Rusty from not riding?

[GSXFJim]

... and how long does it take? a few weeks, a few months?....

The reason I pose this question for discussion is that every day for the last two weeks since weather warmed up here in So Cal the morning and/or afternoon traffic report has announced at least 1 motorcycle accident and today was no different, a big rig vs. a motorcycle..

I have been watching guys zip past and not being able to ride and it's a bit frustrating. I haven't been on the bike in a while either.

But it makes me think, who's making the mistakes in the accident?..
The cage for not paying attention in general? or the rider who hasn't been riding in a few months and wasn't paying attention or isn't as sharp as he/she usually is?

So what do you do to sharpen up after a period of non riding?

[Devinjordan]

practice make perfect I guess. before I ride I take my bike down a sorta twisty rode next to the house with almost no traffic up or down it, there is only one house past mine down it. I use it to warm me and the bike up

[Relheok]

Just start out slow again. Don't overdrive yourself or the conditions.

[GSXFJim]

Don't overdrive yourself or the conditions.

very good point...

or overreact to a situation? that could be just as bad as not paying attention... or not being aware and then the overreaction...

this would make a good list for 'tune-up' tips for the new riding season..

[HemiKat]

I can get rusty after just a few days honestly. But it only takes me a few blocks before the muscle memory kicks in and all the controls feel comfortable again.

[diavolo]

Don't overlook the fact that during the colder seasons, people tend to "tune out" motorcyclists - because the weather is colder, they don't expect people to be riding, so they aren't looking for them. I get that startled "look" all the time during winter riding on the slab. Stay alert always, and assume the other people can't or don't see you.

[steves]

I always approach the motorcycle with respect before I get on it. I'm aware that in the spring I'll be rusty, and not necessarily at the same level I was the previous fall.

[kruzuki]

Here in Toronto, or anywhere there's a riding season I imagine, it's a little different.

Since we have a large part of the year with no motorycles on the roads, both riders & drivers have to be 'retrained' every spring.

The first ride is always a slow easy one. You do lose your edge a bit after a long period without riding; I go through it every year.

Many of the electronic highway signs in spring warn drivers to watch out for motorcycles.

[Wild-Bill]

One of the first things I do after I haven't been riding for a bit (could be a long winter season, a deployment or just a week of being a$$es-and-elbows at work) is head to a parking lot. I run through some of the drills from the MSF class. You know, slow speed turns, finding the friction zone, balance drills at really low speeds and, of course, panic stops. I'll start with counter-steering from one side of a line to the other (quick, finesse movements) and go to full moves from one side of a parking spot to the other. Then it's on to the U and S-turns (with and without shifting my weight) and crawling along as slow as possible without dabbing a foot. With the braking drills I focus on trying to use the front brake hard enough to almost but not quite lift the rear wheel and I make a point of using the rear brake as much as possible without locking it up.

Seems to me that after half an hour or so of refreshing the bike-control muscle memory and balance I've got lots more brain capacity left for watching cagers and predicting what sort of stupid things they're about to do.

[RedKat91]

Good tips Bill.... I was wondering how I'd feel back on the bike after being off it since the end of October/early November.

[clark827]

One of the first things I do after I haven't been riding for a bit (could be a long winter season, a deployment or just a week of being a$$es-and-elbows at work) is head to a parking lot. I run through some of the drills from the MSF class. You know, slow speed turns, finding the friction zone, balance drills at really low speeds and, of course, panic stops. I'll start with counter-steering from one side of a line to the other (quick, finesse movements) and go to full moves from one side of a parking spot to the other. Then it's on to the U and S-turns (with and without shifting my weight) and crawling along as slow as possible without dabbing a foot. With the braking drills I focus on trying to use the front brake hard enough to almost but not quite lift the rear wheel and I make a point of using the rear brake as much as possible without locking it up.

Seems to me that after half an hour or so of refreshing the bike-control muscle memory and balance I've got lots more brain capacity left for watching cagers and predicting what sort of stupid things they're about to do.

For lack of better phraseology- ditto.

I run through the basic MSF drills and then do the experienced MSF drills. Not necessarily all of them, but Bill hit the nail on the head, in my opinion.

[vonrapier]

I am dieying from not being able to ride. The weather is too cold here. But when I do ride I make sure if I have to bail on the bike I have enough protection on to survive the slide.
And I always assume that the cager does no see me no matter where I am in respect to his or her car. Sometimes on rides here I see the goofs on the fast bikes riding like they are on a race course thru traffic. You have to know, it is only a matter of time before they pay their price for it.....that also gives bikers a bad name......

It is a good way of life....if you treat it right and with the respect riding deserves.

[anthonygsx1100]

Did you every hear the saying " ITS LIKE RIDING A BIKE ! " Get on the thing rev it up to 11k and dump the clutch , hang on and go for a ride ( 48 more posts and i can start looking for the parts i need LOL )


ant

[Irish]

Every spring for over 20 years I do the sunday morning 1st ride of the season .I do it on a Sunday because of the lack of traffic and I go away from the city to get the curves . Imagine the cagers are blind and stupid and your day will make sense . You cant fix stupid so who was wrong in a crash between a Bike and anything else on the road doesn't matter .Be the witness not the statistic .

[GSXFJim]

I never make the assumption that the cagers can see me.. That's the first thing that I put in my head when I roll out of the garage... I have the feeling that assuming other moving objects can see a bike might be part of why I'm hearing about all the accidents..