Ah, my triumphant return to the column. Last month, as surely some of you didn’t notice, my column was absent from our April issue of Ultimate Motorcycling. Associate Editor Gary Ilminen took up the reigns with a guest spot and filled my proverbial boots quite well.
Unfortunately, your humble motorcycle scribe had fallen ill with what I’m told was an exciting and rare form of influenza Type A that hasn’t been widely seen since 2009. My healthcare provider was curiously excited about this revelation and felt the need to tell me with entirely too much enthusiasm. Sadly, I felt too miserable to enjoy the hipness of having an obscure virus.
Naturally, that relegated me to the couch for a bit, and while doctors assured me it wasn’t life-threatening, they did promise me that it would be a less-than-desirable experience. They were right. It thoroughly and unapologetically sucked.
There is a silver lining to this whole experience. In the age of Instagram health gurus and internet health coaches, I wonder why they haven’t hit upon my newfound weight loss program: contracting rare viruses and barely eating for over a week. It will slim you down rapidly, although there are a few side effects. Never mind the muscle loss.
We’ve all seen Steven Spielberg’s chilling cautionary tale, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, in which a hapless alien suffers the slings and arrows of an oppressive government while attempting to invoke Squatter’s Rights in a disused backyard shed. In doing so, our frumpy, grey protagonist causes suburban panic and is forced to subsist on Reese’s Pieces stolen from an annoying child. It’s a tale as old as time and one that every average American can identify with personally. Editor’s Note: This is a profoundly questionable film interpretation.
Anyway, I sort of looked like that creature when it was all said and done. My voice began to sound like E.T.’s garbled grunts, and the transformation was complete. What does this have to do with motorcycles? Not much, but what happened afterward does.
Now that Spring is in full swing and most of the country is released from Old Man Winter’s icy grasp, those of the motorcycling persuasion have donned their leather outfits and are now taking to the streets once again. The seasonal migration into scenic routes for two-wheeled adventurers is part of nature. It has more to do with where you call home than anything, but you get the idea.
I loaded up my Ninja 400 racebike to spin some much-needed laps to get back in the swing of things. Well, friends, after traveling and being laid up for a notable period, I can tell you that cobwebs had quickly formed. More accurately, I was out of shape. Within a few sessions on a warm Southern Californian day under my belt, I already felt it in every muscle group on my body.
It made sense. Taking time off from the gym will do that, but so too, will recovery from any illness. And that got me thinking: Riders hitting the road for the first time in months won’t be at their peak. Our eyes, reactions, and reactions will take a bit of dusting off.
In my case, I’d only taken a few weeks off the bike. So, I wasn’t in the same boat as our friends in the Great White North, who can be subjected to an extremely limited riding season. As a native Californian, we only truly shut down the racetrack riding season for a handful of weeks at best, and even then, you can get your fix somewhere. This was kind of a new experience for me, honestly.
Looking at my times was another blow in confidence. I was how far off? The absolute nerve of this virus! And when frustration sets in, so do the mistakes. Rushing corners, not looking far enough ahead, over-braking; these things cascade and build.
When it wasn’t coming together after the first handful of laps, it was time for a different approach. For that, relying on good fundamentals was necessary: inputs and vision. Reset, breathe, and focus on ensuring all those elements are coming together.
Things came back rapidly. Soon, I was comfortable on the bike, running lap times that were up to snuff with what I’d done in the past. All was well. Still, these are things to consider as we all run out the door and get out on the road.
Anyway, as we all start hitting the road this riding season, or even after a few weeks off, take the time to feel things out, don’t rush it, and it’ll return to you.
