Ageing out or The Crossroads

[YamadudeXS650C]

In my opinion, the premise of this thread is bogus. Age is irrelevant to motorcycling.

I totally agree with Marty; deciding to ride a motorcycle or not has nothing whatsoever to do with how old you are.
Chronological age is just a biological fact. All the stupid "old age" crap that advertising and cynical cultural attitudes try to impose on us is just that: stupid crap. Negative attitudes and concerns about "getting old" is harmful to those it is directed at (we call it "Ageism" or age discrimination in our society) and for those who make the mistake of internalizing such propaganda. I certainly don't listen to it or live by it. I am 70, but I'm living the same life I was living decades ago. I don't live in fear and I view the increasing dangers ahead of me on the road as exciting challenges. Life is a great obstacle course and I look forward to any additions to it.

Physical changes, illlness and disability are a completely different discussion and shouldn't be confused with or discussed alongside a discussion of age. I have a nephew who had a massive, damaging heart attack yesterday at age 38; disability happens at all ages, unfortunately.

And for God's sake, don't ever let your wife (or anyone else) try to convince you that you're "getting old". Such thinking is self-defeating.

Don't surrender!!

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[gggGary]

 

[bazz]

65 in a few months
No plans to give riding whatsoever

 

[Bob Wegman]

74 now. I used to think I needed a bigger gas tank. Now, I have to stop before reserve to find a place to pee.

 

[resto]

Just turned 71.
Hope to wear out a couple more pairs of tires.

 

[JOHNDADDY]

Still good, or too stupid to stop.
Gotta admit I know I won't bounce as well as I did in the past.
A couple of discs removed from my neck is a concern.
Visions' not the best but I'm good with braille.
But then I've got that danged twisty thing in my hand, how else
is the missus gonna get my life insurance?
Seriously though, I am in a prime location.
I'm a defensive / offensive rider, always have my holes.
Old or young, the idiots have always been there, granted they are worse than ever.
Nope you can't fix stupid, not even with duct tape.
I do have the benefit of mostly riding in the boonies, triple vigilant in traffic
Play when and where I know I can, certainty no plans to stop.
Fate may have other ideas, that's outta my control.
Trailering out to calmer surroundings away from the fools may be a solution
for some. Dumping that touring rig for a lighter bike may work for others.
Can't sell my bikes they were gifts to me, that makes them heirlooms
hafta be handed down. God help the kid that gets the 650 with that electric.
Tough call for all I'm sure, just haven't got there yet.
Teach and build, share the wealth.

 

[Downeaster]

@YamadudeXS650C - I take your point, but the reality is with age comes infirmity. Some sooner, some later, for a lucky few MUCH later.

The trick is to know and admit when the time comes for you.

I wish you many years of two-wheeled joy.

 

[MrBultaco]

This is a bio on a gentleman named Neil Fergus. He's 95 and still riding adventure bikes. Most of us would like to live that long ...with a productive life, that is.

http://thebannerisup.district37ama.org/alumni/nfergus-bio.htm

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Malcolm Smith never bought into the myth that age produced disability.
He was still riding at 83.

Don't surrender !!




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[bosco659]

Well crap. Good a place as any I guess....

As some of you already know from the idle banter in my resto thread, I have vertigo issues from my Air Force days. I've had 'em under control for over 40 yrs now... until last fall. I almost dropped my Beemer 3 times in the span of one short ride. The last time, the guy in the car behind me actually jumped out of his car to help.

I'm 70 right now and was actually thinkin' I could make 80. Apparently not. The vertigo/balance issues persist. My doc tried a few drug combo's to see if that helped. It didn't.

The annual on the Beemer is done and ready to ride. The SG is almost done. Today is sunny with 60° expected. Perfect for riding... and here I sit. I still have the odd day when my balance is OK, so maybe I'll chance a ride here and there? Dunno...

DE, you shoulda named this thread "The Crossroads." I'm at the crossroads. I know which road I "want" to take and I know which road I "should" take. Quite the dilemma, eh?

Sorry to hear this Jim. Glad you weren’t hurt. Hope you continue to be as well as possible.

 

[bosco659]

Well I just turned 71 last month. Each year there are more aches and pains but I’m fortunate that I can still do most of what I used to do although it takes me 4x as long.

A couple of the things I no longer do are: climbing on the roof and climbing trees to cut branches.

Each year I wonder how much longer I’ll be riding. I take it one season at a time. I had contemplated buying a new bike but that’s silly considering my riding time is somewhat limited. On the positive side, many of the guys I ride with have 5+ years on me and are still going strong. I don’t ride in the city and rarely ride on the highway. I’m fortunate in that where we live, a quick scoot 5 minutes north and I’m in the country where there’s much less traffic and I feel a bit safer.

Sucks to get old but I’m glad we’re still here. Now I need to get the beetle and Supra finished.

 

[willis]

My mother has macular degeneration. She has only peripheral vision. The middle is void. I have been a student of what causes it. She’s third generation with it and her surviving siblings have it. I’m not accepting that it has to happen to me especially with the fair warning I have.

Funny you should mention this. My father also has Macular Degenerative Disease and I take him in for shot in his eyeballs every 3 months. Makes me cringe! At 50 I recognize my vision is not great so am tested regularly and keep aware of the possibility of the diagnosis. Dad still drives, for now. But his days are numbered.

 

[Dunc]

One of the guys I work with is 76 y.o. & he still puts in a good days work when we're busy. He rides a Ducati 898 Evo more than he drives the car & now & then gets out on his Husqvarna 300 for a squirt in the bush.

 

[TJZ662]

With respect to everyone on the forum, I’m curious what has everyone done to maintain the ability to ride in the ahemm later decades of life? My old man had a stroke at 60. But hey smoking since you’re 14 and ignoring all health risks could bite you.

 

[Raymond]

My step-granddaughter gave me another tin garage sign for my birthday, says 'Bikers don't stop riding when they get old, they get old when they stop riding.'

Been on bikes since I was eighteen months old, grew up on the back of Mum's BSA Bantams. Never been without at least one bike since age 18 years. No car these days, though I have owned a few cars from time to time.

In me 50s, downsized from big, heavy American V-twins to smaller, lighter bikes which are easier to push around the yard. If the bikes I have now start to feel cumbersome, you know, years from now, could always downsize again, there's some lovely little 350/400 cc offerings around. Then, next step, maybe an electric bicycle?

But that's all idle speculation. We don't know what's around the corner so my plan is to live in the present, always have done. Getting old is something I've not got around to yet and no plans to.

 

[DogBunny]

I'm 67 and ride every day. It's my primary form of travel, and I do everything on it. I drive the car (1980 El Camino) maybe once or twice a month, some months not at all.
My limiting factor is my eyes, specifically strabismus and amblyopia, related conditions where the eyes have trouble co-operating or "pairing" with each other. After recently completing a year of Vision Therapy I've sort of got it under control through daily eye exercises and self-therapy. As we know, a (city) bike rider has to be hyper-aware of his surroundings, I.E. perfect vision is required.
Aside form that, I will easily do another 10 years with the bike as my primary form of travel. Hard to predict beyond that, but the hope is to keep on long after that.

 

[Raymond]

. . . specifically strabismus and amblyopia, related conditions where the eyes have trouble co-operating or "pairing" with each other. After recently completing a year of Vision Therapy I've sort of got it under control through daily eye exercises and self-therapy . . .

My eye condition slightly related to yours and I'm interested to hear what exercises and therapy you do?

 

[Tiggertoo]

I'm 61 years young and plan to continue riding for as long as poss, though for me riding is only for pleasure when the weather is nice these days. I enjoy the tinkering as much as the riding LOL. There was a time in my yoof when bikes were my only form of transport in all weathers/summer/winter whatever and I just got on with it. Nowadays I suffer in cold weather with arthritis as well as Reynauds syndrome so prefer to only ride when its warm.

 

[RaceCar1983]

I may be the record youngest member of this forum at 19 going on 20… any challengers?

On the bright side all you geezers (no offense) have much, much more wisdom about these bikes than I do and it’s a great help.

 

[DogBunny]

My eye condition slightly related to yours and I'm interested to hear what exercises and therapy you do?

I'd have to write a small book.
You really need a thorough evaluation and then therapy specific to your results. Conducted by a Vision Therapist, not a plain-Jane ophthalmologist.
Having said that, there are tons of on-line tools and videos. Google vision therapy and your condition.
Also, Google "eye stretches." Everyone can benefit from them.
https://www.bernell.com/category/Vision-Therapy
Above link shows a small fraction of vision therapy tools.