The only fear I ever had of crashing while racing was how much it would cost to fix the bike. I thought about the wrecks I can remember and the only thought I had at the time was “ how did that happen”.
The only thing about this post that really sends up a red flag is your desicion making process. You decided to come here for advice
Mine kicked back on a year or three ago when I slipped on ice, while wearing slippers and I landed hard. The most I ever hurt and I'd talking just landing hard from freakin' ice. But, the switch will move and your fear level will move.
I never had a fear switch until I had kids. Then they rewired the whole switch panel, added a bunch of buttons they press regularly, and either moved the fear switch to a place I cant find, or deleted it altogether.
Never had that switch. Heights yes, not with speed. However having a kiddo turned me towards a balanced risk/reward thinking...
I suspect that for many of us, finding that zone where the switch is turned off is the whole point this silly exercise. I would not trade those magic moments where the bike disappears and there is only motion through space for anything. And I'm slow.
The sudden stop. Flying scares me to death but running into a burning building, squeezing through a 16”x16” hole in the wall in full turnouts for a search and rescue, cutting someone out of a car with an open highway next to me, throwing a leg over the motorcycle - not one iota of fear, only the thought “that could have gone poorly” enters my head later on.
I think it is a personality trait, like anything else. Ive never had that switch. Never hesitated to throw my body around in football, get knocked out boxing, etc. Ive bungee jumped about 15 times, and absolutely love speed and racing. The crashing aspect of it never enters my mind. Even after bad ones that left me laid up with multiple surgeries and beaten to shit, my only concern was "when can I race again?". I think it is something people are born with. Just like a talent for art, or a bad temper, or athletic ability (potential) in general. I don't think it is something that can be taught. I also think that lack of fear is the primary thing that "makes or breaks" someone when it comes to riding. Of course there are physical aspects like reaction times, ability to judge speed and distance, hand/eye/foot coordination, ability to place a bike exactly on the same spot over and over at triple digit speeds, things like that. But fear or the lack thereof is the primary difference maker IMO. There are people who can go racing after only a few months of riding time on 2 wheels (like I did), and there are people who can ride for 2 years before being bumped up to the Intermediate group. I bet there are people who fall into the latter category that have the same natural/physical talent to pilot a motorcycle that I do, but the difference is they have fear. They aren't willing to push themselves or the bike because they don't want to risk crashing. I have no proof to back that up, it is just my opinion.
Going from a sport that regularly sees 150+mph down to 30, and even 20mph maybe, then back up to as fast as possible and complaining about how much time gets spent going through the slow section(s)... Now you're in a sport that 20-30 mph is fast. What's to be afraid of? Have you taken it off any sweet jumps? ...and how do you crash a three-wheeler? Can't you drift that thing? Got any action shots with your ride? I mean, if you're gonna be all "here, hold my beer", I wanna see. There are no cycles parked in front of psychologist's offices. I had a friend that got whacked in a bike/car accident. Partially paralyzed, but ambulatory. His release became mountain bikes. I couldn't hang with him through the Florida underbrush. He tried gettin' back on sportbikes but, to see the riding, he might as well have been a drunk. It was better he stuck to pedal power. As long as you have a place to ride/explore and people/friends to ride with, dude, you're cornerin' low.
There is alot of truth to this, and we as racers are alot different with our fear threshold than most "normal" people. I can't ever remember feeling fear when I was on the bike, even when crashing. But I think it does take over subconsciously (mostly off the bike for me) in ways we can't always control on a conscious level. I push away thoughts centered around fear, especially when racing or riding. But it seems to me that the fast guys don't even deal with fear on the subconscious level in the same way others do. Fear is a really powerful thing, it can immobilize you and control your life. @50Joe it seems to me when reading your post regarding this recent incident- you are like a pilot in some ways- you analyze the risks, do your preparation, have confidence in your abilities, and GET ON WITH IT! IMO that is the way to live.
Talk about the fear being some where deep in our subconscious, who has ever woken up from a dream terrified after the front tucked? Many times for me. Some the night before a race and some in the dead of winter.
You gotta ride with the Fear. Seriously, I feel a certain amount of fear and self preservation instinct is necessary. It can't be too much or it will stop you from doing what you like. But it can't be none either if you want to live to tell the tale. It's all a question of balance and everybody's got their tolerance levels.
The one and only thing that hits the fear switch: Spiders... fucking spiders man. 8 eyes, 8 legs and a but rope.. no god damn thanks.
fear to me would also mean panic. Most of us experienced racers know if you panic you will get hurt so we react and try to ride it out....
Yup. Ride 'em into the ground, if that's where you're headed. Ya never know, you could pull a Marquez and be a legend in your own mind.