I can't ride fast on the road anymore

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've lost the ability to ride quickly on the road (not that I was ever mega fast), I don't have the balls to do big speeds on the road anymore, I've got very cautious in my old age (56)

I'm not sure how I feel about this, I'm enjoying riding a bike on the road but I do feel like I'm pottering about just off vertical on a bike that's capable of going a lot faster than I want to.

[Rockburner]

Welcome to the adults club.

[Yorick]

I must be lucky as still having fun.

[Couchy]

You can still lean it all the way over if you pick the right roads, leaning doesn't take much in the way of skills or balls so get out there

[Supermofo]

I've definitely slowed up. I still like the odd hoon, but big MPH I was done with a long time ago and not fussed about anymore. Much over a ton could be prison, sod that.

[Cousin Jack]

I never could. At least you can remember being a hooligan.

[matt]

Ah, you're ready for an adventure bike. It comes to us all eventually..

[mangocrazy]

To be honest, modern bikes are so capable that unless you're a National level racer you're never going to get the most out of any current bike. I was never particularly quick, but I'm a lot more cautious than I used to be. Back in the day I'd hit at least 120mph every time I went out. These days I quite often don't even reach three figures.

[Supermofo]

To be honest, modern bikes are so capable that unless you're a National level racer you're never going to get the most out of any current bike. I was never particularly quick, but I'm a lot more cautious than I used to be. Back in the day I'd hit at least 120mph every time I went out. These days I quite often don't even reach three figures.

Yup over the 400 miles I did the other weekend my max speed was 96mph and that was probably for about 2 seconds. In the past I'd have gone faster than that in 4 miles!

[Trinity765]

You're probably faster than you think you are.

Biking mojo. It comes, it goes.

I analysis the track log (av. moving speed) from my Garmin to confirm how "fast" I have been going though that pretty much depends on the roads; if I have done some motorway I would ignore that log.

[DefTrap]

I'm sort of the same. I ride very infrequently these days and I'm aware I've lost a lot of the very fine skills of awareness and ability, and to some extent confidence, you build up from 100s of road miles a week.

On the positive side, even back then I was probably always riding on the very edge of my limits (but going quite a lot faster), now I'm still riding within my limits, but presumably will be crashing at slower speeds. Not that I've ever made a habit of crashes - 3 or 4 minor offs in 30+ years.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Much over a ton could be prison, sod that.

That, pretty much.

>100mph is gonna be serious legal hassle even if it's not prison, almost certainly lose your licence. Even 80-90 is problematical these days.

I rely on having a car and I really rely on not being in prison for my home life! I really really really rely on being alive

[Bustaspoke]

I've lost the ability to ride quickly on the road (not that I was ever mega fast), I don't have the balls to do big speeds on the road anymore, I've got very cautious in my old age (56)

I'm not sure how I feel about this, I'm enjoying riding a bike on the road but I do feel like I'm pottering about just off vertical on a bike that's capable of going a lot faster than I want to.

If you're enjoying it & not pissing off people then who cares?
I'm 62 next week,slowed down & far more cautious on motorbikes & pushbikes.
CBA with going on a track again,been there done that,likewise Alpine mountainbiking,but I still enjoy my two wheels fix,just at a more sedate pace.
I think this is why I find riding my SV650 so enjoyable,it's a bike that held no appeal 20 years ago,now it fits the bill
I don't lose sleep over the fact that the latest sports bikes would be wasted on me,but I'll take a good look at myself if I start showing any desire to evolve into yet another bloody ADV rider

[MrLongbeard]

I've gotta touch a ton if I'm out on a bike, even if it's only for 5 seconds, something very daft I started doing when I had the Striple, if I fail I always feel it's a slightly wasted ride when I pull up back home.

Going out with the wife on her bike as certainly slowed me down

[Skub]

You can still lean it all the way over if you pick the right roads, leaning doesn't take much in the way of skills or balls so get out there

What couchy said.

The older you get,the more information and experience you have to hand. Going balls out into a blind bend can trigger memories of what happened,or nearly happened on other occasions. Unlike a track,there is no road consistency day after day,everything from grip levels to the random stuff other humans may do is utter guesswork. You know as well as I do,if you ride hard hoping for the best,then the fear/fun factor becomes unbalanced and we lose the joy of motorcycling.

There are places where I still like to enjoy a big engine,but a sensible rider needs to be right with the time and place thing,or the ride becomes harried and unpleasant.

Be selfish and ride for yourself as you are now,not the expectations of the younger,less knowledgeable self.

[wull]

I’m the same, struggling these days.

[Scotsrich]

I’ve slowed down a lot in the past few years, even my wife has noticed it. The GS really exacerbated it and getting the R has speeded me back up slightly.

Not so much A roads or motorways, I’ll still sit at 80-90 but it’s the overtakes I can’t be bothered with.

Where’s the point in doing a blast past and cut in if there’s another 15 cars in front of you? So I find myself just dawdling along in a queue of traffic doing 20mph slower than I would be normally.

[Yorick]

Blimey. It's like Mumsnet

Bikes are meant to thrill and keep you young.
Riding the GasGas over stupid stuff I feel 21.
Riding the GSXR over on Fuertaventura pushing it hard makes me giggle.

The trackday last week just wow. I'll be riding Jerez and Portimao for as many years as I can

[MrLongbeard]

Where’s the point in doing a blast past and cut in if there’s another 15 cars in front of you?

But but but, that's the fun part, I get a million percent more fun from carving up traffic than going balls out fast

[Mr. Dazzle]

Where’s the point in doing a blast past and cut in if there’s another 15 cars in front of you? So I find myself just dawdling along in a queue of traffic doing 20mph slower than I would be normally.

Boring but accurate! I used to overtake people all the time on the A421 on the way to work, only to have them pull up behind me again when I stopped at the roundabout to join the A43 I.e. overtaking saved me precisely no time, so I seldom bother.