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good ride bad ride

agreat1

agreat1

Joined Oct 2007
681 Posts | 0+
cumbria
how many on here can confess to having good rides and bad rides
today went out and just didn't gel witht he bike
everything seemed hard work, tractor pulled out on me
so came home early

other times i ride so quickly and feel everything falls into place

to be honest i seem to know as soon as i set off on the bike

i'm not talking commuting (like i do every day on y baby)

but when you go for a blast - some times it just all comes together - grinning from ear to ear

others it just doesn't and you don't know why????

thoughts
 
I know exactly wheat you mean, some days I just have feeling in my head that something's not right. I've even been out with my wife on the back & she gets it every time I do, weird, and I usually cut the ride short as well!! Some days I feel 10 feet tall & bulletproof on a good ride, & others well nervous. Glad it' not just me!!!
 
thats exactly how i feel and after last years off i now listen to my senses

hope tomorrow is better cos i need a good blast
 
Happens to everyone mate, when it happens to me i do what you did and come home early, when it feels like ***** theres no enjoyment :thumbup:thumbup
 
Coming home early is what I do as well when it gets me - maybe it is some 6th sense warning you - I dunno. Most of the time I love riding......but when it all feels wrong - its time to turn around and go back steady :)
 
good to know we don't all think we're valentino
and we can admit our let downs

now it won't do my head in when it happens

i've been riding for 17yrs so thought i'd have it sussed by now

but i'd change nowt cos i love the buzz
 
Twono said:
Coming home early is what I do as well when it gets me - maybe it is some 6th sense warning you - I dunno. Most of the time I love riding......but when it all feels wrong - its time to turn around and go back steady :)
Click to expand...

The most sensible thing I have read on this forum. When its not your day, its time to wheel the bike back in garage for me.

Happens to us all. In a car you can get away with having a day driving a bit off, on a bike there are no second chances (Well very few!)
 
agreat1.. Was on my way from Millom to Carlisle on Friday about 7pm between Broad Oak and Muncaster, came round a corner to see 2 bikes parked on the opposite side of the road (one was an Aprilia new shape) and grass over the road. The 2 lads were walking back to their bikes from a lay by just down the road where I could see another bike.
When I got to the lay by there was a lad with what looked like a fairly new fireblade that look in a bit of a mess, but he looked ok...bet he wished he had stayed at home!!
If you were going south after Muncaster, over the narrow bridge, the next right hander is where he had came off.
 
but lets admit it
what a fantastic bit of road
that downhill right hander is class

love that bit of road

n fact i own it!!!!
 
i too have times like that, alot of it is down to your state of mind and in some cases can be caused by physical issues, such as drinking heavily the night before, over exerting your muscles and just generally not getting enough rest in

even tiny things like worrying if the chain is really aligned properly or if those brake pads are completely worn can have a major influence on how you ride

i also noticed the nature behind the ride can have a major affect, i always have more fun when just going for a ride... but if i have to go to the shops its never as fun

as the general opinion states, if things dont feel 'right' then its a sign to slow down and take it easy, trying to force enjoyment from such a ride is dangerous and usually makes it a terrible ride instead of just a crappy one
 
If you are not feeling up for it then slow down. It's probably because you have other things on your mind, even if you are not aware of it. :eatcorn
I know that feeling too.:confused When it aint just quite 100% It's my cue to potter on home carefully.:thumbup

Those roads you just spoke about in Cumbria :inlove
 
Yes it is a great road on the bike.. but I was in a hgv, and it scares the **** out of me when I see bikes come round blind bends on the white line.
On the way down to Millom between Holmrook and the Ravenglass turn off I met a bike on the blind left hander and as you can imagine I have to keep to the middle of the road to get round the bend and he was on the white line..scared the crap out of me.
So remember guys don't go near the white line on blind bends as you never know whats coming the other way.
 
as said,its down to state of mind,no good riding when theres stuff on your mind,or your worrying about stuff,or it can just be simply that you dont have confidence in a part of the bike that day.i couldnt ride mine properly till i knew it had been serviced and checked over thoroughly and was safe to do the speeds the bikes capable of,also nearly being taken out by several cars ect shakes you up and makes you feel theyre out to get you lol.
i took mine to have the clutch bled today and the tyres just felt bad,like sumat wasnt quite right,but i put it down to doing a night shift last night till 7am,having 2hr kip till 9am then taking the bike in.not a good idea.
bikes require 110% concentration,we dont always realise when theres **** on our minds till we start making lots of silly mistakes.
thankfully,it sounds like most of us realise the warning signs and park it before its to late.
 
I agree there is times when I'm not in the zone at all, and end up riding like a numpty, I can never fathom out what it is but just end up feeling uncomfortable and can't wait to get off the bike.
Like when we were doing the run to honfluer, I just wasnt on the money most of the time, was very odd.
Then again I went for a blat on wednesday and everything was perfect. Like I say very odd.
 
Good thread...I guess everyone has days like this....I had one today...Lovely sunny day but not up for a real blast...took the bike out anyway and enjoyed bits of it BUT came round a nice tight corner just past Althorpe (where all the Royalty go to die apparently!) and found an old guy pushing his bicycle up the road; not really sure how I missed hitting him other than a survival reaction on the bars and footpegs.....took a few breaths and headed home...put the bike away for another day!!
 
i would say the difference with a good rider,is that he notices a "bad day" and heads home,to fight another day,where as the numpties dont,think there riding god and still blast around flat out and end up in the hedge bottom.youve gotta know your limits,not just overall but day by day too.
 
It's nice to see I'm not alone.
I'm a senior observer with the IAM but I still have bad days. I once tried analysing one of these rides to see why it was bad - no joy. As some-one said, just not gelling.
V60s comment about staying off the white line when taking a blind right hander is so true. It scares me just seeing riders doing it.
Big un's comments about riding when tired or things on your mind rang a bell too.
It's nice to confess sometimes innit?
 
The most important pre ride check, and the one that most people forget is your head. If it aint right in there, stay at home. If it starts to go pear shaped out on a ride then you should stop. Sort it out. Then carry on at a slower pace until you feel comfortable again.
 
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