Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Regaining confidence - HELP!

[JPM]

Well as you lot know I lobbed the R, or should I say the R lobbed me down the road on Sunday, and for the life of me I just cannot figure out why, cold tyres? Salt?debris on the road? something on the tyre... you get the picture.

Anyway since that moment Lily has been running up and down the country gathering as many bits that need replacing and we have both been spending the nights trying to get the thing as good as possible for Oulton at the weekend.

Now firstly I have hardly done any miles on the bike, so just trying to get a feel for it, and taking it very steady, plus I've gone for the race shift now, so loads of new variables to take in, but then bang the off happened.

Tonight I finished work early so I'd still have some daylight left, and we both went for a spin... even before I'd got on the bike I was nervous, and riding showed how much confidence I have lost, I was scared to turn and tip the bike into the corners because I was half expecting the back end to come round again, it also felt really weird like the back end felt really loose, I had to pull over anc check I didn't have a flat!

Even on the straights I wouldn't open her up because I have it in the back of my mind something is wrong.

I've come off loads of times over the years, mostly on track days (Sportsbikes) or racing (Supermoto's) and that has never bothered me because I know in my head I am pushing and going as fast as I feel I can.

But coming off on the road only 500 yds from my door at just over 30mph is a real shocker.

How do I go about getting this confidence back? I'm usually pretty confident on a bike (not trying to sound boastful), and what is quite daunting for me right now is having a trackday this weekend on a bike I don't know, and already have the scars etc from the off...

Anyone got any ideas, it's obviously all in my head, help!

[MaccLad]

Tyres Fred, trust me. If not how much do you want for your trackday place?

get the suspension set up..... front n rear sag, rebound, damping etc .. get someone that knows their stuff ..... it'll make a huuuuge difference in your head knowing the bike has been set up for YOU ...

[Edited on 17-3-2005 by DIBBLE]

[HW]

Glad to hear you're getting back on the road so soon. I had the same situation a couple years ago in a low speed low-side in town. Made me very nervous for quite a while after which made no sense because it was nothing to do with my riding, or cornering, or wet roads, it was just someone pulling across in front of me.

I have just been reading A Twist Of The Wrist 2 by Keith Code, and he goes on a lot about Survival Reactions (SR). There are lots or SRs that affec how you ride, and mostly they are not healthy. Like the "deer in the headlights" - freezing when running would be more approriate! In your case, you KNOW that you have probably the finest handling/performing bikes on the planet, but your instincts now tell you to "not lean", lay "off the throttle" etc all of which are counter-productive to stability and good handling. Most likely you are doing waht I did for a while after the spill which is tensing up and gripping the bars. You KNOW that is wrong, but you are probably doing it.

Not sure if that is any help at all ... bottom line is, fight against the SRs and ride it like you know it should be. The reason you came off is a mystery but it has nothing to do with your ability to ride or the bike's handling. Much more likely to be poor road surface.

Henry

[Lily]

You need to think positive. I know its easy for me to say and I have! Remember all the stuff you told me after my off and put it into practice.

You were fine tonight and the bike was fine as well, just get out there on saturday and everything will be ok especially in a controlled environment that you know well

[adam]

jp, five years ago i had a bog standard 748, I had the suspension set up by a guy that worked at baines racing. I could go round the long right hander at Snetterton, no hanging off and my knee would be scraping the tarmac. Now, i sold that bike and got a 748R, with ohlins. Bog standard factory settings for front and rear shocks, even hanging off i occasionally got my knee down. I always thought the front was going to wash out, never felt confident with it. Dibble said it Have your bike set up by the experts, makes all the difference. I wish i had the 748R set up.
Confidence will return.

[keefer]

truly gutted for you mate. nothing worse than lobbing all that well fettled machinery down the road.
you will come to your own conclusion about why you came off eventually. but I recon cold tyres and tarmac must of played a part.
I too have had plenty of offs over the years and they have all been during the winter so I don't bother any more. summers round the corner and it wont take long for you to bounce back. all the best at the track day

[Chaz]

If think you have something wrong with your bike get someone to ride it preferably someone who knows what it should feel like if its ok you just have to get you head around it. worked for me.

Chass.

[psychlist]

............just get out and ride

Assuming there's nothing drastically wrong with the bike it doesn't matter what bike you choose! Pick a warm dry sunny (if you get anything like that north of the Thames?) morning so you're wide awake, bright and a lert (remember Britain needs Lerts!) Start off slow and build it up gradually over a period of a few hours. You're lucky you haven't had any physical damage so you can get straight back out there, just take it easy and let yourself become absorbed by the riding experience. If you're anything like me it'll come back to you in no time as you relax into it until you suddenly realise you've done it!
Good luck with fixing the bike, that's the easy bit

[Lily]

oh yeah btw.... i don't think you were doing 30 when you came off :P

probably closer to 20. If you were doing 30 with cold tyres on that roundabout it would explain why you came off!!