Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Too much is never enough!

A bit of a ramble from one who knows he is too stiff to bounce...(-:

As I suspect we all know, there can be a world of difference in capabilities from one to another individual, regardless of age.

I learned to ride a heavy old 350cc AJS m/cycle in the woods behind a pals house at circa 14 years of age. As a very lightly built kids it took a lot out of us to kick start it, and pick it back up having dropped it while trying to avoid hitting the trees, the soft ground in places just added to all that fun,.. Should we have been let loose on the road at that time.....?**

M/cycles being my sole transportation method until age 21 after which as a car owner m/cycling became more of a hobby. Circa age 27 sports cars took up most of my available hobby time up to circa age 55, when I thought best to get back to throwing my leg over more regularly before I became much older... At that time I thought to go along to IAM sessions to refresh my memory relative to road craft, I also bought the police motorcyclists manual on roadcraft as I preferred to update my m/cylist survival techniques relative to the increase in traffic, all of which I found worth while.

At the IAM ride-outs, those attending seemed to be of approximately a similar to myself age plus or minus 10 years or so... I being perhaps thought of as a born again biker, though it seemed the others mostly being motorists who had only recently got into m/cycling.

I went along to quite a few IAM ride-outs, though I perhaps felt I had picked up as much as seemed worthwhile for me following one ride-out on a rather twisting climbing road, with a younger instructor who rode a seemingly tuned R1, I kinda left him behind somewhat on that road, while riding my R850R, after which I let my IAM attendance slip... In time I bought my Morgan which better suited my enjoyment of my interesting local (ish) roads, given in cold weather my knees would tend to seize up somewhat after an hour or so in the Winter months... The Morgan having the luxury of all be it not the best heater output found in motoring, but oh so much better for my old and much abused knee joints, than some Kevlar and leather knee protection while m/cycling.

For sure riding on two wheels requires a great deal of input and skill, more so than for the average motorist,... ? Ok pushing the boundaries a bit here, though at the other end of the spectrum these days, there will be those cruising along in a Tesla ,allowing it`s software to lull the driver into a false sense of security in terms of awareness and responsibility much that might seem to require a degree of attention, and with that in mind I suspect m/cyclists seem likely to require to be FAR more aware these days, than when I was last m/cycling...?

I suspect I could throw my leg over a bike of similar performance to that of the BMW I last owned and after a few miles I might even be able to engage in a bit of knee down riding on familiar roads.... BUT, I suspect there may be many in their mid seventies who`s eyesight and general physical, if not mental capabilities, may have degraded somewhat, and who are intent to just keep on keeping on, performing tasks that their parents at a similar age might never have contemplated, or had the opportunity to engage in on the road system back then, let alone as it is today... Time changes much, and in more ways than one..?

I remember in the 70`s putting my back out, lifting a Gold Wing up, it having suffered a side-stand issue... Watching the mature rider on that Wing in the vid caused me to think of just how helpless he might be if he dropped it and managed to even get back on his feet, let alone get the Wing back up to being vertical...?

For sure there will be guys in their 80`s who are sharper of mind perhaps even physically fitter than I was in my prime... But as for Mr/Mrs average pensioner, perhaps they best give m/cycling a miss.

BTW I still hold on tight to my m/cycle licence... Just in case...(-:

Back to the asterisk point above... I suspect that letting some pensioners take to the road on m/cycles today, could just be as risky as letting 13 year olds such as I was, out on to the roads in the sixties...?

My m/cycling interests these days are reduced to watching vids on YT, none more so than the adventures engaged upon in the YT series Itchy Boots, where that young lady sure pushes her self to the max touring off road all around the world... even dodging trees on forest tracks and so much more.. Yeah m/cycling can be very challenging indeed..

As ever... each to their own..

Another ramble!

I was lucky enough to spend a large proportion of my career working for Suzuki GB.
Whilst my primary career involved the 4 wheel side of the business, as a small company, I was happy enough to help out with the bikes.
Working at the Bike Show, assisting with Race Meeting Hospitality and having access to our Race School.
Having had professional one to one instruction, I realised two things very soon.

1. If you race on a circuit, no matter how fast you ride on the road, you feel like a tortoise.’
2. Professional racers are in a different league from us mere mortals.

I’ve owned some beautiful bikes, my favourite being a Ducati 999s that had been set up for my weight and riding style.
Stunning machine; Ohlins forks, Brembo brakes, very quick and totally predictable.
😍

I no longer own bikes, for me the danger from other motorists, outweighs the pleasure of ownership.

Bud
4/4 - Stanley

Exact;y the same for me!

As a motorcycle rider, you soon learn that an indicator signal flashing on a car, means only one thing for certain.

That the bulb is working!

Bud
4/4 - Stanley

I too still hold my bike licence but I have not thrown a leg over a bike since I turned 70. If anyone wonders why I have a limp, a hip replacement, a missing bit of index finger and a bunch of scars they should ask the drunk driver I had a headon with 30 years ago. Fortunately the speed was relatively low as he had stopped and started again and I had initially slowed too. I was unlucky because of the way I hit but at the same time lucky that the result was not worse. At the time I was a licenced riding instructor so I had some idea about road safety but that didn't help much.
It took me 2 years of hospital and rehab before I was able to start riding again, first on a very light bike and then another year or so before getting back on heavier bikes.
Now, with the bounce factor somewhat diminished and also my physical strength I have decided the time has come to forget about bikes.

You can never take all the risk out of riding a motorcycle but you can mitigate those risks to a high degree by your own actions. I bought my Royal Enfield Classic 350 two and a half years ago after a twelve year break from biking and I can honestly say it’s the best thing I’ve done in recent years. I had forgotten how alive riding a bike makes you feel, even pottering around on my little 350. The rewards definitely outweigh the risks for me.

Completely agree.

Although I'm on something a little bigger, I'm still only pottering around, rarely getting over 50mph, and taking life at a leisurely pace. I always assume every car is going to pull out in front of me, sideswipe me or rear end me, so when it doesn't happen it makes for a pleasant ride, and when it does, I'm ready for it and can act accordingly.

I'm really enjoying the Harley and am tempted to flog the 'mad as tits' ZX10 and get another.....

I’ve been wondering about doing the motorcycle test. I first rode a BSA Bantam that I helped my grandfather change the engine on. Just pottered around a field learning the clutch and gears. About 40 years ago I rode a 125 on L-plates, but never went far on it. I’ve recently been watching a lot of videos, especially “POV” journeys, and also hearing about the mental and physical benefits of bike riding. And there’s a few videos showing how a fairly small person can safely pick up a large bike!

In your neck of the woods I'd be tempted by someting like the Enfield Himalayan - great on road, but the potential for a bit of green laning.

The modern route to getting your bike licence is very good, with compulsory training and a tiered power approach. Might have saved me from learning the hard way in the past!