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Sharon's Biking Blog
Reaching The Limits
Blog Date - 13 November 2015
It felt a good day to ride. Dry and just the right riding temperature, you know what I mean not too hot, not too cold, just perfect. It was also one of those days when the bike itself felt good. It was running smooth and I felt at one with my little machine. I was out with the bike club and I was having fun. My confidence was running high that day.... Maybe too high?
I am always thinking about what are my limits and as it felt like a perfect day now seemed a good time to try and find those limits. How fast can I really go ? How tight can I make that bend?
By pushing ourselves we learn new things right? But we can also push it too far and that is exactly what I did. I was quite simply too giddy.
First of all in my silly state I took a turning at some traffic lights way too fast and ended up on the wrong side of the road. The poor guy sat behind the wheel of his vehicle waiting at the traffic lights looked horrified and in terror. No wonder, he had a complete numpty heading towards him . I successfully swerved around him and back onto my side of the road with inches to spare.
You would think that was my warning card for the day and that I was being stupid but unfortunately not. My idiot factor was set to high and rather than be horrified with myself I just giggled and went in search of more limits.
Ren asked me if I fancied leading the group for the last stage home. I was more than up for it in my present mood and off I shot. Once I was on the road over the tops from Belmont to Rivington I was at it again ... pushing my limits ... how fast can I do this road, how quick can I dare to hit those bends? For those who do not know this road it is a narrow twisty road, with some sharp bends that can catch you out with ditches and drops to the sides to make any mistakes be paid for in full. Unfortunately over the years it has proved fatal and claimed the lives of some and injured many more. It is therefore a challenging road, maybe even a dangerous one and with my usual sensible head exchanged for a foolhardy one I choose this road to play on.
First bend I pushed it a bit faster than usual ... yep that felt just fine. Second bend pushed it even harder ... now we were going into fast territory I had not visited on bends before. Third bend I go even faster ... holy cow TOO FAST ... way too fast !!. This was a sharp right hand bend, my tyres were literally millimetres away from the edge of the road and the edge dropped off into a ditch. I was so close to the edge I was into the gravel, this was not good at all. I needed all the grip I could get and I was pushing my bike too hard into gravel. Ok I was scared at this point and I knew I was not in control, this was hanging on and praying for the best. But worse was to come because you know how I told you this road can often catch you out with its bends ... well it did just that to me. I managed to survive this bend only to then be thrown into a even tighter left. I had no opportunity to slow down, I had enough sense left in my silly head to know that to brake here would have meant a skid and a pretty sure nasty off. So with absolute terror I just has to stick with it, hold my nerve, hold my line and pray I could make it.
Well obviously I made it. I would not be here telling you about it if I had not. I did not even come off the bike. How I stayed on it I have no idea. Was it skills I had built up with my 17,000 miles under my tyres? Was is sheer bloody good luck or an angel that was determined I could not out fly it? I can not honestly tell you but one thing I can tell you is that I found my limit and probably the bike's as well. I was definitely on the edge not only of the road but of my skill limit. It did not feel safe, I did not feel in control.
Ren told be after the event that while following behind me he thought on the first bend I could have gone a little bit faster. On the second bend he thought that I was about right speed wise. As I approached the third he was thinking ok she needs to slow down for this and then he realised I was actually accelerating and he thought ... Oh poop!. Believe me by the time Ren was thinking oh poop I was thinking the same thing myself. I believe that not only did I scare myself a lot I also scared Ren because he told me he had expected to find in a crumpled heap after the bend. I sure slowed down a LOT after terrifying myself and finished the ride home like a new rider on glass.
But the question remained in my head afterwards as to WHY? Why did I behave that way that day. I am not a bloody kid any more ... far from it so what was I trying prove? Who was I trying to impress? Was it myself, was it others? How the hell do you find your limits without hurting yourself and pushing too far? Like I said I think I found mine but I did not find it safely I found it in a way that could have been a disaster all to easily.
After much thought I think I was trying to impress myself, trying to prove to myself I could be faster than I had been before. What I did was scare myself so badly I have now ended up slower than I was before. At the moment I have no further desire to find my limits I just want to enjoy my ride and get there safely and not hoon myself into oblivion.
But will this state of trundling along last? Or will one bright sunny day see the little speed demon inside me take control again and go searching for limits. Urghhh time will tell but for now I am a bimbling.
My L's stood for Lunatic Looking for Limits on this day
Reader's Comments
Ren - The Ed said :-
As I was following Sharon I was rather impressed and all to scared as she launched herself into the said bend. She knows the road well, but not as well as I do and I did think "This might not end well" or words to that effect.
Speaking as an ageing biker I am starting to realise the more I try the slower I go. As Sharon has rightly pointed out if we try and push the limits then at best we scare ourselves, at worse it ends in a crash. Either outcome will see us slow down once more.
Relax into the ride, enjoy the bends with a tiny little bit of pace but well within your comfort zone. Slowly, gradually and magically your personal limits will come to you. Find your own pace, not the pace of your friends or your track heroes.
Your pace might not be as fast as Peter or Paul, Sandra or Susan but your pace is fast enough and your pace is the most fun too. Who are we trying to please? Ourselves, not anyone else.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ian Soady said :-
Sounds scary. One thing I have learnt is that modern tyres & bikes are better than I am so generally if you have the confidence and presence of mind to hang in there, not try to brake sharply or "steer" round things you'll probably be OK.
I must admit I hate riding with groups as there's always a tendency to "compete" even if it's unconscious.
A couple of questions: 1. I assume you're aware of and consciously practice counter steering? 2. Most bikes' brakes are better than you can imagine. Again, do you consciously practice braking as hard as you can with the front almost locking? Both when there's no pressure on you.....
I actually found an assessment by an excellent instructor very useful and learnt a lot. The one I used is some distance from you: https://survivalskills.wordpress.com/survival-skills-advanced-motorcycle-rider-training-dorset/ although he used to do courses in the Peak District.
I would definitely recommend thinking about getting some pointers. Riding should be enjoyable not frightening.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Hi Ian,
You are right modern tyres and bikes are better than you dare hope for and it was with that knowledge in the back of my mind that I was able to leave the bike alone and but my trust (and my prayers)in it getting me around the bend. I knew that any panic interference from me, such as braking would have just guaranteed a disaster.
I am also aware of and do practice counter steering. I have recently practiced lots of hard braking for emergency stops while taking lessons for my full bike test. Therefore I have been under the watchful eye of an instructor. I have picked up a couple of useful pointers but I am glad to say he was very happy with my overall riding skills.
You are right riding should be enjoyable and most of the time it most certainly is a great joy to me. However the reason I found this particular day in question scary was because I deliberately pushed myself out of my comfort zone. It is not that I can not do bends it was more the fact I wanted to push myself beyond my usual limits.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Tony said :-
I understand exactly where your coming from Sharon. Been there done that :)
Point is we are still riding, still learning and still having fun!
I'm hoping to do a BikeSafe course in the new year. I enjoyed the lessons I had traing for my full licence but the one thing I've learned since I passed is that I still have an awful lot to learn :)
Enjoying your blogs. Keep riding, writing and stay safe !
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Sharon said :-
Cheers Tony
Thanks for admitting I am not the only fool out there :-)
It can be somewhat easier to write about things you think you have done well and are proud of. Somewhat harder however to admit to being less than ideal. But as a learner I think it always good to know and read about other people admitting their hiccups. (2 years on the bike but as you so rightly pointed out there is always something else to learn)
Some people may indeed be naturals and get on their bikes and ride like Rossi in no time. While most of us and certainly myself came into riding from a wibbly wobbly world of bike drops and mistakes.
I am no natural every skill I have acquired on the bike has been gained through time, experience and sheer determination.
All the best with your BikeSafe Course. It is great that you enjoy training. Unfortunately I hate it. That does not mean I will never do a course, I may one day but I doubt I will enjoy it although I do appreciate the advice and pointers one can get from those more experienced than ourselves. That said my bike training for my licence was not as bad as I had expected so maybe there is hope yet. But that is another story and seeing you kindly said you liked reading my blogs I better get writing.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
MKD said :-
It is quite common for motorcyclists to find they have entered a corner too fast. This is usually for similar reasons as your own, overconfidence.
The advice I once received is if you find yourself in this situation, trust the tyres. Lean further and ride the corner rather than attempting to brake. The only problem with this is it takes great nerve to not brake and not panic and few people can manage that.
Having read several otherarticles on this website I am pleased to see you are normally advocating sensible and safe riding. I hope your incident above is a lesson learned and you continue to learn, preferably not the hard way.
18/01/2017 19:37:35 UTC
Henrik said :-
Hi Sharon, good you made it, I remember you being terrified when I posted that picture with numberless downhill hair-pin turns, still, suddenly you try to press the limits, I get the impression you like bends after all :-)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLil1It2iJw...
18/01/2017 21:33:24 UTC
Sharon said :-
HI MKD and Henrik,
This post was over a year ago now and I am happy to report that since then I have not repeated my finding my limit foolishness. Normal far more sensible riding was resumed.
However since recently getting my new bike the Kawasaki Z250SL, a bike made for bends if ever there was one, I once again find myself wondering about limits. What can this bike really do? What can I really do on this bike? Hmmm. So thanks for commenting on this and reminding me to try and ride those bends safely and very much in control.
So far I have taken it very slow and carefully learning to ride my new bike. Building up my confidence and skills in a orderly manner. I rode a lovely bend only the other week while on the Kawasaki. It was one of those totally beautiful perfect sweeping moments. The bike dropped in, held the line and stuck like glue, all the while with me being totally in control and me feeling awesome not terrified. So that is definitely the way to go and is what I hope to keep achieving. No terror, no lack of control just riding within safe limits and progressing slow and steady.
Henrik those downhill hairpins still look terrifying to me. But that said lots of things I do on the bike look terrifying when I look back at the road I just travelled on. I think wow how the hell did I do that? I am always best not knowing what is coming, no time to panic and get nervous then, just have to ride it.
18/01/2017 23:41:31 UTC
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