losing motivation to ride?

Lucydad said:

Toe,

Last year I bought a new Mazda MX-5 Miata, with the rag top and 6-speed manual. I find that the little car does indeed fill some of my need for riding when weather is poor, etc. Truly it is a driver's car: not super fast, but huge fun to shift and brake. Our flat, straight Gulf Coast roads are a waste for its sharp handling though..

Click to expand...

Yep I concur ... I bought a 2010 MX5 PRHT 6MT to replace my 04 FJR
Still the bikes remain in the heart, thats why I still read whats going on here on TWT

As with many recreational pursuits, altering "the modality" helps sometimes revive the interest in some pursuits. If you've mainly sport-toured on a heavy bike - seek out dual-sporting on a lightweight 250 off the beaten path.

I think at least that partly explains why there has been a strong interest in adventure riding the past several years by many motorcycle riders who once pursued mainly sport-touring by staying on well-known roads.

RB

FCBH said:

As with many recreational pursuits, altering "the modality" helps sometimes revive the interest in some pursuits. If you've mainly sport-toured on a heavy bike - seek out dual-sporting on a lightweight 250 off the beaten path.

I think at least that partly explains why there has been a strong interest in adventure riding the past several years by many motorcycle riders who once pursued mainly sport-touring by staying on well-known roads.

RB

Click to expand...

That was a BIG issue for me. I had over 100K miles of street behind me in less than four years. I had ridden every road worth riding in Texas and many in places like Arkansas, Colorado, and North Carolina. That and reading ride reports on ADVRider gave me the DS bug. Rather than get a nice lightweight 250, I went straight for a BMW R1150 GS I had a blast on it though! Ironically, it reignited my love of street riding because the GS was such a superb street bike as well as fun for blasting down unpaved back roads

I started out riding mostly dirt back in 1967. Did that all through junior and high school, then stopped.

To be honest, with my current bikes (both street types), even a patch of gravel gives me the willies. Not sure what happened...maybe I need an old Honda 175 scrambler, or Yamaha 125 2 stroke?

Manfred said:

I was talking with my wife recently and told her that if I had a month off I would like to ride from our place (SE Oklahoma) to Seattle, where our son and his family live, and back. All state highways and the like.

She said, "Not by yourself, you're not!"

Already have the route there planned - 8 days travel.

Just need the time off and a riding buddy.

Click to expand...

I rode Austin to N. Dakota to Seattle to SF/LV/Phoenix/Austin alone. Never had to shout over wind noise. Never heard any moaning or complaints. Met up with a friend in SF for a day of short town riding, and that was that.
When I got home, my worn out heart muscle was strong, my doctor was happy, my wife was just as purdy as ever. And my butt was rested.

There is a saying, "the hardest part of any journey, is the first step!" If there's not a saying like that, then there ought to be! LOL.

I can find excuses for not riding, because of what is necessary to get started, distractions and ambiguity about where and why I am going. I see it as the same feeling as when you agree to go out for dinner; "where do you want to go, I don't know, you decide." Motorcycling is like that, with the added effort of gearing up. Most reasons I can think up for not riding go away, once I am on the bike. I must cognitively reason myself onto the bike, then my natural incentive and enjoyment kicks in.

Another thing that helps is having a network of friends who like to get together for breakfast or lunch or dinner, mainly focused on riding to get there. But many times due to weather or other restrictions we all just show up in cages. It's mainly "we are meeting here, get here, however you like."

And here's an example, right now I am sitting here typing this post, when I could be out riding.

I suffer a lot from similar things to this thread. I think I am a bit younger than most that have posted up (I'm in my mid 30s) but I find it really hard to fit anything into my schedule for me. Between multiple jobs and trying to serve at church, and three kids (one in HS, one is MS, and one in Elementary) I seem to have no time to get on the bike. And then when I do have a few minutes I just want to sit down. I think some of it is a lack of people to share the riding with because of the schedule.

One thing that has helped is the Grom. That silly little bike is so much fun, and I can go get on it and ride around the FMs near me for 30 miles and its just enough to fill that need for a bit. And its the accessibility. Throw a a jacket, gloves, and helmet on and romp around.

I'm loving this thread, at 62 it's hitting home. Yep, it's hard sometimes to leave the AC comfort of my living room to gear up and have to endure the heat and Houston traffic to get to anything worth sweating for, but once I/we do, it quickly becomes worth it. I'm betting that I'm not the the only one that still feels energized after even a short ride. I swear sometimes it feels like I've ridden ten years off my outlook on life. I'm still fairly new to DS/Adventure riding and I hope I never lose the anticipation of my next ride and hanging with what I've found to be like minded people.

How about jumping on your bike and joining us for the Vicksburg ride in March...that will fix you or wear your butt out enough that you can make a decision once and for all haha.

Wrong thread...

mikes old virago said:

I rode Austin to N. Dakota to Seattle to SF/LV/Phoenix/Austin alone. Never had to shout over wind noise. Never heard any moaning or complaints. Met up with a friend in SF for a day of short town riding, and that was that.
When I got home, my worn out heart muscle was strong, my doctor was happy, my wife was just as purdy as ever. And my butt was rested.

Click to expand...

About 12 years ago I flew to DC, picked up an old Yamaha triple 850 and rode it home to Houston in 4 days. My wife thought I was crazy at the time.

One day at 640 miles in the Aug heat had me wondering if she was right!

my6 said:

It's not looking good. We are all ready short handed and one of my coworkers already scheduled time off that week.

Click to expand...

That was for the OP, but dont start coming up with excuses now haha!!

l

I have to say, in my daily life, I really get very little time to just sit with other guys and visit. Even my weekends don't see much of that. I've never really had a friend close by that I see on a fairly regular basis where we just kind of keep tabs on each other and keep each other grounded. As much as I enjoy my solo rides, or even the occasional group rides for a day, what really draws me is those times where I will be able to sit and really get to know someone. Pie runs are fun, but people come and go so fast that I am lucky to get to speak with them for a few minutes at most. I really enjoy the trips I sometimes get to do, typically being 6-7 days of riding with maybe 2-3 other guys. Camping is fine. Hotels are fine. But, either way, I enjoy the conversations around camp after the ride, in the morning when breaking camp, during lunches/dinners, etc,... Even the long drives in the truck to get to the area where we will be riding for the week are fun. You can really get to know someone when you have 18 hours each way to kill... I have been fortunate to have done some really great trips over the years, each with a great group of riders. That I get to share something like riding motorcycles in incredible places is just icing on the cake!

Guys like these


In places like this!








Or these guys,


In places like these, all on the same trip!


















And also with my kids in places like these,

Sarah in Utah and Colorado at age 11




Daniel in Arkansas at age 10




Sarah in Arkansas at age 12




Daniel in Arkansas at age 10


Rachel in Arkansas at age 8, first time for her without training wheels


The grass was deep but she kept at it, determined to ride with the older two later in the day


Daniel happy to be riding with the "big boys"


Rachel, Daniel and Sarah, about to head out with me


Sarah worked at challenging herself and stretching her comfort zone on this trip


But this was a little more than she wanted to attempt...


Daniel proud of the dirt on his new ride but totally bummed that it is about time to head home



I have so many more thousands of pictures like these with so many other great folks in them. You might think that after a while it would get old taking these kinds of pictures and making these kinds of friendships and memories, but it never does. I'd do it all the time if I could get the time off and could afford to do it. I totally love it. I especially like the challenging dual sport and dirt rides because they so often involve everyone working together to get everyone through the adventure in one piece. That shared adventure creates a bond.

If you find your interest in riding waning, I highly recommend sharing some of the riding with other riders. I love solo rides, but I love sharing rides as much or more.

Riding with Donny at His Wilderness Ranch. Excellent! I am so very jealous...

I wonder for the older guys if the waning has anything to do with prescription drugs. If one takes blood pressure meds, statins and whatever, they definitely have an effect on how you feel, your motivation. Many individuals in their 60's take such meds. I know some of my meds make me dizzy sometimes, which makes me less motivated at times.

Having the right bike can make a huge difference. Houston is typically either too hot or too cold. Your Streetie and V7R are just not the ideal year-round bikes. At first, I thought a naked bike would be great for Summer riding, but I have since come to realize that at ambient temp above 92F (typical skin temp), too much wind exposure actually makes it worse. You'd be better off being fully geared on a bike that you can control the wind exposure to JUST ENOUGH AIR FLOW for sweat evaporation cooling. My Trophy SE let's me do exactly that.

Then in the colder months, I can just about shut out the cold wind entirely and ride comfortably in the lowest temps Houston can serve up.

Sometimes I do miss my Speed Triple R, but I just cannot justify road bikes that I would only ride in perfect weather.

As for Houston traffic... I live in Missouri City and commute to NW Houston, so I ride the very same streets you do. I personally find the act of riding with 100% attention devoted to defensive riding and hazard avoidance very refreshing. This may sound counter-intuitive, but it forces me to clear my mind of all extraneous thoughts and concentrate on the very task of surviving through traffic.

That said, the antics some Houston drivers display can be really discouraging. If you dwell on the vulnerability part of riding a motorcycle, you'll scare yourself back to safety of the cage. Instead, focus on capitalizing on the unique advantages of being on a nimble, fast machine that can get out of trouble spots and get to safer zones quicker than most other vehicles on the road. As soon as you get away from one hazard/bonehead/dickhead/texter/maniac/etc., forget about it, and start scanning for the next one.

Do your best to be as conspicuous as you possibly can. Ride a slender roadster wearing black leather, and you'll practically disappear from most drivers' field of view. Instead, wear Hi-Viz, ride a bigger bike, and move around.

Lucydad said:

All,

Not sure if this is the right forum, but anyway. I am wondering if I am losing the motivation to ride. Seems I find excuses more than reasons: too cold, too windy, too wet, Friday afternoon traffic. Maybe its watching three cars blow through a red light last week and wondering if I would have survived if on a bike.
Maybe its winter blues. Maybe its the same old Gulf Coast/Houston roads. Wow do I wish for a cruise on my home turf of SW Colorado. Tried to get myself on my Triumph today, and it was a decent day: opted for a nap, then bicycle ride instead. Oh well....carry on.

Click to expand...

Funny you mention this, as I have noticed this lately as well..

My schedule is full all sorts of conflicts that makes riding difficult late.

The weather this winter has not been very cooperative when I can ride. I'll ride down to freezing temps, but its been very wet this year.

I haven't been on TWTEX in weeks (if not months) to even check on rides.. I finally got on tonight to see what's been going on and check on some possible upcoming Pie/RTE runs..

Do you have friends that ride? Since moving to Texas I haven't really made any friends that ride. That is a big part of why I don't ride as much.

Come to think of it, one of the guys I have been playing hockey with does ride, and we only made it to hidden falls once... I think I know who I will be reaching out to this week.

As Scott mentioned, hobbies often come and go.. Some stay with you, other's don't... And sometimes they just evolve... My days of sportbikes and track days are over, but that just made room for more dual-sport riding.

Maybe a nice inspirational video <insert preferred video here> will help?

TxTiger said:

I wonder for the older guys if the waning has anything to do with prescription drugs. If one takes blood pressure meds, statins and whatever, they definitely have an effect on how you feel, your motivation. Many individuals in their 60's take such meds. I know some of my meds make me dizzy sometimes, which makes me less motivated at times.

Click to expand...

Possibly!

At 66, you guys are depressing me! lol, get out and ride while you can. I still can't get enough, started at 15. I think it helps I do 3 different disciplines. One gets a little stale do the other. But I always come back to single track.

Of course buddies to ride with help! PKiser, Jfink, and Rsquared

Tourmeister said:

I go through waves. It's the same with many things in which I have an interest. Motorcycles and photography are the ones I keep coming back to though. I can tell you that when I first started riding and making trips to places like Colorado, Arkansas, and North Carolina, it was hard to get excited about riding once I got back home to East Texas...



I have also found that the longer I go without riding or taking pics, the more I tend to lose interest. However, the more I do them, the more I get into them. It's kind of strange, but I think it boils down to us being creatures of habit. If you have a habit of riding, you will tend to want to ride more often because it is just part of your routine. If you get out of the habit of riding, it becomes more work to go riding because it disrupts your current routine. Disrupting your routine usually generates negative feelings unless you are disrupting it for something much better, like say a trip to Colorado



I bet if you made a point of getting out and riding, you'd start getting more into it and enjoying it. Being in Sugar Land makes it tough though...

Click to expand...

@Tourmeister I think you have something here with the “routine” angle. The more you settle into a habitual routine, the more you get comfortable in that... and, the more you don’t want to disrupt it.

That’s why I force myself at some point, when I feel like I’ve settled too deeply into a comfortable routine, to take a trip or go shoot something all day.

I’ve traveled a lot. Both on the bike (still riding the Honda nc700x), back country hiking, backpacking in other countries, etc. And honestly, I always have to drag myself out kicking and screaming internally. I’m never exited to be heading off and away from a comfy routine. But, once you break free and are “en route”, something inside wakes up. [emoji4]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Wow, this thread hit buttons for many.

Yep, I take both statins and BP meds. I wonder if there is a correlation? I also exercise a lot and I am very healthy.

I am motivated right now....but endless rain here in Sugar Land. Yesterday I ventured out on the Guzzi: winds blew me around.

Naw, I have two fantastic motorcycles: one fast and nimble, one pretty and Italian. And I can handle the weight of both and they fit my short frame. I handle summer heat by riding very early in the day.

Road construction...everywhere....really is an issue right now: increases overall risk.

Tourmeister said:

I have to say, in my daily life, I really get very little time to just sit with other guys and visit. Even my weekends don't see much of that. I've never really had a friend close by that I see on a fairly regular basis where we just kind of keep tabs on each other and keep each other grounded. As much as I enjoy my solo rides, or even the occasional group rides for a day, what really draws me is those times where I will be able to sit and really get to know someone. Pie runs are fun, but people come and go so fast that I am lucky to get to speak with them for a few minutes at most. I really enjoy the trips I sometimes get to do, typically being 6-7 days of riding with maybe 2-3 other guys. Camping is fine. Hotels are fine. But, either way, I enjoy the conversations around camp after the ride, in the morning when breaking camp, during lunches/dinners, etc,... Even the long drives in the truck to get to the area where we will be riding for the week are fun. You can really get to know someone when you have 18 hours each way to kill... I have been fortunate to have done some really great trips over the years, each with a great group of riders. That I get to share something like riding motorcycles in incredible places is just icing on the cake!

I have so many more thousands of pictures like these with so many other great folks in them. You might think that after a while it would get old taking these kinds of pictures and making these kinds of friendships and memories, but it never does. I'd do it all the time if I could get the time off and could afford to do it. I totally love it. I especially like the challenging dual sport and dirt rides because they so often involve everyone working together to get everyone through the adventure in one piece. That shared adventure creates a bond.

If you find your interest in riding waning, I highly recommend sharing some of the riding with other riders. I love solo rides, but I love sharing rides as much or more.

Click to expand...

Well said, and I agree completely, in particular the DS comment of working together in challenging terrain.

And if pictures like that don't make a person want to ride, then maybe it is time to look for another hobby!

ffejtable said:

Do you have friends that ride? Since moving to Texas I haven't really made any friends that ride. That is a big part of why I don't ride as much.

Click to expand...

This is for sure true for me. My schedule makes it really hard to find times that match up with local people for me to ride with. It definitely makes a difference to me. When I have people to share activities with (running, cycling, motorcycling, etc) I am much more motivated to do it.