Mortality?

[RoSy]

I'm 67 now and I agonise whether or not I should pack it in, have been riding for over 50yrs, when I go into my garage and look at my bike I think how could I possibly get rid of it, can't just keep polishing it ( I polish it more than I ride) but I know the time to stop is not far away. If there ever is a physical drug then motorcycles are it.

[daytona-supersport]

I was out yesterday and loving it. Back roads a couple of easy lanes on the old farts bike, (G3LCS). Stopped of at services for a decent coffee and chilled a while. Got back on and carried on riding. Just could not stop.
Last weekend went for a ride out on a different bike with the VMCC. All back roads, lots of slippy salt about, added to the itnerest, plenty of interesting machinery in the group. Steady road speeds and stop of for a pub lunch. A right friendly crowd of bikers. Will be meeting up with them again. (bunch of daft old farts). :laugh: :laugh:
Even the old bill bikers give a nod of approval when your riding an oldie. If you get pulled over, don't worry, they probably just want to check out the bike.
Must get back on the BM soon but still having too much fun with other toys.

[corbine]

I'm 67 now and I agonise whether or not I should pack it in, have been riding for over 50yrs, when I go into my garage and look at my bike I think how could I possibly get rid of it, can't just keep polishing it ( I polish it more than I ride) but I know the time to stop is not far away. If there ever is a physical drug then motorcycles are it.

yup thats the spirit rosy-keep on riding for as long as you can- other wise when the body stops allowing you, you will regret all those days when you "nearly" went out for a pleasurable ride.

Ive been so looking forward to this season even for a ten miler as an alternative to the good old 50-100 milers etc days out.
body doesn't agree and i'm angry-grrrr

green with envy with all you boys n girls still able to ride. go do it and stay safe.
corbs:-)

[simonw]

When I think about these things I always think about police riders. Statistically they have far fewer accidents than many other motorcyclists, and cover more miles. That can't be purely because they just do more miles so are "less rusty". A lot of it must be training and a lot of it must be concentration and thinking like a few people have mentioned on this thread.

[scoobydidler]

Hmm its a tricky one isnt it. My first ride of the year and the first for quite a few years actually was about 3 weeks ago on the first real sunny sunday of the year. I was quickly reminded of the pros and cons of being a biker. Hundreds of bikes out, plenty of nods and waves but also plenty of slow down warnings for the inevitable plod. We had no intention of hooning just enjoy getting back into the groove but it does take the edge off the day when your eyes are on stalks. Found a cracking little twisty B road full of hairpins which was brilliant and all at legal speed but then another camera van on the way home. All in all great to be out but could have been so much better........more dirt, less road i think.

[AndyB]

I was out for a quiet little 40 mile ride on Saturday on a bike that had the rather unhealthy nickname of the 'widowmaker' when it was a current model in the mid '70s and I loved every minute of it. I probably got up to about 75mph but wasn't going to rag the tits off it because it's just had an engine rebuild and I didn't want it nipping up and throwing me off but all the time I was thinking I really wouldn't want to be giving it hell because it isn't as forgiving as a modern bike.

I just love riding bikes and no matter what I'm riding and no matter how fast or slow I'm going they still make me laugh so I'll take the risks and deal with them because they're fun and I'm lucky enough to have a several bikes in my garage to choose from. Whenever I feel a bit down I can go out on a bike and just chill out for a while safe in the knowledge that nobody can contact me because I don't do that bluetooth bit when I'm on a bike so everything can wait until I stop for a smoke. Not everyone can do that so rather than worrying about what might happen I'm really quite glad that I'm lucky enough to still have that option.

So there you go John, book a short holiday and bugger off to Italy on your bike. Find a nice little hotel where you can have a meal and a couple of beers then get up the next morning and do it again because it's not going to last forever.

[ysbytymike]

Couple of years ago I sat one lovely sunny Sunday afternoon having a coffee with Suzi. Tuesday she was dead.

Peer pressure I feel, causes so many unnecessary deaths in biking. Why do we a feel the need to keep up with the jones's (no pun). If I get there five seconds in front of you, does that make me a better rider than you? Who cares! There are so many reasons on today's roads to ride carefully and a lot have been mentioned but the biggest problem IMO is peer pressure. The need to impress..

'Butterfly Riders' They come out in the spring and expect to be as fast and have the same reaction speeds as the year before despite a six month lay-off. I have nothing against these people as we all get the same buzz from travelling on two wheels and there's a camaraderie amongst bikers not found in any other aspect of road user groups. But like everything, unless you ride all year, you never really get to know your bike, its and your own ability to cope when things go wrong, until its too late.

[Andy A]

A few years ago I did 12 months as a courier, over 30k that year on british roads and I do think my anticipation was probably better than now as I only get to ride while back in the UK. I only got knocked off once, that was at a cross roads in Disley, young girl stopped on the main road indicating right, There was a 2 meter gap between her near side, and the kerb which I slowed down to about 25mph while passing…Thenshe went left, still indicating right and not checking her mirrors, the only thing I remember was my front wheel locking up as my brake lever dug into her passenger side door just before I shot over the bonnet. A bit bruised and lucky to get away with that but I've never let accidents take over my thought for too long. I have only been able to ride my bikes for a month a year for the last 6 years due to work commitments and can't wait to get back to it.
Having said that, if I wasn't enjoying it for a sustained period I would find something else to do that gave me pleasure

[johnnyboxer]

So there you go John, book a short holiday and bugger off to Italy on your bike. Find a nice little hotel where you can have a meal and a couple of beers then get up the next morning and do it again because it's not going to last forever.

Wise words, can't beat a foreign sojourn on the bike

[samz]

After riding around quite a few European countries it does make you wonder why we bother to ride in the UK. Totally different experience abroad. Not despised by all other road users, cars pulling over to let you past not blocking you, road surfaces not looking like the Somme etc etc! The main reasons for me were, 1: The weather (not riding about in wet cold grey misery day after day) obviously can't do anything about it though.
2: THE SPACE!! Very few over crowded roads where everyone trails along in big long lines doing 35mph.

OVER POPULATION, the cause of most problems in the UK. The rest of the world will be getting that way too I guess