General topics » Still Breathing!

It has been a long time since I logged on to the forum. The main reason is the poor display on my Samsung phone. It was just too small. When I had access to a proper computer, well, I use it for proper work. The ability to use the phone at other times was just too difficult.
Anyhow my RS has now, according to my insurer, gone to God. I will get a cheque sometime, and will be buying another one.
No rush for me. I fractured my left ankle and broke the left collarbone. This happened when I fell off on a very familiar corner and I don't know why. One second I an at the apex, the next the front wheel just let go and the bitumen came rushing up. My hands were still on the grips, boots were fine and unmarked. Helmet and jacket had minor grinding, as did my gloves.
Now 5 weeks later I am sill in a moon boot and the shoulder is about 75%.
I know for sure I bounced a lot better at 19 than I did at 69.
I will probably get the Dark Blue 1250 and swap over as many of the farkles from the 1200 as I can.
I am very much aware I can get a pretty reasonable new car for less than the price of an RS. I also now know that quite minor damage, stuff that can be bent straight or filed, polished, rolled out are all "repaired" by new replacement parts. Also the insurers are in league with the registration authorities and class the bike as a Write off, effectively stopping repair.
Many well wishers point out, smugly, that I am too old and should quit.
I know one day, I will be too old, but not now and not by slinking off like a beaten dog!!!
Already have the new helmet and the jacket is on the way.

Sorry to hear about your incident,glad you're on the mend and will be back in the saddle soon.

Too old at 69? Rubbish. Join the club.

From a fellow 69er.

I hope that you recover soon... and continue to enjoy riding for many years to come.

I am quite sure that you are not alone in considering the age and 'should I go on riding' question. I certainly have. Happily, my family do not berate me about continuing to ride at my age (70) and I continue to do so, albeit not as much as I used to. This is mainly because I do not travel as much as I used to and my better half does not come on the back any more. I therefore tend to use a car more than I would like. My main transport since I was 17 has always been a motorbike.

A few years ago, I had an attack of gout that made it impossible to put a boot on and I thought that my riding days had come to an end. I now have the affliction under control although I have increasing trouble with arthritis. By the way, if anyone thinks gout is somehow amusing, I recommend that you give it a try! Anyway, after this, I had a little chat with myself and the outcome was that I reckoned that my riding ability was as good as ever (maybe better, if slower), I still enjoyed riding, had two excellent bikes (750 VFR and Triumph Sprint ST) but was admittedly finding both of them a bit of a handful to wheel around, park etc. The obvious solution was to affirm my commitment by buying another bike and a new riding suit and helmet. I now have the R1200RS that while heavy, has the lowest seat option and is much lower than either of the other two- I am short of leg! I also have the very nice raised sole Daytona boots that help a little. In short (ha!), I am very happy chugging around, occasionally take passengers, including my youngest son and feel safe, in control and will continue to ride as much as possible.

When to stop? Not sure. I guess the main criterion would be if I came to the conclusion that I was a danger to myself or others. I do not feel that at all at the moment and would not dream of bringing my son on the back if I did. If I were to have a crash (heaven forbid) as Aussie Import did, that might make me reconsider I guess. I have a friend aged nearly 80 who regularly rides and is quicker than I am on the back roads around here. He has cheated though by having track lessons from Chas Mortimer many years ago!

A couple of further thoughts.

Sometimes I hear the little voice in my head saying 'You can't do this any more, not at your age". Bollocks! You can do what you can do period. Your chronological age has no direct relationship to your ability to do anything. I know several people younger than I am who are not able to do many of the things that I do as a matter of course. I know others of whom the reverse is also true. The Beauty Queen at my village's annual Village Show this year is aged 97! She is a local legend, sharp as a button and walks and drives every day.

In a litigious world riddled by spurious Health and Safety rules and the removal of personal responsibility from so much of every day life, it is all too easy to think that you cannot do things, for a variety of inappropriate reasons.

I think we should go on riding, learning and pushing the limits of our own real abilities.

Sorry to hear of your off. It refreshing to hear someone admit they do not know why it happened. Too often they explain they considered all the option and chose the least painful or tried to get the slide back by lifting it with their knee like Marquez-bulls...t.
I am 73 and average 12000miles a year in all weathers apart from ice and snow. I accept at some age my ability to ride to an IAM advanced standard will decline so get checked each year. The day I cannot ride my wife says she will shoot me. So many people who think we are too old were too old at 30 so ignore them and keep riding.

I am 75 and so far the only problem I am having is pushing my RS backwards up my driveway and into my garage and also sometimes I worry about the bike falling over when getting on and off while it is on the side-stand. The issue seems to be the bike's weight as my other bikes which are lighter are less of a concern. And once any of my motorcycles get moving I am just fine. So far....

The only thing that really scares me while riding is keeping my balance while trying to make a U-turn on a steep roadway. That and trying to make my RS turn while riding on loose gravel.

Aaah yes, the old gravel and 'U' turn conundrum, especially when they are combined! And picking the bleeding thing up afterwards if it topples over of course!

Zitat von Aussie Import im Beitrag #1

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One second I an at the apex, the next the front wheel just let go and the bitumen came rushing up. My hands were still on the grips, boots were fine and unmarked. Helmet and jacket had minor grinding, as did my gloves.

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I'm 77 and still riding and enjoying my RS. If I thought about coming off and being injured I would give it away. In 2 weeks time I will be travelling to the Italian Dolomites and bike touring around there for a couple of weeks with a group of riders. Fortunately, I enjoy rude health and carry out weight training and cardio at the local gym twice a week to stay fit.

Moral: you're never too old to enjoy life (and bikes!) and you're a long time dead.

PS. there a local bloke over here that rides a Goldwing with his pillion wife and he's 86! Life, be in it.......

Zitat von Aussie Import im Beitrag #1

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Many well wishers point out, smugly, that I am too old and should quit.

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Do you get old and stop riding OR stop riding and get old?

Wishing you a speedy recovery and a shiny new bike soon in the garage.

Regarding the advice you received, they clearly don't "really" know you as they would know your first intention would to be back on two wheels or you would have indicated this.
So as Paul B said - tell them to 'Koff

There is hope. I took this at a Classic meeting at Mallory Park yesterday. For those over the water, this is a lovely, small race track in the Midlands of England!LR? JPG 01?09?19? Mallory Park Classic Race Meeting?-4299.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)