When do you call it quits?

This question is often thought about I am sure and When I decided to ponder my own future with Motorcycles I noticed I have Changed not quit. I have had a bike since I was 14 yrs old and I'm now 57. I have had about every bike, Road ,dirt ,ect. Harleys, Goldwings, Bmws ( yes all my retirement money was spent on bikes). I now ride often but they are short trips and errends. 100 miles is a big day. I now own a scooter that does eveything I need it to do. A honda Helix that goes and goes and I'm both comfortable and confident with it. No worrries of slow u-turn,gravel on corners and it's not $20K worth of machine sitting around to much. All my big road bikes were becomming to heavy and expensive and wasn't riding them like they were ment to be ridden. One bike/scooter I just bought is a Trike...a Big Scooter 650 Burgman trike...Going to see if I have desire to go farther with it than just around the neighborhood. Just bought it and Need to wait for June for weather and time to ride. So I am not afraid to ride..but have evolved to a close to home rider...and a low cost easy to handle bike/scooter/trike This Trike is more fun than you would think!!!!!!!!!!

Hopefully I won't be calling it quits until they're reading me my "last rites".

Nice little rig. Please remember that this will handle very, very differently than any of the bikes you have owned. You'll have to unlearn the counter steer theory as you take this on the high speed curves. Since this isn't a built from ground up trike the handling characteristics could get scary if you aren't familiar with trikes/sidecars and enter a corner too hot. Read up on how to ride a trike/sidecar, practice evasive turning, learn to move your butt and body weight to the inside of curves.

Be careful, practice (sounds like you are), and have fun.... glad you are still riding.

I've had 3 sidecar rigs and will probably go back to one when the hair is completely grey or gone! LOL!!

Scott in Shoreview
'79 Suzuki GS550

Something I don't get about these configured trikes. ATV's were once like this configuration but now are outlawed as such because, as I understand it, they were incredibly unstable with the two rear and one front wheel.

So (I think) it's CanAM has a two front wheel and one rear trike which appears to me to be a good deal more stable. Anyway, why are these safe and the ATV's weren't?

I think the big issue with the old 3 wheel ATV's where the injuries to kids. Another is they were also being ridden on terrain that bounced them around. Add that to the geometry of three wheels and the rider's inexperience and that adds to accidents.

Scott in Shoreview
'79 Suzuki GS550

After posting, I also wondered if there was some issue in the ratio of wheelbase to track.

It would be time to quit, when its not fun!

Hapbob

That does look like a fun setup. I was talking to someone the other day who has a scooter and uses it for errands around town and the occasional fun ride - really likes it. If I weren't doing longer distance rides and just wanted something for around town I think a scooter is a great solution.

+1

Spot on. If you're not enjoying the riding, be it on two or three wheels, it's time to park. Whether it's pain, shaken confidence, safety concerns, whatever.... if it isn't enjoyable it shouldn't be done.

Scott in Shoreview
'79 Suzuki GS550

Originally Posted by hapbob
This question is often thought about I am sure and When I decided to ponder my own future with Motorcycles I noticed I have Changed not quit. I have had a bike since I was 14 yrs old and I'm now 57. I have had about every bike, Road ,dirt ,ect. Harleys, Goldwings, Bmws ( yes all my retirement money was spent on bikes). I now ride often but they are short trips and errends. 100 miles is a big day. I now own a scooter that does eveything I need it to do. A honda Helix that goes and goes and I'm both comfortable and confident with it. No worrries of slow u-turn,gravel on corners and it's not $20K worth of machine sitting around to much. All my big road bikes were becomming to heavy and expensive and wasn't riding them like they were ment to be ridden. One bike/scooter I just bought is a Trike...a Big Scooter 650 Burgman trike...Going to see if I have desire to go farther with it than just around the neighborhood. Just bought it and Need to wait for June for weather and time to ride. So I am not afraid to ride..but have evolved to a close to home rider...and a low cost easy to handle bike/scooter/trike This Trike is more fun than you would think!!!!!!!!!!


Funny reading this... Man and his circumstances. You never really quit riding motorcycles. I have followed the sport for 30 years. Over that period of time, I have departed from riding for similar reasons and returned to the sport . Good to see you are still enjoying the riding, especially in the the summer months. The big bikes in the garage require more time to ride. 1500 mile trips is when the big bike shines. The scooter is a blast however, as others on this forum have well pointed out, there is no true substitute. The cars are the problem. The folks out there driving don't see a motorcycle on the road. Although riding in the neighborhood seems safe and friendly, I opted to ride single track/off road. Unless a mountain lion gets me, all should be OK...
I am delighted to find yet another way of riding a two wheeled machine.

All the best:jose

I had a new tiger 800 last August and was heading out for a weekend ride with a few mates in early Nov (late spring here) . I had been really looking forward to getting away on a nice cruisy ride with the boys. As we got going things just didn't seem right but I was thinking it was just lives stresses finally working their way out of my system.

About an hour into the ride, we're cruising a nice gravel back road. Im thinking 'how good is this?' Next thing 'BANG' I hit the deck going about 50-60kmh. Swerved to dodge a cow and not sure after that. Bike was a mess and i ended up with a severely smashed elbow.

A couple days later the bike went off to be repaired and so did I. The thought process was that if they write the bike off, im done riding. If they fix it i HAVE to get back on it. Just like the horse.

Well the bike got repaired. $9500 damage. Im slowly on the mend but still don't know if I'll be able to ride as i have limited use of my are but im still working on that. I plan on doing a ride in may to farewell a guy who has been an inspiration to many. That is my plan and i hope to stick to it. I'll reevaluate after that.

Yikes! $9,500 to fix an 800. I'm surprised that was economically sound.

Hope your elbow heals up fully. Sounds like a truly nasty get off.

I think it was close to being written off. The fact that it was only 2 months old probably helped. 9.5k to fix or 15k to replace was their options.

Are you satisfied that the bike's been put to right? One of the reasons for writing off is that it's difficult to make as new again or close.

Most of the damage was cosmetic. Took the headlights off, dent in the tank, small tear in the seat, radiator, handlebars and controls etc. Abit of damage on the engine cases as well. They basically replaced the LHS of the bike.

I haven't ridden it yet but those that have say its all good.

Life is not without it's risks. We can sit alone in our bedroom and are unlikely to be hit by a moving vehicle. Other things might happen to our bodies if that is a life choice. ..

Riding a bike has risk. Building and running a Hot car might have risk? Things happen all the time, not to be graphic, but evey single activity we engage in comes with a certain unknown level of risk.

All we can do is accept that we are not in control and that we need to keep in our lives what brings us joy.

Riding is about living in the moment, somedays when I feel spooked I am extra careful but the extra care sometimes is a distraction so I focus on my riding technique. Riding well usually makes for a safer ride. Riding well is about paying attention to everything around you well in advance and riding that way makes it safer. Nobody can predict the future, things do happen, that unseen gravel on a corner kind of situation.

Maybe the OP had an angel on his shoulder or maybe it is lack of attention brought on by distraction? Nobody will ever know what will happen on today's ride. Be the best rider you can, know mistakes may happen, attempt to leave a margin for error and the rest is beyond our control.

Children certainly bring us joy . Spending that motorcycle time with your kids would be time well spent.

How we live our lives and what we value for ourselves and our children is a personal matter. Everything in life cannot be predicted, to not ski, not play football, not ride on the back of a horse because of fear something can happen is to stop living the best life we might have been given.

I don't know if you want conformation or are seeking reasons to continue riding? This is a question many of us have considered at sometime. There is no answer .

Vivo

This is what we all understand in living.....and this was very thought out and well put.
Thanks

Hugely late to this thread; I didn't see it earlier.

Echoing the sentiments of others, only you can decide when to quit.

HOWEVER -- I think you made a big mistake ignoring the "Bad omens" and your gut and going on the trip anyway. It's a FACT that this kind of stuff lowers your confidence -- and decreased confidence is what makes you crash, not the "Bad juju."

IE -- listen to your gut -- if something feels off, DON'T RIDE.

Once, in 1969, I looked down at the freeway moving beneath my 305 Honda, thinking what it would be like to fall off at that speed (65 mph). Right there I decided that if that was going to be a worry, either stop riding, or quit worrying. Now, 43 years later, I have tried to ride cautiously, anticipating danger, and coaching others to do so. I still race dirt bikes, and ride the street, at times well over 100 (I'm not under oath here). Motorcycles are dangerous, that's a fact. But most of us weigh the risks against the freedom, the wind, the speed, the agility, the smells, etc. I enjoy riding, with others or alone. Cars no longer impress me, with bikes that hit 105 in first, or others that can loft jumps on a motocross track that test all you skills.
If an accident happens, I will try not to have it be my fault, even partially. But should it occur, it don't want to regret the many many miles I have spent on bikes.