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Entering the last "quarter" of my riding career?

Thanks everyone for keeping this an active thread. We obviously like to have a sounding board for those of us still able to ride, enjoy life, live it like we know now is the time to live it.

I like the old saying, "we aren't here for a long time, we are here for a good time!"

Ride on!
 
There are some things about this get'n old thing I like.


Hanging with my two best friends, the grandkids
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$10 for a life time pass to all National Parks; it no longer costs me $20 (over & back) to hop over Tioga Pass when I travel east!
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I love my cycling club, I do 400+ miles on my bikes each month and many in the club are in their 70's and even a few in their 80's and they kick ass..
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As for riding motorcycles; it is more fun than it ever has been in my 45 years of riding. I gave up serious dirt, I don't fall well in my 60's, but the street riding with my good buddy David is still as good as it gets. I also still teach MSF, it is fun seeing the next generation of riders.

I never let myself forget, not everybody gets to enjoy life this much at this age.......I'm very lucky.

Life has been good to me.
 
Addiction

I'm 69 and have been a licensed motorcycle rider for 56 years thanks to an early start in New Mexico. I don't have any other interesting numbers as much of that riding was off road. These days it's almost all roads although I do own a KLR for that occasional dirt trip. Being well into my last quarter, one thought has occurred to me. Motorcycles are like cigarettes. They are addictive and are hazardous to your health. I know it's an imperfect analogy, but it helps me remember that I have to work at avoiding trouble. I did try to kick the habit when my family and my career started taking most of my time. For maybe 15 years didn't own a motorcycle. After retirement and a move to the Sunshine State one of my tennis buddies showed up at a match on a bright red R1100RS. At that point I thought all beemers came in black and was immediately taken in. Chris, I said, if you ever decide to sell that bike let me know. One week later Chris found a newer, faster ride. The addiction overcame me. Like I said, I don't have impressive numbers but I've probably ridden more miles in the last 7 years than in the previous 49.

I love talking to other BMW owners and joined the Daytona BMW Club so I can spend more time with fellow addicts. I use my bike for all kids of things. If I can run an errand on the bike it's fun. In the car it's a chore. I can load my bicycle on the bike and have hauled mulch. I'm working on managing my addiction to squeeze the most miles out of whatever time I have left.
 
I'm 65 and it is indeed flying by. When the weather permits, riding takes priority when it used to be only after I finished "chores" (mowing,etc). I appreciate riding more than I did in the past because I know it won't last forever.


@ 64 I can relate...and my yard shows it...
 
I will turn 67 on the 23rd of this month. My ridding buddy turned 70 last December. He bought a Goldwing Trike. Is going to sell it because it is "like driving a car" because it doesn't lean.

Gonna ride till.......................................

Those new BMW scooters sure look like a lot of fun!!!
 
I will turn 67 on the 23rd of this month. My ridding buddy turned 70 last December. He bought a Goldwing Trike. Is going to sell it because it is "like driving a car" because it doesn't lean.

Gonna ride till.......................................

Those new BMW scooters sure look like a lot of fun!!!


I agree with your friend....I HATE TRIKES.:dunno..also agree with the last two sentences !:thumb
 
I will turn 67 on the 23rd of this month. My ridding buddy turned 70 last December. He bought a Goldwing Trike. Is going to sell it because it is "like driving a car" because it doesn't lean.

Gonna ride till.......................................

Those new BMW scooters sure look like a lot of fun!!!

I will be 66 this month and I have two friends who will have a birthday next month with one reaching 70 and the other 78. We are all long time BMW riders. We all looked forward to riding the BMW C650GT scooter and made an appointment as soon as the closest dealer (100 miles away) had one available. We dedicated a day to ride up and do a test ride and got there shortly before lunch. We were impressed by the looks and features of the C650GT. All 3 of us have a short inseam and found the seat height to be so high that we didn't do a test ride. My younger friend and I now have Burgman 650s along with our BMWs but my older friend refuses to ride anything that is not a BMW. He has decided that a R1200R will be the replacement for his R1200GS that has the low suspension and low seat option. He will not ride a maxi-scooter because he fears he will like it.
 
I will turn 67 the day after SiBud...

(Happy Birthday, sibud!) and I have no intention of quitting riding in the immediate future. Right now, my riding is greatly curtailed 'cause I'm working on my Master's and these classes take a LOTTA time...

Regards, Marty
 
I will turn 67 on the 23rd of this month. My ridding buddy turned 70 last December. He bought a Goldwing Trike. Is going to sell it because it is "like driving a car" because it doesn't lean.

Gonna ride till.......................................

Those new BMW scooters sure look like a lot of fun!!!

he actually had to buy a trike before he figured out that they wouldn't lean? you might want to have a conversation with your riding buddy..... just sayin'.

i'm a youngster, still on the south side of 60, so i've got nothing else to say about this. but i do think about what riding might be like when i'm my dad's age. he's 87, and except for being down due to a new hip, he still bicycles about 100 miles/week. Sure hope i can still be going like that at his age!
 
Okay, as an aspiring geezer @ only 64, I bought my first BMW a year ago. It's a R1200RT and although I really enjoy riding it, I find I don't have much time to do so. Yet. I'll be retiring in 2015 and plan to spend a lot more time on the bike. I've really enjoyed reading thru this thread and hope to be adding to it as time goes by. You all are pretty motivational!
 
Here are a few i have meet, and know.

First trip to the Alps in '99, there was an 81 year old Dr from Alaska on the 2 week tour with Beach's.

2007 again in the Alps I meet a guy from Florida, we have meet up at least once a year in the Smokey's. He just called yesterday to tell me he has traded his 1150GS for a new 800GS. He sold his Suzuki dirt bike, that he rode in the Florida sugar sand, a couple years ago, not because he had to quit riding off road, but because the others he rode with stopped riding, and his wife didn't like him out in the Ocala forest by himself. He loves the little tight knarly twisty roads, and can ride pace with the best of them. He will be 75 soon.

And he returned to the Alps with another long time friend of his 2 years ago, his friend was 81, again they did a 2 week Beach tour!

Me I use the Mars calendar, that makes me just 30 years old, it works until I catch a reflection in a window and see my dad looking back at me.
 
I thought the oil threads created discussion. After reading a few entries I had to take a break. At first the comments were depressing, and then many positive life stories followed.

Well, I'm 66 years old, 5'5" tall and ride a 2009 R1200RT(30,000 miles). Within the last year I have been to Alaska and back and certified a SS1000 (solo). I have met many wonderful contemporaries on the same quests. I down hill ski, hike, bike and walk. Now I really must step up the game; however, I still will need to step on the pegs and be on tip toes. No complaints.

RPW
LT USN-ret
STS 1(ss)
IBA #54421

2009 R1200RT
2006 HD Road King(gone)
1979 Triumph Bonneville(gone)
 
I thought the oil threads created discussion. After reading a few entries I had to take a break. At first the comments were depressing, and then many positive life stories followed.

Well, you finally found the thread to inspire your first post! :thumb
 
I never meant starting this thread as something to be depressing. Rather, I initiated it to exclaim, "I better enjoy this last quarter for all its worth and get the most out of every ride to come!" I have NO intention of slowing down, not giving up street riding, not giving up dirt riding, not giving up ice-racing, planning a ski trip to Whislter for this coming Feb. Nope, if nothing else, now is the time to get MORE into it!
 
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