Do you still "talk the basics" to yourself?

[Wolfey]

Haha..after reading the above replies, I realize we all say the same things

...

The stuff about the mics in the helmet those recordings could probably be packaged and sold! We'd all get a kick out of it, well at least I know I would.

If you make it happen, lemme know. I'd love to hear it!

[japac1]

It is refreshing to read this thread. I am a brand new rider...and I am already saying these things out loud. It is refreshing to hear you experts doing this!!

[sv-wolf]

Heh! Hell yes! Giving myself directions improves my ride 1000%.

For example, I've observed that the more I am aware of my immediate connection to the bike, the less I'll target fixate on my environment and lock up my muscles. So, I tell myself:

"Me - bike" Which is private short-code for "It's me and the bike."

This reminds me that right now I have complete control over the bike, but I have control over absolutely nothing else in my environment; not the road, not the upcoming hazard or the corner. Nothing! Telling myself this, detatches my attention from the hazard (because I can't control it) and focuses me entirely on what I can control - the bike, and the line I want it to take.

If you target fixate, you develop a (lethal) relationship with the target. You need to break that relationship, but you cannot just suddenly make it 'go away.' It seems that what you have to do is to take all the energy you are focusing on the target and transfer it onto something else - your (much more healthy) relationship with the bike. Allowing your attention to come back to the bike is relatively easy and seems to free you up to think about where you want the bike to go. At least, that's the way it works for me.

On a corner, if I need to, I add::

"my job... there" , code for: "It's my job is to get her (the bike) round this damn corner, to that point... There!.

This is the only task you have in a corner, every other thought and point of attention is superfluous.

If I'm getting nervous and losing focus I use:

"bike-security," which is code for, "At this moment, the bike is the one and only point of security, safety, stability and comfort I have!"

It's a way of reminding myself that in relation to me the only thing that is friendly and motionless is the bike: everything else in my environment is moving very fast and is probably also extremely hard. Once again, it brings me back to my relationship with the bike and puts me back in control.

This works very well for me.

Telling myself this stuff makes my riding 1000% more fun too.

[RhadamYgg]

Do you mean in my outside voice?

I used outside voice on my wife once... Don't recommend it...

[RhadamYgg]

"turn off your blinker idiot"

I stay away from this one... Too often I look down and say oh crapalot.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

I know when I'm over tired I start singing one line from some song I've heard recently - over and over again, because I suck at music and I can never seem to remember more than one line.

Then I'll start humming the melody for another song, because I'm better at that...

I don't typically have to yell about drivers that much. Only when I'm dumb enough to stay in a large vehicles blind spot too long or just entering a section of stopped traffic. Since I slow down early... I get cars that like jumping in front of me - because you know that's actually going to get them where they are going faster.

RhadamYgg

[redwing]

I don't talk to myself but I do think to myself.
However I do sing to myself.... My favorite is 'Clyde Plays Electric Bass.'
Bass as in music not as in fishing.