Long thread>Dear agony aunts:- I'm so slow and isn't my 220's fault!

[COMBEN]

Dear auntie,
This is getting embarrassing, after a long break off where has all my speed gone? If I get any slower my riding friends will starve to death waiting for me on the trail, and I'm giving all KDX owners a bad name!

Ever had a moment like this before? I've just come back after a break of 6 years and a big ding, also I had a real close friend die on an R1 3 weeks after that. Overnight I thought that 2 wheels weren't for me, I never rode my CR-125 I had back then ever again, sold everything, so sure there is some history here..

The problem is that I'm real 'quaky' on the my recently aquired 220R,....all those technical bits like muddy wet/dry/frozen ruts, deep/short/mid-track holes that are easier the faster you go are now giving me real dramas and now, (we are the only ones reading this aren't we?) I'm even talking to myself on the trails, cussing and giving myself a real bad time for not going faster:fft: It's not the best time to get back on the dirt , well mud 'n ice so I suppose that may not help....I'm trying for excuses here :nener:
I know, I know, I know that the faster I go the better and easier the riding will becomes, I know what to do but seem to be having difficulty finding my 'jewels'!

Don't get me wrong, I had a great time yesterday after feeling a little nervy before the ride again, so it's not that I don't enjoy it, I didn't want to come home, when I 'hooked her up' real well and hit the 'sweet spot' it was sheer delight, strangely the quicker sweeping gully like uphill gnarly trails sections were my saviors..not sure what that means. I'm glad the 220R is a torque monster 'cos I sure don't need a pipe on my one, I'm short shifting most of the time!
I used to think I could ride to a fair standard and found it a hoot whipping oodles of MX'ers on MX circuits when piloting KDX's prior to the CR, I didn't do a lot of fast trail riding back then as I remember...maybe I'm getting older and wiser and have more 'what is around the corner' syndrome?

I have how had around 3 weekends 'n 10 hours back in the saddle but I was hoping to be 'up to speed' far far quicker than this
My friend says I'm doing fine, he didn't even know I could ride a bike, I think he is being polite ;)

...is there:-

a/ some sort of magic pill I can take, such as a Mk1 Scott Super Synthetic Speed Demon Pill?

b/ is time a great healer, the advice of mums all over the world!

c/ do I need therapy of some sort, I hope not, but this may get me more success with the girlies thru their sympathy!

d/ or am I just expecting too much....is it the hidden perfectionist coming out of me, this will be a first :laugh:

e/ should I find a '98 CR-125, ring it's neck and show it who da boss is, slit it's headstock open, then burn it and get back on my KDX after this sacrifice

thank you for listening auntie

 

[Chili]

At the risk of being labelled "auntie" :) I'd say relax and have some fun, it will come slowly over time. Over the years we tend to develop a common sense gene that keeps us in check. I had over 20 years off the bike until I started riding with my son and the first while I was always upset with myself about my riding or lack of jumping "cahones". As time went on I realized I needed to enjoy myself and ride to my abilities, not my son's, after that I've always enjoyed every outing.

 

[jeba6208]

You never stated your age, but there are some inevitiabilities that come with growing older. You won't be as fast and nimble as you were when you were in your 20's. When I got on my KDX after a 20 year layoff, my mind still thought I could hit it hard and stay with the go-fast boys. My body, on the other hand, knew differently and the reflexes just were not there. I work out 4 times a week HARD and look no where near my age, but the body knows......... And to top it off you now have a clear understanding of mortality with the passing of your friend, and that no doubt plays into your decision making subconsciously and consciously. I lost 3 brothers and I know I think more about "cause and effect" now when I ride. It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing..........Just enjoy the ride.....don't worry about what speed you're hitting or not hitting.........instead focus on the fact that it is an amazingly beautiful experience and priveledge to be able to suit up, jump on your 220 and take off riding with good friends.........To me there is something inherently beautiful when a man is on his motorcyle and they are working together out there in those woods.

 

[krazyinski]

You're doing fine just keep in mind that your only going 15-30 mph in the woods, its more a mater of control. buy your self a steering damper if you don't have one. ride your own pace, your friends will wait, thats what friends do, plus it gives them a break. In time you will get faster with easy and confidence. I am forty two and didn't ride for 20 years my first outing we went 20 miles I averaged hitting the ground or tree every 2 miles. A year later I am an A class over forty rider much faster then I was in my 20's. I am not dead cause its not my time and I should be about 4 times. I have done some stupid things and I learned not to do them any more. I don't ride on the street cause I cant control the throttle like the law says I should. I don't jump high any more cause the learning curve hurts two much, I keep it on the ground in the woods, I wear knee braces, good equipment and have a blast.

 

[rubbersidedown]

I don't think I can add much more to what's already been said by the previous posts, these guys pretty much nailed it. I wanted to reply because these thoughts have crossed my mind as of late.

I had the good fortune of going snowmobiling with some friends last week, we did 150miles (sorry, don't know the km conversion) and it was incredible. The sled I was on was an 05 Yamaha RX1, it's the equivelant of the R1 street bike, only on snow. These machines are rediculously fast, and equally as dangerous in the wrong hands.

After stopping for a quick bite at a trailside resaurant, we spoke with one of the locals about how the season had been, "pretty lousy" was his reply. Too little snow, and too many anxious riders resulted in the six deaths since late November. He said this like it was nothing new, or surprising. I couldn't get it out of my head that here were six people who like me, were simply out for a good time, and who's families were expecting them home.

I rode no differently then when I'm trail riding on the bike, never assuming there isn't another rider coming around a blind curve, listening to my body when my arms started to get too rubbery to hang on, and I didn't feel the need to "keep up" with the guys ahead of me everytime. It's funny, by the last day I was flying down a trail and suddnly slowed down to about a third of the speed we'd been traveling, and decided to actually take in some of the scenery. What a concept!

I've always been a mostly cautious rider, though I do love to test the limits occasionally, if we didn't, we wouldn't own bikes in the first place. Riding is a high to me, it's my "feel good" therapy, it's the thing that helps me get through a rough week of work. The woods is where I get to shed the thousand pounds of weight that I carry as a small business owner. Anyone who owns a business knows you never stop thinking about work, ever. When I'm focused on that trail ahead of me, nothing else is going through my mind, sometimes I even catch myself letting out a big Woooohoo! Even sex doesn't make me do that.

I'm a firm believer in when it's your time, it's your time, whether we choose to up the risks or not.

Get the damper, ride that sweet spot you mentioned and enjoy. We are a fortunate bunch, don't deny yourself anything, and don't let a perfectly good KDX go to waste.

 

[hockeyboy]

Go your own pace!!

Some times when your following someone else, you subconsciously worry about slowing them down. You then ride tighter and faster then you are comfortable with. All your mistakes are amplified because you are rushing to keep up with your friends. It used to happen to me. One time you should try to ride with some slower riders, and see if all of the trail obstacles seem easier. The saying goes " you've got to slow down to go fast". I hope this helps.

 

[domino dave]

[

QUOTE]Don't get me wrong, I had a great time yesterday after feeling a little nervy before the ride again, so it's not that I don't enjoy it, I didn't want to come home, when I 'hooked her up' real well and hit the 'sweet spot' it was sheer delight,

You said it all right there.... forget all the other stuff and have fun Domino

 

[COMBEN]

thanks for the advice aunties,

I forgot to add I'm 42 years young (43 on the 4th July) lean and trim (well OK skinny!) & I must of stopped riding when I was, say, 36 with 6 years on KX's and KDX's prior to that.
I was chatting to my neighbour yesterday who I used to ride with and we were laughing and taking the p**s about myself causing traffic jams around town. He asked whom and what I was riding with, he was surprised that I'm feeling the "snail on the trail", said it's "it's all relative". The rest of the group have been on the trails/mx tracks for around on 3 years that we know of and run KTM-525EXC, CRF-450 and a 'limp' CRF-250, great bunch of guys they always waited and were never p****ed at me, and hey, the 220R was the only bike that didn't suffer any maladies after fighting off an avalanche of pre-ride 2 stroke comments ;)

From the kind advice posted (many thanks) I suppose I just need to get some more time in the saddle, be a little more patient, realise that I'm not Peter Pan and just have fun..... the pace and skill will return.

cheers for now :cool:

 

[JasonRan]

jeba6208-

Well put! Your response was almost poetic! Just wanted to say that I agree 100% with what you said!

 

[Reesknight]

Great advise here and great attitudes. Its all about fun and living to ride again. With that said, you may want to think about setting up your suspension for your weight and riding style. That always makes a big difference on how fast you go and how comfortable you feel at speed. On another note, take those guys on MX bikes into some super tight, slippery single track with some rocky hillclimbs and I bet they don't seem so fast anymore! ;)

 

[Green Hornet]

COMBEN-It's called "COMMON SENSE" Relax, Have Fun & Ride ON

 

[GS]

I've always been a mostly cautious rider, though I do love to test the limits occasionally, if we didn't, we wouldn't own bikes in the first place. Riding is a high to me, it's my "feel good" therapy, it's the thing that helps me get through a rough week of work. The woods is where I get to shed the thousand pounds of weight that I carry as a small business owner. Anyone who owns a business knows you never stop thinking about work, ever. When I'm focused on that trail ahead of me, nothing else is going through my mind, sometimes I even catch myself letting out a big Woooohoo! Even sex doesn't make me do that.

Get the damper, ride that sweet spot you mentioned and enjoy. We are a fortunate bunch, don't deny yourself anything, and don't let a perfectly good KDX go to waste.

YUP! I can agree with that!! ;)