Anybody slowing down on their riding?

[Tom]

For years, I would ride 15-20k a year. The last couple years have whittled that down considerably.

Grew up riding, mostly single track with some street in the mix. Family came along so trying to be a responsible father, bikes went away. Missed it tremendously at first but the two young lives I was in charge with quickly squelched that feeling.

After the youngest was out of high school and we were in a position where they could go on without me and their mom, the bug hit and we picked up a 2002 GL1800 ABS, I built a a hitch and trailer for it and away we went, put 90k on the rig until mamma had enough. Went a lot of great places, seen a lot of great things, had a lot of great times.

Somewhere along that time, saw one of those big GS bikes and thought I could really get into one of these. In 2005, talked Cliff down at Gulf Coast BMW into givinging me a stellar deal on one. It was love at first ride, this became my primary bike as the GL was not seeing my butt as much as it used to.

My new ride took me all over the US, mostly paved with some knarley dirt in the mix. At 110k, the bike was showing some issues, a lot to how it has been used so I found a 2006 and figured I would add it as the main touring bike and keep the other for backup.

I have the other bike sorted out and ready for many miles of highway and secondary roads but, I am, at 65, finding it hard to get excited about planning a ride. I'm retired, have a lot of time on my hands but zip, flame burns very dim on the ride candle. A lot comes down the lack of driver inattention in cages, some to I've ridden all the roads within 200 miles of me with only a couple worth riding.

Interested in hearing if anyone has hit this wall, what are your thoughts, did you recover from it or just give up?

 

[mitchntx]

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[Tom]

Mmmm OK...

 

[SilverBullet]

...Interested in hearing if anyone has hit this wall, what are your thoughts, did you recover from it or just give up?

The complete opposite for me. As I age and get more available time I've been traveling and riding sooo much more. If you bump into that wall just climb over it and keep going.
...never slow down, never grow old.

...A lot comes down the lack of driver inattention in cages, some to I've ridden all the roads within 200 miles of me with only a couple worth riding.

I pretty much stopped riding close to home 2-3 years ago. I have the available time now so better to spend it riding out of state and/or out of country where the really good stuff is. Local roads are just too boring after the 100th time.


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[LaserDave]

I hadn't been on bikes in years after the end of MX days, then leaving Iowa in '87. Constant work travel dominated my life. In '06 an opportunity to buy the Ironhead came up, and I went for it. I sat in the garage for hours staring at it in disbelief. I had an Ironhead again. The last street bike I had was a '71 Sportster. Once I got legal and comfy riding again, I couldn't stay off it. A lot of the summer of '07 was spent in Iowa caring for mom until she passed, then I came back home and I think I spent 2 days out in the hills just riding until I couldn't hold the bars anymore. I had put almost 20k on the bike just riding out on the sisters.
I was bent on going to Big Bend, and had worked out how to carry enough clothing and a pony gas can, when the opportunity to buy the Glide came up. Realizing taking the Sporty all that way was foolish, I bought it, and soon headed for BB, which turned out to be the most healing ride ever. I've put over 40k on the Glide, again just on the sisters and the Luckenbach short ride. The dawn of my involvement with the CAF really took away from riding, and I have lost the "must" angle of it, but like the awesome cool spell in mid-July, when I do go out, I still love it. I know it's there.

I never ride locally. The worst part of my rides are always getting out past 1604 on 281, or getting over to 16 past Helotes, and I never go on weekends.
I do feel fortunate to have such proximity to great riding. And a return to BB is becoming an itch again.
The end of those days back at the Gage Hotel in Marathon sipping tequila in the White Buffalo Bar were magical.

 

[Tom]

Yeah, pretty crappy riding around here, 200-300 miles to get to any good riding. I can do a 300 mile loop with the middle 50 miles being good but the ride to and from makes it not worth it.

Have ridden the HC many times as well as BB area, know every rideable road to and from. Also have been all over AR and MO which is some of my favorite roads.

I guess living in a area experiencing a population explosion, riding out to get to these good areas if getting pretty scary.

 

[woodsguy]

For various reasons I'm hitting that wall. Hopefully will scale it. I mainly ride offroad and riding partners seem to be hard to find now. Just not safe or fun alone. I too have ridden many times any road remotely close to me. I'm retired but had to go back to work, that sure isn't helping! lol.

 

[Jarrett]

I'm probably not your target audience for this question as I just started riding almost 18 months ago and I've only covered 25,000 miles or so during that time. It's still new and fresh to me and I'm on two wheels pretty much every day in one form or fashion, if I can get away with it.

I'm kind of on the other end of the spectrum where I try to balance riding as much as possible against not causing too much friction at home due to me being gone. It's a struggle. If I were single, I would have ridden a lot more than I have already. I'd probably be on a trip right now. My girlfriend is decidedly not a fan of me riding and gives me grief about doing it fairly constantly. We bought a pair of pedal-assist e-bikes recently and started doing that together, so that seems to help a bit.

 

[woodsguy]

@Jarrett , if it counts, I do ride to work everyday. 12 miles each way, that's some riding. Working 9 hour days after being off 4 years is an adjustment. i planned on a dirt ride today but not motivated, maybe tomorrow.

 

[Crew Chief]

I've slowed down a lot even tough I'm retired. My retirement plan is just now coming together so lack of money to travel has been part of it - I hope that will be changing now. I don't ride locally as much as I did, partially because I don't want to dodge the cell phones and partially because getting me and my 74 year old wife on the bike to go to a dinner or something just doesn't seem worth it. I hope to ride many more miles next year, this year I've ridden darned few. We'll see.

 

[Meriden]

Yes, I've been slowing down for a few years now. Like a lot of the people on the forum, I started young and have a lot of miles under me. When I picked it back up earlier in the decade, there were a lot of things I wanted to see and do. Technology had changed enough that I was fascinated by the new bikes, but not so much anymore. Impending retirement has made focusing on my business and earnings a priority. More importantly, I've done most of the riding I want to do in the States. I like the Sisters, but not enough to ride over there from La Grange just to ride them. I'd rather piddle around in the yard on the Sherco. Riding is far from over and I'll grab the RT for a trip to the store or between Houston and La Grange when the conditions are right, but I'm not looking for a reason to simply twist the throttle like I did as a high school kid. What did the climber Warren Harding say? "I only do first ascents." We'll I'm not that particular (or good), but I've got plenty to fill my time and only ride long these days when it has meaning to me.

 

[Texas T]

I was thinking about this last night as I considered it was time to list my monthly mileage and I haven't even touched the bike in probably two months. In the past I would take riding vacations and hit the cooler parts of the country which really tacked on the mileage, but lately if I have PTO I just go to my other place in the mountains. I'm hoping to retire next year and then once both houses are sorted out I think I'll put on the miles again because I won't have to spend 3 hours just to get out of the heat.

So, bottom line, yes, I've hit a wall but I don't think it will be a game stopper.

 

[Cagiva 549]

I still have the desire and still see knarly off-road stuff that I think yee-ha but half way thru it I realize aw s—- that was 30 years ago when that was fun . Rode a few miles up into the mountians on the dirt bike and got my *** handed to me the other day , if I wasn’t riding a cheater bike I don’t think I would have made it ten feet . And 250 miles of nice roads whip me these days . But I have put over a hundred miles on my bike in the last couple weeks , course it’s a cheater too . Us old geezers need all the help we can get so cheating is acceptable .

 

[RobG]

I've slowed down on my riding...was riding 12-15K a year and now I'm probably riding 5-6K a year, maybe 8K at most between my three bikes. I broke my hip 16 months ago and had a complete right side hip replacement done, but it still hasn't fully healed.

I still enjoy riding too much to give it up, so it's ok with me to ride less and still have my knees in the breeze...

 

[TwinSpar]

At 57, the only thing slowing me down this year has been mechanical related issues. I commute daily in the Metro-Mess and love it! My wife can tell a difference in me when I don't get to ride. Detached and distracted is how she describes it when I'm without a 2 wheeled therapy machine for anything more than a couple of days.

 

[Tom]

I've always been the type that when I find something I like to do, I attack it full force. The downside is that one tends to get burnt out or saturated with it doing it whenever they can. This has happened to me on some of the interest I've had over the years.

Building and flying RC aircraft. Love the build end of the hobby but once I got pretty good at the flying end, boredom overcame me so now have a bunch of gear that I should give away.

Saltwater fishing, would pull my boat to work three days a week, got off at 4:30 and by 5:00, was working the grass line for reds. Got to the point I was catch and release due to my family and my freezers were full. Hung that up for 20 years and tried to rekindle the addiction again so found a bay boat and with cash in pocket, went to check it out. Nice boat but once on the water on a wet test, told myself, i don't miss this s--- at all.

Playing music was another. Played lead guitar in Fla all through the 70s. When I moved to TX, figured I'd give it a break. A work colleague talked me into playing in a band he was in. Shortly into it, I realize the drunks, cigarette smoke and bars was the reason it didn't appeal to me anymore. Still have a room full of equipment but only take one down and ripp off one or two then hang it back up.

Mortocyles.... Love em, love all of em, wish I could have all of em. Don't think that will EVER change. When weather is not nut-boiling hot, it still brings happiness to my soul to jump on one and go. What has got me less enchanted with riding is the lack of respect for riders by cages that think they are the only one that matters. Even out on the open road, drivers are distracted by the flood of technology in their vehicle that even though they passed by in your lane as your nautilus was blairing and HIDs flashing away as you head for the shoulder, they have zero idea what just went down.

Yeah, I have a dual sport and can ride without riding in traffic but to have any fun, I have to haul it many miles to ride where I won't get arrested or shot. Texas is indeed a big place but being about 96% private, leaves very little places to ride.

Riding seems to have changed for the worse exponentially of late.

 

[Windmill]

I will ride every few days, even short morning rides. Like you Desert Skies it is therapy for my soul. Try to get home before 11 am. Cloudy hot days not so bad. My DL 1000 is so much more fun than the DL650 was. Pulls like a tractor when rolled on even in 6th gear. Guess what I am saying is I ride in heat because I enjoy the bike. My XR650 hasn't had much exercise lately. But... I am ready for cooler weather, even 80's would be nice.

 

[Jarrett]

I've always been the type that when I find something I like to do, I attack it full force. The downside is that one tends to get burnt out or saturated with it doing it whenever they can. This has happened to me on some of the interest I've had over the years.

That's definitely my MO. Music is the only thing that's been going consistent for 37 years for me, everything else kinda comes and goes. I suspect I'll burn out on motorcycles at some point as well, but hopefully that's after a few more phases and bikes

 

[Windmill]

I have been riding over 50 years. Gave it up a few times, but she always comes back. Jarrett, you won't give it up. There is no substitute except maybe flying.

 

[Tom]

I have been riding over 50 years. Gave it up a few times, but she always comes back. Jarrett, you won't give it up. There is no substitute except maybe flying.

When asked by some of my non-riding friends, why do I do it, what's it like? Always tell them, it's like flying a aerobatic plane wouthout leaving the ground.

 

[Tom]

I still have the desire and still see knarly off-road stuff that I think yee-ha but half way thru it I realize aw s—- that was 30 years ago when that was fun . Rode a few miles up into the mountians on the dirt bike and got my *** handed to me the other day , if I wasn’t riding a cheater bike I don’t think I would have made it ten feet . And 250 miles of nice roads whip me these days . But I have put over a hundred miles on my bike in the last couple weeks , course it’s a cheater too . Us old geezers need all the help we can get so cheating is acceptable .


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Wish I could have made it up there to enjoy WY with you David. Maybe I should do better time management next year. Might see you in the desert this fall though.

 

[Tourmeister]

Good riding close by is a definite bonus! If I lived in Santa Fe, I would likely ride very little as well Things are marginally better up here in Huntsville, but I have ridden every road within 250 miles and have been doing so for 20 years now. So a local ride doesn't hold the thrill of a ride somewhere like Colorado, Arkansas, North Carolina, etc... But, I still enjoy a nice ride just because it is a nice time to clear my head and get away from distractions. Unlike many riders, I never listen to music when riding and have zero interest in doing so. I have tried it but just don't enjoy it. I like being alone with the sounds of the ride and the thoughts in my head. I envious of those riders that live in places where they can head out their door and be riding incredible stuff in a few minutes where I would spend two days trailering just to get there to ride the same stuff I often fantasize about moving closer to better riding, but I know my family wouldn't be on board with it. For now, the local rides are typically shared with one of my kids, so it makes for some nice one on one time with whichever kid happens to go with me. I know a lot of riders like to ride solo, and I also enjoy it, but I also really enjoy a good ride with one or a few other riding buddies. In my daily life I rarely get to spend time just hanging out with friends and visiting. So I enjoy the meals with friends and evening parking lot chat sessions on the occasional trips. They are literally like an oasis from "real" life for me...

There are still MANY places I would love to see and ride. I am only 52 right now, so I am hoping I will get the chance to do some of that in the future before time eventually wins the tug of war with my body... What would make it really awesome would be to get to do it with my kids when they are able to ride their own bikes.

 

[LaserDave]

Still have a room full of equipment but only take one down and ripp off one or two then hang it back up.

+1.

I'm close to having brakes on the Ironhead again. I've been close for some time but poop gets in the way. I did start it for the first time in 10 years last month, and it's sounding good, altho I don't remember it being so dang loud. lol. New tires are on and such, and I'm hoping once it cools off a bit and I'm confident it will stop, that riding it again will get the nostalgia thing going.

It could go the other way. I had a '71, and really, the '82 doesn't ride or handle a bit better. It's top heavy and the steering rake is stupid.
You have to want to ride it. But once out on the open road, it delivers a lot of grins.

 

[LaserDave]

Oh, and the KTM in the dirt? I rode it twice and it's been some time since. It quickly reminded my body to remind me them days is over.
Really need to pull service on it and sell it.

 

[Deleted member 23845]

I hear you. Also 65 and retired... Sugar Land is not riding paradise either. But, I still find riding clears my mind, gives me reason to stay physically fit, and is a challenge. Yes, it is risky, yet overcoming that risk gives satisfaction. We all go thru life cycles, phases: summer in TX is a grind for anyone on a bike.

I found buying a new bike helped interest: hence my MV Agusta, the "Italian Terror".

Hang in there. Sometimes a rest period later produces rejuvenation.