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Thread: Bowing out

  1. #1
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Bowing out

    Fellas, I've cleaned up the DR-Z and she's for sale now. Decided I'm too immature to keep riding that bike on the roads and gravel around here. Had a mint 200+km ride out to Waitaria Bay (other side of Kenepuru Sound) on Friday and I really can't get any kicks unless I'm going hard or sliding through the corners. So after losing it in one corner, overshooting a right hander and having two cars on my side in another couple of corners it's time for someone else to take the reigns.

    Time to focus on my two young boys (7yrs & 16 months). I'm gonna miss it like hell - more the trail riding, but will keep a background profile in the forum till I wise up and get a more sedate bike. She's listed on that yellow site, along with a millionty other DR-Z 400's, but hopefully this setup will attract a buyer....we'll see. Might just have to keep riding it...[secretly wishes].
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  2. #2
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    7th February 2007 - 23:38
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    Never met you but I bet you don't last long without having to go for a ride.

    Get something reeeealy expensive that your to afraid to drop would be my advice

  3. #3
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Yeah I used to do heaps of mountainbiking so planning to get back into that a bit...my thoughts to regarding a new bike. Pro'ly get a much bigger machine to 2up my wife around the country on...in like another 15 years (!!!!). Probably some aluminium & steel alloy frame with a rotary hydrogen engine or some such by then, lol.

  4. #4
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    15th February 2006 - 15:25
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    How about keeping the DRZ but only use it for trail riding, that way you get to improve your skills without the traffic hazards?
    Sounds like your making a sensible choice otherwise, I got out of road bikes for a similar reason but i know I would regret getting out of bikes altogether, i just had to find a combination that allowed the thrill without the danger.

    Which ever way you go, good luck!

  5. #5
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Yeah I know I'm going to miss it, but hopefully not regret it. If I was just going to trail ride, i might get a hotter bike and it wouldn't be plated. Just time to slow up for a few years before I have a midlife crisis and splash out on something shiny with 2-3 times the engine capacity! cheers

  6. #6
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    18th January 2005 - 10:49
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    Hi Bugs, well I don't know you either, but from your riding description I can picture you out there! You seem to have made a wise decision, not just for yourself but your wonderful young family: just how would they cope without you, or with you paraplygic?
    You have a 'lifetime' ahead to get back to bikes, maybe with your wife on the back, and maybe with a more subdued attitude.
    I too know what its like when only pushing the envelope rings your bell well.

    All the very best with your future.

    Jamie.
    I'm no gynaecologist, however I would be happy to take a look......................

  7. #7
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    31st July 2008 - 11:44
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    Your riding looked alright to me when you were out here Buggs . Youre right about the pillion thing tho ,nothing like having the handbrake on board to help to moderate the attitude , I can recomend it as an option for future riding .

  8. #8
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Cheers Jamie - that's pretty much what did it for me. Got to the point where I would feel guilty for riding hard and I wrote one of them "hooroo, guess I died on my bike" letters. At that point I thought I could stop being selfish for a few years for the boys.

  9. #9
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Underground View Post
    Your riding looked alright to me when you were out here Buggs . Youre right about the pillion thing tho ,nothing like having the handbrake on board to help to moderate the attitude , I can recomend it as an option for future riding .
    Ha, did the same thing again on friday though - into the drain, dragging the pedal along the bank...back out onto the road. At least the highside was only at about 20-30k's...MT21's were a bit hard this time.

  10. #10
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    31st July 2008 - 11:44
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    Good move for the kids tho, I remember doing a similar thing for similar reasons many years ago and didnt ride for a great number of years ,but dont worry theres plenty of ways to nearly die that arent related to motorcycling

  11. #11
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    26th January 2008 - 07:37
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    Hard decision Bubbs.

    I stopped MTBing for a while while I got into Adv riding. Now I find I need to do both as the Moto doesn't quite exhaust the body the same way MTBing does. I also find they compliment each other, however I have heaps more scars from MTBing.

    Wakamarina rocks

  12. #12
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    2nd March 2004 - 13:00
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    I've got to get back on the MTB.
    One of the reasons I got the lathe was to re-build one of the full-suspension ones.

    Buggs, maybe your ears are just bleeding from the exhaust?

  13. #13
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Ha, yeah they were ringing a bit - took the plugs out for the return trip.

    Funny thing is that my youngest boy (not quite 1 1/2) can actually start the bike himself. He can turn the key and press the magic button...the din doesn't daunt him either!

  14. #14
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    15th August 2004 - 17:52
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    Good on you for making a tough call.

    Me, I get sent out by my wife to go for a ride - still do despite having a newborn in the house. We both accept that risk management is more important than not taking any risks at all. And mental well-being is as important as physical. Having said that, the more I ride in 'closed course' conditions, the less committed I ride in public places.

    Mtb is an interesting one... surprisingly big cause of injuries! I've said before with mtb, you can't really push yourself too hard, because as you get tired you can't pedal as fast so your speeds tend to be contained. Whereas riding a motorcycle, you can easily keep twisting that throttle till you hit the wall and beyond - hopefully figuratively not literally. Off-road motorcycling (closed course stuff, not adv) is the most intense energy-sapping thing I've ever done.
    Cheers,
    Colin

    Quote Originally Posted by Steve McQueen
    All racers I know aren't in it for the money. They race because it's something inside of them... They're not courting death. They're courting being alive.

  15. #15
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    12th June 2007 - 21:13
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    Yeah I used to do a helluvalot of downhill and XC when it was just taking off - only KO'd myself once and that was the worst I did. Certainly plenty of grazes though. I just figure I'll get back into the hunting and fishing a bit more. That's it though - too easy to twist that throttle! I think it'll just be a matter of time before this existential anxiety will pass and I'll be back on the horse, haha. Just too young to get pasted just yet (he says, having served in Afghanistan,lol).

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