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That little voice -- it comes before the pride that comes before a fall
By David Dirig

You've all heard that little voice -- It doesn't just relate to riding a motorcycle; it relates to all aspects of life where confidence sometimes outweighs common sense. The tough part is recognizing that voice and responding to it in the proper way. We've all heard it: you think -- "Joe took that curve at this speed; I should be able to" -- that little voice says "Ride your own ride; I think we're going a little fast" You think that you can continue on for just another 50 miles for tonight so we'll make better time in the morning. This little voice says "Hmmm, if you're tired enough to be thinking about stopping, why are we pushing our luck for a measly hour tomorrow?" Which voice will you listen to? I encourage you to listen to that little voice; it could save you a lot of pain and misery.

I had an experience this last month where I listened to the little voice, but then I let pride/ego make me ignore it. This all stemmed from the last PLP, which was a rousing success. We had a number of new people there, and we had a lot of fun. We even had the co-riders up with the riders for some of the exercises, but that's another story.

The relevance to the little voice came at the end of the PLP. I had been on the parking lot since ~8AM setting things up and playing on my own. Everybody came in about 10, and we played on the course until about noon. We ended up with the 25 foot circle, which is the most difficult skill we have been doing lately. To make a long story short, Joyce asked me if I would like to try her Valkyrie in the tight circle. I hesitated, but then agreed because I felt that I could do it, and I wanted to show everyone that a longer wheel-base bike could still make a 25 foot circle (Take note: one of my goals this year is to see CA-1F take all the classes of the skills games at least at the CA District Rally, if not others as well!). I took the bike around the lot; it felt different, heavier, lower, and MUCH more powerful than my Wing. I had a good feel for it and "confidence was high." I pulled up into the box and did two tight circles inside the 25 ft square.

"Not bad, I pulled it off!" I said. "Yes," the little voice said. "Now park this beast while you're successful. You've been going all day, and you know you were surprised you did as well as you did." I agreed, pulled up, put the side stand down and killed the engine. Now pride/ego rears its ugly head. Everybody is reaching for their cameras and wanting me to do it again from the other direction. I reach for the starter, and I really don't know what the little voice was saying; my pride had drowned it out. I pulled out again to do another circle; got into the first turn and dropped Joyce's bike.

I don't have words for the feelings as I relive that moment. Remorse, shame, guilt, anger at my own pridefulness, stupidity, and egotism. Did I really think that I had a feel for a completely different model of motorcycle after taking it around the parking lot once!!?? Joyce's bike has won several bike shows and had not been down in the 38,000 miles she has had it. Now some hooligan is showing off and ends up grinding her chrome into the asphalt!? Many will say; hey it could have been worse, which is true. My point is that if I had listened to that little voice and stopped (or never started to begin with), things could have been much better. SO learn from my pain, and listen to that little voice. Had I listened, I wouldn't have damaged a friend's bike or hurt my back in the process of dropping it. Humiliating, yes, but it was a learning experience, and pride/ego regenerates (sometimes too quickly). Painful, yes, but my back has healed; Joyce's chrome will not.

So, the next time you're tired or unsure of yourself, and that little voice pipes up, Listen to it! I've heard instructors say that riding a motorcycle is up to 90% mental, so listen to that voice of common sense. Whether its riding when you're tired, test riding a different machine, or any other aspect of riding where you hesitate and hear that little voice of common sense, heed its warning. If I had listened to it, I would be writing a much different more up-beat article this month. However, don't let my breast beating and lamentation scare anyone away from the PLP's, this had nothing to do with the parking lot practice and everything to do with my learning a painful, but much needed lesson.

As always, Ride Safe and COAST

David Dirig