New Rider - Gaining Confidence

[krisg]

I'm the same. Passed my test 461 miles ago. Yeah I know sad.

I like the idea of riding when its raining. Talk a mate into riding with you when its raining.
Follow him. But go at YOUR pace.

I did this reasontly. Gave me more confidence and trust in my tyres and ME.
Helped me to realise how much the tyres WILL grip.

As a newbie you here all about tyre grip and stepping out that you become fixated with it. I found that by not worrying about it, your riding gets better.

The back end can slip out on whatever but it then grips again once it off the slippy bit.

[matthelliwell]

Hey guys,

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but you all seem a good bunch!

I passed my test new years eve and have a new (well 650cc) Transalp.

Obviously the whole sensation of riding is still new to me, and my confidence was growing with every mile under my belt. Collected the bike just over 3 weeks ago and have racked up just over 800 miles on the commute to work.

Last weekend I was out riding, perfect clear sunny day, dry roads etc etc.. Went into a roundabout as normal (remember I'm new so I'm not going steaming in!) and the back end of the bike "stepped out".. I had to do a double foot "slam" to keep the bike upright (as far as I'm concerned!). No visable signs of the usual culprits like diesel etc etc....

Well, since that incident, my cornering confidence has been shattered.. I'm crawling around roundabouts now and thinking that I'm feeling it on the point of stepping out again...

What can I do to overcome this please? It's getting very frustrating now and I feel as if I'm back to square one!

Cheers guys

What worked (and still works) for me is not to worry about it. If you spend the next couple of weeks pootling around corners, so what? You will find you gradually go faster. There's still a corner on my evening commute where I skidded on a large metal cover (my fault for riding on it in the first place) that I don't like going around so I just take it easy.

The other thing is realising just how much grip you've actually got. You can after a while feel how much the tyres are gripping (though the amount of feedback does vary with the tyres). On wet day, I tried accelerating from stand still to see how much throttle I had to give it before the back wheel slipped. The answer was much more than I thought.

[twistedwinter]

Loads and loads of really good advice here guys... Way too much to answer on an individual basis! So many thanks.. I'll keep you all posted on how I get on!

I think one of the best bits was to take some more training.. so it costs a bit.. but if it gives me way more confidence then it's worth it

[Jacqueslemac]

I must be just down the road from you and will happily meet up for a ride sometime. I won't say I'm hugely experienced because I'm not, but will happily follow you to see if you're doing anything that's obviously wrong.

[Mudwiz]

I'd say don't concern yourself with the tyres. They may not have the best of reputations, but I used then for years, on the London commute and loads of road/mud play. They, for standard tyres, were suprisingly good. You can scrape your toes in the rain on roundabouts and they normally don't let go. (I ride duck footed, but its still quite a way over .)

Hook up with any of the gentle off road rides, get used to moving on the bike, relaxing, let the bike do the work. Do nothing in a hurry!

Hope that helps a little.

.

[HUDDERS]

Hi twisted welcome

Just take your time, your confidence will grow

Dont worry about the bike stepping out these things happen to us all.

Riding with other people I think helps, you may get left behind a bit. This happens to us all for various reasons traffic ect. They will wait for you and should make allowances for you being new to riding.

Simon

[Wee Jack]

Keep your head UP - when you enter the roundabout , you should already be looking through and out of the exit you are going to take (REMEMBERING TO BE AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR IMMEDIATE DANGER ZONE OF COURSE !!!).

Don't be tempted to look just in front of the bike , this is a common mistake we all make when we're new and tense. LOOK to where you want to go, as far ahead as you can.

After 32 years of riding motorbikes and being RoSPA qualified , I still have to occasionally shout at myself inside my helmet - KEEP YOUR ****ING HEAD UP JACK !!

[Dee Duble Yuh]

Try fiinding a large roundabout when there's not much traffic about, and go around it several times, finding out what it's like to lean the bike a little further each time. Don't grip the handlebars tight, and allow your body weight to go "into" the saddle.

[twistedwinter]

Guys....

I think I had an epiphany on the way home from work today...

I was doing my usual thing pottering round the roundabout... something changed in the way I was actually sitting on the bike.

It seems that (bear with me while I try to explain!!) I was somehow almost leaning back a little when turning.. letting the bike lead me almost - pulling me around the bend/corner/roundabout.

Part way round, for some unknown reason, I shifted on the seat so I was more kind of "bearing down" over the bars - like over them and pulling them towards me, a much more aggressive stance perhaps would be the best explanation. Suddenly, I felt that I was in control of the bike, and not the bike in control of me.

Does any of this make sense?!?

[alpslapper]

Yep Shifting your weight around, gaining in confidence, head looking where you want to go not at the road under your wheel, leaning more, no longer rolling off going round bends, roundabouts, finding your now always in the right gear .... epiphanies, you have to love them

Nice one twistedwinter