jagged4698

A little bit shaken up tonight.... was on a normal ride through the city on my way home from some local twisties and taking a normal 90 degree right hand turn that i take almost daily on the way to work. I entered the turn like usual but this time i froze up. Made the turn a little wide and i'm not sure what happened but in my mind i knew i had to correct it but my body reacted different. I grabbed more of the throttle which made my already bad turn worse. I ended up on the other side of the yellow line with maybe 6 inches between me and the suv on the other side. All this has me shaken up and wondering what the hell went wrong and why i didn't react the way i should have. Sorry for the vent.

Cliffs: Took right hand turn, made turn wide, body reacted different then brain thought almost collided with suv

jotekmike

Sounds like a little bit of target fixation to me. Check this book out. Lots of good tips.
Here's a little tip. As you enter a corner breathe in. As you tip the bike in start to exhale. This will help to keep you relaxed through the duration of the turn. Remember to always(no matter what happens) look where you want to go. Not where you are going. Good luck.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...83155

jagged4698

Thanks for the advice. That sounds like exactly what happened.... I saw myself heading for the suv and not worrying about where i should have been going.... I've had similar problems where i will enter a turn too hot but i have never had a problem correcting it... this time was different though.

marmaladedad

I have had that happen to me before - going into turns that you are familiar with, and then suffering a total brain fart.

Glad nothing happened to ya.

god.loves.ugly

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jotekmike &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sounds like a little bit of target fixation to me. Check this book out. Lots of good tips.
Here's a little tip. As you enter a corner breathe in. As you tip the bike in start to exhale. This will help to keep you relaxed through the duration of the turn. Remember to always(no matter what happens) look where you want to go. Not where you are going. Good luck.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...83155</TD></TR></TABLE>



I'm going to check that book out too.

Matty.

When turning at intersections slow down to a crawl. You've got too many variables and the painted lines, sewer caps, oil, etc. does **** for your confidence in a turn.

ScareyH22A

Happens to me all the time. Yup.. totally target fixating. I'm still trying to get over it.

.paul

slow it down, look through the turn as opposed to other objects.

where you look the bike will go.

go out and take the turn right now

MSchu

I have to agree about city intersections... I tippy toe around cities corners, it ain't no thang. as far as your twisty drift, you NEED to grab more throttle! this has the effect of drawing you INTO the corner... this has to be used in combination with counter steering. I think you need more seat time to get used to this as it is counter intuitive. Usually you drift wide when you LIFT OFF the throttle. And another thing I see all the time, IC young guys riding around pontooning like they are racing/posing in a grand prix... I just have to laugh as a ride around them STRAIGHT UP in the saddle. I really only ever start getting over the side at maybe 70%-80% speed, so you guys concentrate on your handling not your Look/pose. Try and stay square to the bike, and you'll be okay. not everyone can be fast, and if fact that is the main reason I stoppped track riding/racing in the 1980's... I realized that there was ALWAYS going to be someone faster than me... wayne rainey(Downey)/eddie lawson(Upland) both of which came up the same time I did and are from my area

Etylorcen

Yer brain is always telling you to do the wrong things on a motorcycle hahaha. Going wide? Your brain wants to tell you to slow down but youre suppose to lean and roll the throttle more.

Read Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist I and II. I really recommend II.

jagged4698

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have to agree about city intersections... I tippy toe around cities corners,</TD></TR></TABLE>
As far as the corner goes its not really a city corner.. its kind of out in the farmland and there isn't much for painted lines anymore. there is however a hint of dirt/salt from the mn winters though.

I also went out for a ride into southern WI this weekend with a group of more advanced riders (most of them ride track days often) and I had a few follow me around a section of twisties and give me some feedback as to what i should be doing differently. I also gave them the same story and they told me the same thing "Target fixation" They said the best way to get over it like anything is to "practice" not fixating. On a road with a lot of shoulder room in wider corners they had a guy purposely go wide in front of me and told me to continue riding my ride. I didn't think it was the safest way but i went with it and the first time i basically did it again but after the 2nd and 3rd time i was around my corner no problems.

Thanks for all the feedback from yall and I'll be picking that book up next time i'm at the mall.

Jasper_db1

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Etylorcen &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Read Keith Code's Twist of the Wrist I and II. I really recommend II. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Reading the books is nothing compared to taking the classes.

I had this problem as well which was fixed with a combination of the "Two-step" drill and some body positioning.

MSchu

for sure, you practical application not classroom books, but you need to read about it somewhere, and you need seat time

ScareyH22A

What helps me is keeping my eyes parallel to the ground as I look thru the turns. I used to just look thru and lean my head like mad but I was doing it all wrong.

MSchu

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ScareyH22A &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What helps me is keeping my eyes parallel to the ground as I look thru the turns. I used to just look thru and lean my head like mad but I was doing it all wrong.</TD></TR></TABLE>


very good... I even find myself leaning my head parallel to the ground when I am, watching on board on TV. It's funny as **** when your watching a race or movie in a room full of experienced riders and you look back towards everyone watching and they are all leaning there head at the same time to the television broadcast as teh transitions goes back and fourth... funny as hell

Matty.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


very good... I even find myself leaning my head parallel to the ground when I am, watching on board on TV. It's funny as **** when your watching a race or movie in a room full of experienced riders and you look back towards everyone watching and they are all leaning there head at the same time to the television broadcast as teh transitions goes back and fourth... funny as hell</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's exactly what I found myself and Chris doing while watching the Kentucky Kid screening. I think it might be contagious cuz my wife started slighty leaning in her chair.

ScareyH22A

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">very good... I even find myself leaning my head parallel to the ground when I am, watching on board on TV. It's funny as **** when your watching a race or movie in a room full of experienced riders and you look back towards everyone watching and they are all leaning there head at the same time to the television broadcast as teh transitions goes back and fourth... funny as hell</TD></TR></TABLE>

lol.. that brings me to the new Nintendo and PS3 coming out with the gyro sensors in the remote controls.. you ***** know what I'm talking about! I can't play Grand Tourismo, Tourist Trophy, or MotoGP without leaning and swaying all over my couch! hahahaha

mike5809

Hahaha word. Thats how i play too, GT3 or TT my controller is all over the place when im playin racing games.

jotekmike

Glad to hear you're workin' through it. Reading the book(s) combined w/ classroom instruction, and/or real world application will do wonders for your skill and confidence. It's like watchin a light bulb come on! Lol. Have fun, be safe.

D Day

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wayne rainey(Downey)/eddie lawson(Upland) both of which came up the same time I did and are from my area</TD></TR></TABLE>

damn you had local competition from Rainey and Lawson!?!?! Damn, thats a bitch.

thats like my dad's rider racing against Mark Barnett when he was young. You just werent gonna beat the Bomber.

Sijray21

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jagged4698 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A little bit shaken up tonight.... was on a normal ride through the city on my way home from some local twisties and taking a normal 90 degree right hand turn that i take almost daily on the way to work. I entered the turn like usual but this time i froze up. Made the turn a little wide and i'm not sure what happened but in my mind i knew i had to correct it but my body reacted different. I grabbed more of the throttle which made my already bad turn worse. I ended up on the other side of the yellow line with maybe 6 inches between me and the suv on the other side. All this has me shaken up and wondering what the hell went wrong and why i didn't react the way i should have. Sorry for the vent.

Cliffs: Took right hand turn, made turn wide, body reacted different then brain thought almost collided with suv</TD></TR></TABLE>

as said before this is a classic case of target fixation. Next time look where you want to go and THROUGH the turn. start practicing everytime you're on the road (car or bike).



when you're at the Turn-in point you should be LOOKING at the Exit Point. When you're at the exit point you should be looking through to what's in front (entry point for other turn or straight or whatever's in front). I know this is a track representation, but this can be transferred easily on the street. Good luck and ride safe out there

MSchu

yeap... I grew up in lakewood/cerritos calif... about 5 miles from downey(raineys wife went to my high school) and about 25-30 miles from upland calif. frankly I was more around eddie than wayne, Wayne is a couple years younger than me

D Day

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MSchu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">frankly I was more around eddie than wayne, Wayne is a couple years younger than me</TD></TR></TABLE>

sounds like one of those pick your poison type deals.

xci_ed6

target fixation...so now I know the term for what my uncle taught me about riding in the woods. "Look at the path between the trees, because if you look at the trees, that's where you'll go." Trees hurt, thankfully not as bad as SUVs, because I hit a good number before I figured out what he was talking about.

MSchu

yeah trees hurt... they may even make your body fly apart if you hit them hard enough.

You'll all thank me later if I don't take the opportunity to post pictures this time