Ever have one of those days...

[billyboy]

...when you feel as if you just learned to ride? Every once in a while (like yesterday on my way home from work) it just seems like the bike isn't cooperating - not just the Nomad because I would have those days on other motorcycles. Like my command of the bike is diminished.

Yesterday, for example, the brakes felt grabby, the bike was squirrelly when coming to a stop, my shifting was sloppy - nothing felt right. Normally, I come to a nice smooth stop and put my foot down right at the moment the bike stops. But nooooo. I felt off-balance and needed to correct as I slowed. My heel caught the edge of the floorboard as I tried to step down. I wasn't anticipating the distance to stop and had to grab too much brake at the end.

Oddly enough, my trip TO work was fine - same this morning. I thought perhaps the amount of fuel on board changed the behavior of the bike - and I think that's true - but my trip this morning was fine.

Just wondering if anyone else has "those days."

[desertdog]

I have them once in awhile. It just seems like I get a little out of sync with the bike, and handling it seems to be a chore, everything is just a little off, I grab the brake too much, or get a little off balance at a stop.

Sometimes it feels like I am just learning to ride.

But then again when I get in the groove, and everything is flowing, I become one with the bike and it is pure joy. The bike responds to my every move, and it seems we don't ride, we float on air.

[dantama]

Yup, I have days that are a little off and things aren't in sync like usual. I've never figured out what the deal with that is. I've ridden pissed off and have done just fine, I've been tired and done fine, hungry, annoyed, etc. But sometimes on just a regular day the brakes are grabby at the end of a stop, I look sloppy putting a foot down and it becomes a stab to keep my balance, not a gentle place it down.

Don't know if I'll ever get the answer on what is going on with those rare off days. You're not the only one.

[chainsaw]

Not the only one for sure.. I have also had days when I felt like a fire hydrant and all my friends were dogs. You ever have one of those?

[zoom45]

I have done that too. Luckily, before I get too far from home I realized I probably need to go back home and take the cage. I dropped my bike in the driveway twice in one day (once on each side and I haven't been drinking.) It was just one of those days.
Zoom45

[billyboy]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

Yup, I have days that are a little off and things aren't in sync like usual. I've never figured out what the deal with that is. I've ridden pissed off and have done just fine, I've been tired and done fine, hungry, annoyed, etc. But sometimes on just a regular day the brakes are grabby at the end of a stop, I look sloppy putting a foot down and it becomes a stab to keep my balance, not a gentle place it down.

Don't know if I'll ever get the answer on what is going on with those rare off days. You're not the only one.

Yesterday I made an effort to focus on my handling of the bike and I felt in command. The day before it seemed as if someone loosened half the bolts and let the air out of the tires!

[billyboy]

Originally Posted by zoom45

I have done that too. Luckily, before I get too far from home I realized I probably need to go back home and take the cage. I dropped my bike in the driveway twice in one day (once on each side and I haven't been drinking.) It was just one of those days.
Zoom45

What's weird is that as soon as I notice that my stop at the traffic light or stop sign was sloppy, I'll concentrate on the next one, but it is no better. It's as if the bike is rock solid most days, but a bag of bolts sometimes.

[bobhamlin]

You might want to note if there are any patterns, guys.

There've been rumors that men have their "time," just no obvious, irrefutable indication that specifically time-stamps a particular point in a monthly cycle.

Anyway-- yes, at times, I wonder how I've made it this far on motorcycles and can feel so out of the zone.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I think if we admit it, we have all had those days. It is probably the mind set we are having on that particular day. Things such as stopping and not putting the sidestand down. I haven't done that with the Nomad but did it with a Honda 650 I owned. I was on my way to Forest, Mississippi to trade it for a 1983 Goldwing and stopped at a service station before I got there started to get off and there it went over on its left side. No harm done and I righted it and went on over and did the trade.

[mikestorm]

The few times I've had that feeling (and it's typically sooner rather than later) I turn right around and go home.

[jd01]

Could it be that our biorhythm is off for that day? Anyway, that's what I blame it on when I have one of those days.

[billyboy]

Originally Posted by mikestorm

The few times I've had that feeling (and it's typically sooner rather than later) I turn right around and go home.

Well, so far the kinds of weird behavior I'm talking about has never come close to making me want to turn around and head home. I'm not talking about having this experience as a result of fatigue or stress - it's just a day when the bike seems to have a mind of its own and there's no explanation.

[pagemastr]

Happens here too! Most notably when I am tired after a long ride but also on occasion my regular passenger will ask what is wrong with me as she catches on just by how fast I stop at a light.

To top it off, the more I try to concentrate on making my riding smoother, the worse it gets, until I get to where I stop trying to correct it... to just ride the darn bike, and all seems to get better after that.

Now I wonder if it doesan't have something to do with it being her time... naahhhh

[billyboy]

Originally Posted by Jack C.

To top it off, the more I try to concentrate on making my riding smoother, the worse it gets, until I get to where I stop trying to correct it... to just ride the darn bike, and all seems to get better after that.

Yeah...over-thinking. I just took the MSF Experienced Rider Course and found that, on a couple of the exercises, I got worse instead of better the more I repeated the exercise. Thinking about it too much.

[Sin City Stan]

Same here. Some days I just can't ride worth a damn. No matter how hard I try. Can't really blame it on the bike, it's me.

Good thing it doesn't happen too often.