Topic: 500/550/650's that followed me home

[Mark1976]

  Thank you .
  I had some progress pics of this 750 project in my phone that I was planning on using the next time this friend and I went out riding. I again was flabbergasted at the news of yet another rider that I've known for 3 decades, my age with a long history of years on a bike ... that had a scare, that has just stopped riding and gave away his machine. This is the second person I know that has been frightened off a machine that I won't be able to ride with in three years.
  Does anyone know if this normal to do at a certain age ?
Has it always been like that or is today's drivers responsible for today' s unshakable fear of riding?
 I didn't see it coming with my last riding buddy either , is this the way of the world that that I just didn't know exists until recently?  Let's say it could happen to any of us...what do we do then?
  That's what scares me.

   I don't believe what your experiencing is uncommon, everybody's different, so many variables to consider. I still ride but not big rides anymore, and the 2nd half of my season was severely curtailed by illness this year. I plan on riding more next season, but ya never know what might happen to change that. If your lucky you get to choose, if not, it gets decided for ya. I can't imagine not being able to ride, bike or motorcycle, (yet either of these activities is getting to be dangerous regardless of your age) but that days coming.

[grcamna2]

  Thank you .
  I had some progress pics of this 750 project in my phone that I was planning on using the next time this friend and I went out riding. I again was flabbergasted at the news of yet another rider that I've known for 3 decades, my age with a long history of years on a bike ... that had a scare, that has just stopped riding and gave away his machine. This is the second person I know that has been frightened off a machine that I won't be able to ride with in three years.
  Does anyone know if this normal to do at a certain age ?
Has it always been like that or is today's drivers responsible for today' s unshakable fear of riding?
 I didn't see it coming with my last riding buddy either , is this the way of the world that that I just didn't know exists until recently?  Let's say it could happen to any of us...what do we do then?
  That's what scares me.

Driving Motorcycles has always(I've loved riding for 51 years now)been great Fun for  me,although lately,it takes a bit more VIGILANCE. 
I think many people behind the wheels of their cars.. Need to let their 17 year old Son or daughter take over 'at the wheel',while the adult multi-tasks-Whatever;they can teach their adults 'how it's done',because those kids ENJOY driving. 

I cinch my helmet on,and put on my 'Game Face' and Then.. I turn on my inner attitude of defensive radar. Then, I'm ready to get on the road:all business.
I run rolling scenarios in my mind every time I see an automobile Anywhere on the road;I ask myself(for each one !  ) "What's the most stupid thing this driverless-car w/ a person inside can do Right Now?"  as I Expect these turds to FU&K -UP !
I get mentally ready to 'run the game' so I WIN.  Keep the radar on High the whole time ! Stay Pumped !  I love riding and don't plan to stop because of their SH*T ! 

[rb550four]

  Constantly changing conditions in traffic, in wildlife infested areas, on fast moving highways, and not to mention surprise  changes   in road conditions... always looking for the safe way out of every possible scenario, constantly.
 But we learned this young and continued to hone these skills so that we are fixated on the road and still enjoy the ride riding smart. I'd never want to give that up.
  I'll bet that I have met a dozen of riders locally that are 70,  some may be 80 or more, that have upgraded their Harleys to 3 wheels and some have swapped over to a Can am . They have a routine where they ride daily in any direction  and have lunch , they meet new friends while riding with old friends and may all ride together sometimes. They don't worry about falling over at the light, and some have their best girl on the back , with 3 wheels, they have no worry if their legs aren't what they used to be. They are still out there riding , enjoying life. Now I'm not saying that I expect to see 80 or more, but if I do, I'd like to do it the way they do.
 I want to know that if wake up in the morning, I can ride if I like.  And if I don't wake up , well then I don't have to worry about it.
   

[grcamna2]

  Constantly changing conditions in traffic, in wildlife infested areas, on fast moving highways, and not to mention surprise  changes   in road conditions... always looking for the safe way out of every possible scenario, constantly.
 But we learned this young and continued to hone these skills so that we are fixated on the road and still enjoy the ride riding smart. I'd never want to give that up.
  I'll bet that I have met a dozen of riders locally that are 70,  some may be 80 or more, that have upgraded their Harleys to 3 wheels and some have swapped over to a Can am . They have a routine where they ride daily in any direction  and have lunch , they meet new friends while riding with old friends and may all ride together sometimes. They don't worry about falling over at the light, and some have their best girl on the back , with 3 wheels, they have no worry if their legs aren't what they used to be. They are still out there riding , enjoying life. Now I'm not saying that I expect to see 80 or more, but if I do, I'd like to do it the way they do.
 I want to know that if wake up in the morning, I can ride if I like.  And if I don't wake up , well then I don't have to worry about it.
 

I understand.
I so glad bikes are still enjoyable,no matter what the conditions are.
The most important part of the motorcycle is You 

[BenelliSEI]

I often think in these terms, about my racing. My favourite place in the world is in my race suit, all the gear, strapped in with a six belts, window net down, ear plugs in. I went to a CASC a race school when I was sixteen and haven’t missed a season since (56 years). As a result of this focus (and family) my wife and I didn’t ride again until about 25 years ago…….

I’ve decided that when my lap times don’t measure up, I’ll stop and walk away. Pretty obvious metrics. Or, when I stop having fun (unlikely).

The bikes will be harder. Last year my wife decided she was done and I miss the partnership. She always rode her own machine and has no interest in “riding on the back”. I guess I’ll know when I get there?

[rb550four]

  Mark 1976  Sorry to hear that you haven't been well. I am familiar with health issues canceling part of the season, most of the season, and even all of the season, sure don't sound fair to me either. That's time ya can't get back, the only way to get even is to ride as much as you can when you are able.  Well that's what I did this time before the 2nd  replacement knee, I still felt like I was missing out on the good days but had enough rides in to cover some rainy days too. Can't complain, but sometimes I still do.
  BennelliSEI Who hasn't dreamed of racing all their lives, I know I have ,but never had an opportunity. But those who have and still do are the lucky ones. I know that you musta heard the phrase, A man gotta know his limits, sounds like you'll know when it's time. doesn't mean that you won't miss it  or leave a forever void.  But you were in a class of drivers that most drivers can only dream about.
 I'm sorry to hear that you have lost riding buddy too. One of my riding buds explained it to me when it happened to him but  I'm still having a hard time getting my head around it fully, just the thought of it frightens me.

[rb550four]

  Stuck in the house  with nothing to do . Ran through this thread and filled in some pics, it seems that I learned how to do it once after photo bucket, but then forgot how...the kids wouldn't help, but some how it came to me today so I filled in what I could in case I forget how again. Somethings about aging just suck and..., yeah...like whatever it was that I was just  thinking about.

[BenelliSEI]

  Stuck in the house  with nothing to do . Ran through this thread and filled in some pics, it seems that I learned how to do it once after photo bucket, but then forgot how...the kids wouldn't help, but some how it came to me today so I filled in what I could in case I forget how again. Somethings about aging just suck and..., yeah...like whatever it was that I was just  thinking about.

Thanks for a good chuckle!

[rb550four]

  Alrighty! Here I am in 56 degree version of the otherwise cold and snow stricken upstate New York. It's the day before April and things are starting to look promising , well except for the thundershowers and downpours that we have on this fine Wednesday morning, which are expected to continue throughout this week and into the next.
  I know most folks probably wouldn't  be this cheerful about it , but throughout the entire winter our local snowplows have been hard at work keeping us safe on the roads by continuously dropping a mix of sand, salt, and dirt on our freshly blacktopped  ( late Oct early Nov ish) local roads. Making it safe for those who don't know how to drive sideways in snow , but destroying our daily sideways practice sessions that enable the rest of us that chance to focus on sliding skills around corners every chance we can get, in any vehicle we may be in, just to stay mentally current and sharp , if you know what I mean.       
  Anyways, these almost welcome downpours seem to washing away spots of encrusted mud that covers our newly blacktopped roads that I haven't had a motorcycle on yet , and I am hopeful that these rains will do a good job of making the roads safe for a little ride at the end of the week. I 've had 3 machines on the battery tender all winter in the barn, visited them once a week if I could during the snow, wiping the dust off of them with soft cotton towels while apologizing for the cold temperatures, giving assurances that spring will would be coming soon and the roads will be smooth. They seem so excited ! I can hardly wait   either!

[newday777]

  Alrighty! Here I am in 56 degree version of the otherwise cold and snow stricken upstate New York. It's the day before April and things are starting to look promising , well except for the thundershowers and downpours that we have on this fine Wednesday morning, which are expected to continue throughout this week and into the next.
  I know most folks probably wouldn't  be this cheerful about it , but throughout the entire winter our local snowplows have been hard at work keeping us safe on the roads by continuously dropping a mix of sand, salt, and dirt on our freshly blacktopped  ( late Oct early Nov ish) local roads. Making it safe for those who don't know how to drive sideways in snow , but destroying our daily sideways practice sessions that enable the rest of us that chance to focus on sliding skills around corners every chance we can get, in any vehicle we may be in, just to stay mentally current and sharp , if you know what I mean.       
  Anyways, these almost welcome downpours seem to washing away spots of encrusted mud that covers our newly blacktopped roads that I haven't had a motorcycle on yet , and I am hopeful that these rains will do a good job of making the roads safe for a little ride at the end of the week. I 've had 3 machines on the battery tender all winter in the barn, visited them once a week if I could during the snow, wiping the dust off of them with soft cotton towels while apologizing for the cold temperatures, giving assurances that spring will would be coming soon and the roads will be smooth. They seem so excited ! I can hardly wait   either!

Well said and the same here in southern NH awaiting riding on freshly washed roads. The frost heaves are subsiding, though many roads will need tearing up and rebuilt from the winter damage.
I pull the 750 out from the corner, drained the excess 2 stroke coating oil from the clean gas tank, put in 3 gallons of fresh non-ethanol and fired it up last week with a warmup ride in the neighborhood roads.
Hopefully my sinus infection will clear out quickly......

[BenelliSEI]

We’ve had some serious rain in Southern Ontario too. While my wife was complaining about “being stuck inside”, I had the same thought. The roads are getting cleaned off! Great. We had one day last week that almost reached 70F. This Friday might be the same and ride #1 may now be a possibility.

[Mark1976]

    It rained cats and dogs here last night. That being said, we've had 2 days (mon. and tues) of warm weather (70°) here before today and are looking at 2 more this weekend. Roads weren't bad, traffic is as bad as ever though.

[rb550four]

  In the beginning of the week it rained sooo hard I was a little afraid that our new roads  may be wasted before I ever got on them. I could see the rotating yellow caution lights of our town crew doing something down at the pond, I figured the beaver dam broke again loading up the tubes and the road would be washed out again. About 10 mins. later I could see the crew had put a sweeper on the loader and was making their way up the hill sweeping that mud off the road in the pouring rain.  These guys need a raise. Yesterday it was pouring again for most  the day ad they came off the hill and brushed my road  both ways . It wasn't  prefect , but I 've been on worse for sure.
  So , today the rain stopped at noon ,the sun came out , and the temps went from 40 to 65 degrees and my wife went shopping. I have watched television this winter more than any man could take , so I went to see my favorite 3 in the barn . Yeah that quick change in temps left all the chrome wet so I wiped them all down to get 'em  all dry. What was that ? I thought I heard my fave 500 say "let's go for a ride".  I looked over  from the almost dry 650  and said " you want to go for a ride?".  Man I tell you , they were so excited,  sure glad they don't have tails , they'd have knocked everything off every flat surface.
  I took the fave 500 out for it's first spring ride up and down the road and it told me it needs the valve clearances checked when I change the oil , we got back and put it on the kick stand and a drop of oil came off the the case...and a shifter washer too.
   The 650 needed out too. it was happy enough to just be with me whether we go out or not and just wasn't focusing on this years first startup, choke all the way on or just 1/2 ways, didn't matter , too excited wasn't paying attention ....fired up and  so we put it in 1st and feathered it out the barn at 1/2 choke 'til we got on the new road surface , cranked it up and  and between 2nd and third it was then paying attention. Like all 650's they like the choke for a while longer than the other 4's. this 650 wants an oil pan gasket at oil change, plugs and possibly a carb clean and check valve clearances early this season.
  Didn't take out the 750.mamma might be pulling into the driveway and I didn't want to get caught on a machine , I had my 2nd knee replaced in August, the 1st replacement was a failure for a year and a half. Hasn't been much riding for a while. 
  I have a hip replacement early Tuesday morning and I told her I'd stay outta trouble... the definition of trouble changes daily depending who you ask on any given day you know so....she's never given me a hard time about all these motorcycles so I do try not to give her ammunition.
 

[rb550four]

  I survived the hip replacement today and grounded from all driving for  at least 4 weeks.
I'm walking about now and then , laying down with icebags, and stranded in front of the television again. Fortunately, I was able to get into the barn and get a list of bike things to do on 2 bikes when I can stand long enough on legs. Can hardly stand another minute of TV.
 Such lucky timing ...2 1/2 inches of snow on the ground this morning and I already have 2 spring start up rides under my belt on cleanish new asphalt. Doesn't get much better than this.

[Mark1976]

  I survived the hip replacement today and grounded from all driving for  at least 4 weeks.
I'm walking about now and then , laying down with icebags, and stranded in front of the television again. Fortunately, I was able to get into the barn and get a list of bike things to do on 2 bikes when I can stand long enough on legs. Can hardly stand another minute of TV.
 Such lucky timing ...2 1/2 inches of snow on the ground this morning and I already have 2 spring start up rides under my belt on cleanish new asphalt. Doesn't get much better than this.

   We had about an "1 of the stuff.... gone now..
   Take it easy on the hip now and enjoy when your feeling better later, ya got 4 weeks burn...
   Supposed to warm up by Friday...

[denward17]

RB550, rest up and heal so you can ride in a couple of months....Good Luck.