When Is One Too Old To Ride?

Two Brothers

Walking, Talking, and Smiling!
Joined
Mar 4, 2008
Messages
840
Location
Lawrenceville Ga
Re: Too Old to Ride?

Happy B-day liz...my dad still rides his Road King and he's 70 he's looking into getting a trike soon.

Have a great one.
 
Joined
Aug 6, 2008
Messages
134
Location
Maryville, TN
Re: Too Old to Ride?

Happy B-Day Roadlizard! I guess that two things come to mind when someone mentions age and riding.

1. I'm 54 years old and my fiance' is 56 years old. We both ride CBR600RR's. Those are our street bikes. She also uses her 600RR for track days and she is a fast intermediate with STT. I ride a 1000RR for track day with STT and run mostly in the intermediate group (I like to ride in the same group as she does), but also run in the Advanced group sometimes just to keep sharp. We also have an '08 ST1300 with it set up for heated gear when it gets too cold to ride the sportbikes (no wind protection at all).

2. Growing OLDER is mandatory...........growing UP is optional!!

So there ya go, getting older is part of living, but riding whatever you can afford and like is still the way to go for us!

BTW......she had a '98 ST1100 that she bought new in '98 and put 40,000 miles on it in 4 years before she got divorced. I introduced her to sportbikes and she hasn't looked back!
 
Joined
Feb 22, 2008
Messages
22
Location
Newburgh, Indiana
Bike
ST1300
STOC #
7330
Re: Too Old to Ride?

At 62, I'm the youngest of the group I ride with (one's 74) and in my Motorcycle Safety course we celebrated one gentleman's 80th birthday. Age is a state of mind!
 
Joined
Feb 5, 2005
Messages
8,537
Age
77
Location
Kingman, Arizona
Bike
2000 ST1100 ABS TCS
STOC #
004
Re: Too Old to Ride?

If 60 is the new 40, what does that do to 20 year olds?! :22yikes:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY roadlizard!!
.
.
Spent Tuesday and Wednesday with some 20-year-olds. They are infants.

HBD, Roadlizard, and many more. Ya ain't old til ya _feel_ old.

I'm old.
 

QuantumMechanic

Metamagical Traveler
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
21
Location
Houston,TX
Bike
St 1300
Re: Too Old to Ride?

HBD RoadLizard!!!

I intend to ride until I cannot lift the leg over the saddle. I am already mentally engineering a lift to put me on the saddle when that time comes.

My doctors are all telling me I should quit. I have tenso-synovitis in the left hand from clutching too much, a bad back from the Harley years and am nearly deaf from 40 years of high speed wind noise. SO WHAT!?!

I will be on th bike and on the road to SOMEWHERE this weekend!

Same as you. Have fun and ride often

You're only as old as the girl you feel - Groucho Marx

-Al-

ABC# 7330
AMA# 622630
BMWMOA# 79293

In times of universal deceit,
telling the truth is revolutionary.
 

Styles

2000 Non-ABS
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
467
Age
80
Location
Coastal Washington
Bike
'00 ST1100
STOC #
6201
Re: Too Old to Ride?

I'm only picking up speed as I age: I got a Dos Equis for retirement. :capwin:

Styles
 

joweb94

Bob Webster
Joined
Aug 12, 2008
Messages
65
Location
Bay Area, California
Bike
MG California 1400
Re: Too Old to Ride?

It's all about "ability" to ride. Age has very little to do with it.

The two most critcal parts are "skill and logic".
 

Blue One

Vendor
Joined
Mar 19, 2008
Messages
1,080
Age
69
Location
Canada (Edmonton Alberta) - Texas
Bike
04 ABS ST1300
Re: Too Old to Ride?

Happy Birthday. I know what you mean as far as getting older goes. The years go by and you wonder one morning "what happened" :D As the old guy looks back at you from the mirror.

I decided to fight it a little and recently returned to the gym for some weight training to try to regain - rebuild and maintain some strength and muscle mass and tone.

I'm still alive (groan) so from here on it will get better. Just gotta keep going...(remembering how heavy the ST is to pick up ;) )

Keep the shiny side up and all that .
 
Joined
Sep 24, 2008
Messages
35
Location
AZ/MN
Bike
05 ST1300
Re: Too Old to Ride?

I'm over 60, been riding two wheelers since 1958, and feel that I have at least 10, maybe 15, more years of riding left. I ride with guys 75+ every once in a while, and they do just fine. Many years of experience, and a good attitude and state of mind is the key, I think. I just bought an ST1300. Had a couple ST1100's and the last one was stolen in 05. I bought a Wing then, but always missed the ST ride. Now I plan to keep both.

Happy riding, and keep a good attitude. Don't even think about your age.
 

BDonald

R.I.P. - 2014/10/15
Rest In Peace
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
374
Location
Ooltewah,Tn near Chattanooga
Bike
'12 Wing
Re: Too Old to Ride?

I am 69 and plan to ride as long as I am physically able and I figure if I can remember to hit the home button and the Zumo then I am mentally able also. I was the caretaker for my wife this year and still rode over 25000 miles this year. She recently passed away and I plan to take several long trips this coming year. Age doesn't matter, just ride.
 

storm

Firewatcher man
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
77
Location
Minnesota
Re: Too Old to Ride?

My cousin just stopped riding - he is 87
He was good until 86 then started to tip over:mad:
 
OP
OP

Louie Louie

Re: Too Old to Ride?

There is a difference between chronological age(the #of times the earth has circled the sun). OR Physical age. I know 70 year olds that are in better shape than most people in their 40's!. I shook a 81 year old's hand the other day and it still hurts!
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2005
Messages
1,495
Location
Richardson, TX
Bike
'09 ST1300 ABS
STOC #
5914
Re: Too Old to Ride?

One of my riding buddies is 72. He's in great shape and is a vet rider. He and some of his dirt bike riding buddies headed for Arkansas and the many excellent dirt roads availible to riders...just last week. He and a buddy traveled down a road...a bit too far...and he ran out of gas. His buddy went for gas....and Chuck had walked out to the main asphalt road to pickup the can of gas. While he was waiting...it got dark. They lost the bike because the trail the bike was on was....ah...marginal. Had to wait until morning to refill. They two uped it to camp. LOL He's a serious dirt bike junkie....

Image of "Chuck" (far right) and his "old fart" dirt bike guys....and PS...these guys own serious bikes!

Forest
 

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the Ferret

Daily rider since May 1965
Joined
Feb 5, 2008
Messages
2,576
Age
73
Location
So-Oh
Bike
21 NC750 14 CB1100
2024 Miles
004792
Re: Too Old to Ride?

I think people that can ride into their late 70's, 80's and 90's even, are the exception rather than the rule. I've spent a lot of time recently in a couple nursing homes due to a sick father in law. There are a whole lot of people in there in those age ranges that can barely ride a walker or wheel chair. Never make it on a motorcycle.

Pray for strength, good health and a good memory and ride as long as you are healthy.
 
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Messages
216
Location
Texas
Bike
Goldwing
Re: Too Old to Ride?

Happy BDay, and age is no factor. That's like the jobs I apply for and haven't finished a Degree, so I don't get to the finish. The one factor alone isn't related to actual performance or potential. Like Joe said, either you'll know or others will know it's time to prevent the riding.

Then there will always be other options, like trikes, sidecars, or ghost wheels.:07biker::D
 
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