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View Full Version : It's time to give up and sell up



nighthawk
27th January 2011, 14:41
:wait:The time has come to answer the nagging question of the past 3 years...and the answer is.... Im going to sell the XJR.

At the beginning of 2008 I had an injure that did not allow me to walk properly for most of the year and the surgery in October 2008 required to repair the damage had me laid up until summer was almost over(february 2009), Oh well, I thought, shit happens...then came an insignificant cut on my rihgt index finger in November 2009.

Trouble was it did not heal for ages and when it did the finger was so sore and swollen I could not fit a glove and riding was bloody dangerous through lack of movement. For 10 months the medical profession kept saying ..ITS GOUT.... this was an easy decission for them as I unfortunately have buggered Kidneys and my body reacts and has little tollerance to drugs etc (I have gone into system shutdown on several occasions)... and before someone says.. sounds like a sickness benificary etc..I hold down a fulltime job dealing with people most of you would aviod at any cost..

I had surgery in January 2010 to remove an infection in the bone that had gone to the joint....took the specialist 10 seconds to come to that dicission after an Xray... bang went another summer as work called for long hours and things needed done at home and around the family.

I was REALLY looking forward to summer 2010/2011.... had the bike in for new tyres, rego, etc $1200 plus later ...you bloody beauti... Mrs NH and I thought... a summer ride here and there...... but wait, Did I break another mirror..did I have a million black cats cross my pat (hang on we have a black cat...) what have I done?????

Four days after picking the bike up in November 2010 we had an insignificant fire alarm at my work place.. in the course of evacuating some of lifes flotsom and jetsum the security door to our vehicle bay failed to work...I realise this an ran back into the building to sort the problem..

Thats when it happened , I fell off the ladder chaining open a roller door to release a secure vehilce full of undesireables... I landed really heavily on my left foot, agrivating my archilies and damaging the MTP joint of the big toe. I actually asked not to be put off work and requested light duties so that I could continue to contribute too a job I enjoyed.

Ahh ACC you think, they will pick up the cost of anything to help recovery... NO ...long story short, because I also have underlying arthritis, ACC my Employeer and their Insurer have taken the easy way out and declined to help me in any way.
My employeer then started putting pressure on me to perform duties I was not capable of, my doctor put me off work right on christmas...ahh holidays at last....rather than wait and fight ACC , a longb and protracted process... I went ahead and organised my own course to recovery.



THANK GOD for medical insurance, I have had to rely on thier funding ,this enabled me too have urgent surgery to remove the joint and insert a rod and wires etc to aid my abillity to walk in six or more weeks. My family have been great and put up with my grumpy mood etc, BUT.... I t made me THINK, what next, what will happen when I can finnally ride again ? am I pushing my luck, tempting fate once too often, I just cannot take the risk, so unfortunately in the next week my beloved XJR1300 will go up for sale.

As you can see its taken a lot for me to come to this dicission, and I cannot really take the chance of anything else happening, I have used up most of my leave including all my long serivce and sick leave and I will not be a beneficary thats for those far less fortunate than me.

In closing if I have had the pleasure of waving to you when out riding in the past thank you for being polite enough to wave back, if you are one of the several idiots Its been my misfortune to tell to reconsider your actions and other riders, you deserved it, to all of you weither you ride 49cc or 2300cc for fun, work, fair weather or only very occassionally Take Care Ride Safe...

NIGHTHAWK
(Wellington)

firefighter
27th January 2011, 14:49
Maybe you should go back and apologise to the gyppos you obviously pissed off!

Berg
27th January 2011, 14:49
I've just been through a serious neck injury (fail moment a racing quad) but I have battled on and can now ride again. I was that determined to get back on the road I even looked into Can-Am Spiders if I couldn't handle two wheels any more. Fortunatly I was covered by ACC and also have a very supportive workplace.
Where theres a will theres always a way

Taz
27th January 2011, 15:28
Can Am spyders are cool!.

pritch
27th January 2011, 15:29
Condolences, you have had more than your share of tribulations.

A shame that your employer doesn't reciprocate your enthusiasm for the job. Some places seem to think loyalty is a one way street...

Crasherfromwayback
27th January 2011, 15:34
Sorry to hear of your misfortunes! Keep the bike though. You'll want to ride again...and if the 'want' is there...then there will by a 'way'.

White trash
27th January 2011, 15:44
Dude, that is the absolute pits. I've made the decision twice to get out of bikes due to injury and both times found myself back here thank Christ. A bikeless Trashy is a very unhappy one.

Let me know if you'd like us to look at selling the XJR on behalf. Or, if you're so inclined, you're more than welcome to come spend some time doing the Spyder experience. Might be right up your alley, may not be.

Ocean1
27th January 2011, 15:45
:wait:The time has come

Luck, dude. Take care eh?


Can Am spyders are cool!.

And cheap!! half the price I paid for mine!

avgas
27th January 2011, 15:53
Dude, that is the absolute pits. I've made the decision twice to get out of bikes due to injury and both times found myself back here thank Christ. A bikeless Trashy is a very unhappy one.
Wot he said.
Pain is nothing to live with when you have lived with crazy.

p.dath
27th January 2011, 15:57
Sounds like you have a terrible run. Perhaps don't think of it as exiting biking, but just a holiday break from it. Once your spirits have listed I'm sure your view on life will change.

Let me leave you with one last thing to think about. When you lie on your death bed, would you rather tell of the last 20 years of your life that you lived very sanely and carefully, or the hell kicking time that you had that left your body worn out and barely capable?

nighthawk
27th January 2011, 16:22
Maybe you should go back and apologise to the gyppos you obviously pissed off!

MMM .. you might be right... or maybe it ws a honda rider :eek:

Smifffy
27th January 2011, 16:32
Sorry to hear about your run. Maybe swap for a smaller bike that requires less physical effort to ride, and maybe less rego fees etc.

Good luck, whatever you decide.

240
27th January 2011, 17:06
All the best mate
Hope you will be back on two wheels some time down the road.

baptist
28th January 2011, 00:00
MMM .. you might be right... or maybe it ws a honda rider :eek:

Apologise!!!! a Honda rider would want you to kiss it better :laugh:

How about, maybe, if you like, put the rego on hold and keep the bike, see what happens over the next few months, if you like it that much you might kick yourself if you sell it.

Hope everything works out for the best.:yes:

Edbear
28th January 2011, 06:17
Having had to put my beloved Boulevard up for sale due to my own health issues I feel your pain. Life sucks at times and bad stuff happens. Long term problems wear you down and make it hard to stay positive so we need the encouragement and support of our loved ones.

Try not to let discouragement influence important decisions, try to be objective and maybe think about how you would advise another person in a similar situation and then apply that to yourself.

Whatever you decide in the end, we wish you the best!

Paul in NZ
28th January 2011, 06:47
Look - dont take this the wrong way, I'm not a rude or bad man really and really if you want to sell the bike its really no skin off my nose but FFS... Harden up man! No, no physically but mentally and emotionally. Mate, lifes a shit sometimes and I really mean that, its complete crap but ya gotta punch through and sure - maybe the big yam is a bit much wood at the moment but dont give up on a dream that easy. Downsize to a lighter bike or even take on a project there is a way to get your fix, ya just gotta think outside the box.

Christ - I'm a type 1 diabetic and I'm getting older and its getting harder, in the last few years I've lost a testicle to cancer and copped a post op infection that nearly did me in. I've had a couple of years of misery until the doc figured out the gluten had after all these decades finally just about destroyed my guts and every day I struggle off to the gym to keep myself sane - now, all my tendons are unattaching and an old back injury has fucked up my hands which are constantly sore. I struggle to ride, kayak or fish but I'm fucked if I'll stop because a few months back, after yet another specialist appt and an afternoon off work I went to the gym to try and get my happy buzz back (oh - did I mention the gluten induced depression from lack of sleep and the rather embarassing posts I make occasionally because of it) Then I met Sarah...

Mate I felt bad that day - literally weeping tears of frustration and I was sore from head to foot literally grinding away on the treadmil wondering if I should just give up and go eat myself to a happy death... Then I clocked this chick. I've never seen such a fucked up body - mate she cant speak, walk or sit all from a car accident 20 years ago and you know what, she drags herself to the gym and is helped onto the bike and she counts it a major victory just to turn the crank once... I've never felt so ashamed of myself in all my life... Later, (like 2 weeks or so) I ended up running on the treadmill next to a guy with no legs (dont even ask I was too scared too myself)

I have promised myself i wont bloody give in - if life wants to take me its going to have to fight me for it. Ditch the big heavy bike and get a couple of tiddlers for you and the missus each and explore wellington on them. If you want, come up to our place and take my old triumph or wee suzuki for a spin and see how light and easy to ride they are (although kicking the trumpy might not be good at the moment eh?) - more importantly once you get over the fact that they are not huge mucho bikes you actually have a heap of FUN!

I stuggle with my Guzzi and the mo and its waiting to see how this works out - I'll probably sell it but the $$ will go on a project or a light bike (or another kayak - long story but make vanity dictates that Vicki cannot possible have a better yak than me...)

Mate - wellness is about doing what you want - you may have to readjust your aim a little but dont start giving up on stuff, not in your job, it will do your head in...

sinfull
28th January 2011, 07:21
+1 to Pauls post !!! If the finances say sell the bike then perhaps , but it aint hurtin it sitting in the shed waiting for ya !!

mokomoa
28th January 2011, 08:05
Paul very very well said m8.

eliot-ness
28th January 2011, 11:49
I agree with Paul. Though I can't claim to have gone through so much. I had my first illness 15 months ago after 55 years of trouble free riding. A stroke, made more serious than it should have been because I thought I could get through it without medical assistance, left me with an leg that was almost useless, an arm, totally useless, and almost total loss of memory and speech. Over 15 months I got most of my faculties back. The leg is good as new, I'm able to type an email, with much editing, and my arm is, although still weak, is getting much better. The only permanent problem is the loss of feeling in the thumb and two fingers on the right hand. And that was, to me, a major problem ,as like many riders, those are the two fingers I use for braking. After much serious thought I decided to give up the bikes, after 15 months without it wasn't so big a deal, and I went along to to the local dealer to see what I could get. This was where my plans to a U turn. A final look at the latest bikes had me thinking, maybe I'm giving in too easily. So, the reult was that I now have a brand new bike, and after what to me was a long layoff, I've ridden 600 Ks in the last three days with no more trouble than an aching forearm, wrist and fingers, and all it took was a new bike.
Simply put, you can do much more than you think if you put your mind to it, and as Paul suggested, try a different bike. It worked for me, and I'm hoping to get another 10 years before I pack it in.

Smifffy
28th January 2011, 18:09
While I agree to an extent with the "keep her in the shed, until you're ready again posts"

I have done that with a much loved older car before, I'm still of the mind, "get something suitable to ride now".

Whatever, good luck.

toycollector10
28th January 2011, 19:31
There's some real life stories on here. Hang in guys. All the best however it all turns out. Peace, Strength......