Ageing motorcyclists - what's your plan?

**Blackbird** · 5th February 2011, 08:45

Out of the blue this week, I had an email from David L Hough, much-respected motorcycle journalist and author on riding skills among other things. He’s 73, ridden a million miles by bike and is someone well worth listening to. I was staggered that he’d got in touch with a very average Kiwi rider but he’d seen some blog posts I’d previously made on safe riding and thoughts about riding as you age. (The main reason I completed the 1600 km / 1000 miles in 24 hour Grand Challenge endurance ride last October on the Street Triple was to see whether at 63, I still had reasonable mental and physical stamina after a gap of 7 years).

David was essentially asking for personal opinions on what individuals do as they age with respect to coping strategies to either continue motorcycling or give it away. In my case, the first steps were to sell the big, heavy Blackbird and buy a lighter, lower Street Triple. On-going refresher training is another step.

Anyway, here is the link to the things which David and I have been roaming over:
http://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2011/...o-with-it.html

Would any of the errr…… older riders who inhabit this forum care to comment on their thoughts and what, if anything they’ve done or thought about it? I’ll direct David to the link in a few days.

Cheers,

Geoff

**MSTRS:Me** · 5th February 2011, 08:50

First step is to check that you're not repeating yourself...

**Blackbird** · 5th February 2011, 08:54

Originally Posted by MSTRS

First step is to check that you're not repeating yourself...

Ooops - hopefully fixed.

Thanks for that - first signs, y'know!

**MSTRS:Me** · 5th February 2011, 09:02

I'll comment as requested, although at 53 I don't think I'm old enough...
My position is that one can 'choose' to be 'old' (or whatever) IF one is blessed with good health. For me, I am not a number-related age. I just do as I've always done. At least, it feels like that anyway.
As we age, we may be forced to compromise what we ride, or how we ride, or where we ride. But as long as we are not a danger to ourselves or others, there is no reason to stop riding at any age.

**Blackbird** · 5th February 2011, 09:05

Originally Posted by MSTRS

I'll comment as requested, although at 53 I don't think I'm old enough...
My position is that one can 'choose' to be 'old' (or whatever) IF one is blessed with good health. For me, I am not a number-related age. I just do as I've always done. At least, it feels like that anyway.
As we age, we may be forced to compromise what we ride, or how we ride, or where we ride. But as long as we are not a danger to ourselves or others, there is no reason to stop riding at any age.

Cheers MSTRS - likewise with regard to attitude. The one point of David's which bothered me a bit though was how do you know that you're not a danger to yourself or others?

**ellipsis** · 5th February 2011, 09:21

....MSTRS you are definitely too young to comment...same age as me and Im a spring chicken....I regard myself as one of the younger classic, post classic racers in our club, and I still have to go like hell to keep up with the septuagenarian content in the club...admittedly the younger streetstock and bucket racers view me in the same light as the older chaps....but they are wrong...way off the mark...misguided..wrong...little shits...and a full face helmet tells no lies....

**Edbear** · 5th February 2011, 09:29

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Cheers MSTRS - likewise with regard to attitude. The one point of David's which bothered me a bit though was how do you know that you're not a danger to yourself or others?

That's the $64,000 question, really, and the sad answer is that we don't know. All of us have minor lapses while driving/riding and give ourselves a bit of a wake up, it's called "being human." When we see oldies driving badly, we know they think they are driving well, mind you that goes mostly for youngsters too.

The point is that if we are humble and safety conscious, we will be monitoring our own standards and we will be alert to any lapses in judgement and take heed of them. When we reach a point where we feel we are not doing well enough, or especially, if we listen to our spouse/family/friends, we will then perhaps make the decision to quit before something really bad happens. However, for those of us who love driving/riding, the decision to quit will be one of the hardest we will ever make!

I have no choice at the mo but to quit riding due to my health and I'm absolutely gutted to sell my bike! I love it and I love riding but the risk of fracture is too great and may remain so for several years.

**pritch** · 5th February 2011, 09:42

I just had a birthday so I'm feeling my age. Just as well it only happens once a year...

A bit over a week from now I'm off around the South Island on my Speed Triple, but I do think that the next bike should probably be a bit lower and a bit lighter? Since Bluewing resolutely refuse to import the Deauville it might have to be a Hornet. Or maybe a Street Triple. Givi do offer hard luggage for the Hornet though...

I was worried that as I got older I might get forgetful, like forget do do my fly up?
With age comes wisdom though, and I now know that isn't important.
What matters is that you remember to undo your fly first.

**oldrider** · 5th February 2011, 09:58

Well, currently going through a total revision of my long active attachment to motorcycling (56yrs) and I am almost the same age as David Hough.

This is something I do most of the time these days and am actually just about to take off on my bike to Oamaru for a ride!

Our dear friend Nick Smith and his excessive ACC costs has forced me to seriously consider bringing forward my decision to quit riding altogether but unfortunately I can not bring myself to seriously try to sell my bike!

I am trying to make myself replace motorcycling with another alternative hobby and my dear wife (also a licensed rider) thinks I am being a bit pedantic about it.

If someone came along and offered to buy my bike they could take all our gear with it and it would be something I don't have to think about any more, a done deal!

Would that be an end to it? Not on your Nelly, the love of bike riding is too deeply engrained in the blood!

Am I safe riding on the road, "yes" but definitely not as strong and confident as I was, especially got to watch the cold and fatigue.

This is about the only regret I have about growing old and probably but for Nick Smith I would have continued for a few years yet!

Anybody fancy a well kept Tiger with lots of extras?

**Dodgyiti** · 5th February 2011, 10:05

I agree with the heavy bike thing. As the body, and more importanly the back age I don't want a bike much over 200kg, if it ever fell off the stand or something I don't think my back could handle picking it up again. And being a bloke there is no way I'm going to ask for help eh?

I realise most bikes are nice and light when on the move, it is the moving them about when not under power that I notice that heavy is not good for me.
Also outright power seems to not bother me anymore, I don't need the latest and greatest to enjoy the ride, so anything over 100hp is wasted on me. Enough power to maintain a decent speed and safely overtake on the open road is enough, my licence thanks me for that

Oldrider- go buy yourself a pre 1971 bike, $115 a year for rego and around $140 for comprehensive insurance and screw Nick!

**Edbear** · 5th February 2011, 11:09

Originally Posted by oldrider

Well, currently going through a total revision of my long active attachment to motorcycling (56yrs) and I am almost the same age as David Hough....SNIP...Anybody fancy a well kept Tiger with lots of extras?

You are referring to the bike, here....?

**pritch** · 5th February 2011, 12:44

The increments by which our abilities decline over time are most likely minute and may not normally be noticeable. One day though we may get into a situation which makes it all too apparent that things aren't what they used to be. It may not be in the nature of a dramatic revelation, it could equally be a series of minor events that add gradually, but increasingly, to the realisation that things have changed.

Depending on the particular circumstances, and after careful and considered evaluation, it may be appropriate to consider some alternatives.

I have arthritis in the shoulders which sometimes becomes painful after only a few minutes. It isn't actually continual, rather more like frequent. Since I'm about to depart on a ten day tour of the South Island I have obtained a prescription for anti-inflammatories (sp?) and will also carry a common pain killer.

While I don't do as much touring as I'd like, it is a significant part of my perception as to what motorcycling is. With retirement looming it is hoped that time will permit increased opportunities for travel on the bike. While my next bike will be lower and lighter, it should be suited to longer rides as well as the usual short blasts. These latter do tend to be somewhat more sedate these days and that's probably not a bad thing.

Two years ago I attended a military re-union on my bike. I was the only one that did that. At the most recent re-union there were three people arrived on bikes, and I couldn't attend or I'd have done so too. Everybody at the reunion is aged 65 plus.

The thought occurs though that it is important to ride frequently to keep the skills honed. Basically I ride every day. The urban commute is by moped, and I try and get out on the bike every weekend.

If in future, touring remained a major interest but advancing frailty limited my options, I'd consider buying one of the larger scooters. A more modest alternative might be a suitable older bike for the occasional less ambitious ride. Here's hoping those decisions are nowhere near imminent. I'm only 67.

**slofox** · 5th February 2011, 13:21

I'm 62. An' a half...

I coped with getting older by selling an SV650S (50kw) and buying a GSX-R600 (80kw).
I figured that since my natural get-up-and-go was getting-up-and-going, I needed some more external input - like 30 extra kw...

On a slightly more serious note, I am a helluva lot more careful now than when I was 20. Not so much because I worry about what I can and can't do, but because I have a much greater awareness at this end of my life of the grief I could cause other people if I ride like a loony. I don't want to bust other people up or cause them grief or even (god forbid!) damage their precious cages.
I am also aware that if I smash my bike up, it is very unlikely that I can afford a replacement. So I try to keep it shiny side up as well. It's one thing to wreck a $100 bike - quite another to wreck a $10,000 bike.

Apart from all that, it's pretty much business as usual. I think...or did I already say that..?

**Blackbird** · 5th February 2011, 13:24

Originally Posted by pritch

The increments by which our abilities decline over time are most likely minute and may not normally be noticeable. One day though we may get into a situation which makes it all too apparent that things aren't what they used to be. It may not be in the nature of a dramatic revelation, it could equally be a series of minor events that add gradually, but increasingly, to the realisation that things have changed.

Depending on the particular circumstances, and after careful and considered evaluation, it may be appropriate to consider some alternatives.

I have arthritis in the shoulders which sometimes becomes painful after only a few minutes. It isn't actually continual, rather more like frequent. Since I'm about to depart on a ten day tour of the South Island I have obtained a prescription for anti-inflammatories (sp?) and will also carry a common pain killer.

While I don't do as much touring as I'd like, it is a significant part of my perception as to what motorcycling is. With retirement looming it is hoped that time will permit increased opportunities for travel on the bike. While my next bike will be lower and lighter, it should be suited to longer rides as well as the usual short blasts. These latter do tend to be somewhat more sedate these days and that's probably not a bad thing.

Two years ago I attended a military re-union on my bike. I was the only one that did that. At the most recent re-union there were three people arrived on bikes, and I couldn't attend or I'd have done so too. Everybody at the reunion is aged 65 plus.

The thought occurs though that it is important to ride frequently to keep the skills honed. Basically I ride every day. The urban commute is by moped, and I try and get out on the bike every weekend.

If in future, touring remained a major interest but advancing frailty limited my options, I'd consider buying one of the larger scooters. A more modest alternative might be a suitable older bike for the occasional less ambitious ride. Here's hoping those decisions are nowhere near imminent. I'm only 67.

Just a young bugger at 67 then

I'd imagine that the squids on this and other forums might be rather pleased to still be riding, and riding well come your age! Thanks for great input. I think keeping the skills honed is the absolute key to staying safe, both by regular riding and formal courses (the latter being invaluable for learning both new skills and identifying shortcomings).

Cheers,

Geoff