[ReadNotReed2007]

When you were new to riding, how long did it take you to start feeling really comfortable takin turns, and just losing that nervous feeling overall?

 

[inpayne]

When I swapped out the old ass tires that caused me to crash in the first place. I felt like I could win motogp when I did that

 

[teedubyaw]

Less than a year of consistent riding on curvy roads, but it wasn't until after my first track day that I really started feeling confident in my abilities with cornering.

 

[User Name]

Probably 1500 miles or so. I was still very cautious afterward, but I wasn't nervous taking turns at the posted speed limit.

 

[Thomieboy]

Man, my heart would race getting on that thing for the first couple of months. The highway really freaked me out! After 3-4 months and once over 1,000 miles then it's all good. Now after 20,000 miles I wish I could get that nervous feeling again. Just kinda going through the motions now.

 

[User Name]

Now after 20,000 miles I wish I could get that nervous feeling again. Just kinda going through the motions now.

Yea, when I first started riding, I always felt like I was doing something illegal - riding on the road. Well, I kinda was, since I was just riding on a permit, but I mean riding on the road in general. When I was young and rode dirt bikes, we'd sometimes jump on the road to get to the next trail and were always on the lookout for cops. When I started riding on the street, my heart would race when I'd see a cop coming in the opposite direction or if one ended up behind me. Now, like you say, it's just going through the motions.

 

[Bpro]

When you were new to riding, how long did it take you to start feeling really comfortable takin turns, and just losing that nervous feeling overall?

I was 5 years old and living in the seventies. Fear and jitters were not an issue. Crashing into things may have been another issue.

 

[leland]

No jitters here. First thing I did was go find the twisty roads.

 

[PhilB]

For most people, it takes roughly a year to get comfortable, then another year to get TOO comfortable -- accident statistics go up again at about the 2-year mark as people get a little over-confident, then go down again as their skills continue to develop.

That pretty much accords with my experience. I was pretty safe for my first two years, as I was a bit nervous and careful. Then I had a rash of small mishaps between about 2 and 4 years of experience, as I began to learn the things I didn't know I didn't know. Then pretty safe again for the last 18 years.

PhilB

 

[inpayne]

Yea, when I first started riding, I always felt like I was doing something illegal - riding on the road. Well, I kinda was, since I was just riding on a permit, but I mean riding on the road in general. When I was young and rode dirt bikes, we'd sometimes jump on the road to get to the next trail and were always on the lookout for cops. When I started riding on the street, my heart would race when I'd see a cop coming in the opposite direction or if one ended up behind me. Now, like you say, it's just going through the motions.

If your in the good ol state of Indiana your probably doing something illeagle. Ask me how I know. Haha

 

[leemajaz]

i still get that jitter from time to time. i'm kinda glad though because it constantly reminds me that i shouldn't push it to hard.

 

[MT Wallet]

Because I hardly ride, maybe twice a month at most I always have the jitters getting back on the bike though not as badly as before.


In a way it can be good, in that I don't ever take things for granted.

Always on alert.

 

[LovemyKawiZX6R]

i lost the nervous feeling on my second ride. But never really felt completely comfortable until after few rides with the older guys. I knew that the hand grip on the right was dangerous and had the ability to twist and make the bike go really fast.:lol

 

[Unconnected]

I'm almost a month and 700 miles in and i've lost my going and stopping jitters..
Turns? Well, I understand what i'm supposed to do, i just don't know how to do it yet, low speed maneuvers are probably my biggest concern right now

 

[ReadNotReed2007]

low speed maneuvers are probably my biggest concern right now

Dude low speed manuevers suck. Bike feels like it triples its weight!

 

[black blur]

I'd say in the first week I lost all nervousness and by the second I was maybe a little too confident in my corners. But then again i put about 2000 miles on it in that time period.

 

[Action!Jackson]

uhhhh
Nervous?
ha
I dont know about the rest of you, but I sure as hell was never nervous.
Since I got my gixxer been riding that shit like I stole it...
Can you say standups?
How bout.. bustin out stoppies at traffic stops?
Speed limit on I-95 might as well be 140 cause I don't travel any slower then that.

 

[g34343greg]

i dunno... a few months? a year? i just remember being so nervous the first few rides that it wasn't all that enjoyable.

 

[spicy]

I'm almost a month and 700 miles in and i've lost my going and stopping jitters..
Turns? Well, I understand what i'm supposed to do, i just don't know how to do it yet, low speed maneuvers are probably my biggest concern right now

go find an empty (and clean) parking lot late some night and fuck around for an hour or two. if any cops/owners show up, be polite and tell them you're a new rider and were just working on your low-speed agility in a low-traffic place. they'll usually see you're not practicing doughnuts and stoppies and not really bother you, but they might just tell you to leave...

 

[usernamedoug]

probably took me about 2-4 weeks of steady riding before i felt like i was the best new rider on the planet. Looking back its beyond amazing i didnt go down in the following two months because i was riding WAY over my head. Took a couple track days and 2 crashes (at the track) to make me realize how i should be riding.

Pretty sure i started learning how to do wheelies about a month and a half in.

i clearly have no common sense tho.