Buying the Farm

[Billy Jack]

Yep, I almost bought one last weekend. I'm new to riding motorcycles, but I have been mountain biking 10 + years and I guess it boils down to being too overconfident. I was going into a left curve when I came out of my lean to early. I got caught in a "to upright" position, so I tried to steer to the left...., completely forgetting about counter steering. I started floating right. I never panicked, I didn't hit the brakes, but I did drift off the road. Once I slipped off the the road that was all she wrote.... I went down. Bent my handle bars, broke my left front and back blinkers, scuffed my hand, arm and leg. I was wearing a helmet, long sleeve shirt and long pants and boots. I did forget my gloves and I have some nasty road rash on my palm for it. I feel stupid....., I feel lucky. That counter steering is hard to get used to.

[Poligrafovich]

Glad you're OK. You can be thankful for a cheap lesson on the value of protective gear.

That counter steering is hard to get used to.

My mental model is "pushing/pulling the bike down" into the curve.

[fortyhourdays]

My dad always used to say "Push left to go left"  It doesn't feel natural when you're used to riding a bicycle which can be steered simply by leaning.

[JB1290]

Glad you weren't hurt too badly. Chalk it up as a lesson learned and try not to make that mistake again. Next time, you may not be so lucky.

[Hondo]

Good to hear that you are OK.

Now is a good time to invest in an armored jacket, MC gloves and boots (at a minimum). Consider a set of armored overpants as well.

And get this book -

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

http://www.amazon.com/Proficient-Motorcycling-Ultimate-Guide-Riding/dp/1889540536

[Billy Jack]

Thing is...., I've been using the counter steering technique. But, I have to mentally think about it each time. This time I had a mental lapse.  It certainly could have been worse.

[Bumblebee]

I was going into a left curve when I came out of my lean to early. I got caught in a "to upright" position, so I tried to steer to the left...., completely forgetting about counter steering. I started floating right. I never panicked, I didn't hit the brakes, but I did drift off the road.

I've been using the counter steering technique. But, I have to mentally think about it each time.

Thing is...., I've been using the counter steering technique.

For a moment quit thinking about countersteering. It's important however it is only part of what makes a motorcycle turn. It is likely not what actually caused you to go off the road. It could just as easily be body and head position, where you look, power/brake use, what your brain is thinking of as you go toward the ditch, etc.

Where were you looking when all this was going on? Were you looking at the ditch or edge of the road -- or along the road surface where you actually wanted to go? You go where you look. Typically if you start going wide and can't get it to turn, it's because you're looking where you don't want to go.
Also, if you dump the throttle or hit the brakes, it will go wide. Stay on the power until you commit yourself to going off road then use the brakes to dump all the kinetic energy you can before things go bad.

Most importantly, look where you want to go. Doing that is not as easy as it sounds and takes a lot of discipline. If you look at the proverbial tree, you will hit the tree, if you look elsewhere while going toward the tree, you will miss the tree. The tree is an incredibly difficult thing to ignore while it's trying to smash into you however it's essential to not look at it if you intend to avoid it.

long sleeve shirt and long pants

ATGATT - All The Gear All The Time - every time without fail.
As you have discovered, long sleeve shirts and jeans are not crash protection. They are tissue paper at best. Get real crash gear before you get hurt.

I feel stupid.....

We've all done something stupid. Think about what happened, learn from it, read other riders experiences, use that information to avoid doing it again in the future and move on.

That counter steering is hard to get used to.

An hour or two slow skills practice every month in the local empty parking lot will do wonders for real world riding. No matter how good you get, there is still room for considerable amounts of improvement. Not only do you have to learn how to handle the motorcycle, you have to stay proficient at those skills afterward which means regular practice.

[hppants]

Welcome to the club.  Wish you hadn't joined.

Glad you are mostly OK - I concur with the others.

[LOKi]

My dad always used to say "Push left to go left"  It doesn't feel natural when you're used to riding a bicycle which can be steered simply by leaning.

Bicycles turn the same way motorcycles turn. You just don't realize your counter steering. Trust me if your turning fast on two wheels its from counter steering.

Think about when your pumping hard on a bike. Where the bike is flipping back and forth under you. It's leaning but not turning. To turn there must be input from the bars.

Glad your okay.

[Billy Jack]

I took the MSC program and I know the steps I just didn't perform when it counted. As I floated ( which is the best way I can describe it ) toward the shoulder, I remember looking down, I remember thinking to not panic and hit the brakes. All of this seemed to take for ever. The accident its self happened in a flash but the drifting seemed to be in slow motion. But BB your right, I didn't look where I wanted to go  , I looked down. And Hondo I sent the wife a link to the book for a christmas hint. She has not been real hot on this new venture, but took the accident surprisingly well. I took stock on the situation, evaluated whether I should cash out or commit to being a better rider. Looks like I'm going to continue. It will be interesting the next time I climb back on the Nighthawk ( still waiting on new handle bars I ordered ).

[Poligrafovich]

And get this book -

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

+1. Go directly to your book vendor,  do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

[Munkey]

Scoot over and hang your inside butt cheek off the seat and you'll be suprised how much tighter a turn you can take with less bike lean.

[cjbear11]

And get this book -

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

+1. Go directly to your book vendor,  do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

+100. Also pick up a book called "Total Control" by Lee Parks. Both of these books really helped me grasp many different principals of motorcycling. After reading these books and going out and practicing what they teach, you'll be amazed at how well you ride.

[Bumblebee]

I remember looking down, I remember thinking to not panic and hit the brakes.

Countersteering is not the problem then. It's your head position and possibly body position as well.

Penance: Read proficient motorcycling and two hours in the parking lot doing tight turns, circles and figure 8's at less than 15mph. Ride until your brain quits getting in the way of how your body maneuvers the motorcycle. Take the MSF class if you can.

Looks like I'm going to continue. It will be interesting the next time I climb back on the Nighthawk ( still waiting on new handle bars I ordered ).

Good for you. IMHO, a crash is the best thing a rider can ever do for their riding skills. Until the Earth punches you in the face, it's just a cutsie video game and you're not taking it seriously no matter how much you think you are. (And yes, I'm a member of the Faceplant Club so I'm talking from experience)

Did you order crash gear (jacket, pants, gloves) while ordering the handlebars? The correct answer is "yes."
BTW, if you don't have a full face helmet, get one. An open face helmet of any kind will not protect you in a crash. There's a reason we call crashes FacePlants. And if you hit your current helmet on the ground, it's likely done it's job and needs to be replaced.

[ariwhiteboy]

And get this book -

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

+1. Go directly to your book vendor,  do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

+100. Also pick up a book called "Total Control" by Lee Parks. Both of these books really helped me grasp many different principals of motorcycling. After reading these books and going out and practicing what they teach, you'll be amazed at how well you ride.

+1 to this.

Also pick up A Twist of the Wrist .  Spend the winter reading and "imaginary riding" in a chair. 

[Messorius]

And get this book -

Proficient Motorcycling: The Ultimate Guide to Riding Well

+1. Go directly to your book vendor,  do not pass GO, do not collect $200.

+100. Also pick up a book called "Total Control" by Lee Parks. Both of these books really helped me grasp many different principals of motorcycling. After reading these books and going out and practicing what they teach, you'll be amazed at how well you ride.

+1 to this.

Also pick up A Twist of the Wrist .  Spend the winter reading and "imaginary riding" in a chair. 

I recommend the DVD of Twist of a Wrist too. It made things a hell of a lot clearer for me; lot of 'oooooh that's how it works!' moments.