"Ride to Ride Again"

[The Roadie]

Originally Posted by motorat

reminds me of:
there are old riders and bold riders, but there are no old bold riders

I am not trying to give advice by any means.. (I'm still very young and have no business on this thread) But I thought it was funny I run across this thread right as I am watching "dust to glory" and they begin to talk about a 65 year old man, tearing it up in the baja 1000... So it looks like you guys have the right idea (finding your own pace) but in the end I think doing what you love is best. That is what this guy is doing, and at his age that is impressive to see such ballsy riding being in the baja 1000 and all, but that is what he loves to do. So I guess you can be a "old bold rider."

[buls4evr]

As a friend of mine once pointed out, the throttle goes both ways. The road /trail you are on also does and you choose where you go. You also choose who you ride with. I have always been a proponent of riding your own ride. The object of these bikes is to have fun on them..

[mikem9]

I don't think the attitude we are discussing is to ride timidly or slow. Just slower than our limits of ability. I consider it a good ride if we've had a lot of fun and we don't need to visit a doctor during or after the ride.

[TN3Sport]

There is much research done on how knee and hip injuries, late in life, can be life changing events that lead to a decrease in the overall quality of life.
These type injuries take a long time to heal and the studies have shown that many people never regain the mobility they had prior to the injuries. This often leads to an increase in sedentary lifestyle. Which can lead to weight gain and cause other complications.

Not trying to scare anyone, but as we age, our bones can get more brittle and the increase in fracture increases. Load bearing exercise and proper nutrition help fight this. But a hard fall is a hard fall. For the most part, younger riders have a better ability for full recovery.

I'm right at about the same age a the OP. I've backed off the throttle a little in recent years because I know if I go down hard, I'm breaking something. And a slow ride in the woods is a heck of a lot better than no ride in a leg cast...

[O.C.F.RIDER]

Originally Posted by TN3Sport

There is much research done on how knee and hip injuries, late in life, can be life changing events that lead to a decrease in the overall quality of life.
These type injuries take a long time to heal and the studies have shown that many people never regain the mobility they had prior to the injuries. This often leads to an increase in sedentary lifestyle. Which can lead to weight gain and cause other complications.

Not trying to scare anyone, but as we age, our bones can get more brittle and the increase in fracture increases. Load bearing exercise and proper nutrition help fight this. But a hard fall is a hard fall. For the most part, younger riders have a better ability for full recovery.

I'm right at about the same age a the OP. I've backed off the throttle a little in recent years because I know if I go down hard, I'm breaking something. And a slow ride in the woods is a heck of a lot better than no ride in a leg cast...

There's a million different ways to break yourself, M/C's are just one of those ways. How many people slip & fall in the shower every year? Or take a header on ice? And, while going slower may lessen ones chances of a "bad"crash, you can still have one. I had one of my scariest get-offs at about 3mph, going along a short section of trail that was only about 1 1/2 ft. wide with lots of roots, a steep rock wall on one side and a about 10 ft. drop-off into a boulder strewn stream on the other, I clicked off one of the aforementioned roots a bit wrong, and I'll let you guess the rest.


It took all 6 of us to get the bike back up onto the "trail".
My buddies were like.........................HOLY SHIT! That's the worst crash I ever seen! I was like..................YEAH! At almost NO miles per hour.

I rode again!
I'll ride again!
(as soon as I get this fucking cast off )

Chris

[NJ-Brett]

One of the things that causes me a lot of pain and has changed my lifestyle happened at age 17 (I think).
I bashed my toe on a rail road tie at 40 mph and it causes a lot of pain if I walk much now.
I used to do a lot of hiking, not so much any more.
In another crash, I tore my knee open badly, yet it causes no problems at all.

The spine is another thing that can cause problems that never get better, broke mine twice dirt riding.
I would still dirt ride though, if I had a bike to do it on.

Originally Posted by TN3Sport

There is much research done on how knee and hip injuries, late in life, can be life changing events that lead to a decrease in the overall quality of life.
These type injuries take a long time to heal and the studies have shown that many people never regain the mobility they had prior to the injuries. This often leads to an increase in sedentary lifestyle. Which can lead to weight gain and cause other complications.

Not trying to scare anyone, but as we age, our bones can get more brittle and the increase in fracture increases. Load bearing exercise and proper nutrition help fight this. But a hard fall is a hard fall. For the most part, younger riders have a better ability for full recovery.

I'm right at about the same age a the OP. I've backed off the throttle a little in recent years because I know if I go down hard, I'm breaking something. And a slow ride in the woods is a heck of a lot better than no ride in a leg cast...

[Grreatdog]

Originally Posted by mikem9

I don't think the attitude we are discussing is to ride timidly or slow. Just slower than our limits of ability. I consider it a good ride if we've had a lot of fun and we don't need to visit a doctor during or after the ride.

Exactly. On my last offroad ride we were typically doing 80+ on two track and gravel. Trust me, nobody was slowing down. Then we came to a tricky little stream crossing and nearly vertical bluff on the other side. We had all done it ten years ago when we last rode that trail.

You have to cross a small bridge over a stream then make a hard turn and go nearly vertical up a bluff for maybe 20'. One guy tried and helmet surfed to the bottom. The rest of us bypassed it. I just don't enjoy crawling out from under a 300 pound dual sport and wrestling up out of a creek anymore.

Now if I had been on the MXC......

[1911fan]

Originally Posted by NJ-Brett

One of the things that causes me a lot of pain and has changed my lifestyle happened at age 17 (I think).

Was 15 or 16 for me, cage centerpunched me and I almost lost my left foot. Walked funny for years, and still limp when I'm tired. Was riding as soon as my leg was out of the cast, and ever since. To me, the rewards outweigh the pain. Motorcycles have been in my blood since my dad took me up and down the block on a Vespa in the early 60s.


1911fan

[NJ-Brett]

Its the same for me, so I want to be ABLE to ride in the future.
It will not take much more to end my ability to ride, or ride much, already the back is an issue.
All the other broken bones (many) do not cause any riding problems, but riding can be hard on the spine.

I have ridden with casts on, I am not being off work without getting some riding in!

Originally Posted by 1911fan

Was 15 or 16 for me, cage centerpunched me and I almost lost my left foot. Walked funny for years, and still limp when I'm tired. Was riding as soon as my leg was out of the cast, and ever since. To me, the rewards outweigh the pain. Motorcycles have been in my blood since my dad took me up and down the block on a Vespa in the early 60s.


1911fan

[buls4evr]

Of course the bike is just as fast as it always was. The big thing that I noticed in the last few years is that my vision is not even close to as good as it used to be. That alone was enough to slow me down a lot. Actually I am in better physical shape now than I was 20 years ago. I lost 56 lbs since I retired in 02 and started eating right and exercising. I weigh the same thing I did the day I graduated from high school now. Just no reason to race anyone on trail rides now. By the time you are 63 you should have your ego under control.

[juniorsktm]

Originally Posted by mikem9

I don't think the attitude we are discussing is to ride timidly or slow. Just slower than our limits of ability. I consider it a good ride if we've had a lot of fun and we don't need to visit a doctor during or after the ride.

Exactly. There have been some really good comments in this tread, but as Mike said, we are merely suggesting that we enjoy a little slower than "race pace" for longevity in the sport when out adventure or DS riding. Trust me, this group we ride with is comprised of many B-A GNCC, SETRA HS and Enduro riders and past champs.....i think we are just suggesting to leave the racing at the races. Nobody wins practice!

Great thread Mike! I am enjoying it!

as always, Ride to Ride again!

[O.C.F.RIDER]

C'mon guy's!
You know as well as I do, when you get 2 or more bikes riding together..........................it's ALWAYS a race.

Chris