Finally realised what the problem is......

[ronster]

I've been wondering who to discuss this with. Who else but the guys you regularly ride with.

A couple of things have been on my mind lately.

A few weeks ago VIC KSRC did a ride to Arthurs Seat. Quite a few good mates and riders around me. It was wet on the mountain, however I didn't give it a blast as it was MrsDuanes first visit there and spent a bit of time showing her the road and looking after her.

A few of us took the ferry back to Queenscliffe and rode home through Geelong. On the Princes Hwy myself and a good mate on a CBR600 stopped at a set of lights and he said this was a good chance to see how the Hoonda revved out. Fark you, I thought, you won't get near the 1100, ya bitch. The lights changed to green (that's a good omen) and we both cranked it hard. As expected he did me early with me thinking, I'll have you as I drop it into third, fark'n Hoonda.

To my initial shock, I couldn't get near him and he disappeared into the sunset leaving me wallowing behind.

The bike must still be rooted from the stack. What could it be? On the way home the embarrassment had me searching for ideas. The headers are too restricted, shit in the carbies, timing gone amiss.

There must be a problem !! Everyone knows the Ronster can ride, he's quick, he's fearless, he can scrape the pegs on the 1100 monster around any corner.

I was home half an hour later and already knew what the problem was. The only real remaining damage from the Healesville stack was to my nerve.

Will it come back or will there always be a sub-conscious handbrake with me. I've been stacking bikes and cars for many years and have never noticed this phenomonen before.

There is a ride to Healesville on the 30th, where I am an honorary Forest Ranger. As we head along Chum Creek Rd will the phenomonen disappear or will my balls decrease in size even more.

Looking forward to the experience, I think.



PC

[red_dave]

Having also recently stacked it, I've not had a proper ride since and am kinda thinkin' I too will find myself in similar shoes.

I'm not scared or worried about crashing again but I guess I won't know until I get my new bike and go for it...

[bonester]

Standard the ZZR1100 is geared for maximum speed- it was the FASTEST bike for the first seven years of the 1990s, until the Blackbird arrived....and it was only JUST faster.
With the standard gearing (sprockets) 17/44 or 17/45 depending on your model it is somewhat sluggish getting off the mark- buy a 47 tooth rear and it will really wake the bike up, as well as make it easier to wheelie.
Miss my 1100- even considering selling my 1200 and getting another one.....
Lotsa info on the 1100 at
http://www.bigbikeworld.com

[photomike666]

Oops

I had the same when I got t-boned in London. Couldn't ride past a junction without over braking and screwing my lane position. I was paying more attention to the car at the side than I was to those in front - not good.

It took a while but I slowly regained confidence, and that is all it is. I found it almost like playing the newbie game jumping on a bigger bike - start slow and work up. As we always say on ride outs, don't push harder than you're comfortable with. It won't take long and you'll be back at the front of the pack - just enjoy

[NovaCoder]

Riding bikes is (almost) all about confidence, the more you have, the faster you'll ride. Too little will see you off just as quickly as too much, difference is that it won't hurt as much.

[Smitty]

ronster
maaaaaaate!

as one who has also done some bitumen surfing and slung the bike down the road,
I see 2 issues..and they are NOT related

the CBR? weight is an issue (NOT not you mate! )
the ZZR weighs what?240kg and that always mean a slow start .
The CBRs are lite weights! and no slouches in their own right.
and
gearing will also count against you. try a smaller front cog on the ZZR
if you are worried about stomping on CBRs at the lights
just remember the ZZR is a hispeed distance gobbling monster
the CBR is not!

and the other issue....?
can I quote Mike-

It took a while but I slowly regained confidence, and that is all it is. I found it almost like playing the newbie game jumping on a bigger bike - start slow and work up. As we always say on ride outs, don't push harder than you're comfortable with. It won't take long and you'll be back at the front of the pack - just enjoy

thats exactly how I found it when i got back on
can't say it better

hth

cheers

[ronster]

Just two things.

I dropped down a tooth on the front about six months ago.

My respect to the Hoonda rider who didn't post a thing about it. Thanks

PC

[seraph]

I have The Fear. I am a stressed little bunny. I actually thought for a while that I couldn't ride again post-off, but I went on a girlie run with the fine lasses from OSB to boonah, nice open sweepers, lots of visibility, perfect day, great moral support (thanks, Tanya!) I was grinding my teeth so much my jaw cramped... all day...

I don't know what to do. I'm thinking of doing another slow slow slow run this weekend, somewhere with no gravel, but I don't know that it will help. The Fear feels a bit smaller, but still seems impossible to defeat.

Good luck, guys. Let us all know when you get your mojo back. -J.

[MickLC]

Seraph - The main problem with The Fear is that it makes you tense up, which means you work against the bike rather than with it. This just makes things worse cause nothing happens smoothly and so you tense up more.

Take it easy and make a concious effort to relax your arms and shoulders as you approach and go through a corner. Find a familiar bit of quiet road and ride up and down it a few times so you don't have any surprises, and do the relax bit above at each corner.

Don't try to go too fast either, keep the speed down even below what you think you need and just work on smooth lines...after a couple of runs you'll feel a lot more relaxed and you'll be smoother through the corners. You'll find you're probably going a bit quicker too.

You won't get it straight away, but you will get there eventually. I did the above after I came off my old 250 and I'm now the quickest out of my mates...but I still have a little bit of the fear that stops me from going past my limits, which is a healthy thing to do.

Ron - Same as above, but I thought you'd already know it by now

[smek]

I think the best cure is a track day.

[seraph]

Cheers, thanks for the advice. Going over familiar turf again and again seems like a good plan... Maybe at peachester ?

[Yankee]

TopGun quotes come to mind: "get him back in the air" "get him up there"

get back on your horse, in other words, but just as MickC said.... RELAX. SLOW. think "SOFT HANDS" (cheers Brett and Stu) think "soft" EVERYTHING for that matter... shoulders, forearm, tongue, forehead (like yoga class, eh? not that i've been, i just hear about them )
seriously, a yoga class does wonders for mind/OVER/body... even in everyday life and in the hills!!

RELAX.... you'll get it back. let us know how your (Ronster, Dave, Seraph, anyone!) tracking as well, good to hear how things turn out for fellow riders. and seraph if you ever wanna go for a bit of a "breezy" ride.....

[seraph]

Yeah, game on... check ride days. -J.

[mrmina]

its ok ronster we all know ur a gun...

[Smitty]

I think the best cure is a track day.

I think that is a very bad cure

a track day is NOT your usual on-road ride
the speeds are too different, the corners artificial
and there is too much a chance of being sucked in..
like I can keep up with this guy ...and binning it in doing so
and its a waste if you go there to be slow..the other riders won't be!

confidence on the road ..which has bumps, cars, power poles and
white lines is needed. and you simply won't get that on a race track
a day on the track requires a completely different mindset
to riding on the road

don't do it

cheers