Learning from our mistakes.

One of the characteristics that makes us advanced riders should be the willingness and attitude to always challenge our riding and learn from our mistakes.

The down-side of the this method of learning is that the learning experience inevitably involves an error or misjudgement to trigger the learning point.
Overcooking an bend, missing a Give Way, not seeing an approaching vehicle can all be classed as learning experiences, although most riders would just think of these as "moments" and part of the inherent excitement that comes with riding a motorcycle.

An advanced rider should not accept these moments as part of the ride, he/she should be thinking back, analysing what lead up to the moment and working out what element of the system was missed or lacking to cause the moment.

A significant issue can be that the consequences of one of these moments can leave the rider unable to analyse what went wrong - wrapped around a tree or imbedded in the side of a car makes it difficult to then undertake a rational "lessons learnt" analysis!

I had a learning experience on Saturday.  
I rode to Dumfries and Galloway for the day, a total ride of about 9 hours with stops.  Beautiful hot weather and not too much traffic.
During the last couple of hours I was beginning to feel the effects of the day - headache coming on due to heat and new lid, trousers were getting very uncomfortable (a side note here; if you buy kevlar lined jeans, don't get the type with the mesh kevlar as eventually it becomes like sitting on a cheese grater as the mesh bites into your lower regions - especially in the heat!) but I was on roads I know well and I was enjoying the day and didn't want to stop.

All of these points came from looking back and analysing what was going on in my head at the time.

As a result of all this going on in my head, and being distracted by some trials riding going on alongside the road, I misjudged a corner and "overcooked" it.  No issues, didn't run over the centre line but it made me uncomfortable because I felt that I'd made such a school boy error.

So what went wrong?

When the thoughts started buzzing around my head that it was hot, the helmet was feeling a bit tight and the trousers were getting uncomfortable - I should have stopped, taken 5 minutes out and set off again refreshed.  This would have cleared my head of these thoughts and left brain power for the observation and ride planning.  
Although I thought I was OK riding like this, it was obviously playing on my mind enough to have a detrimental effect on my ability to plan my ride correctly.
I've ridden many miles in weather much hotter than we've been experiencing lately, and learnt a long time ago that concentration deteriorates alarmingly quickly once you're too hot and the ability to make the correct decisions is soon lost.
Hydration and appropriate riding gear are the keys to enjoying a safe ride in hot weather.

So lesson learnt, or re-learnt?

Don't continue riding when your tired or in discomfort - stop, take 5, enjoy the view and carry on refreshed.
If you're riding in a group, don't be afraid to pull over for a break, you'll probably find others are also in need of it, but won't admit it!

Above all, remember to keep the mind switched on, both during the ride and also when you've parked up - think back over the ride, is there anything that could have gone better?  If so, why?

Analysing what we do - either through the process of Observed rides or by critical thinking about what we do ourselves ensures that we progress and improve as riders, we're never too old or too good not to continue learning.

I would suggest that each and everyone of us can learn something and improve our riding somehow by analysing each and every ride we do - it may only be a small thing, but please never stop learning and improving!