Hanging up my leathers.... :(

[Honda_Star]

well chaps and chappeses....its something I have been thinking about doing for some time now...

I have always 'struggled' a bit with riding and have never been a natural. I have owned 7 bikes in 2 years (!) done California Super Bike School, a track day, off roading in the Pyrenees, Bike safe and other things to name a few in order to improve my confidence and my riding ability...... But....... I just seem to have lost my mojo and sadly don't get much enjoyment out of it (those who came to Wales will know what I mean)

I am going to give myself a couple of weeks to think seriously about it but I am pretty sure I am going to sell the bikes and take a break from biking for a while....until I can find my mojo again. I will probably keep my off roader for a bit of fun, but I just find myself getting too stressed on the road and end up beating myself up over my riding. :( Thank you to everyone that has helped me on here - lots of helpful advice and friendly faces :) I am going to think long and hard about this , but I just want to say thank you to you all for some very kind words this weekend. :)

[silly_simon]

Sorry to hear that Star :(

But I know exactly how you feel, as a couple of years ago I felt the same a quit for a while and have now recently got myself a bike again (albeit the wrong one) But thats my fault not the bikes.

I should have bought a bigger framed bike as my one seems a little small for my build.

Anyway back to the topic, hope you get yourself sorted out soon and take care [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[CBRowner]

That's a shame about you're biking woes.

Maybe you're thinking about the riding too much instead of letting instinct take over.

There are probably very few people on here who can actually 'ride' bikes but still go out when the weather's at it's best.

The last thing you really want to do is give it up completely because you'll find it even harder in the future to get back on one.

You'll find your 'Mojo' again and start to enjoy the thrill of riding and you don't need to worry about things all the time because that's when you begin to not enjoy what you're doing.

If it's a confidence thing, then that will come in time. I'm not sure how long you've been riding now but I bet it's not long enough to feel fully incontrol which will affect your confidence. I also take it that you've been accident free because that too will affect you.

Obviously have a long hard think about it and, if you're still not feeling the biking love, have a break for a bit but not too long otherwise you'll lose the confidence that you have now regardless of how little of it you think you have.

Good luck with your choice, hopefully you stick with it [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Nokesy]

Halina - I know you said at the weekend that you feel you are not a natural biker as it goes against the way you think about things in life in general but I just want to say, you had the confidence to lead a ride ( very well by all accounts) AND to do a trackday. I would never lead a ride as there is too much to think about alongside riding and hat off to you for doing that and the trackday. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

It really doesn't matter how fast / slow anyone rides - it is about enjoyment but I'm sensing from your post (and the weekend) the 'enjoyment' has done a bit of a temporary disappearing act. Only you know whether it is something you want to do in life or not and giving yourself some time to think about it will at least establish whether you miss it or not. We would REALLY miss you on rides but hopefully you would still want to be part of the 'biker community' and come to meets etc... Maybe a short break will bring about a renewed enthusiasm and return your 'mojo' - I really do hope so but like I say, only you know how you really feel about it all. I wouldn't want to encourage you to keep riding if it really does stress you out and make you unhappy as that's never going to be fun and is not what it should be about but I really will be keeping my fingers crossed that something changes for you [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Look after yourself :)

[RedSoul]

Hey there
I was as you know behind you for a good part of the Wale trip and think you worry too much lol.

Your progressive speed,obsevation skills and general bike control are spot on.Yes you are a little over cautius on the bends but thats nothing that cant be sorted over time.

just enjoy the ride whatever the speed....I had a fantastic time doing the same spped as you all weekend.

Would be a shame for you to hang up your leathers after all the work you have put in.

[Nokesy]

Hey there
I was as you know behind you for a good part of the Wale trip and think you worry too much lol.

Your progressive speed,obsevation skills and general bike control are spot on.Yes you are a little over cautius on the bends but thats nothing that cant be sorted over time.

just enjoy the ride whatever the speed....I had a fantastic time doing the same spped as you all weekend.

Would be a shame for you to hang up your leathers after all the work you have put in.

Alex - you really have that spot on - observation skills and general bike control are what define us as 'good' riders and Halina's skills in this area are excellent [smiley=thumbsup.gif] Well said [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[SBQE2]

As a green novice myself I can't say whether your good or bad but I enjoyed having you along this weekend and hope you can find that elusive mojo soon as it would be good to do a Welsh trip together again.

Best of luck Star

[CBRowner]

I'm crap at riding, I'm never going to be able to do track days, I sh*t myself on corners and I can only wear the centre of my tyre down but I still enjoy it and I know that the more I do it the better I'll be (well, more improved anyway ;D)

Think of all the pros and cons before you make your decision [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Morticia]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't do it!!!!

Ride through one winter, you'll be shocked at how much you'll enjoy riding the following summer ;D

Nah, seriously, you're thinking about it too much, that's all. The only way you're going to get better at riding is riding. Don't be so hard on yourself. The marking system means everyone can ride at their own pace, so why worry? Let the ones that want a blast go for it, while you and me chill at the back ;D

You gotta do what you gotta do, for sure, but I think you're simply over analising your riding. Don't think it, feel it. Don't tell yourself you should ride any different because you've been riding now for an x amount of years blah, blah, blah, just enjoy the ride, the rest will come, like the right man, when you least expect it. :)

However, if you do decide to leave, you have to promise to call me every day, come to see me at work and be my pillion. I reckon if you ride pillion with me once and experience for yourself my suppa duppa crappy skills you'll realise you're fine and you will never ever quit. ;D

[BB]

I'm so sorry to hear this Star, I don't think you should stop for a while but keep at it, stop worrying and just relax and do your own thing. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

BB

[Gerry]

It would be a great shame after all you have put into it.

Not everybody is born to be a Rossi (me included) it's just about enjoying what you like about biking, fast, slow, or like you, in between.

As I said, I enjoyed our convoys this weekend.
You have a PM.

Hope to see you both at the BH soon.

Cheers
G

[Roxy]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I just found an off road/on road buddy and you are thinking of hanging those leathers up? :'(

Ok I will put my pennies worth in for what its worth.....
having spent lots of time on the bike (following and in front of you) and also chatting to you sober and drunk! lol I do feel that you lack a bit of confidence and thats what makes you a little cautious on corners but your general awareness and safety is far better than mine and I have only been riding just over a year so should still be full of the joys of motorschool but I'm not! You have the skill there but I feel you are a little afraid to use it to its full potential at the moment through worry about messing things up.

Riding in large groups is always a bit daunting esp if you are not use to it but I think you did a CRACKING job this weekend chick, I said to you last week..its not a race, the marking system is there to cater for all abilities and speeds.

I hated corners with a passion last year, this year I hate them a little less and after this weekend I can honestly say I actually enjoyed going round a couple of them :o (even when Justin was overtaking me up the inside of them!!!! pmsl! ;D) but the point I am trying to make is in order to hate them less I had to do more of them to build my confidence because I love riding the bike so much. You can ask anyone who had the misfortune of following me around last year (Ged, Jack, Daz, Last Train ;D) will all probably say that I was a nightmare, I would brake going in, during and coming out of corners, I was useless at them, I would think about them far too much and then mess them up everytime. I still do now but not every single corner. The bike I had last year was ok but it was not the RIGHT BIKE and I think that is some of the issue here too. You look like you are stretching out over the tank too much thus making the riding position uncomfortable (we spoke about this), I think a good research/sit/test ride a few bikes to see what suits you is a start, you are more then welcome to try mine on a ride and see how you get on with it, you looked more confortable on mine today because you were not over reaching to cover the handlebars and your feet did touch the floor (maybe lower the bike an inch and you would have had your feet flat on the ground) but I think because you are not that comfy on yours that you hesitate when approaching corners and lack confidence which makes you feel nervous and them you pile the pressure on yourself.

I would hate to see you hang up the leathers for good but I also understand how you are feeling. BUT I do honestly feel that its just a confidence thing with you, and if we can build your confidence then you will feel less nervous about corners and the whole biking thing.
I badgered people like mad last year to come out with me so I could pick their brains, watch how they do it and try to learn from them, everyone has their own thoughts and style of riding and not one person is 100% right on these things but its a great way to learn and I would be more than happy to come out with you and try to help.

I felt perfectly comfortable following you this weekend but also didn't want you to feel the 'pressure' (not that there was any) of having people behind you when you are trying to get round the corners so was more than happy to sit in front and let you follow too and you did a GRAND job!

Have a think about things, but I really feel that given a bit of a confidence booster and a few ride outs (maybe 1-3 people) and a better suited bike, you would start to enjoy it a bit more and the nerves will all but dissappear.

Hang in there chick

roxy x

[jonnydangerous]

if youre not enjoying this sport theres plenty more out there to get your "Kicks" from :-)

theres -
Archery
fencing in swindon
clay pigeon shooting
rock climbing
banger racing
water skiing

just to name a few....
try a few see how it goes....

hope you find what youre looking for :-)

JD.

[Jon_W]

Look dude, what you get out is what you want. There is no image or skills you have to prove, if you enjoy the sensation of motorcycling then however you ride, whatever the bike, you are a natural motorcyclist.

Begging you permission to be honest ans possibly speaking out of turn, as I do not know you, it sound to me like you have put a lot of pressure on yourself to be "good" and tried too much too fast. As a result you are now tired and frustrated.

My advise is to slow down, take it easy and just go out on a sunny day and ride, as quickly or as slowly as you like, who cares if you cannot get you knee down? Who cares if you get overtaken? All that matters is you enjoy the sensatoin, the wind in your face and watching the scenery go by.

I speak as someone who was once in your position. I did the track school, track days, huge rideouts, having to corner.... the peer pressure was daft! And RUBBISH!!! I found that there was another way. Enjoy the sensation, enjoy the moment, for it is that and that anlone which matters.

Jon.

[Dabz]

sorry to hear that Star, but if you're simply not enjoying your riding then having a break is what you should do. It's difficult to get your confidence - I was very tentative around corners and riding in general for years until it suddenly clicked...I'm still a slow rider and haven't got the best cornering skills or confidence, but now I enjoy it which makes all the difference.

Just remember...even if you decide to have a break from riding for a bit, don't forget us lot :) we'd still expect you to visit us at the sally etc ;) noone gets away that easily!

[Ducatista]

Hi Star,

I have to say that you've always looked pretty confident (and good) to me.
I think you probably are being very hard on yourself. I'm going through that right now with diving. I did my first open water dive on Sunday and bounced up between the bottom and the surface. My buoyancy was terrible. But the instrutor said "What did you expect it's your first dive". Everyone does the same and beats themselves up far too much.

If you wanted to try and get some confidence pretty cheaply then one way you could do it is join a group like ROSPA. It's only £25 to join and then £10 per ride (for your tutors petrol) and for that tenner you get coaching for a few hours from someone experienced.
The fact that you cover different roads and differnt weather conditions and just the fact that you get out an do some miles, can really help improve and in many cases tranform you riding. You don't have to do a test, you can just use it as a way of getting some confidence.

But if yu don't want to do it anymore then don't worry.
Don't beat yourself up.
I didn't ride for 14 years and then came back to it.
I have other hobbies that I like to enjoy as well like dancing and diving.
So don't worry, there are plenty of other enjoyable things to get into.
But don't beat yourself up because you are pretty good.

But best wishes whatever you decide. :)

Do also remember that just because other people are going faster doesn't necessarily mean that they are better riders.
I could tell you about 3 group rides where people have had accidents and they are all the faster riders, who in all cases did not have enough time to react.
I sometimes wonder whether I should be going faster round bends (my cornering isn't perfect either) but quite often to be honest because of the visibility it's simply not possible to go faster safely even if I was Rossi.
I'm going with Rapid Training in August, because there are some aspects of my riding I want to improve, so to be honest I don't anyone is ever satisfied, you jsut ahve to be happy with improvement.

[bubblylittleme]

Having followed you,as back marker, last Tuesday I couldnt fault your riding as I said when we got there. It was like a snake following your placement in the road.

I rode from aged 17 -24 yrs then not again till 5 yrs ago. My confidence had gone completely and at times it still waivers especially on bends but I enjoy shorter rides out going at my pace, no-one elses so won't give it up.

Joining large groups out is nice occassionally but feel pressure to keep up thats why I enjoyed our jaunt last Tuesday.

Don't sell the bike...just enjoy doing what you want to on it. Would be nice to have more local sedate runs!

[BB]

Hey, just a thought - get yourself an old classic bike and no one will expect you to keep up/corner fast etc etc! ;D

I can surprise people on my 1949 350 AJS - I was clocked at 68 on a recent jaunt to Poole - granted it was downhill! ;D ;D

BB

[Mark_Able]

I would offer my services, as I hate to see someone pack it in because they're not enjoying it. However, whether I could teach you anymore than the courses you've already been on, I don't know? But I would take the advice of others on here, and just go riding by yourself to enjoy it. Riding as part of a group, there is always pressure.

As regards losing your 'mojo', I know what you're talking about. I had one mate who I really enjoyed riding with. He was someone I could trust not to be a complete dick, but also I could have fun with. We had some great rides, but sometimes it didn't happen. Sometimes we'd go for a ride, but within 10mins we'd be turning back because he couldn't get his head into it. If it's not happening, you can't force it. I don't suffer with the same problem purely because I ride every day. It's difficult to lose your mojo when you're constantly on the bike.

That brings me to my second bit of advice, ride daily, or as frequently as possible. It becomes second nature, without you having to think about it.

Hope you make the right decision. Don't forget, if you want some help, don't be afraid to ask. [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[wiltshire builders]

Good for you for being so honest. No hobby should be a "way of life" and anyone who says it should be is a jackass. We've all had bad rides where we feel we've let ourselves or other riders down but this obviously goes deeper. If biking isn't for you then so what and the friends you've made through it are still your friends.

Take a break and see how you feel. Chances are you'll be chomping at the bit to get back on 2 wheels and if not then at least you know.
For me biking is a bit of fun. The day it stops being fun is then day i stop riding too.

[Jon_W]

Hey, just a thought - get yourself an old classic bike and no one will expect you to keep up/corner fast etc etc! ;D

BB

I'm with above! :D

[jonnydangerous]

or an RD250lc cos they break down a lot (as youve seen) and then you dont HAVE to ride ........ hahaha ;-)

[Honda_Star]

Can I just say a BIG THANK YOU to everyone for their words of advice/support/encouragement on here. I am going to take a bit of a breather and a bit of time out and try and find a way forward, whether it be extra training, changing the style of bike to something a bit more upright or just having a break away from it all for a while. I have lots to think about but one thing is for certain...you guys are amazing. Thank you [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[Ryan]

Sorry to hear that, shame to give it up totaly though, gota do what you feel right doing [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

[BB]

Whatever you decide Star, don't be a stranger on here! (hug)

BB

[silly_simon]

Star
You are more than welcome to try my FZ6 Fazer, as this is an upright riding style but with enough oomph to get along quite rapidly [smiley=thumbsup.gif]

I am considering changing to a bigger framed bike as i feel a little cramped on it compared to my earlier fazers :( because it has the more compact R6 engine i'm sure the frame dimesion's are smaller :-/

It's just another option thrown into the mix if it help's
Regards
Simon

[Nico_babe]

How about the new Gladius? They are really smart upright bikes?

[Bonnielass]

Hi Star, I'm so sorry that you're feeling the way you are especially after the excellent ride you took us girls on last Tuesday, I must say, you didn't show any lack of confidence then.

I do know what you mean about always being at the back when it feels like everyone is having all the fun in the front, I've never felt like I am a particularly fast rider but I have gained in confidence since getting the Bonny. It seems to me that all the time you have been riding you have not found the right bike for you, having had 7 bikes in 2 years! Maybe the sporty type bike is not for you.

I respect you for saying you are going to take some time out to think about what you want to do but it would be such a shame not to see you out with us.

If you fancy a little bimble one evening I would be more than happy to meet you, absolutely no pressure, just 2 girls out enjoying themselves. :)

[bobf279]

CBF series of bikes are upright, height adjustable and have a bit of go in them choice of engines 600 or 1000 are popular

[Beamer]

Hey There Star, my heart goes out to you......you have so much more experience and knowledge than me and I am in awe of that.
If it helps, come out with me lol, Im pants......I had 'bike drop number 4' last week and havent been out since......... maybe helping me find what a bloody mojo is might help you see just how good you really are....come n follow me and be my companion.... I havent got the guts at all to go out in a group (not sure i ever will have) 'cos I couldnt cope with worrying what other better riders think......Ive learnt that riding with confidence and knowing what to do isnt magic and doesnt just appear from thin air........every time i go out, I worry before I leave, concentrate solidly whilst on it, and when I get to my destination I constantly worry about the journey home and what roads Im on, the junctions, the roundabouts, the hill starts etc etc etc........so if you wanna come out with me n see what Im like Im sure you will realise how far along the 'bike-riding journey' you have already gone.... plus Im slow and non judgemental cos I havent got a bloody clue lmao.......so I hope that makes you feel just a little better.......Im sure in your heart you have already made your decision but if you ever fancy a no-pressure ride then just ask xxxx

Big hugs to you my lovely

Tina x

[Caz]

Hi Helina, I am so sad that you find yourself in this position and that you feel that you have to make a decision to stop or not. Please don't beat yourself up and leave it for a while see how you feel and only go out when you want to.

I would be happy to go out with you anytime if you like but there is no hurry.

Hope to see you at Calne, take care x