Topic: Born to Be Wild, Aging Bikers Settle for Comfy- A Look at Your Future

[BobbyR]

 MOUNT AIRY, N.C. — In his nearly 50 years as an avid motorcyclist, Grady Howard has roared down the tobacco roads of North Carolina and through the mountains of old Kentucky, all with his wife, Barbara, tucked behind him. But with a balky left leg and myriad other maladies, he knew the only way to stay wild was to add a wheel.
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Don Petersen for The New York Times

Grady and Barbara Howard. “I told my wife it was either trike it or park it,” said Mr. Howard, 74. “And she said, ‘Trike it.’ ”

I told my wife it was either trike it or park it,” said Mr. Howard, 74, wearing a cowboy hat and a bright yellow safety shirt. “And she said, ‘Trike it.’

Read the rest here  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/us/trikes-three-wheeled-motorcycles-on-rise-as-riders-age.html?pagewanted=all

[74cb750]

I would be too embarassed to own a trike.

[72 yellow]

We were Born to Be Wild, got old, now we're just mild. 

[DH]

I will be done riding before I get to that stage. 

[BeSeeingYou]

Would love to own this three wheeler I saw at a bike show here in town.  Those others not so much.

[LesterPiglet]

That's a Morgan. Apparantly they are quite good fun.

[DavePhipps]

Sidecar yes! Trike never.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

I love my grocery getter!!



And I love my CBs too.

[Markcb750]

Miata...

ZX3

ZX4

S2000

MGB

MX5

Even a POS Mini Cooper...

all better than a trike.

[BobbyR]

Someday, if you are lucky you may reach an age where you have to make the choice. That little sports injury that bothers you now and them will start bothering you all the time. Wear and tear gentleman, wear and tear.   

[DavePhipps]

I love my grocery getter!!



And I love my CBs too.

DROOOL!!!!

[demon78]

Tell me about it Bobby, the first thing I thought of after hitting the floor whilst laying there bleeding "Was #$%* now I'll have to get a sidecar".
Bill the demon.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah Bobby, anyone who knocks trikes have not yet reached that desperate moment in their lives where they've realised that their biking futures might be at an end.

I'm really looking forward to retiring (still 13 years away) when I'll be able to get up in the morning (any morning) and hop on my bike and go for a ride. The downside is I'll be 13 years closer to having to give up motorcycles due to my age/physical condition. 

I've only got my magnificent Triumph Rocket III because my older brother was diagnosed with diabetes shortly before his "mid life crisis" hit, and in the 4 months between ordering the bike and it's arrival, his leg muscles had wasted to the point where he couldn't hold the bike up, or maneuver it around in his garage.

A "proper" motorcycle derived trike (not a Volkswagen/Subaru/Chevy powered pretend trike) can be a lot of fun, and in some cases, easier to live with than a sidehack. Personally, as long as you've got the wind in your face (and bugs in your teeth) you deserve the same respect that you'd expect to be accorded on two wheels.

Here's another alternative for people with failing health and old age creeping up, that might look a bit silly to the younger, fitter members here, who haven't had their "mortality check" yet. Cheers, Terry.

http://trikealternatives.com/ghostwheels/

[BobbyR]

Yeah Bobby, anyone who knocks trikes have not yet reached that desperate moment in their lives where they've realised that their biking futures might be at an end.

I'm really looking forward to retiring (still 13 years away) when I'll be able to get up in the morning (any morning) and hop on my bike and go for a ride. The downside is I'll be 13 years closer to having to give up motorcycles due to my age/physical condition. 

I've only got my magnificent Triumph Rocket III because my older brother was diagnosed with diabetes shortly before his "mid life crisis" hit, and in the 4 months between ordering the bike and it's arrival, his leg muscles had wasted to the point where he couldn't hold the bike up, or maneuver it around in his garage.

A "proper" motorcycle derived trike (not a Volkswagen/Subaru/Chevy powered pretend trike) can be a lot of fun, and in some cases, easier to live with than a sidehack. Personally, as long as you've got the wind in your face (and bugs in your teeth) you deserve the same respect that you'd expect to be accorded on two wheels.

Here's another alternative for people with failing health and old age creeping up, that might look a bit silly to the younger, fitter members here, who haven't had their "mortality check" yet. Cheers, Terry.

http://trikealternatives.com/ghostwheels/

Right you are Mate. And Bill having been stuck underneth mine, it is not easy to get out from under one of these whne the clutch cover is on your ankle.

I have people I know or have met who have suffered injuries or have had hip replacements and cannot support a bike.
Do they give up this part of their life and feel bitter about what they cannnot do, or do they make accomodations and maintain their dignity?

[MCRider]

It was thought I had Reynauld's Syndrome, (numb toes). Turns out I've got Neuropathy in both lower legs. Doing exercizes and suplements, but basically, it only gets worse.

Trikes are defintily a possibility. Transition may be one of the big 100mph+ scooters, which are a lot of fun and performance is amazing.  Maybe a DN-01.
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/roadtests/122_0910_aprilia_mana_850_vs_honda_dn_01/viewall.html

[simon#42]

when the day comes im going to get something like this .

[MCRider]

Or one of these may be in my future:
http://en-us.spyder.brp.com/home.aspx

[Duke McDukiedook]

Trikes and pampers!!! Return to childhood!!!

[MCRider]

Trikes and pampers!!! Return to childhood!!!

Its the circle of life. 

I'd probably have to wear depends on one of those CanAm Spyders!

[markb]

I would be too embarassed to own a trike.

Sidecar yes! Trike never.

Sidecars and trikes have been around almost as long as motorcycles and as far as I'm concerned are legitimate forms of motorcycles.  I have a TriGlide Ultra Classic and it is a ton of fun and I'm not at all embarrassed to ride.  And I don't even "have to" ride it.  And the women love them.  Now a Spyder, that's not a real trike to me.
I say trike yes, spyder never.

[fmctm1sw]

I read that article on another site.  I have no beef with trikes (or anything else with a motor and wheels for that matter) but why must everyone have a bike that weighs 950 lbs?  Perhaps if you didn't ride something so heavy, you wouldn't need an extra wheel.  And the insinuation that they are "seemingly safer"?  Not sure about that...

[CycleRanger]

And the women love them.

Aaaaand that's why they sell....
He can pretend he's still riding a real bike and she gets a big, comfy seat with a backrest..

[Terry in Australia]

I want one of these now, and I don't think it weighs 950 pounds............

Cycle X Honda Trike

[fmctm1sw]

I want one of these now, and I don't think it weighs 950 pounds............

That is impressive.  I think they need some narrower tires on it though.   

[markb]

He can pretend he's still riding a real bike

... and you can pretend you're better than me cause you ride a "real" bike.