Some days your mojo is missing, and it takes your concentration with it, if it happens every time, its probably right to pack up and get a pavement scooter
It's not an age thing - at least, not a mathematical age thing. I'm now 53 frown but I reckon I ride better than I ever did. I used to fall off every few years, for one reason or another - mainly my own errors. Haven't fallen off for over 10 years now, although I ride probably faster than I did. But I would think that a ZZR1400 could be deceptively fast - probably too fast for most of our roads. If you are going to use it as the engine suggests you might, you will probably be going everywhere far too fast. I think what really improved my riding was tuition on track - probably about a total of 7 days. It improved my style, taught me things like hard braking and gave me a greater safety margin - knowing that I and the bike could always go faster. Naturally, I don't try to replicate on the road my track riding style. I'm very circumspect around other cars, though. I don't overtake when there is oncoming traffic, even when there is room for 3 vehicles. I always have an escape route planned out - I just don't trust other people to keep driving in a straight line. Still, if you think the bike is going to kill you, get rid. Plenty of fun slower bikes around. Do you need a ZZR1400?
I'm 57 next, last raced in 2005 and won 2 championships, bored now so I'm going racing again next year. You just had an off day and got away with it. You can get killed at 30mph as easy as 70 so don't beat yourself up. The fact you're here to tell the tale says something, maybe you didn't react consciously but all those years of riding count for something. Age isn't the thing, if you really feel uncomfortable then do something about it like IAM, you can always teach an old dog new tricks. Don't kid yourself that riding the mutley will keep you safe, unfortunately life aint like that. OGR
Can only repeat what's been said above - Glad that you are ok. Sometimes a wake-up call is all you need and as also already said, everyone can have an off day. Admitting to yourself that your reactions are slower than when you are younger is a big step forward - we all learn to adapt to this in the end. Re: 'too old' Forum member Gliddofglood did a Forum 'average age' recently and I don't think you need worry yet
Bloody kids!! I'm 63 next month and after cutting my teeth on an Ariel 500 red hunter off road at 13 you would think 50 years of biking would have scratched that itch. Not a bit and still loving my sports bikes too especially my Pani. You're as old as you feel and as young as you want to be. Age just doesn't come into it.
Don't get scared, get even. By which I mean learn from those experiences - you're never too old to learn. Re-think both incidents and just reflect on what happened and what you could have done differently. Observation? Anticipation? Speed? Don't beat yourself up about it - you're still here after all The accidents that are going to reeeally hurt are typically those that involve other vehicles: maybe just back off 10% in traffic and give yourself a bit more time and space for the next few rides. Execute those overtakes carefully but decisively and rebuild your confidence. I've just enrolled with my local IAM group just to try and make sure I keep riding as safe (and therefore as long) as I can. Not sure what I'll actually learn but I feel I owe it to myself to keep my safety skills up and protect myself as much as possible. I'll happily spend £250 on a new helmet so half that on an IAM course is easy enough to justify. Good luck and happy biking!
Worst veiled advert for a ZZR I've ever seen! The old man's still going fast at 72. http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f16/average-ducati-riders-age-11131/index3.html#post165066
Ive got the 848 Evo and think its easier to ride than my past il4's. as soon as I hit around 8k, it's a nutcase!... Back to the thread, I think we have all been there with overtakes. Part of biking in my opinion. Bikes nowadays are lunatics so the need for speed takes over... We must all learn to do it safely though!
No, it's just that your testicles are that much further from your brain at that age... I'm a lot slower than I used to be, but that's down to the type of riding I do (used to be a dispatcher, y'see. Now I'm a fairweather bandit). And why does everyone suddenly start mentioning the IAM every time someone has a bad day? The local beardy real ale drinkers down my way have all crashed more often than me, and are a lot slower - we worked this out when they tried to assimilate me. I hear the local Harley dealer will give you a good trade-in on the ZZR...
Give me an early 90s ZZR1100 derestricted any time....... .....But I doubt if I would last long, depsite it being very forgiving. AL
Get signed up for another Bikesafe (I did one a couple of weeks ago after doing one 4 years ago). If you are not able to do that soon then join IAM's and go out on some observed runs. If all you do at the end of the day, is take away a coupe of good tips it can make all the difference to your riding. Personally I think it pays to get your riding assessed at least once a year, stops you from falling into bad habits for too long.
Sound like you had an off day or were distracted. It is trempting to think a rocket ship under you will catapult you out of danger, and it can, but it can also catapult you into danger. You need a plan preferably with options. Age is a factor but no barrier. The IAM are just too earnest for my liking. The BikeSafe 1 day course is really only an introduction to further training based upon the Police Handbook Roadcraft. Roadcraft isn't an exciting book but it has all you need to know about keeping yourself safe on a bike, including a section on overtaking which appears to be your weak area. Buy a copy of Roadcraft (available from Amazon and elsewhere), read it from cover to cover and dip into it regularly to pick a topic to refresh and practice their system of safe riding. I think Roadcraft is superb.
Glad you survived that.......at 17 we brushed those things off with a pint and a lot of b/s with our mates. At 50ish (I'm 49) we've got responsibilities an' all. Worms into your brain that we are all mortal. Without getting too philosophical a couple of years back I realised I just wasn't riding enough. Summers ticking by and pretty bike just sitting in the garage on a trickle charger. There aren't an infinite number of summers left. And some health thing might just kick in and stop the fun. So went and bought my dream bike at long last..........and then realised it was way better than me. Best handling bike I've ever owned and me being a bit rusty, scared myself a few times. I went on the Lincs Police Performance Plus course - pissing down with rain at Cadwell; I nearly bottled out going. Their opening statement was that they weren't there to preach to us about speed. No they wanted us to be able to control our bikes at the speed that we choose to ride at. A refreshing attitude. Course run by the accident investigation PCs (and no they don't investigate anything that isn't a fatal). Anyhoo, learned a huge amount on cornering and braking. They had us locking up the front, in the wet. Huge confidence boost. Then went on a lap of Britain with half a dozen other bikes last summer. 3300 miles, none of it motorways. Developed a huge confidence from improved reading of the road. With long hours in the saddle I crystallised that as bikers we do way more than car drivers; we are a) controlling the bike and b) route finding (as per cars) but in addition c) choosing our road positioning (kerb, middle, centre etc.) d) reading the road condition way more closely (gravel, man holes, leaves, etc.) and e) sussing out what everyone else is or might do. I got faster and smoother and safer on the road but appeared unhurried to my mates - braking a lot less, flowing through the corners a lot more, overtakes without changing gear or frantic ducking out and back. 300 to 400 miles a day does that. BTW a good proportion of them were IAM and a bit too 'fixated' on their training. So the answer - training that matches your ambition (so IAM may not be for you) and do the miles.
Glad you managed to survive your little lapses. As I documented on this very forum earlier in the year, I totally lost confidence in my ability to handle my 848 so sold it. At the time I felt that, at 53, my reaction time etc. just didn't seem to keep up with what my bike could do. The answer was simple - buy a 696. I have totally regained my confidence on the road as I'm not constantly reigning in this mad machine anymore. The 696 is still plenty fast enough but does what I tell it to, not the other way round. Still looks and sounds good too.
no quite the opposite.......I'm getting faster than I was 10 years ago. Plus I would be at Cadwell every week if a) I could afford it and b) I had the time What's come over me? .....ah that would the Ducati in the garage
