NEW RIDER'S INFO

Fear is Your Friend

Author: K3 Chris Onwiler

That little voice is trying to tell you something.

 (Photos by Heavy Penny Photo)

Racetrack riding is an incredible rush but that awesome feeling is always tempered by the fear of crashing.  Believe it or not, this is a good thing.  Most riders feel that they need to work at overcoming their fear factor in order to become faster. This is not necessarily true.

Fear is the generic term used to describe your survival instinct. Without it, we fragile humans wouldn't live long. The brain assesses risk and lets you know when you're about to bite off more than you can chew. Jumping off a foot stool?  No problem. Leaping from a rooftop?  BIG problem!  The risk management program in your head uses fear to grab your attention when things get dicey. Does it seem wise to ignore this?

Some people are so afraid of drowning that they never learn to swim.  In spite of the obvious risks involved, you choose to use your motorcycle at the track while the majority of the earth's population won't even ride one on the street.  It would be safe to conclude that you already have an above-average threshold of fear. Still you'll reach a point where you want to brake later, corner faster or accelerate harder but are afraid to do so. It is time to figure out the cause of your fear.

Obviously, your ultimate concern is bodily injury.  What you need to determine is why that fear is occurring. You don't feel afraid when just cruising along because you aren't pushing any limits. Those alarm bells only sound when the pace picks up and you exceed your comfort level. Fear is an effect. What you're looking for is the cause.

At the risk of oversimplification, your fear of going faster is caused by one of two things; either you're pushing the boundaries of your skill set or you've reached the motorcycle's limit. Recognition of this situation is what makes your heart race and your mouth go dry. You've reached a cliff and your brain is warning you to avoid stepping over the edge. This is a good thing!