bit whoozy and uneasy.

What's the best way to get confidence back? More practise?

[AMCQ46]

More practice and perhaps a race school.try Ron Haslams school

[Miztaziggy]

Hmm, good idea. Im trying to look at their website now but it isnt' working, it's very very slow.

Have you been on a course there?

[AMCQ46]

Hmm, good idea. Im trying to look at their website now but it isnt' working, it's very very slow.

Have you been on a course there?

I have done a few schools there and one of my mates was an instructer. What you learn is a combination of what the instructer will teach you and also the fact that as you learnt he corners you can build up speed each time and it will surprise you how fast you can go and how much lean you get and how much grip the front tyre has.

The other tip is the same answer I gave for CKennedy when he was asking about wet riding...you need to relax your arms and if you lean your head & upper body into the turn it has the double effect of bending the locked arms and initiating counter steer

[Miztaziggy]

Sounds really good, I managed to get the premier course page open, and it sounds ideal.

I do try to relax when going into a bend, but the panic sets in as I look at the grass verge at the side of the road or whatever, and I seize up and become stiff and awkward. I used to be able to go round a bend really relaxed and intentionally counter steer the bike down low.

I think that a race school day will really help with getting over that feeling and re-learning what the bike can do, so thanks for the tip

[Miztaziggy]

Their website is still not working properly...so I may just have missed it, but I cant see any info on what happens if you bin their bikes / helmets / leathers. Is there a massive excess?

[lumpyv]

try to relax and not think too much about whats happening.
it happens to me sometimes and I try to hang off the bike a bit more to keep it upright.

so long as you have good tyres and the road surface is ok you are most likely not going to come off .

[AMCQ46]

From,Emory you can't go direct to the elite package (one to one instruction on a data logged blade) you have to start with the group instruction onthe CBR600 ...that might be what they call the premier package.

There is no excess, if you crash and it was your fault that is the end of your day, but no extra charges. If someone else mistake takes you down, you get to go back out.

You can use their leathers and lids if you want

[benny hedges]

I lost mine 2 years ago when I came off at low speed.



What's the best way to get confidence back? More practise?

take it easy - back off and get the feel of your new bike and how it responds to your input.
be more aggressive with the coutersteering - practice it at a steady pace on roads you are familiar with.

have a think about doing some further training - like rospa or IAM - but most importantly, get out more and enjoy the bike

[Miztaziggy]

From,Emory you can't go direct to the elite package (one to one instruction on a data logged blade) you have to start with the group instruction onthe CBR600 ...that might be what they call the premier package.

There is no excess, if you crash and it was your fault that is the end of your day, but no extra charges. If someone else mistake takes you down, you get to go back out.

You can use their leathers and lids if you want

Wow, so no holding back then since you dont lose a fortune if you crash....

Sounds fking mint that AMCQ. Really.

Next bonus I get at work is being spent on this. I wonder if there would be many people on here wanting to do this, if we could organise a group booking....

[Miztaziggy]

take it easy - back off and get the feel of your new bike and how it responds to your input.
be more aggressive with the coutersteering - practice it at a steady pace on roads you are familiar with.

have a think about doing some further training - like rospa or IAM - but most importantly, get out more and enjoy the bike

Was thinking of a trip to your private track again Benny

[popkat]

The roads are cold and covered in slippery crap, you can't go judging your confidence like that. See how you feel when the roads have cleaned up and it's warmer, i'm sure it'll come back to you and at least you can try things knowing there's a bit of grip

[VTRDark]

See how you feel when the roads have cleaned up and it's warmer, i'm sure it'll come back to you and at least you can try things knowing there's a bit of grip

Agree. And it's a new bike your just starting to get to know it. Yeh the previous off may be in the back of your mind which is not a bad thing as it can keep one from getting a bit too pushy/cocky, but as time goes on and you get used to the bike and the feel, you will most probably start slipping back into the old ways.

I know I'm slipping back into some of the old loony habits. After my big crash I said to myself and friends/family I wont ride like that again as I can't afford to break my leg/ankle again or I will be wombles forever and wont be ableto ride ever again. I have been warned by the surgeons! But over time I am slowly slipping but I am aware of it so could/should kerb myself a bit at times. I guess as bikers we have that instinct and are willing to take risks for the thrill. The difference for me know though, is that my risks are more thought out.

(:-})

[slower110]

I lost mine 2 years ago when I came off at low speed.



What's the best way to get confidence back? More practise?

take it easy - back off and get the feel of your new bike and how it responds to your input.
be more aggressive with the coutersteering - practice it at a steady pace on roads you are familiar with.

have a think about doing some further training - like rospa or IAM - but most importantly, get out more and enjoy the bike

Agree 100% there, get out as much as you can and enjoy it.

I felt exactly the same after I was knocked off mine, really knocked my confidence back in every aspect of riding. Started with short runs on familiar roads on my own, avoided group rides (which I still do) and just got my confidence back my own way. Did a trackday/race school in the pissing down rain, that helped a hell of a lot as I would never of dreamt of riding that hard in the wet before but the bike WILL do it, same with cornering. Get to know your bike inside out, trust the bike and it will work for you.

[bigtwinthing]

hi, cornering is what biking is all about for me, not particulary speed, but the abaility to go round the corner well and feel confident.Tyres nowadays will normally far exceed the riders skills so be confident if you have good tyres and make sure that tyre pressures are correct. Countersteering really does work and i feel that i do it naturally, i dont brake in bends i have selected the right gear to drive out of the bend, and this allows the suspension to be sorted before the bend. Hanging off the bike to get your knee down may look good but in most cases it makes you slower, this really is so that you can keep the bike upright so that there is more contact with the tyre on the ground. Practice make perfect, so practice, whens its quiet and around lots of swooping bends, and also remember dont always practice on the same bends as you will get used to them, use different routes, be smooth and be fast, wind the throttle on after you are leaving the apex and dont give it a fistful. and remember to check the vanishing point, keep this in mind it works. Keep left on right handers and right on left handers but dont get caught in all the crap on the road on the left and dont cross the white line on the right unless you can see round the bend. Also ride in the wet this will get you massice confidence in your tyres etc, but above all dont exceed your limitations and be smooth!!!!. Safe riding and i hope you get back to it.