First off, get some proper riding pants. I have a pair of kevlar - reinforced jeans I've crashed 3 times. Some of the denim is gone but the kevlar is 100% intact. You do not want to burn through a pair of jeans, and it don't take long to do it. That being said, my confidence in my abilities was definitely knocked down after I low sided into a ditch a fee years ago with a bunch of guys from here. I was trying to keep up with the big boys and for most of the ride I was doing really well...but it only takes one. Bald back tire didn't help much, neither did coming into a decreasing radius turn too wide. I have never rode as hard as I did that afternoon. I'm getting close to where I was back then, but I definitely have a mental block now when it comes to really pushing my bike through the twisties.