I just had a thought and wanted to see what everyone else has to say here.

I am asking what you feel is the main root of your not being faster in your riding.

I don't care if we are talking about the track or street ( I know pushing yourself on the street is not safe but It does happen and some only ride the street so...) but What is the absolute base of what and why you do not go faster thru the next turn or what really do you feel is the most upsetting thing to your pace?

I for one will admit that fear Is the thought I have when I need to get out of it.

Fear of crashing, fear of wrecking my bike and fear of injury.


Some days are better than others and everyone has an off day but when I am going at my pace, Which is not the fastest but faster than most I ride with, I will have times of absent mindedness and I will blank out for a second
or two at just the wrong point.

When I do this I usually blow a great cornner and feel shitty for doing so.
Then I get my head in the ride and improve. But if I am having a great day and feel confident in just about everything I am doing there is always someone faster.

I have on many time thought "How in the hell is that guy so much faster than me?" Is he unhuman? How can he feel safe at that pace?

This is all so vague I know but as everyone gets faster they look back at when they were that slow guy I think and to me it just seems like second nature to ride at the pace I do but I just can't get my mind around that next level.


With that said I am at the intermed. Level on the track and ride way to fast on the street (in secluded back roads thru the mountains with little traffic) but just a few seconds behind x-racers I ride with.

I have never been accused of being scared of much in my life and ride fast only when it is not with new riders in the group. But Fear is the root of my wall.

Is there anyone here who feels zero fear (ego's aside here truth only) at race speed?

Or is the feeling of being on the ragged edge just something you have gotten comfortable with over time just like when you thought you were fast in your slow days.

Is it Breaking you have issues with?

Lean angle?

Fear of highside?

Whats your pace and what holds you back from turning a faster lap or going faster thru the next turn?

I have fear riding at a quick pace on the street...too many unknown variables, but on the track, my only fear is that I'm going to push it too hard and wreck my bike...

but that doesn't slow me down :D

I have fear riding at a quick pace on the street...too many unknown variables, but on the track, my only fear is that I'm going to push it too hard and wreck my bike...

but that doesn't slow me down :D

Would you say that your fear of crashing on the track comes from sliding the tires? Front? Rear? Just curious what gives you issues.

Sliding the rear tire is probably the most prominent

Ive lowsided at 90mph on the street before because of gravel and its stuck in my head. I did my first trackday and was runnin an intermediate pace in the novice group but what held me back from really going faster was the lowside that occurred before. I dont trust my front tire for some reason and whenever i lose traction to the front instead of more throttle to the rear i chop the throttle and even put a bigger load on the front. but its my natural human reaction and i need to work on it

Ive lowsided at 90mph on the street before because of gravel and its stuck in my head. I did my first trackday and was runnin an intermediate pace in the novice group but what held me back from really going faster was the lowside that occurred before. I dont trust my front tire for some reason and whenever i lose traction to the front instead of more throttle to the rear i chop the throttle and even put a bigger load on the front. but its my natural human reaction and i need to work on it

I hear that, I have done the same and it took a good track day to get my trust back in my tires. I still don't think that I fully trust they will take the side force in every situation. So many variables on the street to make them get loose it just maybe the safe way to go and error on the side of caution.
But when a guy on a much harder to ride bike on road touring tires flys by me in a corrner I have to ask myself what the hell is he doing that makes it "Ok" for him to feel at ease doing so. Experiance is a life long journey.

for me (and probably everyone) the thing holding them back is simply confidence. (okay, maybe some other things for different people as well...)

but i am always doubting my tyres ability, something that i'm working on. I"m going to get some good, fresh new tyres for my next track day and just work at progressively entering corners faster, and driving out faster, bit by bit. (i am also going to get my suspension adjusted/tuned for my weight which i have no doubt will boost my confidence alot!)

something that really helped me get things in perspective was in the Twist Of The Wrist books (Vol 1 i think) where Code says that you need to be prepared to crash. and it's absolutely true. you definitely don't have to like it, or enjoy it - but you need to accept it, otherwise it's just something that is that is constantly a niggling doubt in your mind.

i'm resolved for my next track day - i'm not going to think about "what if's" or "what might's", i'm just going to put my head down and concentrate 100% on what is happening in front of me and happening at that moment.

I'm a sumwhat new rider... this is my second season on a 600.. and my barrier is
cars. ON an open road i'll open it up and have fun, but when i see cars i ride speed limit.
Can't trust those bastards... they kill to many cyclists.

I really never ride on the street anymore. On the street, it was fear of losing my liscense due to being caught by police doing something I shouldn't be. But now that I am riding the track 95% of the time, I'd have to say that my number one fear on the track is other riders. Its the one uncontrollable variable out there. You are in control of yourself, your bike, your line, your tire pressures, your suspension, etc, but it takes one other guy in the wrong place to turn a perfect day into something horrible (your fault or theirs, doesn't matter).

As far as tires go, I have had two decent crashes on two different tracks. Both were low sides. The first I lost the rear from getting on the gas too hard, too early. This was the result of inexperience, I was 19 years old and it was my first track day. The second crash was caused by losing the front tire due to trail braking too deep into a corner. Also from in experience, but this time it had been 4 and a half years since my last crash and a lot of track days in between. IMHO learning the line of control can only be truly learned after you have spent time on both sides of it. The day after my most recent crash, which was only about 3 weeks ago, I was so sore, but all I could think about was how I needed to get a new subframe ASAP because all I want to do is get back on the track.

Crashing sucks, and not trusting you tires will probably lead to you either making a dumb mistake, or simply holding yourself back all day, but its all part of the game we play. I have always run DOT tires and don't feel that my tires let me down, but that I pushed them too hard for the given situations. I do wonder if I had some decent slicks on if my front would have held, but you just never know.

Trust yourself, definitly trust your equipment, and to quote my riding buddy who works for pirelli and has over 25000 track miles under his belt, "Never cut corners in this sport." He is totally right, get the best gear, get the best tires, that way you can trust your equipment and concentrate on whats in front of you.

Best of luck, just keep riding and stop thinking so much.

BobD:

Say you were on the track all by yourself.


What then would be limiting you?

Are you as fast as anyone has ever been on a bike or is your pace all you have ever wanted to do?


I guess I would like to know aside from outside variables what keeps your riding from going to the next level from your inputs?

If you were all alone and could run as fast as you want, what would keep you from setting the fastest lap of your life?

i've crashed a few times and that's what's holding me back. i'm not really afraid of crashing, i just would prefer not to anymore because i can't afford it. and at this time my confidence level isn't as high as it should be and that's what's keeping me back, due to my crashes. that and a majority of my riding takes place on the street and not the track so i can't really push my bike and get comfortable with riding it to its limits (not that i could even really get close to its limits anyways)

The fear of crashing or dying or wrecking the bike is really not there while I'm riding, and I think that's really the best way to ride. I'm not saying you should go out and ride like you have a death wish, but at the same time by not riding with fear you are riding with a clear mind.

There has been incidents on the canyons and on the track where I had crazy headshakes, near highsides, and the front tucking to the point where I'm practically half hanging off the bike but once I've recovered, I'm back at speed immediately and I don't get all shaken up and keep thinking about it. In terms of what's holding me back from being fast is not enough talent, and lack of aggression.

A big ticket, and or sever injury.

i never felt fear when riding on the track, nerves before.

but now im back to being a street rider, i feel fear all the time. especially the first day in the mountains!! cars everywhere, guard rails and plenty of time to consider the possibilities if things go wrong.

there just isnt the time for that kind of thinking on the track.

i had a lowside at about 70mph in december. i was in a hairpin turn real deep,taking it the same way i had 100 times before,and the front end broke loose. the big problem wasnt the sliding,it was the median curb my body slammed into,i got pretty banged up even htough i was wearing gear. i felt at the time that i was a confident rider who was learning fast,and was humbled very quickly. now my confidence is shot,but im working on it slowly. ive calmed down on the street. too many variables around street curves,even the ones you know.

I would have to say for me (street) would be the variables you cant see until its to late. I dont mind putting up the numbers on the strights but turns still get me to hold back. Best friend was out and hit oil spot in a tight turn and lost it. I missed it by like an inch, That always sticks in my mind. Besides the cars that dont look where they are going and just go. Those two hold me back the most. Track is body position. Im still tring to get it purfect. I tend to suck up on the tank alittle to much and have to fix it before i go into a turn. My problem is I dont get enough track time to really work on it like i should. I think thats my main problem on the track, Is not on it enough to fine tune. So my confidence level isn't were I would like it to be.

Anyone else? What is your limiting factor on the track or favorite road?

I personally think the track is easier to ride much faster mainly because the surface is consistant and predictable. Front end push and rear traction loss make me nervous for a split second the next time I try to hit the same spot faster, but I can't seem to make it break loose predictably or repeatedly enought to figure out why so It is a lingering fear as to what I may be doing wrong.

The sudden unexpected fall or near fall seems to break my confidence but doesn't happen very often for me.

In the rain or wet I will purposly try to get the bike to slid a little just to get a feel for it. Not wise really but I do it until I get my fill. It really takes more than I ever expected in the wet to get it really loose. Of course surfaces vary but even the 002's were great in the wet.

My physical conditioning...

My physical conditioning...

I second that. Fatigue gets me just about every time. But it is not the main limiting factor when I'm rested and ready.

Itty bitty balls

This is a tough question. I am not afraid of crashing and destroying the bike or getting hurt. I dont know why I am not, it just doesnt enter my mind. I can push and push and push until I almost crash, and then push even harder into the next corner. I have crashed and gotten back on the bike for the next session and run even faster than I did before crashing. Towards the end of the day all my track buddies and I will decide to cruise for the last session (yea right) and wind up pushing harder then we had all day. I just cant ride on the track without going as fast as I am capable of going.

Now, the real question is, what is limiting me from picking up that last couple seconds? Is it a confidence thing? a trust issue? Inadequate front suspension? I can honestly say that I have no clue. I have been told by many control riders that I have great lines, and I run at the top 10 or 15% of the A group at every track, but the top 1% are running SECONDS faster, which is a lot to pick up over a couple miles. Even following them, and trying to keep up, just doesnt work. I would have to say it is confidence in the tires and front suspension that slows me down some. Perhaps racing would help, because I am extremely competitive, but I realize that TD's are not a place for putting others at risk by competing.

What makes the truly great riders that much faster than everyone else? How can Rossi pull out a 7 second lead over 12 laps? How can Mladin and Spies lap themselves in the TOP 10 during the VIR race last year? I wish I knew, because i would take some of it.

Good shit Redneck!

That's what I'm talking about!


It's that next step that makes me :scratch also.




Kinda like the douche bag's with super hot chicks that seem way to cool and normal for them to be with but some how they pull it off.

It's a magical gift!

"fear" of crashing. I am not afraid to crash, but I dont want to. I go as hard and as deep into a corner, and drive out as hard and as fast as I can and still feel like I am in control. That is not really "holding me back" but I go as fast as I feel my skill level will allow me.

"fear" of crashing. I am not afraid to crash, but I dont want to. I go as hard and as deep into a corner, and drive out as hard and as fast as I can and still feel like I am in control. That is not really "holding me back" but I go as fast as I feel my skill level will allow me.

What do you think is needed for your skill level to improve?

I'm sure most people would be happy at a fast pace and call it a fun day.
Some have no limit to the speed they are comfortable with.

I would like to know if this is the case for each person posting (If your happy with your pace then your not pushing to go faster) there take on there "limits".

Some days I feel just fine and very happy to ride at a comfortable level and it is no big issue to not try and go faster when I'm sure I could.

Most days (basis for this thread) I try to improve every corner, and still think I'm not going nearly as fast as I could but fear stops me at some point.

Odd days I seem very death wish prone and ride way to hard and will try anything to go faster. Most times when I'm in this crazy confident mood I am faster but ultimately It is still some sort of fear that is still my limiting factor.


All in all this has been a pretty good thread but I would like to hear more input from more of you guys.

I guess if you know what mechanicly is limiting you on your bike you will in time fix or upgrade that suspension part or what ever it is that you feel is holding up your progress, But once you do what is your next limiting factor?

I guess it is a pretty general guestion and the way I see it there is only a small amount of factors: Want, Fatigue, Skill (skill wouldn't really be a reason by it's self without the true reason being fear but even being self aware enough to know your out classed says a lot in itsself) or lastly the Bike's (highly dbout that one is fact for most unless it is a 250 ninja)mechanical limits. :dunno

More seat time.

Take this past weekend for instance. I went top 3-5 novice race times. That is FAST. But I know I need to go deeper into the braking zones of a few corners, get my lines more consistant in a few corners, and generally just tighten up my "markers" (if you are not a track guy you may not know what that is though).

Speed has NOTHING to do with it in all reality for a lot of racers. The fun/challenge comes from pushing limits, yours and your bikes.

As speed increases though, margins narrow. Small mistakes you can get away with at slower speeds, now can put you on your head. Knowing that you can get into, through, and out of that corner without making mistakes you cant overcome only comes with seat time.

In essence what I am saying is in all reality nothing "holds me back". I think you are looking for an answer that a lot of people cant give you. The goal is not to go as fast as you can until you crash... that is a msitake a lot of guys make. Lets see how fast I can go before I crash..... there is only ONE way to find that out.

The goal is not speed, or laptimes..... or even winning even for some guys, like me. The goal is to make it around the track as smoothly and consistantly as my skill allows. If I do that, and I do that consistantly, the times will come, and so will the positions. The actual "racing" comes in that we leave about 1/10th of our skill in our pocket, so that we have something to overcome any mistakes we make. You cant realistically run 10/10ths for more than a handfull of laps without making one single mistake. And if you do make a mistake at 10/10ths, you fall down. So we only put out that last 10th for brief spurts. Just long enough to make that pass etc.

My bike is not limiting me, nor is it really limiting ANYONE. I guarantee tons of people could go faster on a bone stock off the show room floor bike than I am going on my prepped bike. MOST of the stuff we do in claiming it is "limiting" us, is actually only limiting our confidence at our skill level. I have ZERO horsepower mods done to my bike. I have mods that give me more confidence that I can go as hard as I do, and the bike will be that much more sorted out with a larger margin to correct MY mistakes I put into it with things like Suspension, brakes chassis setup etc.

I agree with Joe 100%. What limits me is time on the track. You just have to do it over and over and over. If I run at 80% of my best pace at a track day (its not a race so I like to leave some safety margin), that 80% is much "faster" at the end of the season than the first day in the spring.

You get faster not by taking more risks (which leads to crashes) but by getting consistent and smooth. Some of my fastest laps felt like I was barely moving out there. Things just clicked and I was comfortable. Other times things just didn't seem to flow and my times sucked.

That is why guys on touring bikes (that yellow wolf? guy at the Dragon )can keep up with the sportbikes. They have so much seat time there that the smoothness they have makes it look effortless.

To go fast you need to ride, a lot. Tiger Woods has been hitting balls for a long time. Yes, there is always natural ability but think about the scratch golfers out there that have to regularly play 4 or 5 times a week to keep their handicap down. Practice, practice, practice! :cheers

I hear ya joe.

Good post!

I guess my reffering to fear is to me saying the same thing as not feeling confident to (over simplified by just saying fear I guess) over come any mistakes I will and do make. I have shitty lines and struggle to predictably pick an optimal path repeatedly.


I think I have loved and continued to ride Motorcycle from a young age for the simple fact that no matter how good you get it is still a challenge and life long learning curve to get all things possible in your head.


I just love the sport and hope everyone stays safe out there!

This is a tough question. I am not afraid of crashing and destroying the bike or getting hurt. I dont know why I am not, it just doesnt enter my mind. I can push and push and push until I almost crash, and then push even harder into the next corner. I have crashed and gotten back on the bike for the next session and run even faster than I did before crashing. Towards the end of the day all my track buddies and I will decide to cruise for the last session (yea right) and wind up pushing harder then we had all day. I just cant ride on the track without going as fast as I am capable of going.

Now, the real question is, what is limiting me from picking up that last couple seconds? Is it a confidence thing? a trust issue? Inadequate front suspension? I can honestly say that I have no clue. I have been told by many control riders that I have great lines, and I run at the top 10 or 15% of the A group at every track, but the top 1% are running SECONDS faster, which is a lot to pick up over a couple miles. Even following them, and trying to keep up, just doesnt work. I would have to say it is confidence in the tires and front suspension that slows me down some. Perhaps racing would help, because I am extremely competitive, but I realize that TD's are not a place for putting others at risk by competing.

What makes the truly great riders that much faster than everyone else? How can Rossi pull out a 7 second lead over 12 laps? How can Mladin and Spies lap themselves in the TOP 10 during the VIR race last year? I wish I knew, because i would take some of it.


Here's my 0.02 cent Phil in response to what you said. I think if we took away the fear and the bike and just compare a rider with other riders. It's all down to how much talent you have. How come two people can ride the exact same bike and one person could be so much faster than the other?

How can one person be riding for years and years with a crapload of tracktime but not be as fast as some dude who comes in for his 2nd or 3rd trackday and run seconds faster? The way you and I look at guys like Rossi or those top 1% of trackday guys running seconds faster is just like how some of the slower guys in C group or B group look at us and wonder why we're so much faster.

What I noticed riding behind some guys is very interesting, I would be as fast if not faster in certain corners, but on the next 1-2 corners I would mess up or not hit that turn perfect. And the guys gradually pull away and its hard to gain those fractions of a second back. What the pros can do is that they can consistently ride with nearly perfect accuracy in terms of braking, cornering, and accelerating.

And its the same concept when you're running with guys at the track or at an amateur race. You might be blisteringly fast on most of the corners, and average on the rest. But those top 1% you're talking about are blisteringly fast on most of them, and that's where those few seconds come from.

I've actually been thinking about how it would suck if I crashed my bike because I put so much time and effort into it. But when I really think about it if my bike doesn't serve it's purpose of giving me that fast time or winning that race.... it mind as well be a useless piece of metal. Our bikes are built for this purpose, we are not doing it any justice by babying it right? My bike tells me everyday that it wants to die a beautiful death. :lol Take fear out of the equation and you are only limited by your talent.

More corner speed. I'm pretty decent on the brakes and getting good drives/gassing early coming out of the turn, but I need to work on my corner speed.

If I had a dedicated track bike I doubt this would be an issue since I wouldn't really care if I crashed it, but for now I gotta be careful with my daily driver, I like leaving the truck parked.



On the street? ME is holding me back.... I used to haul ass on the street, or at least thought I was... now I'm probably going about the same speed or a little slower, but with much less effort and room for error.

I think the two biggest things are cops and animals/road debris....

Damn, so it turns out that I am not scared of going faster, I just dont have the talent to do it....:banghead

I do agree Will, although I think that at anything but the top 2% of riders can get up to that level with no talent whatsoever, just practice. The difference is that it will take them 10x as many TD's to get there. I was in A group by TD number 4. I have met many guys who are still in the beginner group after 4 YEARS. They just arent willing to push it to improve, they are happy with what they are doing and the speed they are going. Whereas I am constantly beating myself up for making tiny mistakes. After pushing at 90%, I find it very difficult to ride at 60-70%, it isnt so much a bored thing, but it is physically much more difficult to run at that speed for me.

I think that what i really need is to follow someone who will drop lap times by small amounts every lap. Seems like when i follow a rabbit, I can almost pass them constantly, but then when i do, I lose a half second or more per lap by being in front. I need more track time.

natural ability will turn out to be the limiting factor with most of us though.

Damn, so it turns out that I am not scared of going faster, I just dont have the talent to do it....:banghead

I do agree Will, although I think that at anything but the top 2% of riders can get up to that level with no talent whatsoever, just practice. The difference is that it will take them 10x as many TD's to get there. I was in A group by TD number 4. I have met many guys who are still in the beginner group after 4 YEARS. They just arent willing to push it to improve, they are happy with what they are doing and the speed they are going. Whereas I am constantly beating myself up for making tiny mistakes. After pushing at 90%, I find it very difficult to ride at 60-70%, it isnt so much a bored thing, but it is physically much more difficult to run at that speed for me.

I think that what i really need is to follow someone who will drop lap times by small amounts every lap. Seems like when i follow a rabbit, I can almost pass them constantly, but then when i do, I lose a half second or more per lap by being in front. I need more track time.

natural ability will turn out to be the limiting factor with most of us though.

Yep, we all have a limit in our "talent" IMO, for most people fear keeps them from reaching that limit. As for me I reached that A group really quick, just 3rd trackday but I quickly plateaued and couldn't really push through that "wall".... and the way I see it is that wall is pretty much where my personal limit is. I can probably push a few seconds lower with enough track time but I will never be running AMA times because my talent doesn't go that far.

There's a reason why those guys in motogp or WSBK are making millions of dollars doing this. No matter what kind of bike you give me or how much seat time I have at a track I will never reach that caliber of riding.

Yep Id agree with what everyone has said. I think it's just who has bigger balls until you reach a certain point where talent and skill take precedence. I'm at that point...and I don't think I have all that much of either. Every second from now on will be a little sketchy for me. :biggrin

The only thing that would hold me back out be the tires... If they are not 2CTs or better and how much grip they have left... Other then that, I go all out...

The only thing that would hold me back out be the tires... If they are not 2CTs or better and how much grip they have left... Other then that, I go all out...

lol, So at this "all out pace" what keeps you from going even faster?

Or are you so fast at that pace there is no way to track your speed and you are simply moving thru time at will? :chucks

Unless you are riding at Rossi/Mladin/etc pace, the tires are not holding you back

CONFIDENCE in the tires might be holding you back, but the performance of the tires surely are not

seriously. And for the record, there are much better tires than 2CTs....:lol

seriously. And for the record, there are much better tires than 2CTs....:lol

Amen to that.

I actually do not like 2ct's simply for there inability to shed heat at speed.
They get grezzy and slick to me once really hot. :dunno



But ya back to the subject at hand here...

On the street i fear gravel, dogs, cars and the other 10k variables so ride aggressively but with in my means...........on the track I always fear having my front tire tuck. I have had a lot of close calls on the track by losing traction on my front but its my fault over loading the front tire. loss of traction in the rear not so much its predictable and doesn't feel as awkward when it does happen.

Kangaroos..... fuckers hop out in front of you with no warning

:lol :lol :lol

I just had a thought and wanted to see what everyone else has to say here.

I am asking what you feel is the main root of your not being faster in your riding.

I don't care if we are talking about the track or street ( I know pushing yourself on the street is not safe but It does happen and some only ride the street so...) but What is the absolute base of what and why you do not go faster thru the next turn or what really do you feel is the most upsetting thing to your pace?

I for one will admit that fear Is the thought I have when I need to get out of it.

Fear of crashing, fear of wrecking my bike and fear of injury.


Some days are better than others and everyone has an off day but when I am going at my pace, Which is not the fastest but faster than most I ride with, I will have times of absent mindedness and I will blank out for a second
or two at just the wrong point.

When I do this I usually blow a great cornner and feel shitty for doing so.
Then I get my head in the ride and improve. But if I am having a great day and feel confident in just about everything I am doing there is always someone faster.

I have on many time thought "How in the hell is that guy so much faster than me?" Is he unhuman? How can he feel safe at that pace?

This is all so vague I know but as everyone gets faster they look back at when they were that slow guy I think and to me it just seems like second nature to ride at the pace I do but I just can't get my mind around that next level.


With that said I am at the intermed. Level on the track and ride way to fast on the street (in secluded back roads thru the mountains with little traffic) but just a few seconds behind x-racers I ride with.

I have never been accused of being scared of much in my life and ride fast only when it is not with new riders in the group. But Fear is the root of my wall.

Is there anyone here who feels zero fear (ego's aside here truth only) at race speed?

Or is the feeling of being on the ragged edge just something you have gotten comfortable with over time just like when you thought you were fast in your slow days.

Is it Breaking you have issues with?

Lean angle?

Fear of highside?

Whats your pace and what holds you back from turning a faster lap or going faster thru the next turn?

I am pst the point of having anything to prove, so self preservation plays a bigger role than it used to, although I am probably faster and safer now at 33 than ever, because of being a lot wiser, and less wild.

I am pst the point of having anything to prove, so self preservation plays a bigger role than it used to, although I am probably faster and safer now at 33 than ever, because of being a lot wiser, and less wild.

I'm not really sure I get your point.

Are you saying that you are never trying to ride above your new found pace because you never feel the need to push yourself or risk crashing?

Meaning that you have in the past (which I would like to know when you did go to your limits what did you think was holding you back at that point) and now you are over riding above a relaxed pace. Been there done that kind of a thing?

Hunter S Thompson

"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. "

Great quote, but applies to almost everything in extrenes sports (and in his world , drug taking)
Get over it !!! If you want to go fast prepare for the consequences...

Hunter S Thompson

"The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. "

Great quote, but applies to almost everything in extrenes sports (and in his world , drug taking)
Get over it !!! If you want to go fast prepare for the consequences...

Huh?

Your losing me here dude.

What is it I am "Getting Over"? Or who ever you are directing that to.

What is discussed in this thread is peoples limitations (what ever that is for the individual) and the question is Whats Holding YOU back from riding better,faster,safer what ever the hell your goal is.

I really think a lot of close minded people on this board are so stuck on not admitting their true fears that they get defensive when asked an honest guestion that cuts thru the B.S.

hunter sure found the egde when he killed himself. Thats one way to test the limit,or edge.

On the hightway I push and I'll hit the limit then my kids pop in my head and I slow down... that's what keeps me safe.. being able to have some fun yet come home alive to hold them.

Back when I was younger.. I didn't care about shit and always went to the extreme with no regard for anybody. I'm wiser now and like I said and Cr@sh said.. family changes everything.

+1 Easy to be hard till you think about what could be, or not coming home and the effect on them.

Have you guys read this whole thread?

I think there is a perfectly safe level of riding without killing yourself.

Track days are the most fun you will have on your bike and if you have done one and dont agree I would love to hear why you disagree with that statement.

There is a huge difference in riding over your head and being held back by a fear,force, or physical conditioning.




--------------------End of good thread--------------------------

1. i would say my gear, if i could afford full leathers and one of those neckbrace things i think i would be able to try nearly anything...

2. also if i didnt want to have to fix my bike and watch it get tore up, too much money into it to tear it up doing something beyond stupid and getting cocky.....

Interesting thread. Like Will said earlier I have absolutely no fear on a motorcycle. I just lack the talent to go any faster than I do. Having kids does not in any way affect how I ride.:cheers

Jail and death

Interesting thread. Like Will said earlier I have absolutely no fear on a motorcycle. I just lack the talent to go any faster than I do. Having kids does not in any way affect how I ride.:cheers

Saying there is no fear is a cop out. Self preservation IS fear. It is just a more controlled level of fear. I am not afraid on the track, but I am not fearless either. Fearless leads to careless, and careless leads to injuries..... yours or someone elses.

On the hightway I push and I'll hit the limit then my kids pop in my head and I slow down... that's what keeps me safe.. being able to have some fun yet come home alive to hold them.
i hear that man..thats why i just cruise no need to be all crazy just ride and have a good time.

I'm not really sure I get your point.

Are you saying that you are never trying to ride above your new found pace because you never feel the need to push yourself or risk crashing?

Meaning that you have in the past (which I would like to know when you did go to your limits what did you think was holding you back at that point) and now you are over riding above a relaxed pace. Been there done that kind of a thing?

I started racing MX at age 8. I was relatively fearless, so I crashed a lot, and got hurt a lot coming up with the "pin it to win it" mentality. I started racing shifterkarts in my 20's, and advanced fairly quicky through the ranks to the pro level, and I learned that the times I had the best results, and was the fastest, everything just seemed to flow, and I wasn't really "pushing" so to speak, I just had really good technique, and everything set up correctly.

so when I was younger, lack of experience was holding me back, and trying to make up for it with a wide open throttle was a dangerous band-aid to the problem.

now, I understand things a lot better(physics, theory, racing line, etc...), and have the ability to run a fast pace very smoothly and in a thoughtful manner, and I am finding that this is fun because I can go fairly hard and it is kinda safe.

well I am that slow guy, speaking which my gsxr scares the hell outta me anytime I ride, but for some reason I go back to it cause its so fun. It's like when u were a kid and u wanted to ride the ride that flips upside down but too scared. older now yet you ride that ride all the time and its no biggie. I don't want to go past my limit cause first off I know i'm very low experienced and second, i'm type of person thats not much of a show off soooo it's really not worth it.

I think a lot of people confuse fearlessness with crazy/reckless..... being fearless doesn't mean blatantly putting your life in danger. There are the dumbasses who does some pretty crazy stuff and most of the time it's out of stupidity. When you put fear aside for a purpose measurable by reasoning and logic is how I personally define fearlessness.

A lot of people say fear keeps you in check.... but IMO fear is what causes people to fuck up. Fear causes doubt, fear causes hesitation, fear causes a loss of focus. Just my 0.02 cent.

Dunno whether being fearful makes you fuck up. Letting fear based decisions run over your knowledge can cause an out of shape bike to become a crash though.

And riding with the knowledge that you are going to save anything, that no matter how hairy it gets you will ride it out. Is going to help you constantly overcome the barriers of what you think is possible on a race track.

Thanks for the input guys! This thread just made a nice recovery!:punk

I came across an article on Tmuscle.com that made me think about this thread. It pretty much backs up my theory that the lack of fear makes you a safer/better rider. It's quite interesting....

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/combat_psychology_and_sports_performance

I came across an article on Tmuscle.com that made me think about this thread. It pretty much backs up my theory that the lack of fear makes you a safer/better rider. It's quite interesting....

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/combat_psychology_and_sports_performance


Not a total lack of fear though.

The idea is for your awareness to go up, but not go too high. You go too high and you freeze (things like target fixate). Repetitive track time will allow you to learn how to regulate your adrenaline properly basically, to sharpen your riding, but not put you all the way into panic mode. Controlling panic is a very hard skill to learn, and is one that the lack of control causes a LOT of novice trackday crashes.

Panic is what causes most crashes on the street.