A return to riding: sooner vs. later?

[MsKABC]

So the background is that I have my full licence and I used to ride a gpz250. I had my son 11 months ago so I temporarily gave up riding when I got pg with him and we sold my bike. I had been going to upgrade to something a bit bigger until we were lucky enough to start our family.

So now my dilemma is when to return to riding?

For:

* I really miss the buzz, the freedom and the cathartic effect of riding.

* Hubby rides and we'd love to be able to ride together again.

* I still have all my gear.

* Good friends of ours are riders too, so we have someone to share the interest with. (Although she is in almost exactly the same position as me...)

Against:

* My son is still so young, and while I'm a reasonable competent and confident rider, fact of the matter is that riding is still dangerous and the thought of leaving him motherless breaks my heart!

* While we are not poor by most people's standards, there isn't really enough disposable income to get me the bike I'd really like - maybe a Triumph 675 or a late model sv650, so I'd have to settle for something a little more modest methinks.

* Hubby has a 748 and while I could maybe convince him to let me ride it (he's not sounded that keen when the subject has come up in the past), going from a parallel twin 250 to a 748 is a big jump He does have a bucket racer that he's offered for me to ride though

* There are little enough hours in the day to do the things I like to do as it is, so would I actually find time to ride? (I have other interests & commitments)

* My mummy doesn't want me to ride While this wouldn't necessarily stop me, it kinda puts a dampener on things when someone you're close to is less than enthusiastic about it, dunnit?

* We're not sure yet we'll have another sproglet, so maybe it would be better to wait until that part of my life is over...?

Hmmmm, I think that's everything. Geez, the 'against' list is a lot longer than the 'for' list, innit? Depends how you weight things, I s'pose.

Maybe I should just have a play on the bucket for a while and see if that suffices.

Any other biker chicks out there been in this position?

Now, while I posted this in Biker Angels, I do welcome opinions from bikers with todgers in their trousers. However, testosterone-fuelled boys who don't live in the real world, have no children and no life outside of motorcycling and just wanna say "HTFU, just get a bike and ride, blah blah blah" need not apply

[BOGAR]

I would say sooner as you will be keeping the skills you had more up to date with practice. The urge to ride again is a hard one to fight too and i find that if i leave it too long i do something worse. The bigger bike is not really a problem as i see it, as long as you respect the extra power. Having more power can get you into trouble more quickly but it will also get you out of it too. Keeping up with th other half (who hasn't given up riding??) will be easer too. If you wont be riding too often then try to get something you like but at the lower end of the cost range may be the way to go. You will have your freedom and not be so worried about the cost of an expensive bike not being used all the time.
JUST (try to) be safe out there. All the best with your decision though.

[Badjelly]

Yeah, children do make a difference to your life, don't they?

So what's wrong with modest bikes?

I say, keep up your involvement any way you can (buckets? cheap runabout bike?) and see how it goes. But if you have an inner voice telling you to stop because you've got kids, listen to it.

(My qualifications to comment: father of 3 daughters, now in their 20s; gave up motorbiking when the oldest was 2, but still did quite a bit of pushbiking; back into it a year ago on a modest bike.)

[MsKABC]

I would say sooner as you will be keeping the skills you had more up to date with practice. The urge to ride again is a hard one to fight too and i find that if i leave it too long i do something worse. The bigger bike is not really a problem as i see it, as long as you respect the extra power. Having more power can get you into trouble more quickly but it will also get you out of it too. Keeping up with th other half (who hasn't given up riding??) will be easer too. If you wont be riding too often then try to get something you like but at the lower end of the cost range may be the way to go. You will have your freedom and not be so worried about the cost of an expensive bike not being used all the time.
JUST (try to) be safe out there. All the best with your decision though.

Thanks, that's good advice, hadn't looked at it that way. Hubby given up riding? Nah, in fact it was ME who got him into riding! He fixed up my old gpz really well and then bought his own bike! Much to the disgust of his parents, heh heh.

I suppose there's not a lot of difference between a fatherless child and a motherless one, is there? Our one concession is that he is that he is insured up to the eyeballs, so at least I won't have to worry about money if the unthinkable should happen. He is very mindful of his family when he goes out riding too

[MsKABC]

Yeah, children do make a difference to your life, don't they?

So what's wrong with modest bikes?

I say, keep up your involvement any way you can (buckets? cheap runabout bike?) and see how it goes. But if you have an inner voice telling you to stop because you've got kids, listen to it.

(My qualifications to comment: father of 3 daughters, now in their 20s; gave up motorbiking when the oldest was 2, but still did quite a bit of pushbiking; back into it a year ago on a modest bike.)

You have no idea how different your life will be with kids until you actually have them! They change your perspective on life completely. We cannot imagine a life without him now though.

Nothing wrong with modest bikes, I just have expensive tastes

At least with an older, cheaper bike, hubby could do all maintenance and repairs

[vifferman]

Life has a 100% mortality rate, so sooner or later you're going to leave your child motherless. It would be sad if you decided not to ride, to be safe and protect your baby, and then died of cancer or whatever anyway.
Having said that, at least in choosing to ride or not, you are exercising some control over a potential risk.
It's all about risk mitigation: weigh up the potential risk, do what you can to minimise it, and weigh it against the benefits.

[Rashika]

I know I am gonna face this dilemma soon, hence the reason there is no way I will sell any of my bikes (road or race), cos i may not ever get them again.
I know things may change when the next Valentino Rossi is actually born in Feb, but I gave up my bike once before and hated it... I honestly dont think that will change.
The bucket sounds like a good fun alternative to at least just keep your hand in for now. And Bucket racing can be even MORE stimulating than being on the road, less risky having an ambo right there and just as entertaining, especially with the after/pre race bantering!

The positiveness and enjoyment you get from being on a bike IMHO makes us better and more relaxed people, which makes us better parents (so i have been told and it does make sense to me). So if you really want to do it in your heart, then just do it!

[JMemonic]

Selfish, not you but your Hubby, he rides and has the same potential to leave your child fatherless, and you struggling, get a bike and enjoy riding, I am sure you will be safe with the consideration of family in your mind.

[Hitcher]

Sooner. Every day you don't ride is a riding day missed.

[MsKABC]

I know I am gonna face this dilemma soon, hence the reason there is no way I will sell any of my bikes (road or race), cos i may not ever get them again.

I actually cried, I mean fair dinkum wept, no exaggeration, when we sold my bike. We were standing at vtnz changing the ownership and I had to get hubby to give me a cuddle so people couldn't see me blubbing. Selling the bike was always on the cards so I could upgrade to a bigger beastie, but it was actually emotionally attached to that bike. I was petrified that the noob buying it was going to drop it too It was one cool little bike that sounded like a 600

I dunno if part of it was not knowing whether or not I'd ever get another bike...

I'm off to do some browsing on Trademe

[MsKABC]

Selfish, not you but your Hubby, he rides and has the same potential to leave your child fatherless, and you struggling, get a bike and enjoy riding, I am sure you will be safe with the consideration of family in your mind.

Well you could look at it that way, and I think he does feel a little guilty about riding and me not sometimes, but there's no point in both of us missing out, is there? You should have been a fly on the wall when he bought his Duc - I was sooooo jealous! Shit I looked funny sitting on it 7 months pregnant - I could hardly squeeze in behind the tank!

He's actually not crazy about the idea of me riding in some ways (protective hubby and all that) but he knows not to protest too loudly coz that would be hypocritical!

[Rashika]

I must admit I had a wee tear or two with the last bike I sold, and at the time I didn't know if I would ever have another... so pleased I did in the end!

It def helps to have a partner who is into bikes in a big way.

Have fun looking at TM... I'm off to look at Tm for more baby stuff

[MsKABC]

Have fun looking at TM... I'm off to look at Tm for more baby stuff

I thoroughly recommend a hammock, if you don't already have one! Ours was our sanity-saver. Oops, jacked my own thread

[JMemonic]

Have fun looking at TM... I'm off to look at Tm for more baby stuff

No Rashika a trailer to tow behind the bike is not a good idea to put the next Rossi in.

[JMemonic]

Well you could look at it that way, and I think he does feel a little guilty about riding and me not sometimes, but there's no point in both of us missing out, is there? You should have been a fly on the wall when he bought his Duc - I was sooooo jealous! Shit I looked funny sitting on it 7 months pregnant - I could hardly squeeze in behind the tank!

He's actually not crazy about the idea of me riding in some ways (protective hubby and all that) but he knows not to protest too loudly coz that would be hypocritical!

Ok sorry if I got the wrong idea but I get sick of blokes owning their partners and being hypocritical about life and "risky" hobbies/sports etc, the most dangerous place around is the bathroom, in your own home, hell it killed Elvis (p/t).