Melancholy moment

[beyond]

Been a while for yours truly to throw a reality check into the cauldron

I don't ride my bike during the week, normally. I would like to and those who know me understand that I could ride all day everyday

Trouble is I work long hours so the opportunity doesn't present itelf as much as I would like.

Today I dropped my 1400 into the dealer for it's 24,000km service which means an overnight stay for the black mistress as valve clearances need checking cold. Darn, I miss it already

Today got me thinking yet again

Shit I love riding and yeah, I couldn't live without a bike now. I've read as many good books as I can on riding and riding fast. I've practised on roads I know well and ridden them over and over again until I know I can't ride them any better. I,ve gone through the same corners over and over again until I know you can't ride through them any quicker without things going seriously pear shaped.

I'm not into blowing my own trumpet but I try to be the best at whatever I do and when I was into shooting I perfected those skills until long distance shots came second nature.

Yet, I come to my senses every now and again and when you are nearly 52 years old you really start thinking , maybe more than you should.

For instance, if I had a bad bin and I'm off for months, will my employer keep me on and if not what are my chances of getting another job?

Worse, if it's a real bad one and these days it's more likely through no fault of my own, I could end up in a wheel chair or totally incapicitated and is it fair to my wife to have to nurse me for however long?

Is it selfish to continue riding when you are the sole breadwinner when the risk is so high?

Man I love riding and when I first got back into it there was no way I was going to ride hard and fast so I buy a good old codgers sports tourer.

But, as I have found out these sports tourers are nearly as good as a sporty and trouble is I can't honestly be satisfied with the 100kmh everywhere approach. I just have to get my kicks and the 1400 is such an amiable machine in this respect. I enjoy a good fang and love to boogie with the sporties. A fast ride sets me right for the week and gets the mental jiuces flowing.

Tough call I suppose. Even if I am real careful I have seen many cagers just pull out on me and my number could be up at any moment. I know you can't live life wrapped up in cotton wool but are we tempting fate??

Feedback please......

[pete376403]

You could crash driving a car and be just as badly injured.

[Number One]

I live with fear everyday but sometimes he lets me race...like this weekend in fact

Seriously though these kind of thoughts give me the shits and are a big reason why I gave up riding for the time that I did. SO how do I reconcile it as the mother of a young child? I ride defensively, ensure I am always fit to ride, wear all my gear, and try to keep the red mist from rising...that's what the bucket racing is good for - an outlet for my shenanigans but it's only buckets so chances of really doing myself a damage are relatively low. I know this because I have managed to bin several times now..I get better and better at it too

BUT when your number is up it's up and it could be up just walking across the street...had a pretty close call crossing the road actually. I was very lucky the girl walking in front of me not so much. She ended up with broken ribs, arm, legs, shattered pelvis and a fucked back. She is now in a wheelchair and won't walk again - all because some loser hooning in a 50 Km area in the middle of town decided he didn't want to wait behind the bus that was stopped to let us cross on the pedestrian crossing

So I guess my point is - I protect myself as best I can. I ride with my husband and little boy in mind and well it probably does help that I'm a nana on the road too Try not to dwell it's Margarita time!!!

[SlashWylde]

Yeah, I see where you are coming from, but without putting too fine a point on it, you could just as easily be injured or killed crossing the road; driving the car to work or eating a bad curry.

The important thing, as you say, is to be mindful that there are others who love you and depend on you and to think about that each time you feel like opening the throttle wide.

I don't think it's selfish to continue riding when you are the only income earner in the household, but maybe you need to be extra careful when you do ride. Pick and choose when to go for a fang. Maybe when conditions are at their best rather than just because you feel like it.

Some vague thoughts there off the top of my head. I can empathise with you. Though I don't have a family to support, I am feeling my mortality more than ever before and I no longer feel as if nothing could go wrong when I'm out on the road simply because I'm a good and careful rider.

I still like to go fast, but I temper that with the knowledge of what the consequences of a crash could be. I pick and choose my moments for letting loose.

[eelracing]

I always try to think of the alternative,.....? Nah can't think of one.
But i know i don't wanna be sitt'n in my rocker on the porch wish'n i had'nt stopped riding all those years ago.

[zeocen]

I think it's good to think of others, but sometimes you need to have "me" time.

The help you have given me and offered to me personally is unfathomable Beyond, I don't know you from a bar of soap but you decided to help me any way you can with riding, this wouldn't have happened if you had thrown in the towel!

So if you ask me it works both ways, there's always going to be a risk but I think the satisfaction and benefits outweigh it all, and almost 52 years on your family must be understand and also get the risks, but also the pleasure! I bet you're a calmer husband/father for it, I know my old man is!

I'll have to finally take you up on the ride offer when I find some free time, you can ride behind me. If you're behind me then there's absolutely no way you would be going too fast to crash!

[SixPackBack]

The fear of death or injury is ever presant on a bike and it sounds like your issue is how that may affect others. Life and medical insurance takes care of it!

Reducing the risk of riding in your case could possibly include trackdays, or a complete change to something like adventure riding.

[Pwalo]

Yes bad things can happen, but worrying about them won't stop them.

You can just as easily get hit by a trolley bus, or one of those awful hybrid cars, strolling along on the way to work. Or fall over in the shower and smack your head.

Life is inherently dangerous. If you enjoy your riding, and you're not being a prat, it's probably safer being on your bike than sitting around at home where most accidents occur.

[CookMySock]

Gidday old fella.

I know what you're saying. I decided a couple of things - I'm not going to come off the bike. I don't crash cars - so why should I crash bikes? Sooo I'm not going to. I decided not to insure - if I fuck up, the dream is over. DONT fuck up!

So I started off with a self-enforced sharp dose of reality. Next I have a 14 y/o daughter who loves her daddy sooo sooo soo much - I never thought I would have such a perfect person worship me so. So I don't want to wreck this part of my life.

I enjoy the road greatly, but remembering that I could lose it all in the blink of an eye, or smash something unbelievably valuable to me - I have many moments where I stop and think - and regulate my actions.

So what's important in your life? Theres more than just biking for me.

Steve

[Blackbuell]

I hear what you are saying Paul,i have definately slowed down on the road,ive decided to get into offroad riding on my insane Quad that certainly gets ya blood rushing,then i,m planning on getting into more trackdays were there are no cages to think about,&buying a armchair cruser to ride around on the weekends to sip latte's at the local cafe's.

[boomer]

Dude, ride! There is plenty of other bad shit that can happen in life. Don't be afraid to do things you enjoy !

[MarkH]

Shit I love riding and yeah, I couldn't live without a bike now.

You have to ride, because you enjoy it so much. You have to take some risks in life - can't be helped. Don't emulate Ghost Rider, take care, but don't give up riding.

There will be enough time for not riding and staying inside a protective box after you are dead. While you are alive you need to live!

[CookMySock]

ive decided to get into offroad riding on my insane Quad that certainly gets ya blood rushing

damn, those things look more dangerous than big road bikes!

Steve

[OutForADuck]

Funny isn't it how as we get older we get more cognative of our own mortality.

I used to race, wheelie and stoppee all the time and ride way way too fast on open roads. But now I see someone bin in on tele in the MotoGP and my stomach turns, my muscles tense and a light sweat takes over

But life always has risks and its not about avoiding those risks its about mitigating them.

These days I still ride hard and can put most of these young guys behind me, but hardly ever wheelie or stoppee anymore and I pick my moments very intelligently, both for threat of license and life as both would stuff me up dramatically.

Given those parameters I have crashed once in the past 25+ years and walked away from that. I still love my riding and get great passion for my life out of it, just pick my moments and calculate my risks.

Live, ride and be whom you need to be to be happy... when the risks outway the enjoyment you wont be asking the questions... you'll just stop or slow down because the passion will have gone.

Ride on...

[MSTRS:Me]

The trouble with living, is it's all dangerous. The risk assessment is up to the individual, as is the decision on what to do (or not). At the end of your life, it will be the things that you didn't do (but wanted to) that you will regret.

... or a complete change to something like adventure riding.

Remember our mate Zukin? There are no guarantees.