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Giving it up

injun

injun

New member
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Location
SF
Moto(s)
ZRX 1200- Cagiva Gran Canyon
Name
nobody
At 65 and having ridden from 1966 :afm199 I'am thinking about giving up riding, that being said I'am talking about getting rid of every thing tools bikes (every thing ) just don't know, having a hard time with these life changes.

In the last 15 years I've had so many adventures riding cross country and having great bikes KTM 990's ZRX 1200'S, FJ 1200 a Cagiva Gran Canyon, Yea even a KLR.

In the past it was drag bikes and RD 400's from Denco and a few flat track bikes and rides plus building a few hill climbers # 2 in the mid 80's in the open class.
I feel like a clean break from this life would work, but I'am unsure if I can do this.

Anyone out there that has gone through this? :(
 
I'm just a kid at 55, but I can relate - but in the opposite.

I spent the last ten years competing in High-Power Rifle Long-Range target-shooting. Mostly 1,000yd F-Class. Attained the highest NRA ranking, had great times shooting all over with some fun people and spent WAY too much.

I made the decision to chuck it all, sold the rifles and all the attendant gear and got back into riding after a 25yr absence. Being disabled (=poor) I can only afford one hobby/interest at a time.

Change can refresh a life. When something stops being fun it's sensible to ask "why am I doing this?" and be honest with yourself in finding the answer.

It's a big world and there's more to see and do than one lifetime can hold.

And if you miss Motos after a while, they'll always be around to take you back.
 
Slow Goat said:
I'm just a kid at 55, but I can relate - but in the opposite.

I spent the last ten years competing in High-Power Rifle Long-Range target-shooting. Mostly 1,000yd F-Class. Attained the highest NRA ranking, had great times shooting all over with some fun people and spent WAY too much.

I made the decision to chuck it all, sold the rifles and all the attendant gear and got back into riding after a 25yr absence. Being disabled (=poor) I can only afford one hobby/interest at a time.

Change can refresh a life. When something stops being fun it's sensible to ask "why am I doing this?" and be honest with yourself in finding the answer.

It's a big world and there's more to see and do than one lifetime can hold.

And if you miss Motos after a while, they'll always be around to take you back.
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Your words are almost poetic. Truly inspiring!!
 
I gave up golf, was on the 8 hole and said "I'll see you all in the club house."
Walked off and haven't looked back. I was not a Saturday duffer. I played 5 to 6 days a week.

If it's lost it's fun, walking away is easy. The hard part is explaining it to others that you no longer do that.

Everyone tells me, "oh you'll get back into it." No I won't.
 
Similar thing. I was a pretty avid skier. High intermediate. One day, sitting on the lift at Northstar in freezing rain, I thought to myself, "what the hell am I doing? I'm miserable. 10 minutes of standing in line and sitting on a lift for a minute of fun." I skied down, got a hot chocolate and never skied again.
 
This?

54c8929e91376_-_sxforce-cockpit-600.jpg
 
Yeah, when the fun fades find different fun.

At sixty-six my bones don't heal nicely anymore, my wife resents being a bandage nurse, the budget whines about the cost of repair parts and the number of friends who ride has shrunk.

But the infection remains even if the fever has abated. What to do, what to do? Ah, yes, tuner car! There is now a Civic SI in the garage. Yeah! Picture gray hair, wrinkles, Medicare and shit-eating grin. . .that would be me.

And I still work on bikes in the garage on occasion. The infection is present, see?
 
ocoas said:
I gave up golf
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I gave that up before I ever started. :x

Maddevill said:
Similar thing. I was a pretty avid skier. [...] and never skied again.
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Yep, gave that up too. I didn't enjoy it enough for the expense of doing it. Plus the last time I was at a ski resort I made about four runs and my thighs pretty much stopped working. I'm not willing to just slide down the flat runs.

I sort of gave up motorcycles from 1988 until 1997, after I moved here from another state. Tried other stuff and eventually figured out that I really missed riding. I'm back for good. My goal is to go out riding on my 90th birthday. :afm199
 
Usually when I quit doing something it's because I've become bored with it. I don't ride as much as I use to, but I don't think I could give up riding. I've been riding all my life. It's not a "thing" for me, it's just something I've always done. If I was physically unable to do so, then yeah, bye MC riding. I use to run/jog, but then I tore the meniscus in my right knee and it was removed, so now I walk. I'm still out on the trails, because I like it out there, I just don't go as far.
 
injun said:
At 65 and having ridden from 1966...(
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I'm 63 and been riding street bikes continuously since the early 70s. I just put bike number 5 into the garage. I will ride until I can't anymore. I do live in an area that has great riding and I have a bunch of guys (and gal) that ride, most older than me some in their 80s (we meet up twice a week). I ride by myself and mostly short but quality rides. That's my background, FYI.
Hold on to your tools, I'm not selling mine, ever, my wife can deal with that. If you feel like selling the bikes, go ahead you can always buy another, if you change your mind. I'm not as sharp as I use to be but I can still manage pretty well. Our 80 year old that is very fast said his neighbor commented that he rides better than he walks, lol. We just do the best we can with the what we have left. Numb hands, balance issues, leg strength, it's all part of getting older.

Slow Goat said:
Mostly 1,000yd F-Class. Attained the highest NRA ranking...
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Congrats on the High-Master classification. I just built a new service rifle (with new 4 power scope rule) that just punches out the x-ring. However by the time I drag my gear to the line I'm already pooped out. Getting old sucks....
 
I've done it twice.

First in '99; raising teens dominated my time and attention, then I discovered that my Eliminator's spare keys were missing. Mrs. and I were certain that one of the kids or one of their friends had nicked them. We sold the moto, our gear, and the related equipment. We missed riding, but honestly didn't have the time at that point.

In '08 Ms. decided she wanted to try motorcycling and started shopping. She asked me to test ride a Ninjette she was interested in and I was bitten by the bug again. I soon picked up a 650R and Mrs. got a GS500F shortly after. We all did a lot of riding over the next few years.

Then I had a stroke in '11 and Mrs. got breast cancer in '12 so we slowed down quite a bit. My reactions and stamina steadily degraded, and Mrs.'s post-surgery body made it uncomfortable and dodgy for her. Ms. started a whole new career that left little time for riding.

In '15 Ms. sold her two rides and gear. In '16 Mrs. and I did the same. Ms. wants to get into dirt riding when she gets the time. Mrs. and I reminisce about all the good times we had but we don't pine over it. Street and semi-adventure riding was our thing and we just don't have the chops for it anymore.

BTW, being able to sell our motos for an affordable price to folks who appreciated them helped take the edge off. We hate to hoard stuff we're not using and prefer to see it go to people who can.
 
Years go by quick now. I'm in a race to ride bikes I haven't had before so I'm getting about 4 a year now, have to be new or under 1000 miles since new and then I sell them after a few months. I go through a routine if not dealer new, new tires, new brakes, all new hoses, a good aftermarket seat, lithium battery, complete service and then away it goes, usually practically giving it away.

I think if I was riding only one or two bikes I'd lose enthusiasm so a new bike has to come in every few months.

I still want try a Motus, Zero, VFR1200X and a well sorted and maintained Futura. An MV Agusta Veloce is on the list too and hopefully some new bikes come out in the next 10 years that fire up the soul.

Variety is the spice that keeps it all going.
 
MysterYvil said:
...BTW, being able to sell our motos for an affordable price to folks who appreciated them helped take the edge off. We hate to hoard stuff we're not using and prefer to see it go to people who can.
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:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup:thumbup

Schnellbandit said:
...Variety is the spice that keeps it all going.
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I love all two wheeled bikes. Big or small they are all great. As I get older the smaller bikes make more sense because they are easy to handle. Plus small bikes make me feel younger!
 
I'd always wanted a sporty convertible and finally got one. The wife insisted we have room for the dog so it had to have a semblance of a back seat. So.....I ended up with a sweet 1st gen Mini convertible. A full John Cooper Works car with close ratio 6 speed, a real limited slip, big brakes, special engine, leather, aero kit, the works. I've even tracked it and humiliated a bunch of 500+HP Shelby Mustangs. It put such a big grin on my face that I stopped riding my ST.

I still have my ST and I still think about putting it back on the road, or getting an FJR1300, but I haven't done it yet. Things change. I still have the itch for motorcycles, but I scratch it differently now.

If you do get rid of your bikes, I highly suggest a good handling convertible. And be prepared for the experience I had. When I picked up the car and headed back up the coast for home, I had a weird feeling that something just wasn't right but it took a while for me to figure it out. The, all of a sudden, it hit me.....I wasn't wearing my helmet. I laughed, turned up the stereo and disappeared into the sunset.
 
I ride a lot of the vintage brit rides and most of those guys are 60+. And some ride like demons. I'd say you have a long way to go. It's all in your head. If it IS physical, there are always workarounds. When my dad stopped riding I watched him age fast and give up on life it seems.
 
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Going to be 67 next month.* Raced Flat Track and rode Enduros in my 20's and quick racing when I got married. RD400 took the edge off. Quit riding for a few years when we had kids. One day doing shit around the house, the wife had a complaint and then the kids wanted me to do some thing RIGHT NOW. I thought I needed a motorcycle ride. Found a used Yamaha Vision, got me hooked again. Sports come and go in life, never was good at golf, snow skied a lot took several black diamond classes. Snow skiing was as close to going fast on a motorcycle as any sport I have tried. But lift lines and cost got to me. Motorcycles have stayed for me. Injun if you need a break take one, you can always come back and there are so many good bikes to chose from.



* Going to be riding the Swiss Alps on my birthday. :teeth
 
injun said:
I feel like a clean break from this life would work, but I'am unsure if I can do this.

Anyone out there that has gone through this? :(
Click to expand...

My experience is that it's hard to give up things I love, but easy to give up things that don't hold that magic for me any more.

For much of the first half of my life, I was an avid skier. I learned to ski at a very young age and did it a lot. Skiing, bumps, steeps, and chutes, jumping off of high places, going off-trail were a blast. But I gradually lost the thrill of it. Between the cost, the toll it was taking on my body, and the time investment, skiing like I wanted to ski became more of a burden than a joy. So I stopped. And I don't miss it at all.

If that's anything like you feel about riding, then stop. You might miss some of the feelings it gives you, but you probably won't miss the riding itself.
 
I have been considering giving it up for the past year. I currently commute on a dream bike that is just perfect in every way, except for how much time and money I have to spend maintaining it. Those expenses offset the fuel savings, so, it's not really a rational decision to use it for commuting. I don't take it to the track -- just the occasional mountain road which also coincides with my commute -- but I frequently find myself doing dumb stuff with it. It really is the perfect bike for this sort of thing. If I could restrain myself, maybe I wouldn't go through consumables as fast and it would be cheaper to operate, but I don't think I can hold back. I've been considering going off-road only.

A commuter bike should be cheap to operate. But, I also don't really know if I can put up with an absolute slouch of a bike. I love brakes and suspensions. Maybe I could do without really high power. I just picked up a beater EX-500 from a college kid without the skills or inclination to keep it running, so he was selling it cheap. I was thinking I would just flip it, but it turns out it has a $400 floating EBC front rotor and a braided steel brake line...I'm starting to think I might like to use this as my commuter with some suspension upgrades. It would be super cheap to maintain and insure...

Overall, I don't want to give up being a street riding motorcyclist. But maybe I am willing to trade a jealousy-causing ride for a slightly pitiful one if it means I can save a lot of money and still get my kicks off-road where I won't get myself into too much trouble for being stupid.
 
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