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

This is a very interesting thread, just discovered it.Oldapeman was 59 in '07, so is about my age now. I am curious as to how it's going for him, given the earlier posts, probably most excellently. I got back into it last year after being away from it for a looooong time. Took the bay area riders course with eldest son, got hooked after watching him go to and fro after he bought his first bike. Got a 2001 500gs, liked it and two months ago traded up for a 2004 919 from motojava (great guys, honest, super refurbishing). ride every day, commute- just a few miles each way and every week or so a thirty mile round trip. Been better and better, funner and funner. Last week had this epiphany on way back into the city from san bruno hills- "trust the machine" went through my head, was on 280, and just started relaxing- constant vigilance- but something easy settled in. Was way cool and hasn't gone away. Yeah, my reaction times are slower than when I was in my twenties, but I know a lot more about...everything. That immortal feeling is gone, but that's a good thing. Couldn't imagine going back to a cage for day to day. Taking one of the Doc Wong Sunday rides May 10, and glad for the opportunity to stretch my knowledge, correct some errors I know I am making. Probably the key is: be honest with yourself. There will probably be a day when I say to one of my sons; "want the 919?" but not for a while, quite a while...I hope
 
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I'm 75, been riding for 60 years... And... That included "On any Sunday" Dirt/Mud, mountain trails, in the logging area's outside of Portland Ore., And desert racing outside of Bend Ore., And touring.... Longest time from home, living on the bike was, 4 1/2 months.

Mega miles of splitting lanes in the Bay Area.

When to quit? Have no answer.
 
brichter said:
My stepdad just bought a new bike a couple of weeks ago. He's 78, works out daily and does computer consulting from home since he retired from Lockheed. He stopped hiking Mt. Whitney a couple of years ago because his knees hurt too much afterward, but other than that he's still on the same program he's been on for the last 20 years, except for commuting to work on the bike every day.

I guess he hasn't reached the point where he's ready to stop yet either, I hope I'm still going at that age. :party
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Update on my stepdad: he's now 80, and since my Mom wasn't feeling well, he decided to ride to his family reunion in Washington state this year instead of flying. 2 days up, 2 days back, he told me he remembers doing it in 1 back in the day, but figured he'd take 2 because he wanted to be able to sightsee along the way. :ride
 
MarcovHawk said:
Ha, it'll be at least 4 of us 90 year old guys picking it up! :rofl
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:afm199

Hmm at 90, I'm bringing some younger friends. Four 90 year olds picking up a bike just ain't right! :rofl

Actually if you maintain your body well enough, restoring what you can, even with a Vintage body, it'll still go pretty well!!
 
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I am glad I let out the clutch on this thread. I agree with all the comments after mine. Staying fit and honest self appraisal are the keys. And constant vigilance, always that. I look forward to meeting you and the cohort May 10, Doc, as well as picking up some needed knowledge.
 
Awesome, see you then. In the meantime, let's keep on riding!!!
 
afm199 said:
My buddies Joe Kerr and Fred Willing rode into their seventies. Last year Fred WON the Daytona Thruxton race, and won the national championship Thruxton Cup a couple times in the last six years. Joe's idea of fun was to put his luggage rack on his 1098 and ride to Virginia for a trackday. He did 50 a year and rode to almost all of them. I'm just a kid at 69 but will still be riding and instructing this year, on the track.
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There are several old-timers who were members of Oregon Vintage Motorcyclsts (plus numerous other clubs when they were younger) who didn't stop riding until they were literally on their deathbeds.
Roy Burke and Lydian Ascenzi were two who lived to be over 90, and still participated in club rides to the end on their modernized (Japanese made front forks with disc brakes) Indian Scouts, and were still very fast.
You can google both of those guys. Roy was an AMA Hall of Fame inductee.

I'm 65 now, about to retire, and I expect my riding is going to increase considerably.
 
This is pretty interesting. This thread has been going for eight years. There have been 36k views of it; twice the number of the closest second place in the 1Rider section. That says something that may invite some BARF dark humor (bring it on). When I started looking at this thread, came from questioning the wisdom of my getting back into it after being away from riding for 40 years. It has now been a year and a half since I took the Bay Area riding course with eldest son, and after watching him have all the fun with his first bike, a ninja 500, has been a little less than a year since I bought a 2001 500gs, and about four months since I traded up to the 2004 Honda 919. Obviously most inspiring is hearing about the riders 20+ years my senior, still in it, but was also taken by the rider, 65, about to retire, and his thought that this next stage will just leave him more time to ride, got me thinking about visiting baby boy at the Second Infantry Division in Fort Lewis, Washington next year- a nice lazy ride up the coast- motel to motel, credit cards, rain gear, toothbrush and a change of clothes in the tank bag, tools under the seat, and no need to hurry.
 
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Carlo said:
There are several old-timers who were members of Oregon Vintage Motorcyclsts (plus numerous other clubs when they were younger) who didn't stop riding until they were literally on their deathbeds.
Roy Burke and Lydian Ascenzi were two who lived to be over 90, and still participated in club rides to the end on their modernized (Japanese made front forks with disc brakes) Indian Scouts, and were still very fast.
You can google both of those guys. Roy was an AMA Hall of Fame inductee.

I'm 65 now, about to retire, and I expect my riding is going to increase considerably.
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Riding makes life a little easier, doesn't it?

Ride for life, life for ride. :ride:ride:ride
 
Hooli said:
At 48 I'm a kid in this thread. :D
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You act much younger. :twofinger :laughing

I'll be celebrating my 60th birthday inside a month and am looking forward to more opportunities to :ride :party :teeth :thumbup
 
Carlo said:
There are several old-timers who were members of Oregon Vintage Motorcyclsts (plus numerous other clubs when they were younger) who didn't stop riding until they were literally on their deathbeds.
Roy Burke and Lydian Ascenzi were two who lived to be over 90, and still participated in club rides to the end on their modernized (Japanese made front forks with disc brakes) Indian Scouts, and were still very fast.
You can google both of those guys. Roy was an AMA Hall of Fame inductee.

I'm 65 now, about to retire, and I expect my riding is going to increase considerably.
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Cool stuff. Good to hear.
I wish you well in retirement and riding Carlo!

Funny for me.. about a decade older than Hooli Pup it is my wife that wants/thinks I am getting too old to ride. Hell she is skert! I am not and feel like I am a better rider brain wise than ever.

Sure I have lost some of the skills I had in the dirt or on the race track, but I don't want to take it to the edge any more. The desire to push push has settled into the desire to have fun and enjoy the ride.
 
budman said:
The desire to push push has settled into the desire to have fun and enjoy the ride.
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That happened to me a few years ago... having each shoulders separated in different incidents a year apart finally proved to me I don't heal as fast as I used to. :|

Now when I want to push it, I take it to the track.









In the car! :teeth
 
My need to push-push has been self-censored by my hopes of non-injury. :teeth
 
Whut, stop riding ?

Now that I can afford any machine I want and know what to do with it?

Blasphemy I tell you. AND don't you dare give me an inch on the inside of a corner.
 
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