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When should we stop riding? -- perspectives of an older rider

afm199 said:
Locke's a very cool dude. I ride with him on the track every year. Funny thing is I probably know a bunch of his friends from the sixties as well. :laughing
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I know that guy from track days with Keigwins. I remember meeting him up at Alice's a long time ago, too. I never knew his name.

I remember asking him: "why do you need an R7 and a 998?" (or whatever Ducati he was riding at the time) And he said "because I want them" or something like that. I thought that was cool.
 
Deftone said:
I know that guy from track days with Keigwins. I remember meeting him up at Alice's a long time ago, too. I never knew his name.

I remember asking him: "why do you need an R7 and a 998?" (or whatever Ducati he was riding at the time) And he said "because I want them" or something like that. I thought that was cool.
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Hell yah. Locke on the Sunday morning ride as well, 25 years ago.
 
Jiffy Pop said:
when I was in my 30s my dad would ask me

"when are you gonna stop riding those Damn motorcycles"

now that I'm in my 50s he brags to his friends about his son the 50yr old motocrosser :laughing


someone wrote..............

"You don't stop riding when you get old, You get old when you stop riding"

I like that :thumbup
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Here-here!! I never feel older than when my bike's in the shop: then you're a a cage driver. I will commute every day till I can't anymore. Driving is a lazy luxury. Riding is a life-changing road experience, to help us appreciate the beauty of mechanics. I never wanted to look under a hood till I took my bike apart.
 
oldapeman said:
I have no desire to go out in a flameball. I prefer to die in bed, at a very old age, making love to my wife.

I love motorcycling, which I believe energizes me and keeps me young at heart, and helps relieve the stress from my high pressure work (I am a lawyer). BUT, I truly want to live to see my children grow up and give me grandchildren, and to travel to far off places with my lovely wife, who has grudgingly induged my motorcycling thus far.
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I'm younger and have been riding for seven years, two years ago I had a beautiful baby boy.

I knew if I kept my RR I would crash and burn, instead I bought a cruiser and ride a little safer. I also bought life insurance.

Riding will keep me young at heart forever, and I don't ever plan on quiting 100%. But at older age, I don't plan on risking the bay bridge. I don't plan on riding in the rain or splitting lanes at the speed I do now.

Maybe when I'm 70 I will turn into a weekend warrior, but I will forever own a bike and work on them
 
gnstalodz said:
I'm younger and have been riding for seven years, two years ago I had a beautiful baby boy.

I knew if I kept my RR I would crash and burn, instead I bought a cruiser and ride a little safer. I also bought life insurance.

Riding will keep me young at heart forever, and I don't ever plan on quiting 100%. But at older age, I don't plan on risking the bay bridge. I don't plan on riding in the rain or splitting lanes at the speed I do now.

Maybe when I'm 70 I will turn into a weekend warrior, but I will forever own a bike and work on them
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I don't plan on having kids. I live each day to the limit, and I expect God to reward me for that: from private jets, to insane holidays, to tensions with the fearful, so...: I'll pass on the cruiser till I wanna custom paint something beautiful...and continue destroying what I can get my hands on ;) Like that RSV4, lol.
 
When should we stop riding?

...when after you put on all of your riding gear you realize that you look exactly like the biker in the disco group Village People...


..I realize that there are probably San Franciscans on this site who salute the flag on Castro Street...its just a joke...BTW...leather thong and chaps...not advisable for riding gear...
 
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I'm a 50 yr. old female rider and am not ready to quit. I've only been riding for 20 years and I would like to ride until I'm at least 70. If that means buying a trike because of balance issues, then so be it. I agree with what someone said earlier; riding probably helps keep you younger because you have to stay fairly fit. Use it or lose it, as they say, is very true. Once you lose the ability to do anything, it is hard to get it back.
 
There comes a time, maybe being younger or older than you, that the thoughts of not riding creeps in. I got my first bike at age 16 and only stopped street riding between when my children were born and until they started college. I belong to a BMW club and we have lost two, somewhat older experienced riders, in accidents when they were riding by themselves and did not collide with another vehicle. We have no idea why it happened. A couples club members have also switched to trikes, but mostly because they had troubles swinging their legs over the saddle. It is generally acknowledged that age is not the critical factor for both auto and motorcycle riders. Rather, it is the loss of physical and mental deterioration. Personally at age 77, with my doc saying I am in excellent health, I still ponder when to quit although I have never had an accident on the road. Yes, a couple of tip-overs over the years that is it. I think a physical or mental liability, or perhaps just losing the joy of getting on my bike, will be the signal to quit. Needless to say, I hope I am right.
 
Hey all you BARFers! This is the OP here, always amazed that this thread keeps getting more comments. Yes, I am now 65, and am still riding regularly. Life changes continue, but the motorcycling has been a constant. I feel just as capable as a rider today as when I first started this thread. Back in November I took a friend I had known for 25 years for a ride on my bike, and wouldn't you know we are now dating, hot and heavy. I enjoy the physical activity that comes naturally from riding my motorcycles. I have also gotten back into bicycling, since my now steady GF is a very young 53 and athletic. A man needs to keep up with his woman. The bicycling does seem to help with balance issues that creep in as we age. My reaction times are still good, and I do not break a ton more than weekly.

I do not see myself discontinuing riding my motorcycles anytime in the foreseeable future. Nor do I see me discontinuing bicycling, or work. Or dancing. Or sex. Use it or lose it.

Now if I could only remember where I left my .... Er, what was it I was looking for?
 
Old Ape one is living large. Hot and heavy and on the gas..:thumbup

This is such a relevant topic and that is why it ended up in 1Rider.
If it was not here it would be in the best of barf.

I am just a pup at 56 and I might be fighting some back crap, but the rest of me is down to ride ride ride. Riding is medicinal to so many... it is a gift IMO.

It is not polite to set a gift aside.... so...:ride
 
56 year old female not about to quit. But then again my mom is 85 and still driving. Doc says she is young for her age and might make 100. Really doubt I will, but then when I was 17 didn't figure I'd make it to 25.
 
Good for you Old Ape. I was always told any time spent on two wheels is good practice. Keep up the good work.
 
I'm 52 and bought a 04 moto guzzi ev touring as a "old man bike" because i thought i was slowing down and should "act my age", well f... that!, i wana go fast!, so i bought a sv650s last week, i ride it like it's stolen (not in the rain) and will continue till i am physically unable. been riding since i was 15 and was hit by a red light runner in a cage six months ago on a ninja i owned for 8 days but I still could not imagine a world where i am not riding 150 miles an hour with my hair on fire!, i still ride the guzzi when the wife wants to go, but the sv is the bike that gets my blood pumping and makes my feel alive......at least for the foreseeable future.
 
I'm 48 and these are my current rides.

20140126_152742_zpsrodvifgp.jpg
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Left to Right
69 Triumph, 07 GSXR 600 Track bike(ready for paint) 09 XR 650, 09 CRF230, 07 ZX-14, 14 KTM 1190 R plus ATV's and PWC. Ready to ride every day of the week. Never to old to Ride your own Ride!:afm199:thumbup
 
Met a gal at Bonneville a couple of years ago she was late 60-S she was hoping for 200 and a red hat on her turbo Busa! so what were you asking about?
 
injun said:
Met a gal at Bonneville a couple of years ago she was late 60-S she was hoping for 200 and a red hat on her turbo Busa! so what were you asking about?
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aw - that's unfair

the median racer age at Bonneville is exceeded only by the median age of their Indians & Vincents!
 
I vote for riding on!! :ride

Me, I plan on riding past 90!
 
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