I've lost me bottle

fredintoon

fredintoon

Fred Hill, S'toon.
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Which my British Nephew said is Britspeak for losing one's nerve.
Last year I bought a 1967 100cc Yamaha Twinjet which my son fixed up
to run perfectly so I could take it to this year's Handhills (AB) small bike rally.
On arriving I rode the bike around the campsite and came to realize that it'd
been 10+ years since I'd last ridden a solo bike, that absent the step the bike was
parked next to I'd need a mounting block to help me get on and off it and that my
sense of balance has gotten kinda dodgy since my last solo ride.
On to plan 2. I sold it. Even made a small profit on the deal. Took out my initial cost
and gave the rest to my son. WTF, I'll be 82 in August and I can still ride a sidecar.
 
Ride On Fred!!!
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fredintoon said:
I'll be 82 in August and I can still ride a sidecar.
Click to expand...
I think it's outstanding that you still have the desire and gumption to ride. Ride on Sir.
fredintoon said:
my
sense of balance has gotten kinda dodgy since my last solo ride.
Click to expand...
My dad rode his Goldwing until he was in his mid eighty's. I stopped by to see Mom and Dad one day and noticed the wing was not in the garage. Asked him where it was. He said he sold it. Reason why was he didn't fell comfortable at stop signs and slow speeds. He said if it fell over and he could get out from under it he knew there was no way he could stand it up. He started out riding Indians in the early 40's. He felt his riding time was over. I hope I have his wisdom on that in my later years.
 
In 2015 i had surgery for 3 aneurysms..The biggest one was ready to burst in the Abdominal Aorta.plus 2 more aneurysms ..one in each Femoral artery...I now have 3 stents that have controlled these anaeurysms.. after a 2 month hiatus..i returned to my riding unabated. Memorial day weekend 2017 and i was preparing to go to a rally and riding locally passed a shopping center when a lady ina Jeep pulled out of the shopping center and right in front of me..OFC she didnt even look my way so i T-boned her...My bike..my beautiful 1979 XS1100 aka Swampthing took the brunt of the impact. It ejected me 50 ft through the air where i landed on the back of my head and shoulders.(ATGATT) onto the oncoming traffic lane(2 laner). Then about a year later i was riding alone and just went off the road..no recollection of any of that.. Totaled my 11 month old(to me) Bandit 1250...
At that point I "lost the bottle" Scared to think what would have happened if i ruptured any on those aneurysms in an accident on two wheels..So I came to the conclusion i was done.. My passion still burns to ride though..After 9 months being bikeless..I can no longer stand it so here i am..I loved my Bandit..it was the right weight but my true passion is vintage Yamahas..so here I am..I dont know how much longer I can ride..i have arthritic isues as well. But here i be...
You are an inspiraton to many of us youngins...
 
As a side note the only thing he told me about riding bikes when I got my first one was " Two things are going to happen. You are going to get wet and you are going to fall down. Lets hope you get wet more than you fall down."
 
madmax-im said:
i was riding alone and just went off the road..no recollection of any of that.
Click to expand...
Like Fred I applaud your desire to ride. As for myself. If I found myself in a ditch and didn't know how or why I got there I think I would give up riding or drinking, whatever I was doing before the ditch episode.
As Clint Eastwood said " A mans got to know his limitations."
 
madmax-im I mean no disrespect nor am I trying to tell you how to live your life. We all have to make our own decisions that we fell comfortable with.
 
Non taken Greg..It may not be the smartest decision but i cant stand sitting around without a bike to ride.. My decision to downsize and go vintage will limit my riding time but that is ok with me..i have done the iron butt thing on 2 Honda ST1100s and i have owned other big displacement Yamahas for many yrs..so this is my adjustmet to old age...I'm going to be 67 in Aug..no biggie
BEN
 
Last edited:
GLJ said:
madmax-im I mean no disrespect nor am I trying to tell you how to live your life. We all have to make our own decisions that we fell comfortable with.
Click to expand...
Sorry I called you Gary..i get screennames confused all the time..thought you were gggGary..LOL
 
Great story Fred i suppose you get use to the way you have ridden your sidecar bike with very little effort as far as balance goes. Great effort on you at your age. I sure hope I even make it there and keep loving what I do. JC
 
no shame there fred ,we all need to know our capabilities which is why selling my larger bikes as the legs just arnt up to it anymore, so putting a chair on the xs650 but also in the middle of buying a 2008 canam spyder for the longer trips , luckily in the short term can still use the xs solo but who knows for how much longer , hopefully we will all still be riding into our 90s (shit.. every yr after the 70s is a bonus)
 
.....In the same boat with y'all.....Lost right leg 41 years ago to a left turning oncoming driver who "just didn't see" me. Continued to ride but now finding my 'Wing is just too damn heavy! I haven't ridden it for over a year and just gonna sell it. Almost put sidecar on the Honda but sold the chair a while back so I could concentrate on the 650 and have ridden it a lot this year except for rainy days.......Anybody out there interested in a 1983 1100 Interstate?
 
madmax-im said:
In 2015 i had surgery for 3 aneurysms..The biggest one was ready to burst in the Abdominal Aorta.plus 2 more aneurysms ..one in each Femoral artery...I now have 3 stents that have controlled these anaeurysms.. after a 2 month hiatus..i returned to my riding unabated. Memorial day weekend 2017 and i was preparing to go to a rally and riding locally passed a shopping center when a lady ina Jeep pulled out of the shopping center and right in front of me..OFC she didnt even look my way so i T-boned her...My bike..my beautiful 1979 XS1100 aka Swampthing took the brunt of the impact. It ejected me 50 ft through the air where i landed on the back of my head and shoulders.(ATGATT) onto the oncoming traffic lane(2 laner). Then about a year later i was riding alone and just went off the road..no recollection of any of that.. Totaled my 11 month old(to me) Bandit 1250...
At that point I "lost the bottle" Scared to think what would have happened if i ruptured any on those aneurysms in an accident on two wheels..So I came to the conclusion i was done.. My passion still burns to ride though..After 9 months being bikeless..I can no longer stand it so here i am..I loved my Bandit..it was the right weight but my true passion is vintage Yamahas..so here I am..I dont know how much longer I can ride..i have arthritic isues as well. But here i be...
You are an inspiraton to many of us youngins...
Click to expand...

Hi madmaxim,
try a lightweight sidecar on your XS650?
 
madmax-im said:
In 2015 i had surgery for 3 aneurysms..The biggest one was ready to burst in the Abdominal Aorta.plus 2 more aneurysms ..one in each Femoral artery...I now have 3 stents that have controlled these anaeurysms.. after a 2 month hiatus..i returned to my riding unabated. Memorial day weekend 2017 and i was preparing to go to a rally and riding locally passed a shopping center when a lady ina Jeep pulled out of the shopping center and right in front of me..OFC she didnt even look my way so i T-boned her...My bike..my beautiful 1979 XS1100 aka Swampthing took the brunt of the impact. It ejected me 50 ft through the air where i landed on the back of my head and shoulders.(ATGATT) onto the oncoming traffic lane(2 laner). Then about a year later i was riding alone and just went off the road..no recollection of any of that.. Totaled my 11 month old(to me) Bandit 1250...
At that point I "lost the bottle" Scared to think what would have happened if i ruptured any on those aneurysms in an accident on two wheels..So I came to the conclusion i was done.. My passion still burns to ride though..After 9 months being bikeless..I can no longer stand it so here i am..I loved my Bandit..it was the right weight but my true passion is vintage Yamahas..so here I am..I dont know how much longer I can ride..i have arthritic isues as well. But here i be...
You are an inspiraton to many of us youngins...
Click to expand...

Hi madmaxim-um.
as an alternative to reverting to a car, try hanging a lightweight chair on your XS650
IMG_0023.JPG
A Velorex 562 works well but best use a subframe as the stock clamps are kinda frail.
 
Thats a cool setup but I am afraid it would be too heavy for an XS650..if not then it would definitely slow things down..
my vestibular awareness is still very keen so i am not in need of 3 wheels just yet...
 

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