Get off the bike!

[el cheapo]

Wow! You guys really got me thinking. I never noticed this kind of thing when I was younger, but with age and experience (and brains) I know you are right. Some days i go to shoot pool and everything just lines up. I can see every shot before I make it, and I am actually surprised when I miss. Other days I find myself missing a lot, and really having to force myself to concentrate. If you don't feel right its probably better to stay off the bike :cool: . Ditto on the inner voice too. I have learned that I ignore it at my peril. Fortunately I have been able to stay alive and learn from my mistakes. I have been in plenty of hairy situations. Most of them were my own fault, I was an idiot kid looking for trouble. If you look for trouble you will find it. Anyway, they waived my criminal record and let me join the military. I was sent to Desert Storm, and this really forced me to grow up. The old saying that there are no atheists in foxholes is the truth. One time a guy in a semi truck was coming toward me on a two-lane road, and a little voice said, "MOVE OVER". Fortunately I did, because he swerved over so far that I had to get off the road to avoid him! I think the bottom line is that God loves you and doesn't want you squished.

[burkbuilds]

I know this is a really old thread, but as someone, Patrick I think, pointed out recently, it's okay to re-open them when there is good stuff in them and we could all use to revisit the issues again. Strangely enough, I've noticed something similar to this recently when I drive an automobile. I ride the bike almost exclusively now and a few weeks ago I got home and needed to take the truck to Lowe's, man did it feel weird and I was having trouble driving, but I couldn't figure out how to carry plywood on my bike so I toughed it out. O_o

Humor aside, yeah, if you don't feel "right" on the bike, don't push it if you have a choice. :rawk:

[JWR]

Yes, I think we all have those moments.

I have not had any in a long time.

Just back it down and ride safe, the next ride, you will wonder what was going on.

[Water Warrior 2]

I had plans for a ride today but called it off. After yesterday's bike checks, crawling around, a slightly sprained wrist and various old guy symptoms this morning I thought "NO WAY". I swear I have pain where there are no body parts. Tomorrow is another day.

[mole2]

Originally Posted by Water Warrior

I had plans for a ride today but called it off. After yesterday's bike checks, crawling around, a slightly sprained wrist and various old guy symptoms this morning I thought "NO WAY". I swear I have pain where there are no body parts. Tomorrow is another day.

Old dude pain? Are there any days without it? :retard:

[Water Warrior 2]

Originally Posted by mole2

Old dude pain? Are there any days without it? :retard:

Actually most days are pain free. I did go through a period after retirement and a new bike where I hurt big time. It was mostly bike related and I was able to make adjustments to the bike. I still hurt from all the activity of bike checks 2 days ago. My legs mostly. All the get up, get down, half crouch kind of thing. There is a reason for bike lifts in dealer shops.

[RuffStuff]

i get this stuff all the time, im not even 30 yet, some days i can ride like a complete nut and other days im barely avoiding an off, ive had a few bad smashes and put half of this down to the confidence knock and some self preservation kicking in, i caught a pot hole badly the other night and for the next 20 miles to see my mate i was riding like a tool, just couldnt get my head back into it after getting flustered

before my really bad smash at 22 i was a loon on the road, i raced but was faster on the roads, i was planning on entering the manx, i could happily sit at 160 all day long, now i barely touch a 100

i must say dropping back to a small bikes started to get my confidence back quite quickly and im just taking my time with it all again now, relearning step by step

i guess these feelings are just self preservation and some primitive part of the brain interfering with riding, i used to have them as a kid but they were easy to put to the back of my mind then
now its more i cant afford a crash, break my arm again lose use of my hand kinda stuff, if i get them i just roll it down abit or go find a nice lit road n just bimble for a while til my heads back in the game

on another note tho, does anyone feel like they have an angel watching them ??
on many occasions ive been about to jump a bridge or full chat a blind bend and have had a voice in my head screaming slam on to me
round the bend etc and theres been an accident all over the road, which if i hadnt braked for would of been game over for me
all these times you couldnt know it was there and must of just happened moments ago
is it just me am i a bit nuts like hahaha ??

[Water Warrior 2]

Guardian Angels do exist in our lives. My Angel also has a cousin called Common Sense and a friend named Self Preservation. When I first started driving many years ago I would ignore all 3 but then Blind Luck stepped in to save my butt. I have since learned to make their jobs easier.

[dannylightning]

well i get those days where i get on my bike take it for a spin and something tells me just drive it back home and park it, something about riding does not feel right today, it happens to the best of us i think. maybe your just tired or feeling kind of week or lousy that day or something along those lines.

if you feel like that constantly, not a good sign but on the occasional day it happens just park the bike and try again tomorrow.

[dhgeyer]

I certainly have some days when I'm more "there" than others. I don't leave the bike home unless I'm actually sick. I always keep a second self monitoring the primary self, keeping track of how "there" I am. On the not so "there" days I compensate - slow down, force myself to pay attention to the most important factors, not worry so much about being in the best form.

I think it comes from a couple of factors. First is all the motorcycle touring I've done. Unless I want to sit around a motel all day, I have to ride, so I adapt to the internal conditions just as I would to less than ideal external conditions such as weather or traffic. And, of course, after 6 or 8 hours riding (with breaks every hour or so), no one is as good as they are at the beginning of the day. If you want to tour, you just have to accept that. But, with experience comes the instinct to be aware of your limitations and work harder at survival skills.

The other factor is I just tend to ride so much, so many miles, even on a bad day I'm not all that bad. I do need to be aware of it, and adjust accordingly.