How do you tame the inner beast?
The need for speed?
The inner throttle junkie?
All of us fit somewhere on the spectrum between mild and wild!
Or Mr Safety versus the adrenaline junkie.
Mr Safety doesn't worry about the inner beast.
It's safely locked away in the dungeon.
And the adrenaline junkie usually doesn't worry about injuries.
It's just the cost of getting those thrills!
In between there are riders like me who like some risk-taking, but we don't like the injuries.
Over 20 years, I have been trying to tame the inner beast
a bit more after each accident... multiple lower leg fractures,
multiple foot fractures, and most recently three fractured vertebrae.
Of course, if you are Mr Safety, you will be fine.
You probably get all the risks you need by changing your radiator fluid... I am envious!
Apart from just the injuries, it can be really
important to tame that inner beast for other reasons.
Does your family rely on your income or your parenting?
Can you afford to lose 6 months income after a serious injury?
Would you have the emotional resilience to cope with a terrible outcome
such as being a paraplegic?
So let's have a look at a few strategies for taming the inner beast.
Your comfort zone! A very useful
concept from the guys at Traction eRag. Bang in the
middle, it's safe and not tiring. There's plenty of time
to smell the roses and take in the scenery. It's easy to focus
on good riding technique, but possibly boring for the thrill
seekers. On the edge of your comfort zone? Hopefully you're
getting your thrills but without too much risk. If
you're trying to become a better rider, it allows you to
further your skills. But of course you might wet yourself
or leave skid marks in your pants.
And outside the comfort zone... much higher chance of crashing,
an injury, a good chance you will tire fast, and your riding
technique will probably fly out the window. Massive fun of
course, but you will probably soil yourself and shake your
head afterwards, promising to take it easier in the future....
...maybe.
The main idea is to always know how much risk you are taking
and how much you plan on taking each ride. This simple concept
does make it easier for some of us to get the thrills versus
risk balance right. What are some other options for taming
the inner beast? Get your thrills from racing, then chill
out for everyday riding. For example, some road riders go
crazy at track days, then ride more sedately during the week.
Choose your type of motorsport... many of us stop road riding
after too many close calls with a big accident and bad drivers
make it a form of Russian roulette. Generally, the slower
the sport, the safer it will be. E.g. trials riders
can take big risks with comparatively little chance of
injury and my riding group has chosen hard enduro for the same
reason. You can get your thrills and challenge, but with much
slower riding. Choose your. Riding buddies! If you ride with
a bunch of nutters, that ain't going to help, especially if
they ride faster than you and you are always playing catch up.
On a similar note, resist peer group pressure. If you hang
with more experienced riders, learn to say "no!" when you know
it's getting too risky. They might say things like "come on
you Wimp get into it!" as a joke, but peer group pressure is a
powerful thing. Stand up for yourself. Don't buy a bike
that's too big for you. unless you are very skilled. A lighter
bike with less power will usually suit you better. I know
plenty of middle-aged guys who love revving a smaller capacity
bike to the max as a way to get their thrills without the
insane speed. Protective gear? Good gear can reduce your
chances of serious injury. The more you ride outside your
comfort zone. the better your gear needs to be, and you should
be checking out the full range of body armor available.
Know yourself! Are you often impulsive and don't think about
consequences? Do you struggle with anxiety or depression and
going nuts on a motorbike helps you temporarily forget
your inner demons Examine why you like to go hard and make
sure you are making sensible decisions when it comes to risk
taking. Sometimes we might just choose not to ride. For example,
I rode dirt bikes as a teenager, but I deliberately
did not get a motorbike license until I was in my 30s. I knew I
would take too many risks as a road rider in my 20s and
potentially get killed. Even in my early 50s, I stopped
adventure riding for a while. I wasn't happy with the risks I
was taking. After a 5 year break, I have finally started
slowing down and enjoying the scenery. Are you an ultra safe
rider or a thrill seeker? Hopefully we can all find that
perfect balance of thrills versus chill!