Help with not cornering like a pussy

[~JM~]

I wouldn't sell your FZR, you will grow into it quickly once you get over your anticipation/anxiety. You would have great fun on a smaller bike like a Ninja 250, but you would out grow it quickly. Right now you just have a healthy respect for your bike, your skill level & your desire for self preservation. Nothing wrong with that & definitely not anything to get hung up on. You're not a pussy, you're aware.

A track day with a class & an instructor will help you immeasurably, if you can afford to do that. If you cannot afford it at this time, there is no reason to avoid your bike, you just need to be selective about the rides that you go on. Find a deserted back road with some curves and run them at your comfort level while trying to pay attention to what actually happens through each turn. Then take a break under a tree, eat a snack, have some water & replay your memory of running that stretch, then go do it again & repeat. You will most likely improve just a bit each time you run the curves. If you feel like you're not improving or that you're screwing up, its time to take a break again, or stop for the day. One of the cool things about riding is that you usually learn something new & improve every time that you go out for a ride.

Good luck
~JM~

PS. I had many years of dirt bike experience before I owned a street bike. I never had much problem with the curves, but I will never forget the level of fear, anticipation & the feeling of vulnerability that I experienced the first time that I merged into traffic on the freeway.

[Harrysf707]

Update:

So, yesterday I took the bike out to the beach on some fairly twisty roads w/ some long turns in there as well (38 miles one way). I did better, as I was able to take corners more smoothly than I used to. And I started to notice something that I was subconsciously doing, and never realized it; I was target fixating. If or when I'm about to run wide, or if I didn't scrub off enough speed for my entry, SR#1 (rolling off the throttle) kicks in, then SR#5 (Steering in the direction of the fixed attention). I noticed that I was target fixating during a somewhat high-speed wide/long turn (doing 75 mph). It was then that I realized if I look further ahead/ physically force myself to lift my head and strain it out and point my face, not my eyes towards the exit of the corner, the bike would then tighten up in the corners and not run wide. So I tried it again on the next sharp corner and wow, was there a difference. The bike was so much more easier to lean and I wasn't going as wide. My entry speed slowed down a fair bit, but that doesn't matter. It was kinda the "EUREKA" moment for me. Thinking I was looking through the corners when I actually wasn't.... Still got lots to practice though...still need to figure out the best line to take and how to properly setup for the corner...

PS:

Today I riding home from college, and decided to take a more scenic/rural route. I was riding along peacefully (~50 MPH) when an SUV driven by a teenage girl, texting (I know right?) on the opposite lane. When she makes an left hand turn with NO blinkers on . She was basically 20-25 meters in front of me. I panicked and grabbed the brakes, I haven't ever braked that hard in my life, first time I got the rear wheel up off the ground (probably just an inch or so) ...scared the crap out of me. Barley missed hitting her rear bumper too...

[~JM~]

"...still need to figure out the best line to take and how to properly setup for the corner..."

Here let me fix that sentence for you... It should read.

...still need to figure out the best line to take and how to properly setup for the NEXT corner...

Good job on the braking... You must remain ever vigilant around other vehicles.

Good luck
~JM~