When the Bike Throws You Off: A Day of Fear, Failure, and Fighting Back

🌤️ Divine Timing: The Day That Almost Wasn’t

Postponing our track session by one day? Best decision ever.

Riders who went the day before told us the track didn’t dry until afternoon — they only got a few practice sessions in after lunch. We had a 4-hour drive each way. Coming all that distance for just an afternoon stint? Yeah, that would’ve been pretty disappointing.

Huge shoutout to Red Blitz Director, Seung-Jun Lee for driving me there and handling bike transport. You made this possible.

MSX 125 & Sexy Lady

🤔 The Impatience Problem

Let’s be real — I only entered the racing world around April 2025. I’ve been seriously preparing for just six months.

So why am I already so impatient? Why this constant anxiety?

I’m usually the person who doesn’t compare myself to others — which isn’t easy in Korea’s relentlessly competitive culture where comparing yourself to others is practically a national sport. I don’t get intimidated easily. But watching my teammates and veteran riders at the track? Yeah, I feel small. Inadequate. Behind.

Here’s what I keep telling myself:

If I stay injury-free and keep stacking practice sessions with solid theory, my skills WILL trend upward. I believe that. I have to.

👨‍🔧 The Mechanic Who Saved My Day

Today I practiced with Mr. Yoon — Redblitz Racing Team member and the guy who flies from Japan to Korea for every competition. Talk about dedication.

He manufactures custom motorcycle parts. Total expert. And he volunteered to be my mechanic for the day.

If Mr. Yoon hadn’t been there, I would’ve had to skip the final 5pm session entirely. Remember that detail — it matters later.

MSX 125 Bikes & Mr. Yoon

📸 The Pre-Session Selfie

I know, I know — I’m the “faceless rider.” But I barely have any photos of myself, so before practice started, I snapped a selfie wearing the cap I won as Motul’s July 2024 monthly event winner 🥳 At least there’s proof I exist.

Motogirl Selfie

🏁 Morning Sessions (10:30–10:50 & 11:30–11:50): Warming Up

I followed Director Lee around the track, reviewing the racing line, getting my mind right.

The photographer, Jarvis captured me staring endlessly at the first corner — watching other riders’ braking timing, studying their entry points, running mental simulations over and over.

Image training. It sounds nerdy, but it works.

Photo by Jarvis (@jarvis_overlay)

🍜 Lunch Break: Finding My Zen

Maybe my karting track mileage is still pathetically low, but I felt something shift today. A bit of mental space opened up. After eating jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), I laid down in Jaeho Rent Garage’s pit area, patting my full belly, staring up at the sky. Just… breathing.

🎯 Afternoon Sessions: Today’s Mission

Director Lee always says: Don’t just show up. Have goals. So here were mine: ⭐ Bold throttle opening ⭐⭐ Braking practice ⭐⭐⭐ Exit Turn 1 safely 🔧 Tire Pressure Tweaks Today’s setup:

•Front: 130kpa (18.85 psi / 1.3 bar) •Rear: 140kpa (20.3 psi / 1.4 bar)

•Note for hot summer days: bump it up to 150kpa/160kpa

(L) Checking tire pressure, (R) Photo by Sesame Blode Rider (@sesame_blonde)

Current Problems I’m Trying to Fix:

•Can’t open throttle boldly enough •Less confidence in braking •Slipped and ran off course at T1 during the mini-moto finals

By afternoon, my body finally loosened up. Speed increased. Only a handful of Sol Racing members and three of our team were at the track — felt like we’d rented the place out. I started getting bolder, more aggressive. Why do I only get this hyped at karting tracks? What is it about this place?

💥 3:30pm Session: When Everything Goes Wrong

Turn 1. I leaned the bike over too far.

My chronic problem reared its ugly head — left footpeg scraped the ground HARD. That metal-on-asphalt grinding sound shot panic through my body. Instinct took over. Bad instinct.

I grabbed the brakes. Emergency stop reflex. Survival mode activated. The bike didn’t like that. It started to highside — bucking violently, trying to throw me off like I’d insulted its entire bloodline. For a split second, I thought this was it. This was the crash that would end everything. Then something clicked. I stopped fighting. Went neutral. Let the bike settle.

🐂 Rodeo Girl

It calmed down. The throw wasn’t as violent as it could’ve been. My helmet still smacked the ground with a sickening thunk. And for one horrible moment, lying there on the asphalt, my brain went to a dark place:

“I started this to ride safely. Is this even worth it?

What if I actually get hurt? What’s the point of any of this?”

💪 Mental Reset: Getting Back Up

Crashed Motogirl at T1

But here’s the thing about Motogirl — I don’t stay down. I’ve crashed before. I’ve hit walls. I’ve collected bruises like trophies. This? This was just another data point.

The other riders rushed over to help. We got everything sorted. I joked that I’d won first place today in “banking angle: 0 degrees.”

Mr. Yoon fixed my left footpeg on the spot and jury-rigged my helmet shield bolt. Thanks to him, I had the courage to go back out for the final session. And that decision mattered.

Because if I’d called it quits after the slip, Turn 1 would’ve stayed a fear corner forever. Even 10-year veteran riders stress about Turn 1 at every track. I need to stop being so damn impatient with myself.

📸 Final Session: The Panning Shot Gift

During the last session, a Sol Racing rider with the nickname “Tiny Feet” took panning shots of me with his phone. Seriously? Phone panning shots that actually look good? This guy’s talented.

🎓 What I Accomplished Today ✅ Practiced bold throttle opening ✅ Worked on breaking confidence ✅ Focused intensively on T1 ✅ Experimented with different tire pressure settings and felt the bike’s response changes I hit every single goal. This was an incredibly productive day.

Photo by Sesame Blode Rider (@sesame_blonde)

💭 The Epiphany: What’s Next

I’ve always struggled with bike transport — it’s kept me from practicing alone. But today it finally hit me: I could just store my bike at Jaeho Rent Garage on site and only transport myself.

Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Was I not desperate enough?

After Round 4 wraps up, I’m committing to early 2026: solo practice sessions. Building karting track mileage. Steady, quiet, relentless improvement.

No more excuses.

The Lesson I’m Taking Home Racing isn’t about never falling. It’s about what you do after the bike throws you. Do you stay on the ground, wondering if it’s worth it?

Or do you get up, fix what broke, and go back out for one more session? Today, I chose door number two. Way to go, Motogirl! 💪🏍️

P.S. To anyone reading this who’s ever felt small at the track, intimidated by veterans, or questioning whether you belong: You’re not alone. Keep showing up. The mileage will come. The confidence will follow. And one day, you’ll look back at posts like this and realize how far you’ve traveled.

Back Home!

Originally published in Korean on Motogirl Korea. Sin prisa, pero sin pausa!

Motogirl Korea is a writer, rider, and content creator documenting her journey through motorcycling, healing, and self-discovery — one mile and one story at a time. She shares reflections on resilience, identity, and growth through her blog and Medium, capturing the spirit of the open road and the courage it takes to forge your own path. Follow her adventures on Instagram @motogirl_korea.