An observation on age and motorcycles.

Downeaster

Downeaster

Everything in XS
Top Contributor
Messages
3,004
Reaction score
18,619
Points
513
Location
Downeast Maine
On another board I hang out on (yes, Virginia, there ARE other boards...) some guy just turned 40 and was wondering how other board members dealt with "old age". 40...old age...you poor baby, you have NO idea!

Anyway, all the usual advice, but one guy (didn't say how old he was) mentioned how quickly his attitude adjusted itself when he threw a leg over his first-gen Yamaha R1. Got me to thinking (an often dangerous turn of events...)

I may have mentioned that I love my FJ-09. It is absolutely a time machine, even on a mediocre day. On a good day, when everything is clicking and I'm ripping up the backroads, I'm 18 again in everything but appearance.

One of the things I enjoy most is the look on people's faces when I stop somewhere. I peel off my helmet and people look at the bike, then they look at the gray-bearded, wrinkled, bald-headed, bifocaled old fart that got off it and you can damn near HEAR them thinking "What the Fu...??"

It always makes me grin, and fairly regularly gets me to laugh out loud.
 
I hear you. Years ago at a motorcycle show , I had the opportunity to ride the Honda 919,
BEE792DB-F294-4F72-A089-0EA66C57568A.jpeg


That bike revved so damn quick and the exhaust note was intoxicating. It had a very foward leaning riding position, so that when you were riding it, the bike disappeared beneath you and you very much had the sensation that you were flying. And as fast as you could think, “ I want to accelerate to that next corner”. You were there.

That must be how you feel with your FJ-09.
And it really is fun to be an old dude on a hot bike!
Like Tom Petty said, “ You never slow down, you never get old!”
 
Downeaster said:
I may have mentioned that I love my FJ-09. It is absolutely a time machine, even on a mediocre day. On a good day, when everything is clicking and I'm ripping up the backroads, I'm 18 again in everything but appearance..
Click to expand...
I need to try that so I know what it was like riding at 18. I never rode one until I was over 50 :)
 
You must be talking to millennial's DE for a guy feeling old riding an R1. The 1st year was '98! They should ask you (or lots of members on our site) about riding anything. Maybe volunteer this info.
That might start a very new conversation...
Bob, the 919 Hornet is a great bike that I don't own yet...:bike:, but will next summer now that I have some room.
 
xjwmx said:
I need to try that so I know what it was like riding at 18. I never rode one until I was over 50 :)
Click to expand...

You poor, deprived thing you. :p

18...lessee here...that'd be October 1968 to October 1969. I wasn't riding ANYTHING then. Too cold from October through the end of 1968, and Uncle Sam dictated my transportation modes courtesy of the United States Navy from February 1969 onward. My next bike was a Kawasaki 125 when I was stationed in the Philippines (1971), replaced during that tour by a Honda 305 Scrambler.

I went places and did things on that 305 that would cause Aunt Mary to faint dead away. Slowly to be sure (that bike was a TANK) but damn, it was fun!

Things just got bigger/better/faster from there.
 
MrBultaco said:
You must be talking to millennial's DE for a guy feeling old riding an R1. The 1st year was '98! They should ask you (or lots of members on our site) about riding anything. <snip>.
Click to expand...

True, but this "kid" seems to have his head screwed on straight and has GREAT taste in motorcycles. He also apparently has a pretty good job as he has several...
 
51st summer to be exact. The overarching plan was to save on gas... I had ridden on the back of an xs750 about twice when I was around 20 and that was it :) Do you know that a 250 from the era of the xs650 will usually get around 80 mpg. Don't know about modern 250s.

Right after I got my license, two young U.S. Marines in dress blues came up to my house. They were looking for a neighbor kid who signed up for the Marines but then didn't show up. They asked me if I was the original owner of the xs sitting there and I said no, I'd just gotten my license. They were kind of flabbergasted, which made me feel old. I love Marines since my dad was one, and we talked awhile and later I was thinking if I'd had a son in the Marines off somewhere I'd have had a damn heart attack with them coming to my door, while all they were thinking about was the guy next door who didn't show up....
 
Last edited:
had an FJ 1200 a few years ago before my cruiser days. now i drive my roadstar like sportbike, sans cornering, and top end. muuuuucch safer tho.
 
One fine day late last summer I was out for a ride on my bright yellow Enfield GT. Going slow through a construction zone there was a very fine looking young lady standing next to the road holding a SLOW sign. I couldn't help but turn my head and stare at her. I was going slow you know. She must have noticed. She gave me what must have been her best smile. I'm sure she would have been surprised if she found out that under the full face helmet was a 60 something year old guy out for a ride on his first day of retirement.
 
59Tebo said:
God bless all "Jar heads"!!! (I have/had friends/relatives in all branches - bless them all too!)
And Merry Christmas everybody! (even those out there that don't have an Xs) :woowoo:
Click to expand...

Thanks, and Merry Christmas to all you reprobates!

sgtpulaski.jpg


BTW, my Grandson is a Marine, medically retired on 100% disability. After 6 years, he and the Corps spent 18 months trying to find a way to keep him on active duty, but in the end it just wasn't to be. Serious deterioration/damage to his spine and the meds that keep him on his feet aren't compatible with military duties.
 
Well, please thank him for his service to Uncle Sam from this grateful Canadian - and wish him well in his future endeavours Paul

Pete
 
Excellent....and perhaps he can get his Grampa Paul some tastey discounts......;)
 
brianmac said:
bout time u moved i reckon
Click to expand...

We've thought about it. We've lived in Florida (Pensacola for 5 years) and South Carolina (Charleston for 3 years) and NEITHER of us is fond of heat, humidity or hurricanes, so South is not an option unless it's in the mountains.

We actually went as far as to put our house on the market. One year contract, reasonably active agent (advertised in print and on line) and...

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Squat. Not even a phone call.

So, being smarter than the average bear, we took the hint and decided to stay here. No way in hell I'm going ass-over-teakettle in debt for a house at my age.
 
Downeaster said:
So, being smarter than the average bear, we took the hint and decided to stay here. No way in hell I'm going ass-over-teakettle in debt for a house at my age.
Click to expand...

Semper fi, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I thought I had a plan. I moved to the North Georgia mountains 10 years ago. My plan was to retire here. Plans don't always come to fruition, so I'm starting over at nearly 60. I'm off to Mississippi. It's a place that never was on my radar. Anyone reading this in northern Mississippi?
 
The deep south is some of the most interesting country. Regarding the house in Maine...I wonder if it would be possible to arrange a swap with somebody in a similar situation who wants to move the other direction?
 

Similar threads

DogBunny
small victories -- won a race on Saturday
Replies
15
Views
230
Kevin Werner
Kevin Werner
toglhot
PD1006 Shinta, a short life.
Replies
1
Views
721
Jim
Jim
toglhot
A mate remembered
Replies
4
Views
1K
MaxPete
MaxPete
Downeaster
Good Advice from Back in the Day.
Replies
19
Views
2K
Downeaster
Downeaster
toglhot
Carl, my brief time with a lovely much understood dog
Replies
1
Views
568
Adamc
Adamc
Back
Top