Just Ride.

Should this ride thread be just a.... well, thread? Or should there be a dedicated Forum topic?

  • Yes, it's own topic in the Forums

    Votes: 19 90.5%
  • Nah... threads good enough.

    Votes: 2 9.5%

  • Total voters
    21
  • Poll closed .
You Sound Like Youre From London GIF
 
I took my first ride in 34 years being ruled 'Street Legal' and can no longer carry an outlaw badge. To me, work was like a prison sentence, and retirement was like a probatory release with inspections by the SSI. Getting 'Street Legal' once again is like being released upon my own cognizance and like coming home from the Land of Nod. An oldie and a goodie, finally.
That last night before was a screamer!
'TT'
 
I took my first ride in 34 years being ruled 'Street Legal' and can no longer carry an outlaw badge. To me, work was like a prison sentence, and retirement was like a probatory release with inspections by the SSI. Getting 'Street Legal' once again is like being released upon my own cognizance and like coming home from the Land of Nod. An oldie and a goodie, finally.
That last night before was a screamer!
'TT'
Like you, I returned after a long absence. The skills I thought I had still need some dusting off. Ride safe my friend.
 
We older riders have mostly adjusted to our age. Diminished eyesight, less accurate hearing, slower reflexes and the aches and pains of attrition serve to lift us beyond the peg scraping adventurism of our youth and elevate us to a new perspective on safety and 'living in the ride'. There is still the search for the attainable top speed but most of us are happy to reach the throttle stop, let it wind up for a moment, note the speedometer reading and drop back to the limit with prudent haste. There is nothing wrong with 50mph - the ride is relaxed and pleasant, the countryside rolls past, we can enjoy the sights and be one with the motorcycle. Wheel stands, burnouts, knee scrapers and lane splitting are categorised in a benign way as the prerogative of the young - those who recover quicker than we sexagenarians and probably aren't riding beloved vintage or classic motorcycles. Do we lose it? Eventually. Do we still love the ride? Definitely. Is there much that the young rash rider can learn from us? Asolutely! You don't see many Ulysses boys being loaded into a meat wagon.
 
What you say is true, my Aussie Friend.

I would point out one glitch tho:

Folks of retirement age - let's call it 65+ - that "always wanted a motorcycle, but the 'rents wouldn't allow it" and run out and buy a half-ton of Harley as their first bike because they can afford it.

If you're gonna see a grey-beard being fitted with a neck brace and loaded into the meat wagon, chances are this is the group they 'll come from.
 
Yes DE, the Harley set is big here amongst our retirees - our ex- solicitors, doctors, psychologists and former CEO's who have had their mid-life crisis a little later than most. Don't get me wrong, everyone is entitled to experience the joy of wind in your hair (?) and the sound of a big capacity motorcycle thumping along the highway - every man should own a bike once in his life but, as you say, which bike and where is a sensible start? Was on a charity ride the other day with a group of veteran rders. Pulled up at a country cafe and parked our bikes on the lawned area. A fellow on a Honda Rune tried to put his side stand down on the grass - there were timber cut offs lying around but he was inexperienced and didn't realise their purpose. Stand slid in and the motorcycle fell over. It took 5 of us to get it back up! Lot's of grunting, farting and groaning - 1900cc's was almost beyond our 65 year old group and I'm sure there were a few back aches on the Jason recliner that evening. There is no fool greater than an old fool!
Cheers
 
I took my first ride in 34 years being ruled 'Street Legal' and can no longer carry an outlaw badge. To me, work was like a prison sentence, and retirement was like a probatory release with inspections by the SSI. Getting 'Street Legal' once again is like being released upon my own cognizance and like coming home from the Land of Nod. An oldie and a goodie, finally.
That last night before was a screamer!
'TT'
Nice one TT; you are as old as the bike you ride.
Sh*t my bike is 41 years old........OK thats still younger than me!
Ride far and live long.
 
As @Wingedwheel says about the 'Oh Yea' moment, I had gone to the bank right at opening time yesterday, and on leaving I suddenly realized, as I let a voluptuous lady on the sidewalk pass before pulling out, I am 68 years and one week old to the day. The hearing loss, 'excuse me, what did you say', and the vision impairment, 'let me guess', are certainly humbling. But the one main kick is the wisdom of irony to it all. The clerk at the DMV was inspecting my current driver's license, and looking at the vital statistics, she says, "Are you still 5'9" and 120 pounds? Me: "Yes". Then she says, "Hair and eyes still brown?" Me: "Last time I looked they were." I guess the youth just don't check for themselves and it is up to us to watch out for them.
'TT'
 
We older riders have mostly adjusted to our age. Diminished eyesight, less accurate hearing, slower reflexes and the aches and pains of attrition serve to lift us beyond the peg scraping adventurism of our youth and elevate us to a new perspective on safety and 'living in the ride'. There is still the search for the attainable top speed but most of us are happy to reach the throttle stop, let it wind up for a moment, note the speedometer reading and drop back to the limit with prudent haste. There is nothing wrong with 50mph - the ride is relaxed and pleasant, the countryside rolls past, we can enjoy the sights and be one with the motorcycle. Wheel stands, burnouts, knee scrapers and lane splitting are categorised in a benign way as the prerogative of the young - those who recover quicker than we sexagenarians and probably aren't riding beloved vintage or classic motorcycles. Do we lose it? Eventually. Do we still love the ride? Definitely. Is there much that the young rash rider can learn from us? Asolutely! You don't see many Ulysses boys being loaded into a meat wagon.
There is a lot of truth in this. I have certainly slowed down with age. But fortunately, I have always been one to enjoy the ride, for me it's never been just about speed.

Maybe it's age, but coming to appreciate smaller and lighter bikes. The XS650 and W800 are about as big as I would want to own now and I'm starting to enjoy puttering about on the RE Bullet. In fact, tempted by the RE Classic 350 and there ain't many new bikes on offer these days I would be interested in. In my yoof, used to enjoy screaming around on 2-strokes. Then the bikes grew in capacity, four cylinder 4-strokes. In my fifties, the pleasures of sampling the almost unlimited torque from huge capacity V-twins. But now I'm quite content just feeling the breeze, enjoying the road, best line through the bends, elbow brushing the hedge.

In fact, content was probably the most important word in that last sentence.
 
There is a lot of truth in this. I have certainly slowed down with age. But fortunately, I have always been one to enjoy the ride, for me it's never been just about speed.

Maybe it's age, but coming to appreciate smaller and lighter bikes. The XS650 and W800 are about as big as I would want to own now and I'm starting to enjoy puttering about on the RE Bullet. In fact, tempted by the RE Classic 350 and there ain't many new bikes on offer these days I would be interested in. In my yoof, used to enjoy screaming around on 2-strokes. Then the bikes grew in capacity, four cylinder 4-strokes. In my fifties, the pleasures of sampling the almost unlimited torque from huge capacity V-twins. But now I'm quite content just feeling the breeze, enjoying the road, best line through the bends, elbow brushing the hedge.

In fact, content was probably the most important word in that last sentence.

Well said Raymond! :thumbsup:
 
The Road to El Dorado……

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow—
‘Shadow,’ said he,
‘Where can it be—
This land of Eldorado?’

‘Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,’
The shade replied,—
‘If you seek for Eldorado!’

Would you believe I rode 150 miles today, just to take a photo of this sign?
E878DC0B-38A2-4ECA-B047-6C56DCE22A45.jpeg

Ever since @Jim opened this thread with this famous poem, I have had it in my mind to visit this god forsaken place. The El Dorado Hot Springs Resort in Tonapah Arizona, and it’s a nudist resort at that! 👀 And no, I didn’t pack a beach towel and go skinny dipping. 😄 You wouldn’t believe all the good reviews this dump gets. It has a natural hot springs , and it’s kinda overgrown and jungley. It has a bunch of pools and hot tubs, some private , in case you wanna get your freak on. I didn’t actually go in, but you can see photos online if you’re curious,
89D525E1-C3E8-41C2-9696-BB467FD72589.jpeg9A3FDEB7-4A45-4124-AAE6-A3457D1619ED.jpeg3238BFFA-F8A6-40A9-AB11-4768FDA56AB4.jpeg875834BE-D582-49EF-B717-E282506E91E4.jpeg

There is nothing around here except a gas station and a taco truck, and miles and miles of open desert and farmland.
F8534F9A-D598-42F1-9C26-C038788231A0.jpeg


But then , in this instance, it never was about the destination……that was only an excuse to….JUST RIDE ! 😎
 
The Road to El Dorado……

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow—
‘Shadow,’ said he,
‘Where can it be—
This land of Eldorado?’

‘Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,’
The shade replied,—
‘If you seek for Eldorado!’

Would you believe I rode 150 miles today, just to take a photo of this sign?
View attachment 214724

Ever since @Jim opened this thread with this famous poem, I have had it in my mind to visit this god forsaken place. The El Dorado Hot Springs Resort in Tonapah Arizona, and it’s a nudist resort at that! 👀 And no, I didn’t pack a beach towel and go skinny dipping. 😄 You wouldn’t believe all the good reviews this dump gets. It has a natural hot springs , and it’s kinda overgrown and jungley. It has a bunch of pools and hot tubs, some private , in case you wanna get your freak on. I didn’t actually go in, but you can see photos online if you’re curious,
View attachment 214725View attachment 214726View attachment 214727View attachment 214728

There is nothing around here except a gas station and a taco truck, and miles and miles of open desert and farmland.
View attachment 214729

But then , in this instance, it never was about the destination……that was only an excuse to….JUST RIDE ! 😎

:laugh2:
I remember seeing that place on the map back when you and I first discussed starting this thread. As I recall... I dared ya to go there. :cheers:
Guess you showed me who ain't skeered... :sneaky:
 
The Road to El Dorado……

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow—
‘Shadow,’ said he,
‘Where can it be—
This land of Eldorado?’

‘Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,’
The shade replied,—
‘If you seek for Eldorado!’

Would you believe I rode 150 miles today, just to take a photo of this sign?
View attachment 214724

Ever since @Jim opened this thread with this famous poem, I have had it in my mind to visit this god forsaken place. The El Dorado Hot Springs Resort in Tonapah Arizona, and it’s a nudist resort at that! 👀 And no, I didn’t pack a beach towel and go skinny dipping. 😄 You wouldn’t believe all the good reviews this dump gets. It has a natural hot springs , and it’s kinda overgrown and jungley. It has a bunch of pools and hot tubs, some private , in case you wanna get your freak on. I didn’t actually go in, but you can see photos online if you’re curious,
View attachment 214725View attachment 214726View attachment 214727View attachment 214728

There is nothing around here except a gas station and a taco truck, and miles and miles of open desert and farmland.
View attachment 214729

But then , in this instance, it never was about the destination……that was only an excuse to….JUST RIDE ! 😎

Hardly the hot springs of Iceland, but has some charm......
 
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