To ride, or not to ride...

Bill N. has post his farewell message. After 43 years of riding he has made the personal decision not to continue riding at this time. For me, it has been 30+ years of riding, and I suspect that it would take a health issue to put the kickstand down one last time.

What will influence your decision to ride, or not to ride?

If I get Ebola and it kills me I will stop riding.

The wife. If something ever happened to the wife I'd put a couple of vehicles in long term storage and be off shore in a couple of months. While I enjoy riding, I took it up because I come from a family of riders. I absolutely love sailing though and would happily spend the rest of my days trying to make the money last in the islands.

Laying on my back in an ambulance, after having flown 10 feet and slid 15 or so following an unexpected dismount at 35mph, I asked myself "Is this the end of the road, or is it just a bump in the road?" and answered myself "If it doesn't kill you, it just makes you stronger." So, until riding kills me, it'll just make me stronger... which means I never plan to stop.

Also; rain and cold will influence my decision to ride, or not to ride.

I'll stop racing at 70, riding at ????. This is my 51st year with 2 years taken out because of selling the bike to pay tuition.

I had to give it up due to health reasons, fortunately I was blessed to be able to turn most of those around and after 19 agonizing months I was able to get back on the road. I can say that I only left when it was absolutely no choice and feel health again would be the big reason if I had to stop again.

Mine would most likely be due to health reasons as well. I started when I was 2 years old, and it is just a part of my life that I honestly don't know what I would do without it. One day, the risks of street riding/urban commuting might weigh heavy on my mind and off-road would become more prominent than it already is, but riding in some form or fashion will most likely always be there for me.

DFW_Warrior said:

and it is just a part of my life that I honestly don't know what I would do without it.

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Me too. If I keel over dead on my dirt bike one day that will be fine with me, as long as it wasn't from a crash.

I plan on riding to the bitter end.

I raced for a number of years, broke my back in 4 places (in different accidents), shattered my pelvis, broke arms & legs, broke my collarbone and numerous ribs, shattered my right wrist (Hand is now fused to my arm, no wrist movement at all), etc and still love to ride motorcycles. I stopped road racing and now ride in the dirt and on the street, you manage the risks, but I cannot see anything that would stop me from riding, other than death!! And if I couldn't ride I would probably want to be dead, so it's the same thing.. I love flying, but riding a bike (occasionally at speed!! Is still very exhilarating) is just so much fun I can't see my stopping any time soon!! I started riding when I was 15, I am now over 50 and hope to be going strong for another 30 years!!

Gary

What's that bumper sticker say? Something about "my cold dead hands..."

Reason would probably be financial.
If I get laid off from work, I guess the bikes would have to go.
They're luxury items.

I don't know, I have gone through phases where I was just burnt out and the only riding I did was to pie runs and I had to make myself get on the bike as I just didn't want to do it.
Yet every single spring when it starts to warm up and grass is growing and flowers blooming I star jonesing and want to quit my job and just ride every where and take in the sweet smell of spring.

I'm bored with the riding around here and I never seem to get the time to take any of the long rides or dual sport trips that I want to take. So I've wondered what it might be like to just quit a while, but it's only been a thought.

Turn it around a little. What does riding make you want to quit? It was so nice on the way in to work this morning I could have just kept going. But, I didn't so now I'm posting here from my office, waiting on a call. Sometime I may go for a week without riding due to weather or errands that I need the truck to complete but when I get back on the bike it is always refreshing, so far.

I wish I had the financial freedom to ride wherever whenever. But, I miss having my wife with me on the bike. We have a 4mo old who takes up her free time. Family, or death/health reasons are about all that would keep me off the bike. I am always wanting to ride.

I rode 3 wheelers and 4 wheelers in the Imperial Sand Dunes of Southern California for many years before moving to TX. Have only been riding the street for just over 3 years and my odometer has rapidly slowed down this year. Wife having two surgeries and me getting a toy (97 Camaro Z28) to play with have hampered my riding and I don't really miss it like I used to.

Have made many good friends and met so many great people on motorcycles and here at TWT. Looking forward to the next trip to Big Bend, I had a blast this year there.

If my wife feels she can ride pillion again I'll ride more, if not I'll sell the sport touring bike. I like the DR650 more. I loved riding the sand dunes best and still miss it even after 14 years away from it.

I'll be 45 in a few weeks, still plenty of years ahead of me. Just have no idea if I'll be interested in riding anymore in the next year or two. I loathe riding anywhere near Austin, only go to N Austin for lunch on Thursdays on a regular basis.

I wouldn't trade my motorcycle buddies for anything. Y'all are great!

because the dang chain broke, beyond that I plan on a side car and have my grandkids tote me around when I can no longer do on my own.

The Bruce said:

Turn it around a little. What does riding make you want to quit? It was so nice on the way in to work this morning I could have just kept going. But, I didn't so now I'm posting here from my office, waiting on a call. Sometime I may go for a week without riding due to weather or errands that I need the truck to complete but when I get back on the bike it is always refreshing, so far.

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Bruce, there have been a TON of mornings like this lately.
And to the OP...I don't ever intend to stop riding. There was an older gentlemen that had a heart attack and died a couple of years ago.....while riding on a dual sport bike in the mountains of Colorado.....sounds like a good way to go....Lord willing....

I love riding, but it's not who I am. It's a hobby that has given me some great memories. What really matters to me is family and friends. At my age(63), my ability and skills to ride will gradually diminish. And so will the riding. There are many other pursuits that are also fun and challenging. I respect anyone who knows when it's their time to move on.

MaxxTraxx said:

I wish I had the financial freedom to ride wherever whenever. But, I miss having my wife with me on the bike. We have a 4mo old who takes up her free time. Family, or death/health reasons are about all that would keep me off the bike. I am always wanting to ride.

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I took a hiatus from riding in 1983 when my son was born. I could not afford a bike and a car and I just couldn't stuff him into those Vetter side bags. But I got back on when I could.

Gravel Guy said:

Bruce, there have been a TON of mornings like this lately.
And to the OP...I don't ever intend to stop riding. There was an older gentlemen that had a heart attack and died a couple of years ago.....while riding on a dual sport bike in the mountains of Colorado.....sounds like a good way to go....Lord willing....

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I can' t imagine a better way to go. Batter than listening to all that screaming as the RV goes careening over the edge of that road without guard rails.

'm 63 and dream of riding. Literally -- I dreamed last night about taking the Tenere off-road.
But there are things that could make me stop riding:

HEALTH -- I tell myself I'll buy a Piaggio when I get too old to lift a 2-wheeler off its center stand. But there'll come a day when I can't manage even that.

MY wife's health. If something happened to Jessica and she needed me present, I'd ditch the bike.

A FATAL accident in a group I'm riding with. I occasionally ride with one or two other people. I can imagine that if one of my riding buddies was killed on one of those trips I might give up the bike.

Other than that... it's my only hobby. I dream about it. I shop for farkles and waterproof boots. It's what I do.

We ride to sweep away the stress and strife of everyday life. Bikes are a tonic to the ailments of modern society. However, if the tonic turns to vinegar and becomes more burden than benefit, it's time to find other pursuits.

(Written in front of my CRF, DR650, and Multistrada, with a 3 day weekend in NW AR looming. The tonic continues to cure...)


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I will give up riding when I feel I cannot handle the bike; would also give up if I had to sell it...

Well, I thought about this a lot over the years, I have been riding 42+ yrs. I am 56 yrs old. My last serious crash (yes there will probably be more as I will continue at the track) was in 2008. Surgery, 8 cracked ribs, lots of time to consider the consequence vs. reward of riding.

I remember in 1999 I crashed on a straight piece of road in town when I zipped my jacket and while sitting up the thing got into a tank slapper. As I hit the ground and while I rode in the ambulance I swore to myself that I was done. A little healing of the large amount of road rash from that one and I bought a new ZRX 1100 3 weeks later. I couldn't hardly ride it due to the pain, but I got her home, she sat 3 weeks and then I started back.
My daughter rode on the back with me for many years, then when she turned 15 I bought her a DR200E and she loved it. I made her do braking drills all the time and she thought it was dumb...until she had to panic stop when we were riding in town, she locked the front, let go, locked it again, let go and then modulated to a safe stop! What a relief that was for me. She said she didn't even know she did that! I said, "Braking drills work." She never argued again.
Now she is married pregnant with a second grandchild due in December. She doesn't have a bike and only rarely will go for a ride with me. She still had her Taichi leathers and other gear. But she felt the babies are more important than riding. I get that and respect it.
I quit riding for a year once when I was too broke to pay for the bike and dumped it at a loss. That was a bad year.
So now, I have 1 bike (one on the way as well) and I love it. I think about bikes most of the time, I have the tools/skills/location to do anything I need to the things. I enjoy wrenching on them almost more than riding them, so when I can't get on the dang things anymore, I can still fix them.
Motorcycling is fellowship as well, I have met so many amazing, strange, and just downright great folks through riding, that I cannot see a downside. Like any activity, a certain amount of preparation is required to maintain ones skills at a good level. There is a financial component as well, as I am older and financially stable that doesn't limit me like it used to.
So, I guess, I will stop riding when I can't do it or don't enjoy it anymore. I cannot imagine the situation, but it will come as I age. Just another milestone in a fabulous life I was given by God to live. I am one lucky son of a gun. And, I am a motorcyclist for all of my life, I cannot ask for more. Thank God I had the chance.





Fathers Day 2006 Father and Daughter on track, a great day it was.