When Is One Too Old To Ride?

Louie Louie

Ok..The dreaded question.. I know its subjective. I feel it depends on the person. Specifically the physical & mentall skills of the individual rider.
 
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STumpy

R.I.P. - 2013/05/05
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46 oops! Sorry :rolleyes:


It is very subjective. I know very competent riders in their mid 70's and others who shouldnt be on the road in their 50's!
 
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Louie Louie said:
I've seen 80 year old guys w/ Goldwings than looked happier than ever
At Valera RTE back in March, there was a gentleman on an ST that was into his 70's. Unfortunately, his name escapes me. I bet Charlie remembers it.

Pat
 

STinner

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when i cant roll my st out of the garage and hold it up. or cant get it up on the center stand, then it will be time. ride something lighter? maybe. if you forget where your keys are and then find them thats ok. but if you cant remember what they are for, then it will be time. just be sure where you are going and how to get there.
 

vintagemxr

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Not going quietly

I'm 55 right now and expect to ride big bikes for some years yet unless health should fail suddenly. As time passes I'll downsize and keep the bike in proportion to my skills and strength. I expect to be on a scooter (flames, open pipe, wheelie bar) sometime around 85 - 90 years old. I'm not going quietly... :D

As Dylan Thomas said:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
 
OP
OP

Louie Louie

vintagemxr said:
I expect to be on a scooter (flames, open pipe, wheelie bar) sometime around 85 - 90 years old. I'm not going quietly... :D

Ditto! I like that...
 
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too old?

Louie Louie said:
Ok..The dreaded question.. I know its subjective. I feel it depends on the person. Specifically the physical & mentall skills of the individual rider.

when he or she can not accept the risk (to themselves or others) anymore.


Disregarding physical or mental limitations.

Cheers.
 
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The day you feel you may be too old to ride, then you may be too old to ride.

Long ago and far away I worked at a Honda dealer to pay my way through college. One of my fondest memories of that experience was selling a Honda CB175 to an 81 year old gentleman who had never before owned a motorcycle, teaching him to ride and basic safety (before the days of MSF), and the joy of him stopping by the shop and sharing his thrill and excitement of his motorcycle adventures. He was feeling much younger than his 80 odd years and enjoying his ride more than ever when I graduated and left town.
 
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I think it is really subjective.

My riding buddy is 73. He has an '05 Hyabusa, an '04 V Strom, a '96 HD Ultra, and put a deposit on an '06 FJR (Yes, with the paddle shift) Friday. He rides about 30K miles per year. He is showing no signs of slowing down.

Another friend is 82. He is in the process of buying a smallish dirt bike...it's just too much trouble to saddle his horse all the time. BTW, he's been shooting his age on the golf course for over 10 years. He hasn't ridden a bike in about 10 years.

These guys think that it'll be their legs that let them down. Ray is looking at scooters, carefully, not that he needs one now, but that he thinks he will need one at one point. Likes the look of the headlights on the 'Big Ruckus) at this point.
 

Medicine Bear

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Apparently, some few of us figure you're too old when you can't hold "it" up anymore. Kind of applies in other areas, I theoretically think... :D

Fred :03biker:
 
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Louie Louie said:
Ok..The dreaded question.. I know its subjective. I feel it depends on the person. Specifically the physical & mentall skills of the individual rider.
Very subjective...:)
Two years ago a gentleman rode from Florida to Texas to do a border to border ride with us. The fact he was 76 wasn't a big deal, the fact that the border to border ride was just part of his documented 100,000 miles that year for the IBA was!
I ran into him again the next year when he was doing a Coast to Coast ride.
 
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