Time to retire?
Discussion
hi chaps,
guess it's nearly time to say goodbye to bikes: at 66,000 miles, I'm gettign nervous that my luck is running out. With an increasing number of numpties out there, I no longer feel safe on 2 wheels.
It ain't my riding that scares me, it's everyone else. I'd sooner hit a "pull out prat" with a car than a bike. I've never had a cornering problem, or a real bad skid. Plenty of evil coppers to confront tho', but that's what you expect when you're playing the rebel.
Real sad to hang up my gear, but I'll have to leave the heroics to you younger types. Hell, I'm only 35, but there seems a "golden age" for biking, and it ends at 35 as far as I can see.
Actually I lied, I'm not so sad as all that - been a year thinking about quitting, and finally it's happened. I'll be thinking of you lot out there, and give you lots of room when I can.
Take it easy fellas (and girls), it's tough on the streets. Maybe one day I'll be back, but hopefully when Gatsos are gone, and car drivers can actually drive.
best regards, Carl
guess it's nearly time to say goodbye to bikes: at 66,000 miles, I'm gettign nervous that my luck is running out. With an increasing number of numpties out there, I no longer feel safe on 2 wheels.
It ain't my riding that scares me, it's everyone else. I'd sooner hit a "pull out prat" with a car than a bike. I've never had a cornering problem, or a real bad skid. Plenty of evil coppers to confront tho', but that's what you expect when you're playing the rebel.
Real sad to hang up my gear, but I'll have to leave the heroics to you younger types. Hell, I'm only 35, but there seems a "golden age" for biking, and it ends at 35 as far as I can see.
Actually I lied, I'm not so sad as all that - been a year thinking about quitting, and finally it's happened. I'll be thinking of you lot out there, and give you lots of room when I can.
Take it easy fellas (and girls), it's tough on the streets. Maybe one day I'll be back, but hopefully when Gatsos are gone, and car drivers can actually drive.
best regards, Carl
well being only as I have held my licence for a year I dont know what it used to be like.
But I have to say I was shocked to find out all the stories bikers used to tell me are true. vertualy every time I'm on teh bike someone pulls out on me on tries to move into my lane etc.
pedestrians nearly had me off 3 times the first 2 didnt look the 3rd one looked right at me and her expresion even changed as if to say oh theres a bike and she still walked out in front of me
for me I am having a good time and have really enjoyed the odd all dayers ive had with my mates. and filtering on my way to work is a benefit of bikes also.
However I can fully understand where your coming from because several times I've got home and said thats it I'm selling it.
for now the fun is outwaying the frustration but only just.
But I have to say I was shocked to find out all the stories bikers used to tell me are true. vertualy every time I'm on teh bike someone pulls out on me on tries to move into my lane etc.
pedestrians nearly had me off 3 times the first 2 didnt look the 3rd one looked right at me and her expresion even changed as if to say oh theres a bike and she still walked out in front of me
for me I am having a good time and have really enjoyed the odd all dayers ive had with my mates. and filtering on my way to work is a benefit of bikes also.
However I can fully understand where your coming from because several times I've got home and said thats it I'm selling it.
for now the fun is outwaying the frustration but only just.
cheers mate, I reckon if you put the miles on like I did, you've got 3 years of BLISS, followed by 2 years of doubt.
Take it easy out there. I'll try not to be another numpty. Damn I do have twinges of regret, but less and less. Last year I quit for 3 weeks and then got the Ninja. It was heaven, but not for long. All the doubts came back, and you have to ask yourself how long can your luck hold?
Last crash was trivial, ran into the back of a Micra that legged it !!!! damaged the car quite a lot, the bike not at all.
Previous crash I came off because I didn't put my foot down to stop the bike falling over!!!!!!
But the time before...and before...and etc etc, lead back to a broken foot. No big deal, bones heal, chicks dig scars.
But hey, bikers are 50 times more likely to have an accident. So 66,000 x 50 = 3300000 miles by car.
So I guess I owe it to my family to quit.
Sorry guys, I let you all down, but if I wreck - I let my family down.
Don't let me put you off, biking is one of the best things ever, but now I hit 35, I can insure sports cars at last!!!! see you on the road, let's race.
Respect.
C
Take it easy out there. I'll try not to be another numpty. Damn I do have twinges of regret, but less and less. Last year I quit for 3 weeks and then got the Ninja. It was heaven, but not for long. All the doubts came back, and you have to ask yourself how long can your luck hold?
Last crash was trivial, ran into the back of a Micra that legged it !!!! damaged the car quite a lot, the bike not at all.
Previous crash I came off because I didn't put my foot down to stop the bike falling over!!!!!!
But the time before...and before...and etc etc, lead back to a broken foot. No big deal, bones heal, chicks dig scars.
But hey, bikers are 50 times more likely to have an accident. So 66,000 x 50 = 3300000 miles by car.
So I guess I owe it to my family to quit.
Sorry guys, I let you all down, but if I wreck - I let my family down.
Don't let me put you off, biking is one of the best things ever, but now I hit 35, I can insure sports cars at last!!!! see you on the road, let's race.
Respect.
C
Mate its a shame your giving up on bikes ....... I give it a month tops 
im going to try and pop up end of august early september so get a week off and we can go and hit the
(trying to rope BB in on it as well 
)
so whats you PH username going to be from now on ?
i know 
ExHertsBiker
Edited to Add although we have only been for a couple of blasts together they were fun especily the porsche on the A4 last year
>> Edited by DennisTheMenace (moderator) on Tuesday 10th June 23:17
im going to try and pop up end of august early september so get a week off and we can go and hit the
(trying to rope BB in on it as well ) so whats you PH username going to be from now on ?
i know ExHertsBiker Edited to Add although we have only been for a couple of blasts together they were fun especily the porsche on the A4 last year
>> Edited by DennisTheMenace (moderator) on Tuesday 10th June 23:17
it Will Be HERTSZIMMERFRAMER no only kidding mate. sorry to here you givin it up mate.
It'll be hard but good luck, I and others can see your concerns but like i was saying to denny earlier with how congested the roads are getting Down Sarrf its gonna be the only waay to get any where soon.
U could move up noryh or to France or teh States loads of open roads there.
all the best in whatever road u take
BB
no only kidding mate. sorry to here you givin it up mate. It'll be hard but good luck, I and others can see your concerns but like i was saying to denny earlier with how congested the roads are getting Down Sarrf its gonna be the only waay to get any where soon.
U could move up noryh or to France or teh States loads of open roads there.
all the best in whatever road u take
BB
Having started to learn at 35. Thats a little disheartening Hertsbiker.
Perhaps you just need a break. My father rode for donkeys years stopped for a few years whilst me and my sister grew up and now hes back on a bike and has been for about 10 years now. He started again when he was 50 and really loves it. So never say never.
On the accident front I have looked into this a great deal and looked at various stats government findings state that you are far more likely to have an accident in the 16-24 age group than 30+ age group.
www.transtat.dft.gov.uk/facts/accident/mcycle/mcycle98.htm
Although other figures from rospa suggest that 30-39 is one of the highest dangers.
www.begin-motorcycling.co.uk/rospa3.htm
Although I believe this second one should be taken carefully as the majority of tables are for 1999 which there seems to have been a "blip" of increased accident rates for that year. Overall Figures for 2000,2001,2002 are harder to find but individual counties are showing that 1999 seems to be a peak with it dropping again over the last 3 years.
Also very interesting was that several reports suggests that years of experience of bike riding makes little difference when compared to age differences. ie a 35year old novice is less likey to have an accident than a 21 year old with several years of experience. I personally find it hard to believe, and my pet theory is that 30+ either experienced bikers or new bikers with years of car experience apply the same hazzard perception skills they've learnt over the years.
Anyway (this was going to be a short post
) sorry to hear that you're leaving biking but hopefully not this forum as your experience may help us newbies.
>> Edited by smeagol on Wednesday 11th June 00:11
Perhaps you just need a break. My father rode for donkeys years stopped for a few years whilst me and my sister grew up and now hes back on a bike and has been for about 10 years now. He started again when he was 50 and really loves it. So never say never.
On the accident front I have looked into this a great deal and looked at various stats government findings state that you are far more likely to have an accident in the 16-24 age group than 30+ age group.
www.transtat.dft.gov.uk/facts/accident/mcycle/mcycle98.htm
Although other figures from rospa suggest that 30-39 is one of the highest dangers.
www.begin-motorcycling.co.uk/rospa3.htm
Although I believe this second one should be taken carefully as the majority of tables are for 1999 which there seems to have been a "blip" of increased accident rates for that year. Overall Figures for 2000,2001,2002 are harder to find but individual counties are showing that 1999 seems to be a peak with it dropping again over the last 3 years.
Also very interesting was that several reports suggests that years of experience of bike riding makes little difference when compared to age differences. ie a 35year old novice is less likey to have an accident than a 21 year old with several years of experience. I personally find it hard to believe, and my pet theory is that 30+ either experienced bikers or new bikers with years of car experience apply the same hazzard perception skills they've learnt over the years.
Anyway (this was going to be a short post
) sorry to hear that you're leaving biking but hopefully not this forum as your experience may help us newbies. >> Edited by smeagol on Wednesday 11th June 00:11
you sure you're not getting pissed off with putting on all the gear, the rain, etc mate? I was in the same boat year before last, had an FXDWG in the shed and the Griff on the drive......Griff won hands down eventually, and I was as hard core Harley as they come. I'm sure you'll buy something exciting to replace the bike Carl
Carl,
Saddened to hear your giving it up at 35, and there's me getting my first bike at 40!
I know what you mean about the dangers, but I guess I'm already used to the sh*te blind road users from driving a wee Cinq and an even smaller Spyder replica.
Still, I'm really enjoying my Drifter (even in London) but that's probably because I use it mainly for pleasure and only when I don't have to go anywhere in a real hurry.
Infact, I find it the antithesis of driving my cars, to the point that I don't even get on it unless I'm totally chilled out and then I find the whole riding experience relaxing (a kind of aversion therapy from fast car driving) Even my wife can't believe it as she's only ever seen me drive cars like a tw@ everywhere!
That's not to say I ride really slowly, or don't make small gaps - actually, sometimes I enjoy pissing the odd courier off by sqeezing the tractor into all sorts of narrow spaces - but sometimes I see a space infront at lights that may p*ss a driver off if I nip in, and I just think
it, I've got loads of time, and I'm just going to sit the red light out here (maybe I'm really am getting old) 
I guess what I'm saying is if you are lucky enough to be able to keep the Kwacker, use it purely for gentle pleasure riding on nice days - I know this philosophy won't go down too well, and besides I'll be the only VN owner on the board!!!!
Saddened to hear your giving it up at 35, and there's me getting my first bike at 40!
I know what you mean about the dangers, but I guess I'm already used to the sh*te blind road users from driving a wee Cinq and an even smaller Spyder replica.
Still, I'm really enjoying my Drifter (even in London) but that's probably because I use it mainly for pleasure and only when I don't have to go anywhere in a real hurry.
Infact, I find it the antithesis of driving my cars, to the point that I don't even get on it unless I'm totally chilled out and then I find the whole riding experience relaxing (a kind of aversion therapy from fast car driving) Even my wife can't believe it as she's only ever seen me drive cars like a tw@ everywhere!
That's not to say I ride really slowly, or don't make small gaps - actually, sometimes I enjoy pissing the odd courier off by sqeezing the tractor into all sorts of narrow spaces - but sometimes I see a space infront at lights that may p*ss a driver off if I nip in, and I just think
it, I've got loads of time, and I'm just going to sit the red light out here (maybe I'm really am getting old) I guess what I'm saying is if you are lucky enough to be able to keep the Kwacker, use it purely for gentle pleasure riding on nice days - I know this philosophy won't go down too well, and besides I'll be the only VN owner on the board!!!!
Howw, Carl, wake up, your havin' a nightmare, wake up, wake up...."get the defibrulator I think he's a gonner".
That all sounded like an Obituary.
Know what you mean, but as a new to biking 50 year old, started 4 years ago, can't believe you are giving up although I did wonder when you bought your cruiser.
During my time on PH I always thought of you as a long termer. Funny how you build up a mental picture of someone. Take care and shiny side up.
Tony.
That all sounded like an Obituary.
Know what you mean, but as a new to biking 50 year old, started 4 years ago, can't believe you are giving up although I did wonder when you bought your cruiser.
During my time on PH I always thought of you as a long termer. Funny how you build up a mental picture of someone. Take care and shiny side up.
Tony.
What a bunch of *rse.
Real sad to hang up my gear, but I'll have to leave the heroics to you younger types. Hell, I'm only 35, but there seems a "golden age" for biking, and it ends at 35 as far as I can see.
Has your bottle gone or are you just bored of it and want to try something new? If your bottle has gone and you want to carry on then get some training and some more confidence. If you're just bored then this emotive cr*p is just b*llsh*t.
Excuse the frank opinion but riding bikes is the absolute dog's b*llocks if you've got half a brain to realise that the risks exist, the confidence and skill to deal with them when they do, the sense not to try and push yourself way beyond your current skill level and realise that gaining the skills to do all of the above takes years
Regards,
Mark
Edited to add: I'm 34, been riding for 6 years and realise it will take me many more years to gain all the skills I want but am loving learning at a pace I'm comfortable with.
>> Edited by dern on Wednesday 11th June 08:54
Dern, I'll take that last post as "encouragement" to keep on biking then??!
Nah, don't want to put you lot off - but I can't ride as I would like to, other drivers are chronic, the road surfaces decaying (pot holes, gravel), and I am well and truly fed up with putting on the gear.. it was a novelty for the first 2 years, now it's a chore to be done as fast as possible.
The weather is awful, and as for winter..? bikes usually go into hiding unless you want a heap of rust come spring time. If I don't have something to do this winter, I'm going to die of depression.
What I probably ought to do is keep it for a while. If I find that I don't crave it, THEN it will be sold ! However I'm still getting the VX.
Cheers for the kind words, Carl
Nah, don't want to put you lot off - but I can't ride as I would like to, other drivers are chronic, the road surfaces decaying (pot holes, gravel), and I am well and truly fed up with putting on the gear.. it was a novelty for the first 2 years, now it's a chore to be done as fast as possible.
The weather is awful, and as for winter..? bikes usually go into hiding unless you want a heap of rust come spring time. If I don't have something to do this winter, I'm going to die of depression.
What I probably ought to do is keep it for a while. If I find that I don't crave it, THEN it will be sold ! However I'm still getting the VX.
Cheers for the kind words, Carl
Back again. Have to say that, thinking about it, I am on the verge of chucking cycling cos of the pot holes and punctures. Shoulder/elbow/back pain from crashing in and out of craters on my racer. Not been out since last July,and I used to do 100 miles a week in summer. Then again, why, when I have me Sprint ST and Tivvy. Whats this VX you're on about, not an old VX4/90 is it, remember them old vauxhalls, load of rusty crap.......!
If you give it up now, wait a few years then you can be another Born-again. Dunno about you but even a few weeks away from the bike gives me an itch I can't cure unless I get back riding again.
What sort of riding do you do, is it all pleasure? Perhaps you could get involved with some sort of club that gives an added interest to biking. Apart from my IAM observing, I also act as marshall on occasional events during the year such as the Pioneer Run and a charity cycle ride, which makes a change from blasting along roads purely for pleasure or dicing with traffic on the way to work.
What sort of riding do you do, is it all pleasure? Perhaps you could get involved with some sort of club that gives an added interest to biking. Apart from my IAM observing, I also act as marshall on occasional events during the year such as the Pioneer Run and a charity cycle ride, which makes a change from blasting along roads purely for pleasure or dicing with traffic on the way to work.
35 aint no time to retire. Some of us are older - reaction times are down but experience and therefore anticipation are very much up. Conditions have got worse and numpties abound but I know I'm safer now than at any earlier time. Thats on 10k p.a. commuting into London plus weekends on the Eliminator.
If you haven't already got RoSPA Gold or IAM then Join an IAM/RoSPA group and get some cheap training. Passing the test provides proof that you can cope with all this and more.
Eliminator
If you haven't already got RoSPA Gold or IAM then Join an IAM/RoSPA group and get some cheap training. Passing the test provides proof that you can cope with all this and more.
Eliminator
I've got a mate considering the same thing for the same reason.
I can't see it myself coz as much as I do love quick cars (I work with 'em for a living so its kind of essential
) I just can't see me quiting biking while I still have a pulse.
I just can't cope with being stuck in traffic or sat behind a queue of numptys on a lovely twisty road and not being able to overtake and in the South if you only get a few miniutes (sometimes if that) blasting on an average journey in a car whats the point of having a quick car unless you are just into posing?.
Whereas on the bike traffic is just not a problem and you blat past the numptys and being perpetually broke as I always am, the fact that at anything under a ton £1500 of bike murders practucally any supercar has got to make you
I know this is a bit of a ramble- blame the wine, but man don't quit biking there are not many feelings like thrashing a bike engine hard through the gears on a sunny day on a twisty road, getting ya lines right, and blasting out of bends.
Hitting a golfball around just aint gunna feel the same
I can't see it myself coz as much as I do love quick cars (I work with 'em for a living so its kind of essential
) I just can't see me quiting biking while I still have a pulse. I just can't cope with being stuck in traffic or sat behind a queue of numptys on a lovely twisty road and not being able to overtake and in the South if you only get a few miniutes (sometimes if that) blasting on an average journey in a car whats the point of having a quick car unless you are just into posing?.
Whereas on the bike traffic is just not a problem and you blat past the numptys and being perpetually broke as I always am, the fact that at anything under a ton £1500 of bike murders practucally any supercar has got to make you
I know this is a bit of a ramble- blame the wine, but man don't quit biking there are not many feelings like thrashing a bike engine hard through the gears on a sunny day on a twisty road, getting ya lines right, and blasting out of bends.
Hitting a golfball around just aint gunna feel the same
AFter 4 years or riding I quit for the same reasons..... getting nervous I was about to have a big one. I was never the most acuplished rider but I rode like I drive defensivelly 90% of the time, but still other road users risk your life.
However afer a two year gap I'm back to give it another go.
However afer a two year gap I'm back to give it another go.
Carl
I was bikes only until age 31. Pretty much gave up at about 32, but did dabble with a GT750 on a retro kick for a while. I still kid myself that the Sanders & Lewis GT750 in my loft will get put back together one day.
Convenience did it for me (plus consistant pain from old biking wounds). Any lingering impluses to enter bike shops went when I bought my first TVR.
I consider myself a "lapsed" biker now, but one day, when I don't have commitments, I'll be back!
I doubt if my licence would last 5 mins on a bike these days though.
I was bikes only until age 31. Pretty much gave up at about 32, but did dabble with a GT750 on a retro kick for a while. I still kid myself that the Sanders & Lewis GT750 in my loft will get put back together one day.
Convenience did it for me (plus consistant pain from old biking wounds). Any lingering impluses to enter bike shops went when I bought my first TVR.
I consider myself a "lapsed" biker now, but one day, when I don't have commitments, I'll be back!
I doubt if my licence would last 5 mins on a bike these days though.
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