One step forward, two steps back

I picked up a Scorpa SY250 earlier this year for plonking around in the backyard and adjacent woods. I have a few play obstacles out in the yard and had been riding weekly for a while. I wasn't getting "good" but I was getting better. All of the stuff I'd been ignoring while riding weekly caught up to me, and I'm going 2 or 3 weeks between rides now. It's remarkable how much trouble I'm having with stuff that was very recently easy.

This sport sure is good at pointing out what I don't do well on a motorcycle.

My advice is to find a buddy or two that are somewhat experienced, and learn.

I also plonked around for several months before I found some locals to show me the ropes, and quickly gained much valuable experience. I didn't know I had been doing EVERYTHING wrong!

Wonderful advice. Unfortunately, I've been looking for several years now and not found anyone. I did compete in a semi-local vintage event a few years back and got a few pointers. I did about a year of yard plonking a few years ago, but had less time then and rode even less. I also re-watch my RYP video pretty regularly to keep myself on track. That bastard makes it all look so simple.

There are people within a couple of hours who ride trials, but one of the main reasons I bought another trials bike was to be able to ride at home and not have to drive 2-3 hours everytime I want to ride off-road. Driving to ride with others negates that benefit. I'm thinking I'm going to have to make an exception sooner or later.

But it's not so much what I'm doing right or wrong as it is me noticing how far backwards I've slipped by not riding weekly. I can go six months without riding my dirt bike and not slip this far back. Of course, if I were at a similar place on the learning curve I'd probably be in the same situation. The simple solution is that I have to find a way to ride more often.

If you want to get better at Trials, you will have to cave in and make the drive. Watching the RYP video gives you an idea of what you are supposed to do, riding with experienced guys has the advantage of having them point out what you are doing wrong.

Plus, it's fun!

For me, even if I rode daily, some days are going to be better than others. I use to practice balance almost daily. Some days my balance would be great, the next it would be terrible. Eventually over time, it gets better. But, I'll still have bad balance days. I think that's just part of doing a sport that takes a lot of technique and skill.

While I'm not one of the experienced guys, it IS a lot of fun pointing out what Brewtus is doing wrong...

You and everyone else.

Again, this is all very true. I'm well aware that I can find folks to ride with if I drive a little, and sooner or later I'll get around to it. I've driven a LOT to ride in my life. Flown places to ride a couple of times too. Right now, I'm enjoying how the trials bike makes my couple of acres at home a great riding area.

How did this go from "It's sorta funny how much my skills regress when I take a couple of weeks off" to "lets all convince him to start driving several hours to ride?"

It's all good. The advice to ride with others is truly good advice. Getting better is part of the fun, but fun is the primary focus. Fortunately, a side effect of spending time on the bike and having fun is getting better.

I'm not trying to accomplish anything with this thread - just enjoying a chuckle at my seemingly degrading riding abilities.

I see you dont need any advice, so I am just going to reply with reassurance that we've all been there. And like Leanin said, some days are better than others.

I will dare to recommend though, if you are even slightly serious about getting better, ya might try a camcorder to film yourself doing some of the techniques, and compare to RYP's videos, that could help a bunch and possibly prevent getting bad habits. Not that I think you have bad habits, but there is sometimes a difference to what you thought you did, and what you did on a bike... If you have a good critical eye, you might see why day one felt good, next {ride} day it didnt? Just a thought.

Best of luck.

Oh, he has bad habits. Yes he needs lots of advice too. uuhh, thats me I'm talking about.

A very good rider and coach recently told my kids, "You know how a gorilla looks," and he demonstrated the bowed legs and loose arms, butt kinda low. The kids (seven-year-olds) knew exactly what he meant. He said, "ride like a gorilla."

You guys are killing me. I never said that I didn't need advice or wouldn't benefit from pointers from someone with more experience. I have stated repeatedly that I agree with that advice. And I've stated that I'll get around to it. I'm quite sure that I'm doing everything wrong.

But I like not having to load up and drive. I like being able to ride a little, play with the kids, ride some more, etc. I like having a good ride in less time than it takes to get to the places I ride my other bikes. I'm happy using my trials bike the way that suits me.

Since you all feel so strongly about it, I promise that I'll make an effort to get out and ride with other real live trials riders soon. Can't say exactly how soon, but I'll work on it.

Oh, and I have a confession. I did ride my trials bike with another trials rider this past July. And I drove more than 500 miles each way to do it. Don't tell anyone! :eek1

I don't know that I'd say I'm serious about getting better, but I think it would stop being fun if there wasn't any potential to improve. I enjoy improving my own skills, just for the sake of improving. I have no desire to compete, but I certainly do enjoy when I can see practice paying off. And I'm sure there's a huge difference between what I think I'm doing and what's really happening. My wife has watched the RYP vid with me and has been kind enough to point out an error or two.

Re: the camcorder - I almost beat you to it. I dug it out Sunday, but the thought of going through the unmarked tapes (what idiot didn't label them?) or finding an empty memory card was too much and I went riding instead. Someone suggested that to me a while back and I've been meaning to do it since.

Since my last injury, which sent me to the ER with a couple of broken ribs and bruised lung, I've vowed (to myself) to take it easy on the trials bike....never intended to compete anyway.

These days, most of my trials riding/practice also involves our 1.5 acres, which is littered with boulders/fields of boulders from 1-30 feet tall....zillions of 'em, as well as lotsa nice ditches and culverts, homemade obstacles and stuff. I spend a great deal of time several hundred feet from the garage, just practicing my balance, lock to lock turns, etc....I find it quite entertaining, and I have little worry about being able to go to work the next day.

The stuff I learned, and continue to learn, from the local "good" riders has benefited me a great deal, but I hear where you're coming from. It's all FUN!

Oh, and what's RYP's videos, if I may?

First one,


https://secure.rypusa.com/prodpage.cfm?cat_selected=84&product_selected=84&startrow=1



Second one, for more advanced riders,


https://secure.rypusa.com/prodpage.cfm?cat_selected=84&product_selected=323&startrow=1




Enjoy!

Nice . Your a lucky man. I try and ride around my driveway in Phoenix and I get the evil eye from my neighbors...

With proper preparation, the neighbors could be good obstacles.