Dizzy and loss of focus

[roawser]

Hi all
 
When I ride for an hour or so I notice I start to loose concentration. I get tunnel vision and automatically I slow down my average speed. I have only 1000km in total (new rider) and still have to work pretty hard to process all information in traffic. I am an experienced car driver (over 40000 km/year) and I am physically fit enough for my age (mid 40); not hungry or thirsty or exhausted when I start my ride. Other than that, I really enjoy riding but right now I'm afraid I might never go on longer trips because of this lightheadedness that I feel. I guess I'm just curious to know if other newbies have or had the same thing.
 

[mediocrebobcat]

Not a newbie and haven't experienced this problem while riding, but I'll take stab.
 
I get this way sometimes after particularly challenging days at work where my brain is moving non-stop. I get a headache, lose concentration, etc. Going on what you said, you're probably getting mentally exhausted by having your brain 'always on' while you are riding. That's not to say you shouldn't always be paying attention - you absolutely should - but after a while it becomes more of a second nature instead of active thought. I recommend that you just keep riding, keep gaining experience, and see if it starts to get better. What type of conditions do you usually ride in? Suburbia? City? Empty back roads?
 
Alternatively, maybe your helmet is too tight.

[thomascrown]

You are probably very tense and have a death grip on the bars. This will exhaust you quickly. Relax your arms, hold the motorcycle with your thighs and stay loose. The handlebar is not a means of support, only a means of control.

[tag]

It's been 38 years since I was a new rider, but you are learning a new skill, and it's a big one to learn. Your brain is an organ you are changing as you learn to ride. Maybe it's ok to take more frequent breaks as you learn and give your brain a rest to refresh, like that rest between sets at the gym. You don't have to be Marc Marquez tomorrow. Maybe by the weekend, but at least not tomorrow.

[dentalprodigy]

I can relate to this op. Started riding ~4 months ago and used to be mentally+ physically exhausted after an hour ride. Turns out I was death gripping the bars, and just had terrible ergonomics when riding.
 
Also when you are starting you are focusing on ALOT of things ie how to shift properly, traffic etc which require 100% of your attention. As you get more experienced operating a motorcycle (shifting) becomes second nature and you can focus your attention to traffic etc.

[Guest ChicagoAJ]

Try chewing gum, it helps with the sensory overload. Or listen to music, that's what I do.

[yamahazaki]

How many months have you been riding?
 
Theoretically, over time you should get comfortable enough with riding where it should go away. But it really depends on who you are. My girl has been riding 15 months, has about 5000km accrued but she still says she is not fully confident with riding and I still see her making mistakes.

[Simbadc650]

Seal medical attention

[yamahazaki]

Seek medical attention

Oh yeah, there is that too.  Maybe you should also get a full workup/physical to see if you have any underlying conditions that are causing this. 

[ddog]

I would suggest getting some electrolytes in your system before a ride. The hazieness is an indicator of possible hypotension. You might want to bring a small snack along and eat it when you start to get the feeling coming on. The death grip fatigue is probably what you're experiencing though.

[jerryv]

Could be vertigo, dehydration, so many things. are you prone to motion sickness?

[berettatrio]

Seek medical attention

Oh yeah, there is that too.  Maybe you should also get a full workup/physical to see if you have any underlying conditions that are causing this.

Just to be on the safe side I would do this just to be sure. maybe see if your Doctor can order some lab test for you. you are probably fine but better safe than sorry. 

[roawser]

Thanks for all the answers. I do believe its a tense grip on the bar and a maximum 100% attention to both riding and traffic. In my car I can easily ride for 3 hours without a problem. Thinking about this, I noticed that the clutch lever is only gripped by the tops of my fingers, do when releasing it, I'm all tensed up, afraid of it slipping out of my fingers too fast. My fingers are too short, so I will be looking for levers that can be set closer to the bar itself. Oh yeah btw, I've been riding for 6 weeks and 1000 km in total now, so still very new.
 

[mjh937]

Adjustable levers will make a big difference. I too found the stock clutch lever reach to be too far. I am much happier now that I have replaced them.
 
Let us know how this problem goes as you get more experience. I am sure you will notice it get better with time.

[howworkclutch]

Try chewing gum, it helps with the sensory overload. Or listen to music, that's what I do.

this.
 
i have no idea what biological mechanism is at play, but chewing gum keeps me focused and alert. 
 

[Beemer]

Loss of concentration, tunnel vision and light headed. I used to get that a lot when riding my bicycle and over heating in the sun. If you're feeling hot it could be the first signs of heat exhaustion so in that case I would recommend drinking plenty of water (around 20 ounces) two or three hours before the end of the work day so as to give it time to get into your system before the ride and dress appropriately for the heat. If it's only happening about an hour in on your bike trips I would say it has something to do with your bike trips and not your physical state but if it happens any time, anywhere I would see a doc. Maybe you just need to relax and look left and right more. IDK. Good luck with that. Let us know if anything changes and what you did to change it.

[Guest 2wheeler]

Hate to say it, but it could be anxiety issues too.
 

[pineappleunderthesea]

I think that the first time you learn to ride, your whole body and mind work very hard comprehend why the hell you're risking your life going 80 mph on 2 wheels. Buddy and I both starting riding at the same time, and we'd get pretty fatigued after and hour or two.
 
In terms of concentration, Keith Code (Twist of the Wrist books) has a pretty good "zen" exercise to do in order to have the correct focus, I read it in the second version of his book, I believe it goes something like this: he had gone on an alcohol bender the night before, and the next day he had to ride. His head was pounding from the night before, and riding was making it worse since the usual way of darting your eyes left and right and up and down to watch for traffic was stressing him out. So he found that looking forward and letting his peripheral vision "see" the other obstacles helped calm him down. That chapter near the end of his book describes how you can do this at home, by looking at something far away but "seeing" one or two objects in your field of vision, and being able to acknowledge these objects without looking straight at them.
 
Maybe something like this can help, as long as you don't get into full transcendantal meditation mode and zen yourself right off the bike!