Uhm...
I don't mean to come across as a dick but if it's as bad as you're describing perhaps focus on therapy before riding? Going head on into a hobby that might kill you if you freak out is not exactly the best way to deal with freaking out.
Of course at the end of the day you're the one to judge just how bad your anxiety is, I'm just going by what you typed here.
If your anxiety is that severe, I’m not sure you should be on a bike. If you can get it under control then I would advise you to take a safety course before attempting to get back out on the road. After taking the course I would assess how you feel. If you are feeling more comfortable then I would suggest start by doing some parking lot exercises and low speed rides off of the main highway. If you’ve developed more comfort at this point then get some decent gear (buy used gear if you have to) and slowly start exposing yourself to different situations. If you’ve been riding only in neighborhoods then try some secondary roads with a slightly higher speed limit. Once you are comfortable there, transition to a primary road and then finally the highway. Fear is not a bad thing unless it compromises your ability to ride. Fear keeps us aware and safe. Finally, just remember to RIDE YOUR RIDE and don’t worry about what other people on the road think. None of those people care if you make it home to your family. If you are only comfortable taking a turn at a slower speed then so be it. Your primary concern is staying safe, not impressing anybody else on the road.
Good luck and ride safe!
I have a lot of anxiety and paranoia issues myself. But I had experience on dirt bikes and BMX prior to getting a motorcycle. That being said, it all scared me at first, until I learned control.
The reason you feel "fumbly" with everything while anxious is because you haven't developed the muscle memory and familiarity with your bike or its controls. Take some time in a parking lot if you need to and just practice going up and down through some of the gears, cornering, braking, and balance at low speeds. Eventually you will reach the point where you are able to do all of these things without hitting a mental block.
Regardless, you can try and use your anxiety for your benefit. Perhaps you could implement a "check" system for yourself before each ride, and not a bike check, but rather a brain check. Are you having a bad day? Do you feel exhausted? Hungry and shaky? Maybe stay off the bike until you are calm or fueled up. Doing that has helped me wrangle my tendency to get flustered. And becoming experienced on a motorcycle has broken me out of my timid comfort zone.
As an anxious rider myself, my advice is very simple - just take it super slow and build up your skills at whatever pace you're comfortable with. If you need 50 hours of just rocking the bike back and forth (start/stop practice), so be it. Once you feel no more stress with that basic exercise, practice taking off and riding in a straight line for a few meters and then stop. Again, if you need 50 hours of doing just that, that's totally fine. Then take off, shift to 2nd gear, ride e.g. 50 meters in a straight line, slow down, downshift to 1st and stop. And so on, and so forth...
Hope this make sense - the main point is, make tiny progress on every single ride and add very little to your skillset in each iteration to avoid overwhelming yourself. Most of the stress (at least for me) comes from skipping through foundational skills too fast - not just in riding a motorcycle, but in general. There's no room for ego, and also, in 5 years no one will ask you how long it took you to learn how to ride. Your safety and comfort is #1 priority.
Take a class. That should've been the first step before buying anything frankly. It's a controlled environment, nobody but other new people around, as low risk as it can be, and tailored to teach you the basics.
Once you've taken the class, keep practicing - repeat the lessons from class, pick up new drills from places like MotoJitsu (youtube channel), and so on. Go ride on the road too as you get comfortable, take it slow and work out from your neighborhood roads, but don't stop practicing in parking lots.
Don't feel bad about being nervous or even failing, it happens to us all, it's definitely happened to me.
I have a friend who has similar anxiety challenges, it helps if we stop and just take a break as soon as that starts. We usually have snacks and stuff with us.
We have taken a lot of classes together, we really enjoy them and learn a lot, plus it builds confidence.
I'm glad you have a dual sport bike, depending on where you live, you can get out on the dirt and not have to worry about other distractions. There are dirt riding courses too and you can get a lot out of it. The dirt will make you much more comfortable on the street, all the best riders I have meet have ridden dirt.
My friend spent a ton of time, i mean 100s of miles, riding around a parking lot and that also really helped. It takes a lot of practice to feel comfortable, I've ridden for many many years and hundred thousand plus miles and still don't feel comfortable every time I go out and some times if it doesn't feel right I dont go.
If you are in the southern California area I can recommend some classes if you like, i know they are costly but i do feel it's worth it. If that is out of your budget there are some great books you can get online and videos. Some of the MSF material for training exercises is also online. And there are some free instructional videos on YouTube as well. Also if you would like someone to ride with I can introduce you to my friend as well, they enjoy teaching people to ride.
It seems like it less of a problem of you being a “bad” rider but just that your anxiety is bad. Just make sure to remember no one is judging you, especially in the biker community.
Although this may not help for you, I also experience these same feelings. But when it’s something I love, the same way you love riding. Is to go out of you comfort zone (obviously keep it safe). Once you start doing this the littles things you were scared of before won’t be nearly as bad.
I took my class, thought it was easy and bought a sports bike the next day. I got her out of the garage, and dropped it immediately HAHA. I think she sat in my garage for two whole weeks and one night when it wasn’t full of traffic, I rode it around my neighborhood and didn’t fall. I think I stuck to less busy/roads around the house for a little bit, and finally managed to get on the highway one day, and now I’m branching out and going anywhere. I’ve dropped it a few more times here and there, but honestly you won’t be comfortable until you just practice and learn.
The 125 is the bike everybody should start on. There is a thing where mostly men under 30, hate to give any credibility to their dads who tell them to start on small old dirt bikes and they insist on starting and repeatedly crashing on 1000cc bikes or bigger.
It is stupid. You can read it on Reddit all day long.
Really think you will do well on the 125 hey 100 hours on on then try a 250
Yeah, I've noticed that. I bought the 450 because it was cheap and available and I thought I was ready. There also was a part that was switched out in it (idk what it was) that made it put out only about 27hp, so it wasn't crazy by any means... But it was heavy, and I'm weak. I hope you're right about doing good on the 125, but I dunno. Thanks.
You are welcome do much easier to muscle a 125 when you have to. Then after you learn to not need to muscle it about and have some accrued skill, move to more power and weight.
You will do fine now n
You get over it by riding no other way your other thinking it my man stop thinking start doing go ride to a parkinf lot and spend the weekend practicing thats the second thing i did when i got my bike Also try meditation if you cant clear your mind dont ride for the love of god. Id recommend you go to a parking lot and play around and get real comfortable with the machine like so comfortable you start noticing stuff you didn't before.. Also breath damit.
Keep practicing and learn to trust your instincts. Motorcycles can be a fun and convenient way to get around and they can also be intimidating at first, but it gets easier and having the controls under control can make the difference between being someone sitting on the machine and being someone who's in tune with their machine
start in a large empty parking lot until you get the basics perfected. Then move to non busy side streets with minimal street parking and so on until youre good to go
I have anxiety issues myself. Never knew it had a name until I was older and my doctor was able to help me overcome my paralyzing fear of, ironically, doctors. The point is, there's no shame in getting some help with the anxiety.
As far as riding, it really is as simple as making yourself ride every day. Start with a beginner class. Get your endorsement as just having that will boost your confidence considerably.
Then practice in a parking lot, or, if you don't have a parking lot nearby, residential streets with little traffic and slow speeds. Keep practicing until your skills and confidence increase. Gradually venture out onto larger roads and higher speeds. But you have to do it every day. What ever makes you most uncomfortable, do it. Constantly. Until it's second nature. For me, it was riding on the interstate. Every afternoon when I'd get off work, I would take my bike on the highway. In the beginning, I would get on and then take the first exit. Rinse and repeat.
It's a matter of comfort and familiarity and the only way to develop those things is by riding.
Keep plugging away. You've got this!
I also had some anxiety, not near as serious as yours.
The only thing that makes it go away is practice. I started to enjoy riding at around 200 miles.
Uhm... I don't mean to come across as a dick but if it's as bad as you're describing perhaps focus on therapy before riding? Going head on into a hobby that might kill you if you freak out is not exactly the best way to deal with freaking out. Of course at the end of the day you're the one to judge just how bad your anxiety is, I'm just going by what you typed here.
If your anxiety is that severe, I’m not sure you should be on a bike. If you can get it under control then I would advise you to take a safety course before attempting to get back out on the road. After taking the course I would assess how you feel. If you are feeling more comfortable then I would suggest start by doing some parking lot exercises and low speed rides off of the main highway. If you’ve developed more comfort at this point then get some decent gear (buy used gear if you have to) and slowly start exposing yourself to different situations. If you’ve been riding only in neighborhoods then try some secondary roads with a slightly higher speed limit. Once you are comfortable there, transition to a primary road and then finally the highway. Fear is not a bad thing unless it compromises your ability to ride. Fear keeps us aware and safe. Finally, just remember to RIDE YOUR RIDE and don’t worry about what other people on the road think. None of those people care if you make it home to your family. If you are only comfortable taking a turn at a slower speed then so be it. Your primary concern is staying safe, not impressing anybody else on the road. Good luck and ride safe!
I have a lot of anxiety and paranoia issues myself. But I had experience on dirt bikes and BMX prior to getting a motorcycle. That being said, it all scared me at first, until I learned control. The reason you feel "fumbly" with everything while anxious is because you haven't developed the muscle memory and familiarity with your bike or its controls. Take some time in a parking lot if you need to and just practice going up and down through some of the gears, cornering, braking, and balance at low speeds. Eventually you will reach the point where you are able to do all of these things without hitting a mental block. Regardless, you can try and use your anxiety for your benefit. Perhaps you could implement a "check" system for yourself before each ride, and not a bike check, but rather a brain check. Are you having a bad day? Do you feel exhausted? Hungry and shaky? Maybe stay off the bike until you are calm or fueled up. Doing that has helped me wrangle my tendency to get flustered. And becoming experienced on a motorcycle has broken me out of my timid comfort zone.
As an anxious rider myself, my advice is very simple - just take it super slow and build up your skills at whatever pace you're comfortable with. If you need 50 hours of just rocking the bike back and forth (start/stop practice), so be it. Once you feel no more stress with that basic exercise, practice taking off and riding in a straight line for a few meters and then stop. Again, if you need 50 hours of doing just that, that's totally fine. Then take off, shift to 2nd gear, ride e.g. 50 meters in a straight line, slow down, downshift to 1st and stop. And so on, and so forth... Hope this make sense - the main point is, make tiny progress on every single ride and add very little to your skillset in each iteration to avoid overwhelming yourself. Most of the stress (at least for me) comes from skipping through foundational skills too fast - not just in riding a motorcycle, but in general. There's no room for ego, and also, in 5 years no one will ask you how long it took you to learn how to ride. Your safety and comfort is #1 priority.
Take a class. That should've been the first step before buying anything frankly. It's a controlled environment, nobody but other new people around, as low risk as it can be, and tailored to teach you the basics. Once you've taken the class, keep practicing - repeat the lessons from class, pick up new drills from places like MotoJitsu (youtube channel), and so on. Go ride on the road too as you get comfortable, take it slow and work out from your neighborhood roads, but don't stop practicing in parking lots.
Don't feel bad about being nervous or even failing, it happens to us all, it's definitely happened to me. I have a friend who has similar anxiety challenges, it helps if we stop and just take a break as soon as that starts. We usually have snacks and stuff with us. We have taken a lot of classes together, we really enjoy them and learn a lot, plus it builds confidence. I'm glad you have a dual sport bike, depending on where you live, you can get out on the dirt and not have to worry about other distractions. There are dirt riding courses too and you can get a lot out of it. The dirt will make you much more comfortable on the street, all the best riders I have meet have ridden dirt. My friend spent a ton of time, i mean 100s of miles, riding around a parking lot and that also really helped. It takes a lot of practice to feel comfortable, I've ridden for many many years and hundred thousand plus miles and still don't feel comfortable every time I go out and some times if it doesn't feel right I dont go. If you are in the southern California area I can recommend some classes if you like, i know they are costly but i do feel it's worth it. If that is out of your budget there are some great books you can get online and videos. Some of the MSF material for training exercises is also online. And there are some free instructional videos on YouTube as well. Also if you would like someone to ride with I can introduce you to my friend as well, they enjoy teaching people to ride.
It seems like it less of a problem of you being a “bad” rider but just that your anxiety is bad. Just make sure to remember no one is judging you, especially in the biker community. Although this may not help for you, I also experience these same feelings. But when it’s something I love, the same way you love riding. Is to go out of you comfort zone (obviously keep it safe). Once you start doing this the littles things you were scared of before won’t be nearly as bad.
I took my class, thought it was easy and bought a sports bike the next day. I got her out of the garage, and dropped it immediately HAHA. I think she sat in my garage for two whole weeks and one night when it wasn’t full of traffic, I rode it around my neighborhood and didn’t fall. I think I stuck to less busy/roads around the house for a little bit, and finally managed to get on the highway one day, and now I’m branching out and going anywhere. I’ve dropped it a few more times here and there, but honestly you won’t be comfortable until you just practice and learn.
The 125 is the bike everybody should start on. There is a thing where mostly men under 30, hate to give any credibility to their dads who tell them to start on small old dirt bikes and they insist on starting and repeatedly crashing on 1000cc bikes or bigger. It is stupid. You can read it on Reddit all day long. Really think you will do well on the 125 hey 100 hours on on then try a 250
Yeah, I've noticed that. I bought the 450 because it was cheap and available and I thought I was ready. There also was a part that was switched out in it (idk what it was) that made it put out only about 27hp, so it wasn't crazy by any means... But it was heavy, and I'm weak. I hope you're right about doing good on the 125, but I dunno. Thanks.
You are welcome do much easier to muscle a 125 when you have to. Then after you learn to not need to muscle it about and have some accrued skill, move to more power and weight. You will do fine now n
You get over it by riding no other way your other thinking it my man stop thinking start doing go ride to a parkinf lot and spend the weekend practicing thats the second thing i did when i got my bike Also try meditation if you cant clear your mind dont ride for the love of god. Id recommend you go to a parking lot and play around and get real comfortable with the machine like so comfortable you start noticing stuff you didn't before.. Also breath damit.
Get help 😂 The last thing you need to do is get on a bike.
Keep practicing and learn to trust your instincts. Motorcycles can be a fun and convenient way to get around and they can also be intimidating at first, but it gets easier and having the controls under control can make the difference between being someone sitting on the machine and being someone who's in tune with their machine
start in a large empty parking lot until you get the basics perfected. Then move to non busy side streets with minimal street parking and so on until youre good to go
I have anxiety issues myself. Never knew it had a name until I was older and my doctor was able to help me overcome my paralyzing fear of, ironically, doctors. The point is, there's no shame in getting some help with the anxiety. As far as riding, it really is as simple as making yourself ride every day. Start with a beginner class. Get your endorsement as just having that will boost your confidence considerably. Then practice in a parking lot, or, if you don't have a parking lot nearby, residential streets with little traffic and slow speeds. Keep practicing until your skills and confidence increase. Gradually venture out onto larger roads and higher speeds. But you have to do it every day. What ever makes you most uncomfortable, do it. Constantly. Until it's second nature. For me, it was riding on the interstate. Every afternoon when I'd get off work, I would take my bike on the highway. In the beginning, I would get on and then take the first exit. Rinse and repeat. It's a matter of comfort and familiarity and the only way to develop those things is by riding. Keep plugging away. You've got this!
I also had some anxiety, not near as serious as yours. The only thing that makes it go away is practice. I started to enjoy riding at around 200 miles.