Any ladies here willing to admit????

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Riceaholic

I'm staying out of the other topics floating around in the thread. What I was getting at is that you obviously have the experience to ride extremely competently the correct way. Speaking for myself, I was never riding past 75% at any time during the rally because honestly, there's no reason to ever push that hard on the street. I usually ride with guys I do track days with so a fast pace is easy and relaxed. It's a lot easier to learn from someone that's fast and relaxed and calm, than someone that's fast and having to push hard to be that way. I dunno, I'm half in the bag so none of that might make any sense...

Nah, that makes sense. I assume that you're talking about Hok right? Yea you seemed very relaxed and smooth at the Gap, so I can see what you mean. I never felt nervous around either you, Shane or Trip. I was terrified that I'd run over someone around every corner otherwise. To be honest, I never rode with Kerry or Hokie at the Gap that I remember. I spent the first day not riding much because my bike felt funny and the second at Wheeler's getting my fork reassembled . In fact, I don't think I made more than 2 passes with anyone from the group. Oh well, I'm just glad I didn't crash!!!

[the chi]

Originally Posted by HokieDNA01

My take on why women don't compete well in racing is that we have a stronger biological "self preservation instinct" then men. Women's brains are set up to not take as many dangerous chances due to the fact that we may have children to take car of. Men have more testosterone and will take more chances. Just my outlook on it (i'm a Bio major so I tend to think that way)

Im in agreement with ya Kathy, I dont know what to call it exactly, but I do know that we girls do have a stronger self preservation instinct than men, and we recognize the life threatening portions of what we do waaayyyy more than the boys most of the time.

Id also like to think the way our brains works plays a factor. Women are capable of thinking about many things at the same time, whether we should be or not. I know I have been around the track thinking "hottdamn, this is awesome, Im gonna kill myself, hope this dude keeps his line, if I blow this turn I will blow the next three, body positioning-check", all at the SAME time. I think about road conditions, tire temp, whether my bike is tip top, whether its a good idea to push it, remembering I have a trip coming up, I dont want broken bones for it... All of which keeps me riding more conservatively than I know I and the bike are capable of.

I had a discussion with some buddies at the track and it was about this same topic. The younger/less expereienced guys, newer to the track, trying to get into racing class readily admit they are pushing as hard as they can, but they dont recognize the danger factor if they screw up. They told me they arent going to run off the track, so why should they worry? They dont take into account the other factors that could cause them to run off or wreck, like the track conditions, the other riders, etc. Bring it up to them on the street and they are awesome riders, no matter their skill and they wont ever wreck, cuz they know what they are "supposed" to do versus thinking about it ahead of time and riding accordingly.

Older more experienced guys tend to think of those things more, but still manage to sometimes get "caught up" in the moment and go all out, only considering the consequences later, when they have the "what was I thinking" moment. Young/less experienced guys dont seem to do that, bulletproof superman mentality.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by The Chi

Im in agreement with ya Kathy, I dont know what to call it exactly, but I do know that we girls do have a stronger self preservation instinct than men, and we recognize the life threatening portions of what we do waaayyyy more than the boys most of the time.

Id also like to think the way our brains works plays a factor. Women are capable of thinking about many things at the same time, whether we should be or not. I know I have been around the track thinking "hottdamn, this is awesome, Im gonna kill myself, hope this dude keeps his line, if I blow this turn I will blow the next three, body positioning-check", all at the SAME time. I think about road conditions, tire temp, whether my bike is tip top, whether its a good idea to push it, remembering I have a trip coming up, I dont want broken bones for it... All of which keeps me riding more conservatively than I know I and the bike are capable of.

I had a discussion with some buddies at the track and it was about this same topic. The younger/less expereienced guys, newer to the track, trying to get into racing class readily admit they are pushing as hard as they can, but they dont recognize the danger factor if they screw up. They told me they arent going to run off the track, so why should they worry? They dont take into account the other factors that could cause them to run off or wreck, like the track conditions, the other riders, etc. Bring it up to them on the street and they are awesome riders, no matter their skill and they wont ever wreck, cuz they know what they are "supposed" to do versus thinking about it ahead of time and riding accordingly.

Older more experienced guys tend to think of those things more, but still manage to sometimes get "caught up" in the moment and go all out, only considering the consequences later, when they have the "what was I thinking" moment. Young/less experienced guys dont seem to do that, bulletproof superman mentality.

Hmmm... maybe, but one of the youngest guys (at the time) won 3 AMA championships in a row and one of the oldest guys has won almost all the rest in the past 10 years...

I certainly have a "no way I'm going to wreck by myself" attitude but in my defense, in 30 years of riding I've only had one crash by myself and I was doped up at the time... hell, I haven't had an "at fault" accident of any kind since I was a teenager.

I honestly see what you girls are saying, I just don't like the way it limits women believe it or not. I don't know but I still want to believe that it's similar as to why there aren't many black racers. I still think that it's because people aren't out buying their daughters pocket bikes or XR50s when they're 3 or 4 years old, like they do boys. I'd like to think that if your parents had bought you a pocket bike and took you to the races when you were 3, that you could be kicking ass in the AMA right now, seriously.

[the chi]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Hmmm... maybe, but one of the youngest guys (at the time) won 3 AMA championships in a row and one of the oldest guys has won almost all the rest in the past 10 years...

I certainly have a "no way I'm going to wreck by myself" attitude but in my defense, in 30 years of riding I've only had one crash by myself and I was doped up at the time... hell, I haven't had an "at fault" accident of any kind since I was a teenager.

I honestly see what you girls are saying, I just don't like the way it limits women believe it or not. I don't know but I still want to believe that it's similar as to why there aren't many black racers. I still think that it's because people aren't out buying their daughters pocket bikes or XR50s when they're 3 or 4 years old, like they do boys. I'd like to think that if your parents had bought you a pocket bike and took you to the races when you were 3, that you could be kicking ass in the AMA right now, seriously.

Thats most likely very true Tigger. If our parents had gotten us into racing, etc when we were younger and never told us how unsafe and dangerous it was, we probably would be out kicking ass. Unfortunately, no matter how much of a tom boy we may have been, elders will forever be telling us "dont do that, be careful, its dangerous", and perhaps since lil girls listen more than lil boys we let ourselves be brainwashed. Knowing what I do of myself, and the way my mom raised me, she told me I could always do whatever I wanted as long as I set my mind to it, but climbing trees is dangerous, driving fast cars is dangerous, and riding motorcycles is suicide. So even tho I did and do all these things, I think about the things I was told and remember that I can seriously damage myself.

Look at the lil girls out doing motocross at 3 and 4 years old. Till they take their helmets off, you dont know they are girls, and they are out there tearing it up just as much as the boys. I would hope that we see them on the podium one day with the boys as well!

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by The Chi

Thats most likely very true Tigger. If our parents had gotten us into racing, etc when we were younger and never told us how unsafe and dangerous it was, we probably would be out kicking ass. Unfortunately, no matter how much of a tom boy we may have been, elders will forever be telling us "dont do that, be careful, its dangerous", and perhaps since lil girls listen more than lil boys we let ourselves be brainwashed. Knowing what I do of myself, and the way my mom raised me, she told me I could always do whatever I wanted as long as I set my mind to it, but climbing trees is dangerous, driving fast cars is dangerous, and riding motorcycles is suicide. So even tho I did and do all these things, I think about the things I was told and remember that I can seriously damage myself.

Look at the lil girls out doing motocross at 3 and 4 years old. Till they take their helmets off, you dont know they are girls, and they are out there tearing it up just as much as the boys. I would hope that we see them on the podium one day with the boys as well!

Yayyyy!!! Someone gets what I'm trying to say!!! I really believe that the problem is societal and not biological. Thank you!

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by TIGGER

Yayyyy!!! Someone gets what I'm trying to say!!! I really believe that the problem is societal and not biological. Thank you!

I don't agree.... and it doesn't even have anything to do with the fact that you're tigger.

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by azoomm

I don't agree.... and it doesn't even have anything to do with the fact that you're tigger.

Okay I'll accept that! You're in a position to know. Why can't girls win races but they can cliff dive? I'd like to believe that if you took a 3 year old little girl and a 3 year old little boy, put them on pocket bikes and gave them the same training, the girl could be as fast as the boy. Also, on another note, why aren't there that many black motorcycle racers? Are we biologically incapable of going fast as well?

[Kerry_129]

Originally Posted by Riceaholic

What I was getting at is that you obviously have the experience to ride extremely competently the correct way. Speaking for myself, I was never riding past 75% at any time during the rally because honestly, there's no reason to ever push that hard on the street.

Wow - thanks Josh, I appreciate the compliment (back atcha ) and agree totally on the wisdom of a '75%' or less pace. The hard part, for me anyway, has been finding and maintaining that pace somewhere between 'too slow to have fun & feeling like I'm brake-checking myself' and 'gonna get myself killed eventually'.

Originally Posted by The Chi

Older more experienced guys tend to think of those things more, but still manage to sometimes get "caught up" in the moment and go all out, only considering the consequences later, when they have the "what was I thinking" moment.

Yup!

Originally Posted by TIGGER

I don't know but I still want to believe that it's similar as to why there aren't many black racers. I still think that it's because people aren't out buying their daughters pocket bikes or XR50s when they're 3 or 4 years old, like they do boys.

I definitely agree with that. It seems virtually all your top-ranked racers started on 2-wheels around the time they could walk, and to a degree it boils down to which 'demographic' was handed a training tool right out of the crib.

I think this has evolved into an apples vs. oranges debate though - women tending to be competent-within-their-skills/cautious/non-dumbass street riders vs. being capable of becoming top-ranked racers.
Oh well, it's all good - carry on....

[Amber Lamps]

Originally Posted by Kerry_129

I definitely agree with that. It seems virtually all your top-ranked racers started on 2-wheels around the time they could walk, and to a degree it boils down to which 'demographic' was handed a training tool right out of the crib.

I think this has evolved into an apples vs. oranges debate though - women tending to be competent-within-their-skills/cautious/non-dumbass street riders vs. being capable of becoming top-ranked racers.
Oh well, it's all good - carry on....

Well, I'm focusing on racing myself. For example, I've watched women do barrel races for years. In fact, it's a purely female sport I think, and quite dangerous at times. Oh well. Hayes' girlfriend just started racing a few years ago and she's doing okay. Imagine if she had started when she was 3 years old, that's all I'm saying.

[skiergirl]

I agree it's the way our brains were built to function that stops most women from stuff like. Of course, there are always exceptions but we do have a larger sense of self preservation and danger than men. I don't have the 'need' to push things nearly as much as the guys I know. I can enjoy a track day without living every moment on the edge and to race or excel in anything you really must be willing to be on that edge.