So I’m 75, but I don’t ride everywhere like I used to do. I love to tour, but until about 5 years ago, I rode unless there was snow or ice. Not so much anymore. Even jumping on the sporty to run an errand isn’t so attractive. Unless it is just attitude adjustment. Sporties are great for that.

So I’m asking if any other older riders have changed the way, frequency, or type of riding they do? I know some of it is the extra effort to get ready. I wear shorts a lot more now(retired) and while I keep riding jeans in the garage next to the bike, if I’m running multiple errands, I’ve found myself taking the car. Increased traffic is one concern, but not really an issue. More just a pain in the ***.

I figure the changes are in me. Riding buddy moved 3 days ride away. That’s a bitch. I always figured the three hardest choices in life were the right women, the right hunting partner and the right riding buddy. You get it right and life’s pretty good. You get it wrong and one or the other of these three starts to take precedence. I’m not sure at 75 which one Would be hardest. For years I rode alone mostly. I do miss my riding buddy. Those were great years. Hunting buddy is also gone. Now I wilderness hunt alone. Not harder, just different especially in the wilderness of Idaho. I suppose by the time I’m 90 I’ll be worried about dying out there. Right now, it’s not an issue, even in mountain blizzards. They are still just a pain in the *** that will move animals.

If your going through changes, let’s hear them. Oh, one other thought, I’m looking at enduros, 250 to 400 to fly fish and scout elk locally. Used do that years ago, but got away from it.

 

I’m like you. As I get older I don’t ride as often as I used to.
Up until about 4-5 years ago I’d ride everywhere if I had the opportunity.
Now I ride to work when weather permits and maybe a day ride up to camp a couple times a month. Other than that it’s short 20 mile local rides.
My brother in law bought a Sportster a little while back and he and I ride a few times but he’s still learning and only likes to stay local. Maybe once he’s more confident we’ll start doing some rides together.

 

I'm 71 and beginning to think I'm at the end of my long trip rides. We rode from Michigan to California visiting route 66 as much as we could. My butt was killing me alot. I am beginning to get concerned about my ability to handle the bike in slow moves and tight turns. I may not take long trips like this again, but will still ride local and take multi day rides around the state. I guess I'm starting to think about how much longer I will feel safe to ride. Don't wanna quit, but common sense does seem to be a relevant thought process here!!!

 

This is exactly what I wanted to see. Only, I went the other way. All trip, weekends, a week or two. My wife said no more month trips. But long weekends with a stop over for one or two nights is the rule. We'll ride to the black hills, maybe push on to Oklahoma and maybe even a small town about an hours ride east of St Louis.

I worried about how heavy my bike was, or rather how much less strength I have, but I started riding differently. I used to push it hard. I don’t anymore. But I keep a sporty and I’m looking at a 250-400 enduro. We have hundreds of miles of forest roads from almost my back yard.

 

That is one way to enjoy riding. With your outlaw brother and his sporty. I just met an guy who though a few years younger, he just retired and we talked about a few shorter overnights with our wives. I’m really looking forward to doing that. My main interest is longer trips. Aside from the black hills and possible further, the west coast from fortuna north and another Utah trip are always good. I’ve done 2, 20, 50, but only a tiny section of 66. I looked at a trip report here, I forget which rider and I think I’ll get it scheduled for next summer. Probably in lieu of the Black Hills. I don’t even bother with Sturgis and since I don’t see Lynyrd Skynyrd on the schedule anymore, that focal point for arrival is gone.

 

Just got back from a trip on Route 66. Started in Chicago at the beginning and headed west. We rode a fair amount, but not all, of R66. Many interesting things to see. I collected a lot of state maps, but the best map I got was Route 66 Map Series by Ghost Town Press. There are a couple of booklets I got that discussed many of the sights along the way, but I found the map series was a good guide. We did not go all the way to Santa Monica, but did cross the Cali border so we could say we were in Cali! We also found that wearing long sleeve tee's was our best bet to avoid a worse sunburn than what we got!!

 

At 76 still enjoy riding, but now that I am retired I do not purposely do rain or snow. Told the wife I'll be around as long as I can start my 49. That fails then it's a crap shoot.

 

Not sure how to comment on your question.
In my case, two biggest changes were: 1) Fair weather riding. 2) No racing.

I could agree a Sportster in the garage may be a better choice for "whatever" motorcycling, over a big twin with bags.
An on/off road enduro, especially with your fly fishing note, would be a major change, yet maybe that's your answer.

There are also supermotos, more street-focused enduros, that lets one drive over curbs, wheelie, and spin tires.
Both those enduros could be great for splitting traffic, parking, and errand running.
As an option with a bit of passion, perhaps you could get a classic, two-stroke, 1959 Sportster, 1969 750 Honda, or something... tinker, modify, and ride.

FWIW One thing I personally never changed is protective clothing; crashing (or at 70 years old falling LOL) sucks
Good luck wished to you.

 

Well, I'm still a young 61, but after a debilitating accident in the year 2000 at work that crushed two discs, a third bulging, all the muscles and tendons torn so severely on the left half of my back from just under the shoulder blade to just under the left hip, that now gives me pain walking, sitting, standing, lying down, 24/7/365, and last year, 2022 on mothers day a car t-boning me and compound fracturing my left leg (both bones, and now a rod in the big bone from the knee to the ankle and three braces and screws everywhere), breaking all the ribs on my left side, puncturing a lung and 8 stitches on the left elbow and a year of therapy and off crutches since February and learning to walk again...I *had* to get another sled. It's the only vehicle that hurts the least to get around on, so I wasn't about to slow down on anything I did, the way I did it, or how often, and so far, I haven't. I still ride the same as I did before any of the 'accidents'. I'm still getting used to how this Heritage Softtail Classic rides as all I've ever had is skinny front tire bikes - it's a *HUGE* difference! Other than that, I think it's just all in the mind. Either you want to ride or you don't. It was the same when I quit smoking...I quit cold turkey the night I bought my '09 Super Glide and was drinking and partying the next night no differently than normal (meaning a case of beer, passing out on the grass in the yard and wking up with dew all over me and my leather jacket, etc. and never had an urge to smoke that night and have never had one yet. It's all in the head. Get/keep that riding attitude alive in yourself and you'll be good to the day you come around a curve at speed and the bike slides out from under you because some asshat mowed his grass into the road or a dipshit gravel truck driver didn't think he had to slow down any and spewed some gravel all over the curve, and, well, you die...as just happened to a good friends son the other day. We know though that it's the way he'd have wanted to go, and my friend and I both are of the same school of thought, always have been. Just ride and enjoy it and leave the thinking and worrying out of it. I *can* say that the only thing I've slowed down a little on, is the will to get out in my hot, three sided 'garage' to do work on the bike, since I sweat like a plugged pig at 75 degrees F and up, LOL. You can guess, since I do all my tire changing by hand, that I'm not looking forward to it in this west TN weather of 90+/- F and 85% humidity, heh.

 

Snake.... glad to hear you are still giving these a try! Know what you mean about the roads, and the ******** driving them.
Be safe and ride. That's the best we can do!!