HIghway Panic Attack...HELP Please

[orlin.anderson]

I'm a newbie to street bikes. I have recently been through the BRC about a month ago. I have been riding every chance I get. I LOVE riding in town but I hear how boring it is. I commute to a nearby town where I am a college student (think Billy Madison). There are two ways to get there, one by freeway I90 and the second is on a highway and a 45 mph roads. When I get to the highway the speed limit is 55 mph and that's where the problems begin. It is slightly grooved and when I reach about 45 mph the bike feels really loose. I know its because of the grooves and I do my best to to stay calm but it doesn't work very well. I wish I could chalk it up to the grooves but I cant. When I get on the second road it isn't grooved. On both road and highway at speeds higher than 40 every little bend in the road I tense up and slow down even when there isn't a need to. It seems like every wind gust, corner, or tailgating car send me into a slight panic attack. When I am below 40 I am as comfortable as I can be. Leaning and turning are second nature until at higher speeds. I do not know how to get passed this. I am not going to give up but continue to ride..Any help would be appreciated.
-O-

[dr_bar]

Look for an advance riders course, they will help you with techniques and give you a greater skill set.

[pchast]

+1
That's good advise!

Mentoring and practice, experience, should help
you become more comfortable with your handling.

[GS_in_CO]

I think a concentrated focus on countersteering would be beneficial.
If you are tensing up on curves it's because you don't believe you're under control.
Learn how to control, practice it and ultimately you'll work your way out of the nerves.
Countersteering is how you respond to wind gusts too.

Some of these nerves will dissipate with time and experience as you learn what's not really a problem and what is. Riding all tensed up is exhausting!

[BRUMBEAR]

You can't ride scared man, calm down do what was already posted and trust your machine. If you can't then hang it up. But I am confident you can enjoy yourself with what has been posted.
Easy Does it Brother

[JackoftheGreen]

Orlin, first, welcome to the sport and to TMW. We're glad to have you. (-:

Grooved or heavily corrugated pavement can be a challenge even for experienced riders, and there's not much you can do except to learn how it 'feels' and let your bike find it's way across. Loosen your elbows and let the front wheel wander a little, and concentrate on maintaining your line without fighting that wiggle.

Ultimately the cure for your problem is just confidence. And confidence is sorta like magic potion ingredients in a video game -- a lot of the basic stuff can be bought for coin, but the real good stuff you have to venture out and find in the wild where it grows.

The confidence you can buy is all about maintaining your equipment. Good tires with good tread, inflated to the right pressure and mated to your bike with properly maintained and adjusted suspension components. Making sure your bike is well serviced and in excellent condition will allow you to TRUST your machine, just as Brumbear says.

The rest is just miles. High qualify confidence grows everywhere, you just have to go out and harvest it. Set aside half an hour every once in a while to do slow-speed parking lot maneuvers, and learn exactly where your friction point is and how to manage your throttle. And countersteering too, just as GS mentioned. Steer from the elbows, not the shoulders.

Lastly, I'll again agree with something Brumbear said -- if you find that you just can't loosen up and let go of that panic after a couple thousand miles, you need to consider giving it up. Until then, start a blog here on TMW and keep us posted, we're here to help and it's for people like you we do this. Good luck and enjoy the ride.

[orlin.anderson]

Thank you all advice and support! I may not understand what happened that day but I am happy to report that I am in a much different place. This may sound goofy or even slightly crazy but I found that chewing gum during my rides has made a huge difference. It seems to pull me out of my head and relax my posture to the point I am really beginning to enjoy my rides at 45+ mph. I have and will continue to work on my lower speed basics and clutch work. I'll keep you all posted as I progress!
Orlin

[BRUMBEAR]

Fantastic news !!! Getting some pucker moments will always happen to keep you on toes it's the way of things Just try not to let your mind wonder to much ALWAYS try to remember where you are and what your doing, that statement is for us more experienced riders even more so, ME included.
HAVE FUN OUT THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[silverwings]

Welcome to the Club. You're normal and starting out. Tight jams aren't really fun when commuting but the nice thing about a bike is you can get yourself out of a jam if you ride smart, and remember a little wrist and you are away from undesirable followers. Don't play games with dummies out there and keep your eyes moving and noticing the type of pavement and road conditions makes you a better rider. Good Luck Have Fun and Be Safe ! SilverWings

[orlin.anderson]

Yesterday I had a slight set back. I decided that I was going to go ride on a road that I have driven maybe 500 times. It has relatively tight snake curves and decent speeds (50 mph). I figured that since I felt comfortable riding 70+ and the roads I have been riding on a daily basis have some curves that I wouldn't have too much of an issue on this other road. The things I didn't take into account: Tight curves on a road much narrower than what I am used too, two to three time the traffic on this roads and the higher speeds in tight corners. Yeah I was able to complete the ride about 15 miles each way but it was a very nerve raking experience. I seemed to tighten up on every curve and had to slow to a speed that was laughable to any bicyclist...back to the drawing board...but not giving up.