My First Canyon Ride... :o

[Detrich]

Ok here's my hall of shame story for this week...

Did my first canyon ride this weekend with some friends up Azusa canyon. (yay!) This was only my 3rd time riding with a group, and we had about 10 or so people- with me being the only newbie... xP

Anyhow, the ride went fairly smoothly... I stayed at the very back of the pack cuz I simply couldn't keep up with those guys at all. (Not on the freeway where they were splitting traffic, nor on the canyon either.) I just went really slow at my own pace- averaging about 40-45 mph- since it was my first time on the twisties on a motorcycle. Was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the scenery! One of my friends was nice enough to ride behind me to make sure I was okay... And, that really helped out a lot, psychologically...

Anyhoo... All went well until when I got to the very top to the parking lot area and came to a full stop though... I didn't realize my body had become SO incredible tense and SO locked up that after I parked, for some reason my right hand went into a numb, death grip in neutral gear- right before I could cut the engine. For some reason I just couldn't let go of the throttle and the more I tried to let go, the more it was revving in neutral. And, the combo of panic and brain fart, I just tipped over to the left at a stand still... <lol>

SOOO friggen embarrassing with everyone watching. <ack!> But, they knew it was my first time, and they all came over to help me get up. They immediately knew what my problem was and told me that I needed to learn to try to relax my arms and hands on the straight-away sections of the road, cuz it's easy to tense up after all the continuous turns- concentrating so hard. Just total lack of experience on my part I guess.

Anyhoo... Again my Intuitive Racing frame slider saved my bike. A few minor scratches/ rashes to the left turn signal light, left mirror edge, clutch lever tip, and rear seat cowel- but all very small and not really a big deal. I'll cough it up to "growing pains" + "battle scars" I guess. With each fall, I'm learning something new and hopefully will get better because of it.

But, I'm really happy and excited I went on this ride, and I can't wait to go again.

It was super hot though, and I felt somewhat like a tool being the only one wearing full gear. (Everyone else just wore jeans, jacket, gloves.) But, I guess since I was the most inexperienced, I would've needed the protection the most- had anything happened. Just sucked that I had no problems riding, but brain-farted during parking... ahahaha LOL

 

[Heineken]

Hey it happens to everybody, and I personally, never feel embarrassed while wearing full gear.... I feel..... oh ya, I feel protected and a bit more confident.

ATGATT.

 

[Uno979]

Glad you had fun man. You should definitely go again soon and get used to it. Happy trails bud!

 

[Spunky99]

You went with the SCAR boyz?

I was gonna go but did a restoration on a YSR50 this weekend.

 

[k6gad]

Sounds to me that you did the right thing and rode your own pace. Take it easy enjoy and relax, the more experience you get the more fun you will have. Enjoyed reading about your canyon ride! Ciao!
Gary

 

[Detrich]

You went with the SCAR boyz?

I was gonna go but did a restoration on a YSR50 this weekend.

-----

nope... i haven't joined SCARS cuz they're way too advanced i think... i just went with my own group of friends + their friends from the bike meet...

speaking of which, on the way down, there was a chick on a white gsx-r in full gear that literally blew by me like nothing... she was really good.

right after she passed, i tried speeding up a little bit while i could still see her in front- to watch how she was riding and to see if i could learn something/ mimmick her motions a little bit- at safe speeds of course- for just 1 or 2 turns. suprisingly, when i followed her lines and leaned where she was leaning, i actually felt "one with the bike" for the very first time. it was surreal...

but, obviously she really pulled away in seconds, and i couldn't keep her in view. so i slowed back down to my own pace and tried to visualize how she approached the turns...

as i continued practicing, the delimma i noticed is that to execute the turns like she was doing, you almost sorta have to be going at around 50+ mph and riding pretty aggressively. but, i simply don't have the confidence to do that yet.

i was thinking to myself that my riding would improve exponentially if there were someone experienced like that that i could follow- but that wasn't going super fast. just have to keep practicing i guess...

 

[Spunky99]

Was she a little heavyset?

 

[Detrich]

Was she a little heavyset?

no... she was slim, fit build & wearing what i think looked like a white dianese 1-pc suit.

wish i could glide like that... lol

 

[Spunky99]

no... she was slim, fit build & wearing what i think looked like a white dianese 1-pc suit.

wish i could glide like that... lol

I've seen a few of the SCARF's and they can ride like the wind.....

 

[Dunkirk]

Ok here's my hall of shame story for this week...

Did my first canyon ride this weekend with some friends up Azusa canyon. (yay!) This was only my 3rd time riding with a group, and we had about 10 or so people- with me being the only newbie... xP

Anyhow, the ride went fairly smoothly... I stayed at the very back of the pack cuz I simply couldn't keep up with those guys at all. (Not on the freeway where they were splitting traffic, nor on the canyon either.) I just went really slow at my own pace- averaging about 40-45 mph- since it was my first time on the twisties on a motorcycle. Was a lot of fun, and I really enjoyed the scenery! One of my friends was nice enough to ride behind me to make sure I was okay... And, that really helped out a lot, psychologically...

Anyhoo... All went well until when I got to the very top to the parking lot area and came to a full stop though... I didn't realize my body had become SO incredible tense and SO locked up that after I parked, for some reason my right hand went into a numb, death grip in neutral gear- right before I could cut the engine. For some reason I just couldn't let go of the throttle and the more I tried to let go, the more it was revving in neutral. And, the combo of panic and brain fart, I just tipped over to the left at a stand still... <lol>

SOOO friggen embarrassing with everyone watching. <ack!> But, they knew it was my first time, and they all came over to help me get up. They immediately knew what my problem was and told me that I needed to learn to try to relax my arms and hands on the straight-away sections of the road, cuz it's easy to tense up after all the continuous turns- concentrating so hard. Just total lack of experience on my part I guess.

Anyhoo... Again my Intuitive Racing frame slider saved my bike. A few minor scratches/ rashes to the left turn signal light, left mirror edge, clutch lever tip, and rear seat cowel- but all very small and not really a big deal. I'll cough it up to "growing pains" + "battle scars" I guess. With each fall, I'm learning something new and hopefully will get better because of it.

But, I'm really happy and excited I went on this ride, and I can't wait to go again.

It was super hot though, and I felt somewhat like a tool being the only one wearing full gear. (Everyone else just wore jeans, jacket, gloves.) But, I guess since I was the most inexperienced, I would've needed the protection the most- had anything happened. Just sucked that I had no problems riding, but brain-farted during parking... ahahaha LOL

Thanks for the story, man. I've dropped my bike at a stand still before, and in front of the missus. I felt like a dope. She still lets me ride.
But she tells me she won't ride with me.

So, just sayin' that I appreciate I'm not the only dope/n00b on this site.

 

[Sage]

ive pretty much dropped mine at a standstill also, foot started sliding in the dirt/gravel on the sides of the road, i got enough grip and strength to keep the side and signals from touchin the ground by an inch or two and somehow got it upright on my own....so lucky since it was before the sliders


everyone has their moments of shame

 

[JonKerr]

Glad you had fun in the canyons for the first time and I'm really glad to hear you were riding your own pace and in FULL GEAR! :thumbup: One thing that helped me a ton when I first started riding the canyons was to ride behind a friend who used proper body positioning, proper turn in points, and proper lines, just at a slower pace. You're right that at a slower speed, it can actually be a little more difficult to use that proper positioning and line selection without falling too far to the inside of the turn. But as you learn those things and get comfortable with them and start to feel that you can and almost need to carry a little more speed you'll slowly get more comfortable and confidant in yourself. One thing though. If you're following someone, DO NOT fixate on them. Use them as a guide, but don't copy them move for move. If they make a mistake, you'll make the same one. Just like target fixation on the road. You fixate on a rock on the road, you're going to hit that rock. Same thing with a rider in front of you.

One thing to remember about being tense, the bike doesn't work right if you're tight. What your friends said about loosening up on the grip on the straightaways is MORE important in the corners. If you're death gripping the bars in the turns, your arms are also going to be tense. If your arms are tense, they're going to be fighting the bars and each other and putting input into the bars that you don't want there. Your front end won't be allowed to work properly in this situation. I know it's easier said than done. But when you're in the middle of a turn, your arms need to be as relaxed as they possibly can. You don't hang onto the bike with your hands and arms, you hang onto it with your legs and use your arms to put the proper input into the bars.

As for the tip over, it's no big deal. Happens to everyone. Luckily, the only time my bike was on it's side was in the garage when I was moving the bike around like an idiot in flip flops. It was a super gentle, lay down right onto the frame slider. No harm, no foul.

 

[dart1963]

thanks for sharing.

#1. You rode your pace!
#2. You used the death grip... it'll wear on you faster than anything else, loosen up and enjoy.
#3. You tried to follow/learn from someone going at a dif. speed... it doesn't work, speed + reaction(turn-in points) + lean + body positioning all work in harmony, change one, and everything else has to change.


No shame in dropping the bike at a stop... it happens, better than dropping it at horrendous speeds

 

[Detrich]

thanks for all the tips & feedback guys... definitely helps & appreciated...

yah, my body tension & death grip were definitely mistakes that i need to correct next time... i was definitely a bit on edge & concentrating very profusely on the turns... lol

i guess i had a little riding fatigue just getting to the base of the mountain. for those guys riding the freeway is prolly routine and mundane. but, for me it's still something i have to really concentrate on... so, before we even started climbing i was feeling like, "whew! i made it here"... lol xP

 

[flyingminno]

Well tips happen to everyone, and the important thing is that you learn something.

Well, if you are headed up to Azusa canyon or Glendora Ridge road and would like a fellow FZ6R, just shout out on here, I'll join ya!

 

[Marthy]

-----

nope... i haven't joined SCARS cuz they're way too advanced i think... i just went with my own group of friends + their friends from the bike meet...

speaking of which, on the way down, there was a chick on a white gsx-r in full gear that literally blew by me like nothing... she was really good.

right after she passed, i tried speeding up a little bit while i could still see her in front- to watch how she was riding and to see if i could learn something/ mimmick her motions a little bit- at safe speeds of course- for just 1 or 2 turns. suprisingly, when i followed her lines and leaned where she was leaning, i actually felt "one with the bike" for the very first time. it was surreal...

but, obviously she really pulled away in seconds, and i couldn't keep her in view. so i slowed back down to my own pace and tried to visualize how she approached the turns...

as i continued practicing, the delimma i noticed is that to execute the turns like she was doing, you almost sorta have to be going at around 50+ mph and riding pretty aggressively. but, i simply don't have the confidence to do that yet.

i was thinking to myself that my riding would improve exponentially if there were someone experienced like that that i could follow- but that wasn't going super fast. just have to keep practicing i guess...

Did you get your a$$ kick by a chick? lol just messing with you buddy, go your own pace and learn. I'm in the same boast as you. I just with I could find some good twisty to play here in Florida. I just find out the Palm Beach International Raceway have "Friday Bike Night"! $125.00 and you can go play on a real race track from 5 to 10 pm. Sound like a good therapy to me... I might go and check it out this week as a spectator...

Cheers!:iconbeer:

 

[b_who]

Thanks for shareing good for a newbie like me to read and remember to relax and take everything at my own pace

 

[txjames]

Thanks for shareing good for a newbie like me to read and remember to relax and take everything at my own pace

I almost dropped [my] 2012 w/ about 400 miles on it in my own driveway. I was dodging my kids scooters and such in the driveway and was focused on avoiding that stuff and didn't downshift. So I get to going really slow in 2nd gear WITH the handlebars turned to avoid an object when the engine died. Sudden stop with turned handlebars = surprise and very quick leg to balance the bike which wanted to lay down.

The little things can really bite us.

I'm reading Keith Codes Twist of the Wrist II. Highly recommended and good followup to the very brief concepts that were touched on in my MSF course.