General > Riding Tips & Tricks

Riding against your Instincts

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USMC 500:
I'll add something that I have taught friends while riding dirt as well as on the road race course......TARGET FIXATION!  Without making it sound more complicated than it is target fixation is basically when you lock up and stare at something that you don't wanna hit or stare in a direction you don't wanna go.  If you see a rock or a rut on a trail and say "OH SNAP, I DON'T WANNA HIT THAT!".........chances are you are gonna hit it dead on.  If you see a cliff and say "CRAP, I DON'T WANNA GO THAT WAY!"........chances are you're going for a short flight.  If you force yourself not to target fixate and look PAST the object, or look in the direction that you DO wanna go then the bike will follow.  Its funny but believe me, the bike will go in the direction that you look.  A good example would be my buddie last Saturday on a trial ride.......I made it up this technical uphill that had a large root going across the trail......my buddie target fixated on that same root and ended up hitting it and getting stuck there.  I told him that if he would have focused forward past the root and kept up momentum that he would have made it.  Another example would be another buddie of mine at the road race track.....he went into a turn to hot and target fixated on the dirt area off the pavement and slid off the track.  If he would have LOOKED further down the track there is a good chance that the bike would have came around and stayed on the track.  Looking forward and where you wanna go will also make your cornering smoother and faster.  Trust me it works. :-D

gray hair:
 I agree on the target fixation concept completely. You go where you look. In any stressful situation, you have to force yourself to look a little wider so you can see your "out". In addition, your bike no matter what or where you ride is much more capable than you think, and speed overcomes most obstacles. You won't know these things till you go out and try um, so go ride! But take a buddy for when you find your limits.

turtle22:
i have been riding for over 20 yrs. all but a this last 6 month have been on the street and the last 10 on a harley. i have had to UNprogram myself to alot of stuff. never would a take a 700lbs bike and hammer it sideways throught the dirt corner like im learning to do on my k5. the list goes on and on. jumping(on a harley,yah right). but i will tell u this i LOVE my k5. and im becoming a better ride each time i go out and push myself.
i will not lie,i put that bike throu it. i wreck(alot)sometimes when i pushing it hard. and some times i wonder if its my mind telling myself that i did to much(as im going down)that causes me to wreck. or if it is my mind reliezing that i have passed the threashold of my ability and nothing i do can save the inevatable. then the flipside is sometimes i do see it coming and more gas,quick reflexes(& GOD) save me from a good one.
all i know is i have a long where to go in my riding ability and i look forward to the trip!!!

k5abuser:
i was street riding the curves and ran it up to 120 mph in the rain hit the brakes was fine then the back broke loose wiggeled and i let off the brakes got it under control and back on the binders  looked where i needed to go but last second looked for the safest way out . sign and a BIG tree . thur the center was fine then i saw about 50 feet frome me the 1/2 mile drop off ( now is when you do what you are trained to do ) i choose to slide  the 490lbs zx750r ninja sideways and flat tracked it and layed it down easy . i broke about 5 inches off the upper faring windscreen mount and bent the pipe a little . rode the rest of the trip . the joe rocket jacket saved my arm . covered in rocks ,wet grass and mud . not a sore on me . now i am glad i learned from others by listing and thinking fast . .

BDI:
Anymore my instinct is to pin it and never let go until excessive cartwheeling rips my hands from the grips.  :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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