Have you ever almost stopped riding?
#22
01-02-2018, 09:56 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
#23
01-02-2018, 10:32 AM
#24
01-02-2018, 10:34 AM
Big Kahuna HDF Member
#25
01-02-2018, 11:20 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
The following 2 users liked this post by skratch:
little red around the neck area (09-11-2023),
mctraveler (01-02-2018)
#26
01-02-2018, 11:27 AM
Road Captain
Same here. Kids and money. Got rid of 2 of them after they turned 18 and then I had the money
#27
01-02-2018, 11:35 AM
#28
01-02-2018, 01:02 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
Just curious if anyone has had a moment where they thought about hanging up the boots. Maybe it was a close encounter, maybe you wrecked or a buddy wrecked, or you had a life event that made you think twice about jumping on the bike.
My moment came in 2012. We were waiting for a buddy in Stillwater, MN right on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. We waited, and waited, and waited for maybe an hour and a half. No answer of the phone or nothing.
So we went on riding without him thinking he just was ignoring us. Later that night, we heard from a DOT worker and fellow rider who was on the scene that Scott was run off the road, crashed into a metal barrier, and was killed on the way to meet us.
That one shook me up pretty bad and got me to thinking for a little while if riding a bike with all these distracted drivers is even worth it anymore.
My moment came in 2012. We were waiting for a buddy in Stillwater, MN right on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border. We waited, and waited, and waited for maybe an hour and a half. No answer of the phone or nothing.
So we went on riding without him thinking he just was ignoring us. Later that night, we heard from a DOT worker and fellow rider who was on the scene that Scott was run off the road, crashed into a metal barrier, and was killed on the way to meet us.
That one shook me up pretty bad and got me to thinking for a little while if riding a bike with all these distracted drivers is even worth it anymore.
#29
01-02-2018, 01:30 PM
Grand HDF Member
To the OP, sorry to hear about your friend.
I had a crash on a Suzuki SV1000S the day after Thanksgiving 2011. Busted some ribs, collar bone and some hand damage. A lot of friends and family were gingerly hinting at me quitting riding. I rebuilt that bike, sold it and bought my 1st (and so far only) Harley.
While I had successfully rebuilt the SV into a cafe racer type bike, I had lost interest in riding that bike. Getting the Harley reinvigorated my desire to ride. For starters, it was more comfortable than any sport(ish) bike out there and it is engaging and visceral like nothing else, and I didn't have to do ludicrous speed to have fun on it.
I've had seasons where the desire to ride was....ehhhhh. A new bike, or planning a big bike trip seems to stoke the fires again. I've noticed I have to ride considerably farther in a day to get to roads not yet explored. This is sometimes a bad thing, but can also be a good thing depending. I find this becomes doable the more your bike is customized for you in the seat of comfort and rider triangle. The more I've customized my bike for me, the more I like to ride it.
I had a crash on a Suzuki SV1000S the day after Thanksgiving 2011. Busted some ribs, collar bone and some hand damage. A lot of friends and family were gingerly hinting at me quitting riding. I rebuilt that bike, sold it and bought my 1st (and so far only) Harley.
While I had successfully rebuilt the SV into a cafe racer type bike, I had lost interest in riding that bike. Getting the Harley reinvigorated my desire to ride. For starters, it was more comfortable than any sport(ish) bike out there and it is engaging and visceral like nothing else, and I didn't have to do ludicrous speed to have fun on it.
I've had seasons where the desire to ride was....ehhhhh. A new bike, or planning a big bike trip seems to stoke the fires again. I've noticed I have to ride considerably farther in a day to get to roads not yet explored. This is sometimes a bad thing, but can also be a good thing depending. I find this becomes doable the more your bike is customized for you in the seat of comfort and rider triangle. The more I've customized my bike for me, the more I like to ride it.
The following 2 users liked this post by rauchman:
mctraveler (01-02-2018),
Ricky Bob (02-12-2018)
#30
01-02-2018, 01:47 PM
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Back in the late 70's I ended up owning a Yamaha XS 1100 (was a co-signer and owner defaulted).
I rode it for a few months, and it was so crazy fast & smooth it scared me. Got rid of it. (prior to that my biggest bike had been a Norton 750)
That lasted only a couple of months, then I started riding again...been riding ever since.
I rode it for a few months, and it was so crazy fast & smooth it scared me. Got rid of it. (prior to that my biggest bike had been a Norton 750)
That lasted only a couple of months, then I started riding again...been riding ever since.
