Confessions, existentialism and council.

Discussion in 'New Riders' started by DarthFritter01, May 19, 2015.

  1. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2007
    Messages:
    15,047
    Likes Received:
    52
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Maybe he was afreud..
     
  2. DarthFritter01

    DarthFritter01 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2014
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Iowa
    Map
    Thank you all! Your feedback is fantastic and I will take it to the street. Looks like I've got some reading, practicing and RIDING to do in the days and weeks ahead. Hope to meet you all on the road some day. If you ever find yourselves traveling through southeast Iowa, give me a shout. Please feel free to keep adding to this! I check it regularly. Hope it helps other new riders as well!
     
  3. OOTV

    OOTV Insider

    Joined:
    Aug 20, 2011
    Messages:
    6,479
    Likes Received:
    949
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    Anaheim, Ca.
    One book you should pick up is David Hough's 'Proficient Motorcycling', its a great read and covers quite a lot, especially for the average street rider.
     
  4. Aimbot9000

    Aimbot9000 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 19, 2013
    Messages:
    335
    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Mount Holly,nc
    Map
    If interstate riding bothers you ease into it by starting on a emptier stretch after rush hour has ended. when i got my first bike it was a 100 mile trip home on I-40 the msf course was the only other seat time i had on a bike baptism by fire lol. 3 years later i do about 20k miles a year, what freaks me out is that ninja sand that you cant see till you're apexing on it, deer, and people that creep forward at intersections ( got hit by one of them creepers)
     
  5. duccmann

    duccmann Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Oct 6, 2010
    Messages:
    9,214
    Likes Received:
    910
    Trophy Points:
    143
    Location:
    SoCal
    Map
    Latley I'm being tailgated by other riders while splitting lanes......guess you dont have to worry about that....not all riders are your friends...lots of squids.
    One suggestion, get a small cc dirtbike....guarantee it will help on the streets
     
  6. TNRabbit

    TNRabbit New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2013
    Messages:
    1,024
    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Woodford, VA
    Map
    I have that book. Tons of great info; kind of a dry read & dated, but great nonetheless....
     
  7. DarthFritter01

    DarthFritter01 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2014
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Iowa
    Map
    Update to this: Saturday I mapped out a nice little jaunt that wandered through the back roads into Lake Geode state park, and back leaving an option for highway riding if I felt like getting over that "fear", if I felt brave. Nothing more than the equivalent to a run to the store for most of you. About 60 miles, round trip, but good scenery and a mostly enjoyable ride. I had a sneaking suspicion that my issues with riding outside of town and on the four-lane may have been a simple fear of the unknown, and I wanted to find out just what it was that was freaking me out. I make no claim to be a tough guy. I'm scared of most things, in fact. Yesterday was no exception, as I spent most of the time tucked, as much as I could (6'3 250) behind that stock windscreen. Hearing anything was out of the question. The loud twin in front of me barely cut through the noise. I could barely hear myself curse the wind under my helmet when it shifted me around. 25-30mph gusts coming from the south and blasting me north as we rode east. I found myself doing everything I was told not to do; white-knuckling the grips, body rigid, mind negative. my companions seemed to embrace it and left me in their dust. I cursed myself for being so far behind. 65 on an empty county road, and I was a mile behind my friends. Every time I gave it some wrist, the wind reminded me that I was less a hot knife through butter, and more a spoon in a jello mold. My buddies had stopped to let me catch up at an old country church, and I sauntered up embarrassed that I was lagging behind. I ignored their ribbing ("Is your bike running right?" "Did you sprain your wrist" "Are you resting on the rear brake?") and we kept going. The few miles went a little easier as we shifted north by northeast. Some dopy mutt (I love dogs, I really do!) decided to play in the road and started running along side the lead bike, when he was easily out-run he decided to run directly at my bike, but I was prepared. Brake, swerve, eyes forward, head up, asshole puckered. The dog probably wasn't as close as I thought, but it crossed the center line at one point. We rolled through a little village (an infamous speed trap) and into the state park and I remembered the words of my two companions as we approached the first turn: take it slow, don't ride the edge, it gets hairy so try to keep up. KEEP UP. At an average speed of 27 mph (we were stuck behind two trucks hauling boats) there was little effort to keep up. Even after the trucks turned off, the twisties were my place to shine. The machine that I was clinging to in the wind, became an extension of my body and that infernal lump of American iron ( I love all bikes, I really do!) that insisted on leading, became a blockage for myself and the fz-07 in front of me. Do all little brothers have a big brother complex, or is it just mine? We had a quick stop at a pavilion after riding the park, and bullshitted a bit, then headed back. Same story. Winds, another dog (seriously? yes.), and I was outrun and alone, but I was cool with that (I later learned that they decided to race home, psh children). When we regrouped at a gas station, time and the wind had gotten the best of me. I had two choices to get home: The (dreaded) interstate going north. or a winding retracing of the original trip through the wind and back roads of Henry county. I chose the Interstate. it was pure salvation. The wind at my back and four lanes of smooth highway in front of me. I hit 90 in 3rd, passing that Dyna and it's pilot like just another mile marker. The blood flowed back into my palms and fingers, and my grimace turned into a huge smile, and the fear I THOUGHT I had of 4 lane traffic was... nothing.
    Here's my point (if there ever was one): The advice I got from this forum was enough to get me motivated to ride my bike more. I savored every cramp, goosebump, and twist at the end of the day. Every smell (from rotting squirrel to freshly mowed grass to "fertilizer") and every temperature change in the valleys. Every fairing-shaking gust on an overpass. JUST RIDE. What I thought was going to be my enemy, turned out to be my friend (for now). I rode MY bike, My ride, My way. Contrary to personal history, I did not pick a point short of my destination and leave the rest of my ride "for another day". It was short, yes, but I rode my planned route. I cleaned my plate. I'm not ready to join and iron-butt clubs just yet, but I'm taking the steps. I appreciate the words of encouragement you shared with me, so this story was your reward. No atta-boy sought, just an update. Cheers!
     
  8. jorgescar69

    jorgescar69 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2014
    Messages:
    477
    Likes Received:
    20
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    La Puente, CA, United States
    Map
    keep on riding... you will expand your comfort zone with more saddle time. I ride for fun, Not to hurt my self!
     
  9. DarthFritter01

    DarthFritter01 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2014
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Iowa
    Map
    I'm putting a 100 mile route together on google maps to get more mileage in. I'll document that one when I get the ride in. Does anyone else keep a log of their rides? personal or public?
     
  10. JTC

    JTC New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Dec 16, 2007
    Messages:
    798
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    31
    Location:
    Watts, CA
    Map
    Yes, I post starting point, planned stops, finish diner/coffee shop and/or gas station not to mention anticipated times accurate to the 1/4 hour- on Facebook. Btw, I too have a "go to" loop that runs about 100 miles in 2.5-3hrs. Extremly tight & technical, difficult to avg 30mph in some sections.
     
  11. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 18, 2007
    Messages:
    13,741
    Likes Received:
    1,557
    Trophy Points:
    158
    Location:
    Chilliwack, BC Canada
    Map
    Never worry about a destination. You will always find it when you arrive.

    I have gone on two trips that were destination specific, but once there, I continued on for weeks with not= real agenda. Best goddam ride ever. Both of them.

    BTW. I get a rush out of riding in the wind. Especially overtaking a big rig and catching the blow as I come out the fint end of the truck. Whoopie fucking kiyeah!
     
  12. SCguy

    SCguy New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2014
    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    13
    Trophy Points:
    6
    There are apps you can use to log your ride, but I prefer the memories.

    Like some others have stated, one of the greatest joys of riding is the ability to hop on and head off with no destination in mind, getting lost, and making your way back home again. A year ago, I took off on a 2 week trip with only one plan, to make it to a friend's graduation in Arkansas. Best trip I've ever taken. That feeling of anticipation in the morning when you don't know where the road will take you, and the satisfaction at night, looking back over where you've been. Powerful stuff.

    To answer your fear question, I was always afraid of heading to the mountains and being spooked by a car while coming around a blind curve. It nerved me out just to think about it. I decided to face my fears by riding the Blue Ridge Parkway, and you know what? Traffic didn't bother me. I had worried incessantly about nothing.

    There comes a point when you have to face your fears and decide whether it's a healthy "survival" fear or a baseless fear that needs overcome. You can do it. In a way, we all have.
     
  13. DarthFritter01

    DarthFritter01 New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2014
    Messages:
    66
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Iowa
    Map
    I was looking at pictures of the Blue Ridge highway today, it looks beautiful!
    Randy: lol, you're mental! But from the looks of this bunch, I guess that's a requirement. I'll keep pushing myself to explore. Hopefully I'll find myself at the R3, some day, with the rest of the patients... errr... Riders.
     
  14. mofo

    mofo New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2011
    Messages:
    1,205
    Likes Received:
    48
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Location:
    Orange County Ca.
    Map
    You already have plenty of good advice and stories.
    I've had my fair share of windy conditions. I guess my worse was riding from Tucson to my home in Orange Orange county. A sand storm in the city of Phoenix and a big storm about sixty miles from it. Windy conditions around Quartzsite, sustained 50-60 mph winds and gusts all the way to Banning CA, In Chiriaco summit I was almost certain I was going to meet my maker. What a ride, what a learning experience! Not going to lie, it was no fun.
    If I checked the weather before going on a long trip, I guess I would stay home, but where is the fun in that?
    Now go drag an anchor an keep riding your own ride, not your friend's ride. Practice, practice, practice and meet me in Yellowstone at the end of June.
     
  15. Scotto

    Scotto New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    May 13, 2015
    Messages:
    39
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Just ride the damn thing. If the thrill is gone, but a Vette instead.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page