When do you call it quits?

[NJ-Brett]

Well, I do not see why you have to restrict it to big bike or no bike.
My current bike is a hoot, and its only a 250.
I ride when and where its safer, I do not have the power to make a lot of stupid mistakes, the bike is light and easy to ride, and with the low power, I get to road race without risking tickets.

If all I had was a big bike, I would ride much less, because they are a pain in the butt and no fun unlless you are going very fast, but small bikes are light and easy, and doing 70 mph FEELS very fast.
Its like when you were 15 on an old 100cc bike, FUN!

And at the low price of a good used small bike (about $3000.00) there is no reason not to ride.
Since getting the small bike (down from a 1200) I ride a LOT more and enjoy it more.

A vintage bike is also fun, you can play with them more then ride them, but still get some nice rides in.
It does not have to be an iron butt ride on a big bike, or a commute to work every day, or a really fast ride on a sport bike, or a ride on an 800 pound Harley that costs $20,000.00, it can be a dual sport on mild trails, a small bike on the street, a vintage bike in the garage, or even a scooter.
Why does it have to be hard core or nothing?

[Bike#8]

As others have stated... I've learned to listen to that 6th sense that something is not right. I recently sold my SV1000S and will ride just my XMoto with ABS. The little danger monkey on my shoulder was getting very vocal regarding my riding the SV. I'm a science guy and therefore rational and factual. But, I don't know everything regarding the forces in this Universe. I do know that the couple accidents I've had were preceded by a feeling that riding that day was not smart.

[slide]

Originally Posted by Bike#8

As others have stated... I've learned to listen to that 6th sense that something is not right. I recently sold my SV1000S and will ride just my XMoto with ABS. The little danger monkey on my shoulder was getting very vocal regarding my riding the SV. I'm a science guy and therefore rational and factual. But, I don't know everything regarding the forces in this Universe. I do know that the couple accidents I've had were preceded by a feeling that riding that day was not smart.

It's nothing to do with mysterious forces of the universe or other religious nonsense.

Read a book called 'The Gift of Fear'. It's part of what has allowed you to be born - your ancestors' sense of when things are dangerous.

[Inoplanetyanin]

My personal answer to all these valid risks, is to ride a scooter. It's slower, so the potential of being unable to react in time is smaller. All things considered, I think a scooter is safer than a street bike used at full speed.

I currently ride a slow 50cc Honda Met but looking to buy a 2010 Honda Elite 110. With top speed of about 50.

[SkiBumBrian]

I moved to CA several years ago from rural WA where I rode all the time, little traffic (we had the only stop light in the county) and trails galore. Before I moved I sold my bike due to the horror stories I heard about riding in CA. I ended up in a fairly small town but huge to me (90k people) with lots of riding around. I lived for years not riding but thinking of it alot. I-5 runs through Redding and state hwys going east and west. Traffic is sporadic, busy during rush hours, fairly light the rest of the time. A couple of years ago I decided to risk it and bought a dual sport. I ride it to the trails and around town but HATE the freeway... It boils down to if you are enjoying yourself and feel safe. If I lived in busy SoCal and had to hit the freeways to get anywhere I wouldn't ride or I would have a green sticker bike and haul it to the trails. I would never want to ride afraid....

[slide]

Originally Posted by SkiBumBrian

I moved to CA several years ago from rural WA where I rode all the time, little traffic (we had the only stop light in the county) and trails galore. Before I moved I sold my bike due to the horror stories I heard about riding in CA. I ended up in a fairly small town but huge to me (90k people) with lots of riding around. I lived for years not riding but thinking of it alot. I-5 runs through Redding and state hwys going east and west. Traffic is sporadic, busy during rush hours, fairly light the rest of the time. A couple of years ago I decided to risk it and bought a dual sport. I ride it to the trails and around town but HATE the freeway... It boils down to if you are enjoying yourself and feel safe. If I lived in busy SoCal and had to hit the freeways to get anywhere I wouldn't ride or I would have a green sticker bike and haul it to the trails. I would never want to ride afraid....

I've ridden supposedly the most dangerous roads in the US. For example, I had a business where I'd have to almost constantly ride the L.A. Freeways 4 days a week from Huntington Beach to Thousand Oaks and later extended to Oceanside and then San Diego. I've ridden the L.I. Expressway regularly. I can go on but the most competitive road I was ever on was the run from Ft. Laud to W. Palm on I95. Good grief - add 20 mph Q-tips to guys in Ferraris running hard to trucks also running hard.

Of all this, I'll take any of these roads and ride them one eyed with one brake as far as danger goes a rural deer strike is much scarier, less predictable and 100% uncontrollable.

Gimme the Q-tip vs Lambo over deer vermin any time.

[SkiBumBrian]

I understand you're point of view, it kinda reminds me of the old analogy of fender benders in airplanes. Survivability is a huge issue.....I am just getting used to the "lane splitting" law in CA. Seems crazy, but it's legal and I am doing it!

[slide]

Originally Posted by SkiBumBrian

I understand you're point of view, it kinda reminds me of the old analogy of fender benders in airplanes. Survivability is a huge issue.....I am just getting used to the "lane splitting" law in CA. Seems crazy, but it's legal and I am doing it!

For me it's being able to predict traffic movement so I stay out of the way of them. They need to hit me to hurt me and I make it my biz to stay in areas where they can't get to me. I've been stopped for being hyper aggressive and once had a gun pointed at me by a cop at one of these stops but I am here to write this tale.

I know I'm here only due to luck when it comes to those damn deer though.

[Gundy]

Originally Posted by slide

For me it's being able to predict traffic movement so I stay out of the way of them. They need to hit me to hurt me and I make it my biz to stay in areas where they can't get to me. I've been stopped for being hyper aggressive and once had a gun pointed at me by a cop at one of these stops but I am here to write this tale.

I know I'm here only due to luck when it comes to those damn deer though.

"Defensive driving" (or maybe offensive in your case) can definitely help a lot. No question there. Still though, I'll take my chances against a 200 lb relatively soft animal instead of a 2,000 lb+ piece of metal.

[slide]

Originally Posted by Gundy

"Defensive driving" (or maybe offensive in your case) can definitely help a lot. No question there. Still though, I'll take my chances against a 200 lb relatively soft animal instead of a 2,000 lb+ piece of metal.

The metal is a good deal more massive than 2k libs. Try 4-5k for typical luxo sedan or SUV. More for stuff like F350's...

My point isn't that hitting a deer is less damaging than hitting a dump truck but that I can ride in such a way to stay clear of the truck while I have no way to do so with the deer.

Put it another way: I'd rather miss the dump truck than hit the deer.

[Katoom72]

Originally Posted by Deuce

I have been a rider since I was about 12 yrs.old. Got my first 'street' bike at 15. No license, no insurance, bike plated in my Mom's name. I am now 55 and sold my last bike ('10 GSA) last spring. My wife sold her '11 KTM 990 this past fall. We just weren't having fun anymore.

We thought it would work out having one bike between us that we could both ride (990). Go on holidays, one riding, one following in the Xterra, with the dog and camping gear. Take turns riding and driving. It worked out quite well actually.

But it still wasn't 'fun' anymore. Too many restrictive traffic laws (40 kms over limit, bike seized, license suspended etc), anal drivers, high insurance costs. It all added up and we said fuck it, sell the bike and see what happens. Well it is now 6 months later, no bike, no riding, selling off some of the excess gear we have and I really don't miss it all.

Guys at work were amazed I quit. I was the one coming in every day, rain, sleet, the dark of night, year after year. Always on a bike. A couple guys started riding again because of me. I will most likely ride again. Maybe in a year or two. For now it is fine.

I did the same and bought a boat.
One year later the boat sits in the shed and i went from 0 bikes to 2 bikes.

It's a disease, one that sticks with you for the rest of your life.

[twinjet]

When I was a younger guy it was when St. Peter wouldn't let me go back.
Later it was when I couldn't get the bike started.
Then it became when I couldn't hold the bike up.
Lately it's if I can't get my leg over.

[easyrider88]

Originally Posted by slide

The metal is a good deal more massive than 2k libs. Try 4-5k for typical luxo sedan or SUV. More for stuff like F350's...

My point isn't that hitting a deer is less damaging than hitting a dump truck but that I can ride in such a way to stay clear of the truck while I have no way to do so with the deer.

Put it another way: I'd rather miss the dump truck than hit the deer.

i agree.deer in wisconsin are way too unpredictable.whereas a big dump truck you can see and hear.

[Gundy]

Originally Posted by easyrider88

i agree.deer in wisconsin are way too unpredictable.whereas a big dump truck you can see and hear.

Not the big dump trucks I'm worried about....more so the Jetta with a texter behind the wheel or the retiree in the town car who can't/won't bother to turn their neck and look

[Plaka]

Originally Posted by Colorado Ron

The night before I was to head out on the CDT ride, my wife informs me she has NEVER felt good about it. She has never said that to me before. Ive gone to the Arctic Circle, Iceland, Central America all within the last couple of years and she never has said anything. I chalk it up to jitters. About 5AM I wake up to my 4 year old lil girl (I have 6 kids total) screaming! She was having a bad dream (never happened before). She said that I was going to ride my motorcycle to heaven and not say goodbye!!!??? I dont scare easily, but I have to admit the hair on my neck raised.

I went on the trip anyway....

Hit a corner too fast about an hour into the trip and couldnt hold the corner. Went off the road and indeed (sp?) the bike. Totaled the bike but it was like I landed on a pile of feathers!!

Guy comes out of his house and says 6 other riders in the last year have died on that corner and he thought I was #7.

Im just glad I came away completely unscathed. I never dreamed I would stop riding, but now this has got me thinking twice. The old saying "you know when you know" sure holds true. I just cant believe that I have no desire to ride...... maybe ever.....

You call it quits when it isn't fun anymore.

One of my early riding mentors told me two things I have never forgotten:

1) Never underestimate how cold you can get on a motorcycle.

2) If you think about crashing all the time, you won't have any fun.


The second one really involves having a kind of tame paranoia. The trick is keeping it tamed. There have been times, often for a year or more, that I haven't ridden. I just had the feeling that if I did I was going to get myself dead. I just took the bike apart. Sometimes my life is like that. You don't ever have to call it quits exactly--but you might not have a bike. You ditch the old helmet but you keep your leathers and boots. if they're still in the closet when you head for the pearly gates, so what? But if you seriously get the itch again, get a bike and a new helmet and try it out. You'll be back having fun or you won't.

You cannot predict the future. You cannot say that the way you feel now is the way you will fell a few years from now. Much can happen (often pretty sad things) that can change your outlook considerably. I think it best not to consider any chapter closed---mostly written perhaps, but not closed.

I remember, when I must, that it was a pretty sad thing that got me into motorcycling. I was running away from something that hurt, looking for distractions from pain. I didn't grow up with bikes although by my mid 20's I had a number of friends that rode. The pain eased in time but I was hooked on bikes. I still am. But still there are days, or months, that I don't ride. Sometimes I know it's OK, sometimes I know I will just try to kill myself. Some pains don't fade and sometimes you are tempted by the ultimate distraction. So I remain ever guarded. I'm OK with it I guess. It's the hand I was dealt and I play it. But I'm always open to it changing, to new things---even if there isn't a motorcycle in the picture anymore.