Am I nuts for getting a motocycle at my age?

Ming65

Ming65

Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Messages
2,177
I was up in Darwin recently. Man that place is a fun town in the dry season - any of you who are thinking of travelling to Oz make sure you include it in your itinerary - mmmmmm scantily clad european backpackers....and take it from me, not one of them a troll:p.

Anyway, enough about all the Ingas and Heidis that I met there, as the weather was fine and since I've been counting pennies a little lately I decided to hire a motorbike for a few days instead of a car.

I had a blast, zooming around town between meetings (it was a Honda 250 road/trail). I did 2 & 1/2 days of riding around and spent less than $5 on petrol.

Anyway this has got me thinking about buying a motorbike to get around down here.

I realise that statistically bikes are 15 times more dangerous than any other form of transport. I haven't ridden bikes more than a handfull of times since I was a kid. Although I have done a lot of road cycling and assume that some of the awareness/habits might translate (ie" never assume a motorist has seen you-ever)

So what do you reckon - am I nuts? Or is it a good idea?
 
at least you won't be alone....

seems like every guy i work with, once he gets within one year of retirement, buys a Harley. average age 53.

but, most of them take the AMA skills course. it's a three day motorcycle driving course with hours and hours of practical riding, teaching both basic mechanics and emergency maneuvers.

for what it's worth, i got my first bike when i was 28.


Metis
 
Sounds like fun[riding in the Outback, etc.]...I'd recommend a dual-purpose bike like the Kawasaki KLR650, Suzuki DR650, etc. Something with dirt bike tires and turn signals. Get a good helmet(Arai, Shoei, etc.), leather gloves, leather boots, and some sort of off-road padded riding jacket.
 
Well...
How old would you be if you didn't get a motorcycle??
I bought my first one at 22 and I'm 45 now. Git one. Put some fun between your legs :D
 
I am still riding a motorcycle after more than 25 years. In fact, I ride a bike to work almost everyday.
If I am going out with the family, I take the car, for obvious reasons.

Otherwise, the bike is my normal mode of transport. Yes, a bike is statistically more dangerous than a car but if you know the rules and are careful, you should be all right.

While I am on the bike, I love traffic jams because all the car owners come to a standstill and we the bikers just move right on to the front.
No danger there, all the cars are stationary.

There is something to be said about the wind caressing your face and the enormous sense of freedom while you are on a bike.

Besides, it is a great answer to the parking problems found in most cities. Negligible maintenance costs, too. :)
 
FWIW. you already understand the risk of riding so
that should keep head and wits about you when you
ride. So I say go for It!!:D
 
a good helmet is a very good idea
i had a friend who once got hit from the rear by a careless driver
split his arai helmet into 2, but he was A-OK
 
Do it. Take a motorcycle safety course first though. You'll learn a lot more than you expect, and have fun as well.
 
No, BUT make sure that your wife has a good life insurance policy on you before you go freewheelin' down the highway.:D.
 
I have a love/hate relationship with bikes. I've owned 3 of them and love to ride. BUT I have also lost friends to them as well.

I think I would invalidate my life insurance policy if I were to ride again. I say if you've got no one depending on you, go for it.

Good luck in your decision,

S.
 
Ming65,

Go for it! Take the safety course(s) and get something level headed for a first bike. I'll 3rd K. William's advice, go for either an Arai or a Shoei (find out if you have an Arai head BEFORE you buy though ;))



Regards,

Shaun.
 
Originally posted by Blue Jays
Good Evening All-

Ming65...you never gave your age!

~ Blue Jays ~
Click to expand...

Sorry mate:D . 38 I am. Thanks for the replies to far as well. Better than therapy this place is. I was definetly interested if people thought that the skills/reflexes needed to be safe on a bike are best earned at a young age.

A road trail hybrid would definetly be the best bike around here. I'm not living as close to the pure 'outback' as I was 6 months ago but there's still plenty of bush to ride through.

What about the Honda XR-250/650?
 
The Hondas are very good bikes and easy to maintain. Check out the supply system in your area and how esy it will be to get parts when needed. I've had and '84 XR 250 and found it to be iron skillet tough and reliable. I has a 1998 XR650L(street legal) and loved it, but it wasn't to comfortable on the street. I now own a 99 KLR 650 and it alot more street oriented than the Hondas which works for me. It will still handle fireroads, gravel roads and some trails w/o too much trouble. I have 20 years of off-raod riding experience and can make it work most of the time.

Lots of info out there. Check out you local supply system. Waiting too long for parts can be a drag.

If you rode around on a 250 for a couple days and didn't crash you sound like you at least have the basic skills already. Just take your time and be smart about it.

Get a bike, get good gear and GET OUT THERE !!!!!!!!!!

WOOO HOOOOOO !!!!
 
Raise your kids first. In the last three years I've lost two friends to crashes. One was a 38 year old state trooper. Lost control on an empty (no witnesses) stretch of two-lane blacktop and rode 'er into the trees. A helmet might have saved him. Blow-out? Run off the road by some felon he'd arrested in the past? Who knows. Left behind a wife and two kids.

The other one was a 45 year-old probation officer. Smacked into the back of an unlit horse trailer on a rainy night and was hit by the car following him. The helmet didn't help much. The guy pulling the trailer was one of his "clients". He left behind a wife and three kids.

I don't think that either of them were long-time riders. I recall a study from the 70's that found that riders with less than 6 months on the particular bike, and riders that had been riding only a few years, were more likely to have a bad crash than riders that had more experience.

I sold my last bike when my oldest was three and promised myself that when they were on their own that I would get another one. Well, I was looking at a '94 Sportster with 7k on it last week. Still haven't decided whether to make the jump yet. My wife's health has gone south and I don't know if it would be any fun without her along.

If you decide to get a bike, buy the best helmet that money can buy, and wear boots, long pants and a jacket EVERY time you get on it. Situational awareness is the key to survival, of every kind.

Good luck,

GD
 
Originally posted by GlockDoc


If you decide to get a bike, buy the best helmet that money can buy, and wear boots, long pants and a jacket EVERY time you get on it. Situational awareness is the key to survival, of every kind.

Good luck,

GD
Click to expand...

This is very good advice. I've gone down twice. Both times because some drivers on the road are complete and total idiots. My gear saved my skin and bones. It didn't save my ligaments the second time though. I ended un with torn ligaments in my left ankle, and a torn up bike(Kawasaki ZX-12R). Took about 1.5 months to heal, but I still feel it sometimes. This accident happened last November. I'll still ride though! :D
 
Are you crazy to get a bike at your age?

NO, you were wise to wait until you had the experience and maturity to ride one!! :)

Here's a copy of the Hurt report summary. The Hurt report (named after the lead investigator, not after injury) is the largest analysis of motorcycle accidents in the US to date.

A few things that got my attention:
Training made a big difference (as opposed to being self-taught).
Dirt bike experience makes a big difference.
Fairings and windshields help avoid accidents.
So does eye protection (wind on unprotected eyes may make it harder to see).

There are a bunch of these. Check it out.
 
Bought a Harley when i turned 16 and been riding every since(41 now). HIghly recommend it for clearing your mind and relaxation. Pros and cons exist for everything in life, if it is something you enjoy,study it first, read about it, learn all you can, then just do it. BMW makes a hell of a Hybrid bike as well.
SHort Bike story;
We rode from San Francisco to Oregon about 8 years ago. ABout half of us had to come home early. A Good Freind of mine was in group that came back about a week later, hit a deer on the way home. He was in Hospital for about 4 weeks; puntured lung, leg broken, you know the rest.
Before he was released, the rest of us went to all the sports store, sporting goods magazines, etc and bought up all the inflatable, decoy, and anything we could get our hands on Deer. We set up Deer sitting in his bathroom reading a magazine, there was a Deer washing his dishes, there was Deer watering his lawn, washing his car, vacuuming his house, etc. There was a Deer sleeping in his bed and smoking his cigar. Even the Neighbors were cracking up.
We still laugh about the look on his face when he got Home.


And before the recriminations start about the danger, i have lost freinds Sailing, I lost freinds that served in Military, and due to drunk drivers. Everyone Dies, not everyone really Lives. Be carefull, Always be aware of your surroundings, and take all the safety classes you can. And Enjoy this wonderfull aspect of Life.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top