I have a feeling that this kind of thing has happened to others.

I started to ride about 35 years ago and then didn't do a lot of riding for the last 25 years. Finally retired from being an LEO and bought myself an Electra-Classic in 2005. I thought I was an OK rider and things would be good.
A friend and I planned a trip to the All Harley drag races in Reynolds Georgia. We left Toronto and all was good. I never realized that I had gotten in a VERY bad habit, that is, looking down to my front tire during corners.
It came to be a real problem when we started riding through Atlanta Georgia. We were southbound and all seemed well. Then we started into the section of the highway where the roadway wa surrounded by very large concrete walls. I started getting the feeling of being "surrounded" by these walls.
Anyway, we were just starting though the Atlanta section and I was riding in the very right lane (either 4 or 5 full lanes of south-bound traffic) Sure enough, I starting taking the turns while looking down at the front tire of my bike. At one point I actually slowed down and started dragging my right foot and I gradually moved accross all 4-5 lanes of the traffic. I managed to get my bearings and finally made the right turn (it was only about a 30% turn to the left. I found myself in the fast lane and as luck would have it, the traffic was light and no-one hit me.
That scared the crap out of me!!!!!!
My buddy had pulled over about a mile up the road and at first he was giving me the gears for not being able to ride. I took off my helmut and saw the look on my face.
I told him what happened and after making sure I was ok, he gave me the biggest lecture about not looking down EVER. He told me that if was having a front tire go down, he would Fu@@ing tell me about it.
It cured a lot but I still get the "nerves" when heading throught the concrete mazing of interstates.

The moral, DON'T start staring at the front tire, look ahead and all will be well. It has gotten me through a lot of this type of highway even though I still get the nerves in those tunnel-like areas of city roads.

1HarleyGuy!

 

Uhhhh, yeah? What would posses a person to do anything other than look ahead? I'm not busting your chops but sounds like you bit off a bit more than you were ready to chew? I lived in Atlanta and thank God that did not happen during rush hour or you may not have been here to write us.

 

Piloting a bike on the interstate, going thru ATL is no picnic. Its easier to drive thru L.A. traffic.
I think you are very lucky to be able to tell us your delimma. I hope you learn from your mistake.

 

I haven't looked down at anywhere the front tire of my bike since that happened. I was a very scary, yet vital lesson.

Keep looking up and look where you want the bike to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That taught me an increidbly powerful lesson.

1HarleyGuy1

 

Not to pick onm ya bro but NEVER look down it only take a split second for something to go bad. When it goes bad it can be REAL bad

 

Dang it, now i gotta go see if I can actually see my front tire during a turn.

 

Harley guy - I'd like to say, I've rode 29 years, but had a LOOOOONG hiatus without a bike, save for 2 years on dirtbikes. Coming back to a street bike, I found I still had a few bad habits. Some we aren't aware of because we've been doing them for most our lives, the one in particular here of zoning out, or more popularly, LOOKING at the objects we wish to avoid, because we "think" we're supposed to!
I VERY HIGHLY recommend you spend a few bucks on the Ride Like a Pro course, get a buddy and some cones or chalk or paint and find a deserted parking lot and go practice the techniques.
Once you begin to PRACTICE it, (not read about it, not think about it, not just watch the dvd) the mind-muscle connections form and it becomes second nature.
Most guys who have a lot of road time and take this course find out they didnt' know as much as they thought they did, or weren't as good as they thought they were, me included.
The slow stuff transfers skills to the highspeed stuff too, and you'll find yourself always where you want to be, and not dropping your bike in parking lots or driveways. Jerry (of the RLAP) mentioned that 30 years of riding is one year of riding done 30 times. Pretty much so; the only thing that changed my habits before was learning to race on dirt. Lots of head and eye stuff there too.

 

Good pointers for many people. I've been through the stretch of 5 or 6 lanes in one direction in Atlanta and that is one busy busy stretch of road. I'm glad the traffic was light and you made it through OK.

 

Try to find a MSF Experienced Ride Course in your area. It'll change you as a rider and replace your bad habits with good ones and restore your confidence. You'd be amazed what you can do on a big bike.

 

I appreciate all the support. My main reason for writing what happened to me is trying to TELL the newer/younger riders to follow the old axiom: Look whare you want to go, NOT at the front tire or anywhere directly in front of the bike.
It took me a scary experience to learn this and I am so thankfull that I survived the ordeal. Now, when I ride, I am looking as far around the turn as I possibly can. Its amazing hown much simpler the turns become.
I have watched the Ride like a Pro numerous times and am still learning.
I am 100% more confident now than what I was.

I am not ashamed to admit that the Atlanta ride scared the cr#p out of me.

Ride safe

1HarleyGuy!