Getting my confidence back

[Country Joe]

Today was the first real ride on my FJ since I lowsided it on July 5th and getting the FZR/GSXR wheels bolted up. I have had a few shakedown runs a couple miles away from the house, but it was finally time to head back to Push Mountain Road. I found myself a lot more aprehensive than I thought I would be. Tight left hand turns were really getting to my head   On the way north the realization came to me, this weekend is Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Fayetteville, AR. 400,000 pirates and wannabes show up in a town of 67,158. What a debacle....I expected Push Mtn. Rd. to be a pirate parade, but figured out once I made a pass south to north and didn't come  up on any motorcycles going the same way, that Fayetteville to Mountain Home, AR is out of range for the vast majority of the attendees of BB&BBQ. I rode on into Mountain Home, had a great cheeseburger at The Back 40, topped up my tank and headed back for a north to south pass of Push Mountain. I finally started settling down and just enjoyed the ride. Picked up the pace a little, but reminded my dumb ass that I am riding alone, "don't cartwheel off into the trees, ya idiot." I have the preload on the Goldwing shock cranked up to about 60-70%, I have great ride height now, never touched down anything today, unlike before. I stopped at the Timbo Dairy Bar for a chocolate shake, met a rider from Dallas on a Moto Guzzi Stelvio, who was waiting on the rest of his group to come by on their way back to Mountain View, AR. I'm tired, but it's a good tired and I feel better about keeping the FJ on the road. I haven't done anything to it that can't be reversed and I plan on putting a fairing back on it when I find a real nice one.

Joe

[FJmonkey]

Good post, I know what you mean... Happy to hear that you ventured out and got back on the bike and rode it...

[Country Joe]

Good post, I know what you mean... Happy to hear that you ventured out and got back on the bike and rode it...

Thanks Mark,
I was really kind of surprised about how much anxiety my crash caused me. I might be getting smarter or wiser in my old age. It's about time, my wife would say

Joe

[JoBrCo]

If you're gonna err, make it to the side of caution.  It's a fun and exhilarating sport, but not worth anyone's life.  I've scraped the center stand several times, but luckily not so much so as to cause it to seriously dig in.  It was definitely a wake up call for that particular sweeper, my speed and my line, so as to be adjusted.  I only ever push the envelope on those roads I know like the back of my hand.  I never allow myself to be suckered in due to peer pressure, or pride.  I'm glad you made it out without any serious complications, and that you're facing those reservations.  But remember like Clint said, "A man's got to know his limitations."

Good luck and good sense!

And may the wind be in your hair, soaring "on the silent wings of freedom!"  --Yes--


FJ Forever!   


JoBrCo   

[FJmonkey]

Thanks Mark,
I was really kind of surprised about how much anxiety my crash caused me. I might be getting smarter or wiser in my old age. It's about time, my wife would say

Joe

I still see from my rear tire that I turn Left slightly harder than Right. I keep wondering if that is due to the RH front wheel washout I had many years ago. I did not ride for many years after that due the damage on the bike. The bike slid into a curb and crushed in the upper fairing and support frame. I wonder if I continued riding, would I still turn Left a little harder than Right? No way to know. Thanks to my gear I made it to work that day, a bit late though. Ease back into your riding, it sounds like you are naturally doing that any way.

[fj johnnie]

 Great post. Confidence can be very difficult to get back. However many people remain on the couch and it will never return while you are there. Kudos for getting back on, taking your time and enjoying the ride. Thanks for sharing your post . John

[Country Joe]

Johnnie,

Thanks for the reply. If I can encourage anyone to get back on, I will do so. But I also understand that there are many considerations that will go into a decision on whether or not to keep riding. I know for me, I've been on a motorcycle since I was 7 years old, it is going to take a pretty significant event to get me to quit. I just get too much joy out of helmet therapy, not to mention meeting people on motorcycles that turn out to be good friends.

Joe

[mikedastonfj1100]

great to know a fallen soldier will not die.... I had 1 near death expierences... I was riding to walmart one day and pulled into the parking lot... where u pull into the parking lot is on the back side of the building..... on the side of the building is the dumpster that sometimes has a tendency to leak.... well anyways pulling into the parking lot and around the corner of the building all of a sudden comes this blond in a suv roaring around the corner... I immediately hit the front brake, don't know really why, front tire locks up, throws me on the ground into a slide towards the suv.... I close my eyes and pray for my life.... minute later I open one eye to see if I am alive and find myself laying against the foot step of the suv, inches from the front tire... bikes front tire wedged under the passenger side tire of the suv... I then look up to the sky then say thank you god:-).... suv backs off my bike.... inspect damage to find none but a miss aligned handlebars and a scrape on the exhaust..... rode home that day with my heart skipping a  beat every 5 seconds....