Need Encouragement!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,773
Likes: 22
From: Tyrone, GA
Lots of good advice here. All of it will work but something will just be "it" and click for you. My biggest advice is to check out the woman's forum here "Queens of the Road." Always good to have some support and advice from women who know exactly how you feel and have gone through the exact same things.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,790
Likes: 7
From: Texas
Same thing happened to me.
This is some GREAT advice
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 266
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert, AZ
I laid my Honda CX500 down 20 years ago. woke up in the back of an ambulance. it did scare the hell out of me. but had to get my bike back from the tow yard. and ride it home. Was I scared? hell yeah, but I kept riding and got comfortable with it again. just don't get too overconfident, I wound up laying my Sporty down cause I made a left turn too fast. back end slid out from under me. you learn from your mistakes and you also learn from reading about others mistakes. by the way, don't try making a left as fast as you can. and don't wear a watch. when looking at it you may not see a red light.
So I have a 2009 Harley Sportster 883 Custom that I have been riding for only about 1 month so far (started riding last summer). At the tail end of last year, I rode it a bit. So my hubby gets a Suzuki GFX1250 --- and I figure I should try and ride it (hindsight is 20/20). Everything was going well, until I stopped at a stop sign, wheel was turned, I panicked and over I went. Not hurt at all, I was able to get out of the way. The bike got hurt a bit, broke the bottom cowling and the signal light. Hubby was really good about, but man I feel terrible!!!!!!! He made me get back on the horse to get home, and it took everything in me to burst into tears (which happened later...LOL).
Question is this.....my confidence is shaken now.....how do I move past this?
Question is this.....my confidence is shaken now.....how do I move past this?
FWIW, I have been riding over 40 years and still hit a parking lot more than a few times a year, practicing emergency stops, u-turns, etc.
And whenever I get on a new bike I always find its' limits in a parking lot, not in traffic.
Have fun!
Kevin
__________________
DKCustomProducts.com
DKCustomProducts.com
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 2,705
Likes: 2
From: D.C.
Hey I dropped my bike twice within the two first weeks! The first time making a tight u-turn, dropped it gently but still fill like an idiot, and the second time on gravel...not THAT gently this time. I felt like ****, but then a guy told me "That would have had happen at least once anyway."
Now I avoid gravel and manage tight turns much better...and yes, keep your eyes straight!
Now I avoid gravel and manage tight turns much better...and yes, keep your eyes straight!
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 247
Likes: 1
From: East Central Florida
This is exactly why so many people stress for new riders to buy a used bike for their first one. Nearly everyone will drop their bike or nearly drop it while learning.. It's nearly universal, normal and almost expected.. Not to say there aren't those people out there that are totally awesome, perfect in every way that never have dropped their bike.
I'd never been on a Motorcycle in my life until I rode the 500cc bikes at the MSF course back in April. And now that I have my 883 I have been spending most of my time over the last month and a half slowly building my confidence around our neighborhood and in an school empty parking lot doing dozens and dozens of stop sign left/right turns, slow speed maneuvering and quick stops building the speed slowly as I grow comfortable.
Don't let anyone push you faster than you want and keep practicing at your pace.
As to your question on the engine guard looking ok..
My 883H that I inherited from my father in law had an engine guard on it.
I considered taking it off, but now think that it looks OK on the bike and its saved me on the 2 occasions when I slow speed dropped the bike. It's not hugely expensive and as mentioned a real easy thing to take off if you later decide you want to..
Have fun
I'd never been on a Motorcycle in my life until I rode the 500cc bikes at the MSF course back in April. And now that I have my 883 I have been spending most of my time over the last month and a half slowly building my confidence around our neighborhood and in an school empty parking lot doing dozens and dozens of stop sign left/right turns, slow speed maneuvering and quick stops building the speed slowly as I grow comfortable.
Don't let anyone push you faster than you want and keep practicing at your pace.
As to your question on the engine guard looking ok..
My 883H that I inherited from my father in law had an engine guard on it.
I considered taking it off, but now think that it looks OK on the bike and its saved me on the 2 occasions when I slow speed dropped the bike. It's not hugely expensive and as mentioned a real easy thing to take off if you later decide you want to..
Have fun
Last edited by Saltwaterwop; May 20, 2011 at 09:24 AM.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 76
Likes: 0
From: Edmonton, AB
Update: Got back on the horse this morning and rode to work! A little uneasy but once I got going everything just fell back into place. Still a bit unsure of my slow stops, but I think now it's all mental. I know I can do it, but my head is just over thinking!
Thanks to everyone here for their great advice. Just knowing that there's a plethora of advice out there now makes me feel SO much better.
Thanks to everyone here for their great advice. Just knowing that there's a plethora of advice out there now makes me feel SO much better.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 4,904
Likes: 9
From: Streetsboro, Oh
All bikes are differant and it seems like that is more of a sport bike and they sit up higher than your HD. I started out on dirt bikes then moved to sport bikes then HD's so I know how to handle a bike that i don't touch good on, but you get use to it. Get back on the bike and learn from the mistake. we all mess up from time to time.