12 months after retiring from riding

**Blackbird** · 9th April 2023, 21:22

Well, it's been almost exactly a year since selling the Duke 790 and retiring from riding at 75. A loose plan to safely extend my riding career started 12 years ago. Happy to say that it worked out a bit better than expected. In case it's of any interest to anyone who's thought about what to do when the time comes, this is how it worked for me.

https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2023...om-riding.html .

Cheers,

Geoff

**FLUB** · 10th April 2023, 14:11

Happy riding retirement anniversary.

**Blackbird** · 10th April 2023, 14:58

Originally Posted by FLUB

Happy riding retirement anniversary.

Thanks Flub - time flies when you're having fun

**Oakie** · 10th April 2023, 19:48

Pleased it worked out for you. I'll be facing manageing that situation in two or three years.

**Black Knight** · 11th April 2023, 09:39

When I turned 80 I figured it was time to sell my 100HP wheel lifting monster,but not give up riding.My ride now is a 50 plus year old Honda S90-10HP 80KPH flat out,cruise all day at 60 and so easy to handle.
Definately not a long distance cruiser but real fun terrorising the neighbourhood.When I can no longer get my leg over the seat,I will then give up riding,in the meantime.

**pete376403** · 11th April 2023, 10:17

Originally Posted by Black Knight

When I turned 80 ...

THere's hope for me yet!

**F5 Dave** · 11th April 2023, 17:22

By that definition perhaps a C50 next. No leg swinging leg required.

**george formby** · 11th April 2023, 17:27

Originally Posted by F5 Dave

By that definition perhaps a C50 next. No leg swinging leg required.

What about a Piaggio MP3? Absolutely grouse on wet roundabouts..

**george formby** · 11th April 2023, 19:31

Originally Posted by Stylo

I'm only a young guy at 61 . 250 hours + under the belt riding the 500 two stroke MX bikes and , I took the KX500 '04 out a few months ago but it it didn't light my fire like it used to. Gets along Ok but . Guess I'm more concerned about keeping my body intact now, self preservation in my book.

Just sold my Gen 2 Hayabusa I've had from new ( 2011 ) too a few months ago. Nice Bike and plenty fast but, 12 years down the track...Time for a change ?

Probably won't be a Piaggio.

Give it another few more years..

**FLUB** · 11th April 2023, 21:30

I'm only 60 but have already started re-evaluating. I suffer from peripheral neuropathy in my legs, with not much feeling, except constant pain, from my knees down. Recently I've started to get restricted movement in my left foot, making gear changing difficult.

So I've just moved from a Rocket 3 to a Burgman 650. Just slightly different! Having a fully automatic bike (scoot) with the rear brake where the clutch should be has brought back the pleasure of riding without worry. Of course a scooter that can do 180kph helps the fun, especially when it's like sitting on a comfy chair.

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**caseye** · 12th April 2023, 00:37

Originally Posted by FLUB

I'm only 60 but have already started re-evaluating. I suffer from peripheral neuropathy in my legs, with not much feeling, except constant pain, from my knees down. Recently I've started to get restricted movement in my left foot, making gear changing difficult.

So I've just moved from a Rocket 3 to a Burgman 650. Just slightly different! Having a fully automatic bike (scoot) with the rear brake where the clutch should be has brought back the pleasure of riding without worry. Of course a scooter that can do 180kph helps the fun, especially when it's like sitting on a comfy chair.

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Welcome to the club!
Anytime you wanna check out the Africa Twin with it's amazing DCT, you just call.
Good excuse to catch up aye mate.

**SaferRides** · 12th April 2023, 03:26

Originally Posted by Blackbird

Well, it's been almost exactly a year since selling the Duke 790 and retiring from riding at 75. A loose plan to safely extend my riding career started 12 years ago. Happy to say that it worked out a bit better than expected. In case it's of any interest to anyone who's thought about what to do when the time comes, this is how it worked for me.

https://geoffjames.blogspot.com/2023...om-riding.html .

Cheers,

Geoff

Thanks for the update and the link, Geoff. It is an issue we all will face, unless other circumstances intervene.

For a number of reasons I didn't ride for about 4 months over the "summer" period. I was a bit nervous about getting back on a bike, which I did on something a little more sedate than the R1. That went well, but riding the R1 again was a little more of a challenge. Things can happen very quickly...

What did surprise me was that the challenge was more mental than physical. It reminded me of a conversation with an adventure bike rider a few years ago. She was in her 40s and had bought a Tiger 800 when riding a sports bike had become too hard on her body.

She kept the sports bike for short rides, but eventually found that it was too difficult readjusting to it after predominantly riding the Tiger. So I'll keep riding the R1 as long as I can, in fact I'm looking for a newer one!

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**Blackbird** · 12th April 2023, 07:24

Originally Posted by SaferRides

Thanks for the update and the link, Geoff. It is an issue we all will face, unless other circumstances intervene.

For a number of reasons I didn't ride for about 4 months over the "summer" period. I was a bit nervous about getting back on a bike, which I did on something a little more sedate than the R1. That went well, but riding the R1 again was a little more of a challenge. Things can happen very quickly...

What did surprise me was that the challenge was more mental than physical. It reminded me of a conversation with an adventure bike rider a few years ago. She was in her 40s and had bought a Tiger 800 when riding a sports bike had become too hard on her body.

She kept the sports bike for short rides, but eventually found that it was too difficult readjusting to it after predominantly riding the Tiger. So I'll keep riding the R1 as long as I can, in fact I'm looking for a newer one!

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Thanks SR! I think we've all had similar experiences to your comments. Funnily enough, two Aussie bloggers with R1s whom I follow still have their bikes but now spend most of their time on adventure bikes. In both cases, it was partially to open up new riding opportunities but
mainly for comfort. As I got older, I found the Blackbird increasingly hard on the wrists on a long haul. Enjoy a newer R1 while you can! ��

Ps, on the average NZ road, a well ridden adv bike is the equal of a sport bike ��

**neels** · 12th April 2023, 14:26

Interesting read, although I'm hopefully a while away from that point yet. The ongoing training part sounds like a useful way to keep the brain up to speed when other things are slowing down, unfortunately I can already relate to the previous comments about wrists, legs and ankles not being quite as keen on motorcycling as they used to be.

Maybe that's why all of the riding lately has been on older & smaller bikes around town or an hour or two out and about, to be honest that's been enough to scratch the itch, and the ducati has spent the last couple of years gathering dust in the garage. A few of the older riders I know are spending most of their time on middle aged 250s, just to get out and about and have some fun on something more manageable than their older/bigger bikes.

After having a drz400 for a while I can see the attraction of the adv bike, lots more possibilities for places to go off the sealed road, and riding position that's viable for a reasonable distance on road as well.

Maybe time to see what's out there that might see me through the next decade or so......