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

I'm about to turn 55 and have been riding since I was 18 or so. Not giving it up until I just can't do it physically. I might suggest a smaller, lighter bike, 450 lbs. or less. Sub 400 even better. And with knowledge that this may not be possible, move the hell out of the Bay Area. There is so much great riding elsewhere that is way safer for us older gents.
 
afm199 said:
Who dredged up this old thread?
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Just cuz some'ting's old, don't mean it's no good.
Haven't U ever heard the phrase; "The older the violin, the sweeter the music?" This is just one of them fine threads, for us old codgers. It may be old to people who've been here awhile, but see'in I've only been BARF'in a couple months, it's new to me.
I'm 49, (In human years) but I feel like I'm 350, and that's why I ride. I don't give a fuck! Nature has not been kind to me. That's why I'll ride 'til the day I die.
Hell, today's a good day to die!
 
OP here

fonseca said:
OP Are you getting pressure from family to stop riding?
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No, I am not. Since I first started this old thread, I have made some adjustments.

First, I stopped all riding in wet weather. I didn't enjoy that anyway, so no big deal.

Second, I try to commute across the Bay Bridge during slightly off-peak hours (i.e., at 9:15 am rather than at 8:30 am). It makes a big difference.

Third, I am going to the gym three times a week, working on balance and core strengthening, plus a little upper body weight training. I can now kick butt and take names.

Finally I have less stress at home, since my wife and I split. This was totally unrelated to my motorcycling, but it did eliminate come of my mental fatigue, which has given me better focus when riding. My 19 year old daughter, who lives with me, supports my riding, since that means she gets to use the car.
 
im new to riding.... only been riding about a year n im 30 yrs old..... but i gotta say... it addicting as hell.... i cant imagine a day will come when i dont wanna get on the bike.... but i also realise your eyes have seen n been apart of alot more than mine. ride til your heart says to stop.... letting go aint always bad, sometimes it opens your hands to hold somethin new
 
like someone posted earlier, just do recreational riding on weekends. people are stressed and always rushing around on the roads during workdays.
 
Banjoboy said:
....
I'm 49, (In human years) but I feel like I'm 350, and that's why I ride. ....
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A few riders have been known to last as long as the incredibly ancient age of 57, even after developing moderately awful physical issues and surviving deer attacks.
And they still ride circles around most of the youngsters....
It's inspiring, I tell you!
 
You old guys just go out and die. Stinnet is 57? Fuck dude I remember when you were a young stud. :laughing
 
You don't quit riding when you get old; you get old when you quit riding.
 
When shoud we stop riding? -- perspectives of an older rider
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I am 52, been riding since I was 9 with about 15 years missing in between (To Raise a family - PRIORITIES)

I put my boots up in 1990 to heal, raise a family and I did not have income or enough insurance to buy a bike. This is what I meant by PRIORITIES

Its a personal decision to stop, we all need to evaluate ourselves first and what motivates us to ride. Me, Motorcycles will and always has been my first love, I plan on stopping at 93. WHY 93 Exiled?

Well 93 is a good number for me, it marks 2050 in the year and thats a good number, I want to die on March of 2050 at 93 because that marks my AMA number 393 :ride Its weird I know.

But I have always played by a simple rule when it comes to motorcycle riding and I use it today. When I am more fearful of crashing or riding and my concentration is on that and that alone, it is time to step off or take a break.

I judge days like this as well, I have taken off on the bike (Dirt or Street) to take a loop and bring it home because something did not feel right. No matter if it was me, the bike or the moons not aligned, I decided by gut instinct to park the bike for the day, there always is another....

:thumbup
 
oldapeman said:
No, I am not. Since I first started this old thread, I have made some adjustments.

First, I stopped all riding in wet weather. I didn't enjoy that anyway, so no big deal.

Second, I try to commute across the Bay Bridge during slightly off-peak hours (i.e., at 9:15 am rather than at 8:30 am). It makes a big difference.

Third, I am going to the gym three times a week, working on balance and core strengthening, plus a little upper body weight training. I can now kick butt and take names.

Finally I have less stress at home, since my wife and I split. This was totally unrelated to my motorcycling, but it did eliminate come of my mental fatigue, which has given me better focus when riding. My 19 year old daughter, who lives with me, supports my riding, since that means she gets to use the car.
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Awesome man. I think your making all the right adjustments. Sorry bout the relationship crap that always sucks. (Be hey there's always girls at the gym too) I stopped riding the rain because I have no Supermoto really. I hate riding my sportbike in the rain. It bores me to tears. Also there were many times I had to rain ride so now I don't either.

Traffic? I lover traffic since moving to SJ I'm having a ball with the Boobs in traffic! :)

Glad your still riding. :thumbup
 
RhythmRider said:
As long as you can continue to do so enjoyably. Once it stops being fun for you, what's the point?

P.S. Dying while making love to your wife at a very old age is WRONG! First, you should never make love to your wife once you become very old. Old people sex is disgusting! Second, what would possess you to want to die during this act? That'd be a funny story for the mortician.
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I was thinking the same thing about making love to some old bag that just might happen to be my wife someday. No offense to anyone, including my wife but gravity is not pretty! My Dad couldn't stand the thought of making it with a lady his own age, it turned him off. "Old people sex is disgusting", hahahahaha, that was funny dude. :teeth

I agree with the fun part to statement, that applies to just about anything. I think I'm clearly the oldest rider in the region, but not too many fellow riders I know realize that. I really aged however when I got into a pretty bad crash almost 4 years ago. The multiple injuries, operations, meds has taken a toll on me physically. I'm missing some leg parts as well because of the accident so that limits my mobility and strength. I've asked myself that same question a few times and generally look around me to find out if others in my age group are hanging up their bike keys. I don't think it happens suddenly, like "I quit". I think its gradual and then suddenly you realize you haven't ridden the bike for 3 months. That is the danger of getting old as well, you stop moving as much as you used to. The secret to staying young is keep moving, that simple. At this time despite my health issues, I have no desire to quit riding. In fact I have a desire to ride more and that happened when I bought a new Buell 1125CR out of the blue. That bike has revitalized me in a big way because its a raw machine, a motorcycle as I used to remember them to be when I was a kid. Like the kind my Dad owned and he was no hell raiser, he just liked to ride Indians. The Buell purchase was like an encounter with a wild one, you know what I mean. I just got back from riding it to a bike presentation at a Ducati/BMW dealership. To be honest if I didn't have the Buell I would have likely driven my truck there, like some old geezer would do, or not go at all. Thanks Erik B. Us old dudes can't handle cold weather as well anymore, so the solution for me was heated gear, problem solved! I can't wait to take it on a couple multi day group rides in late Spring and early Summer of 2010. They are in the process of planning now on Ducati.ms and there is no way I'll be riding my 999R on something like that. The 1125CR with the good ergos will be lots of fun going over Monitor Pass to Tioga and laying over in Yosemite. The second event is in the making and it will be the big daddy of enrollment and engagement on motorcycles. It looks like close to 100 riders exploring the state of California on a multiple day run. Yah-Hooo!! Fortunately, I'm the "all in" personality, you need that element to get others off their asses and moving in the right direction. Isn't life too short? What do you have as a foothold to move forward, air? Meaning nothingness for most people who blur one day into the next and can't remember day to day because their lives have nothing to remember, no referance points.

Good thread. Makes me want to form another club on top of the one I started with Ducati. The whole goal of a new club would be to make riding more exciting/interesting and get old dudes revitalized like what happened to me recently. Maybe we will call it the "second wind" club because that is exactly the comparison that is appropriate. :thumbup
 
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John S. said:
I agree with the fun part to statement, that applies to just about anything. I think I'm clearly the oldest rider in the region, but not too many fellow riders I know realize that.
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Move to the Bay Area. I'm a year older than you. Fred willink is several years older than me and a contender in the Thruxton cup.
 
V4 said:
:( :cry :( damn..it's time for me to hang it up too....

probably when the MILF's you lusted for when younger are now 20 years younger than you these days...:cry
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Damn to late for me, I like my Beemers and them MILFs are 20 yrs younger! But riding is everything, so I'll keep do'in it. (Besides I might be able to bag one of them MILFs now?)
 
I'm coming on 50 in a couple of years, and no way am I quitting.
That said, I am aware that I don't heal as fast as I used to, and that a head shake that would give an 18 year old a concussion, could easily kill me, so I have adjusted my risk taking some.
But hanging up my helmet? :rofl
 
afm199 said:
You old guys just go out and die. Stinnet is 57? Fuck dude I remember when you were a young stud. :laughing
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well, as we don't stop riding and don't die, we achieve that sage status of "old fart on motorcycle"...:)
 
I sold a BMW F800ST to an older gentleman a few weeks ago... because his old bike was getting a bit too heavy for him. He's 78. Went through a number of boxer touring bikes, each with at least 100K miles on.

Gotta admire that. :)
 
OldYam said:
You don't quit riding when you get old; you get old when you quit riding.
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Well said :thumbup
PutPut said:
I'm thinking that the motorcycle riding is probably keeping you young. Sure there's risk but, that's life and it's your decision. If you feel you can still ride then ride...

I'm not stoppin' till I drop, thank you very much...:x
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:ride till you die :)
 
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