When do you know it's "Time"?

[Bigjawa]

Been giving this a lot of thought lately, but when do you know it's time to pack it in once and for all?

I MOT'd the GS on July the 1st, it has been out twice since then, I just haven't wanted to make the time to ride it, admittedly the weather was crap all through July, but I've just had no interest in going through all the faffing about with unlocking the garage, taking off the disc lock, getting all my bike gear on etc. Then I had to move my K12 out of my garage and take it up to the lock up shed I rent for the winter, so I get it out, get all my waterproofs on, then ride it to Sainsburys to get fuel. It pissed the whole way there and at one stage, I distinctly remember thinking "I don't want to do this any more." That was a week ago and yesterday the car was away getting MOT work done so I had to run an errand into Belfast on the GS. Once again the whole faff around getting ready and out, remembering to take the disc lock with me and generally feeling the whole thing was a chore.

I've had periods of not being in love with it before, but this feels like finality, I'm nearly 50, been riding since I was 5 and since my 16th birthday on the road, I've never been really badly hurt by some miracle so I'd like to keep it that way, also I've a lot of money tied up in bikes that don't actually go anywhere.

I dunno, is it usual to think in such definite terms? I'm seriously confused here.

[Rockburner]

Sounds like you need a good shag to remind you that life is for living.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Have a break from bikes, sell them if you don't want them, if you decide you want a bike sometime in the future, buy a bike, you don't have to make a definite decision, and there's nothing wrong with having a bike in the garage that you never ride, do what makes you happy.

[mangocrazy]

You can fall out of love with something - that's absolutely allowed. But it sounds to me like you've fallen out of love with riding a bike in shitty weather, not riding bikes per se, and I can totally understand that. I think I gave up riding in shitty weather not long after my 50th birthday, and I don't miss it a bit. It can take a while to realise that you've become a fair weather biker, but you've done your time at the coalface and anyone who takes a pop at you for not wanting to do something you've moved on from can do one.

[Noggin]

You can fall out of love with something - that's absolutely allowed. But it sounds to me like you've fallen out of love with riding a bike in shitty weather, not riding bikes per se, and I can totally understand that. I think I gave up riding in shitty weather not long after my 50th birthday, and I don't miss it a bit. It can take a while to realise that you've become a fair weather biker, but you've done your time at the coalface and anyone who takes a pop at you for not wanting to do something you've moved on from can do one.

This ^^^^^^

I'm going to be 54 in a couple of months and I can't imagine not riding, but then I've had enforced reduction in being able to ride for 6 years.

No harm in putting the bikes in storage or even selling for a while. If you aren't enjoying it, there's no harm in getting rid - but keep some kit cos you just might fancy it if the weather is better next summer!!! x

[Mr. Dazzle]

I tried to ride the Bonnie to Cassington bike night in July, couldn't start it, started taking it apart.....and haven't ridden a bike since.

The CBRs MOT ran out in August, not bothered renewing it yet (pretty sure it'd sail through FWIW). It's done 200 miles between the 22 MOT and now. Also not touched the half disassembled Bonnie.

Serious shades of CBA with bikes at the moment! Loads of money and faff for something I'm not entirely sure I enjoy.

It doesn't bother me TBH. I don't need to a biker or not a biker. I'm just a person with a motorcycle licence!

[JackyJoll]

Sounds like you need a good shag to remind you that life is for living.

How can he sit on a bike after that?

[Yorick]

Never too old.
I'm 64 and just got 3rd place in the fun race here at Portimao, showing 178 on speedo as I outdragged a Fireblade to the line

IMG-20231008-WA0002.jpg (384.87 KiB) Viewed 478 times

[Bustaspoke]

when I was in my teens & twenties I lived for motorbikes & most of my friendships revolved around motorbikes,but I fell out of love with motorcycle's in my mid forties to mid fifties,only had a limited amount of leisure time & I had other priorities.I just parked my bikes in the garage,hardly used them.I had to make time to ride them.I wasn't done with bikes,but CBA with the faff,unchaining everything & gearing up,I only really kept them for an occasional day out & to keep up my NCB with the insurance .Roll on a good few years & I got back into them.Now that I'm retired I have plenty of time,so the bikes get ridden more,but I don't bother when the weather's miserable,as it's been lately,no fun in that anymore.
Just SORN the bike's over winter & see how you feel in spring,then either sell them or get back into it

[Count Steer]

I don't think you ever really stop. You just stop for a while without knowing when the 'while' will end. As Noggin said, if you sell the bikes, don't get rid of all your kit.

Your weather has been this year. Winterise them and see how you feel when the sun comes out in spring (better time to sell anyway if the mood doesn't take you).

[weeksy]

I just knew. Even today I was out on MTB and sitting in pub garden at least 10+ bikes came past and I never once wished I were them instead of being me on MTB.
I'd lost my mojo, my desire etc 3+ years ago but I still battled it until this time last year..

No regrets for a second

IMG_20231008_161133 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

[Skub]

Yo BJ.
I can relate. I was in a very similar mindset in the few years before Covid. I put more miles on the 10R going to the MOT station than anything else. Every year,come insurance time I'd ask myself,'should I bother wasting the premium'? Mojo was rock bottom.

Then Covid happened and unnecessary journeys were frowned upon. Being a contradictory sort of khunt,this triggered an almighty desire to ride the bike at every opportunity.

Long story short,it was a rough few years,all the family old guard were sick and dying,so the bike became a great release from having to do stuff,a great way to clear my head. I also realised at 65 I really needed to get away from sportsbikes,if I wanted to live a while longer,so the 10R was traded for a Z1000R and I couldn't get enough of it. I did more miles in one year than I did in 10 years on the ZX10R.

My outlook on other aspects of biking has changed too,I've been a lone wolf for decades and shunned any kind of bike gathering,but I'm mellowing and have realised I can do my own thing and be a bit more social too. 'Taint against the law!

I dunno is any of the above bollox is applicable to you BJ,but you never know. There's always dips and highs in any aspect of life.

[Horse]

I didn't have a choice.

When young, I would happily say "I'm only going to stop if a Doctor tells me to." (And not in the 'tut tut nasty things' way).

But when it came to my GP saying it, I already knew. It was, for a while, a bit iffy on even being able to drive post-op, but the 'nothing with two sheels' discussion was well before diagnosis.

I have ridden since, a trials bike in a field, just to see. But I'll never ride on-road again.

And I do get jealous when I see and hear bikes. I've accepted that - for many years, very important to me - part of my life is filed away, but not forgotten.

[DefTrap]

I've done about 80 road miles this year (I have masses of excuses).
Next year I might do 8000, it's unlikely but you never know.
I still love it but I'm not massively obsessed by it any more.

[Dickyboy]

I find I need to keep a bike that's of use rather than just going for a spin, so my bikes are insured for work and if I've got a suitable site I'll take the bike. Plan when I got the GS was for Mrs dB and I to use it in preference to a car but she endures rather than enjoys it & won't be tempted to ride again herself, so I've got shot & got something more for me, just need to up the practicality of it for work trips. I'll be giving up car driving and sticking to bikes when I retire (paid car allowance so have to have one at the moment ).

[Count Steer]

I didn't have a choice.

When young, I would happily say "I'm only going to stop if a Doctor tells me to." (And not in the 'tut tut nasty things' way).

But when it came to my GP saying it, I already knew. It was, for a while, a bit iffy on even being able to drive post-op, but the 'nothing with two sheels' discussion was well before diagnosis.

I have ridden since, a trials bike in a field, just to see. But I'll never ride on-road again.

And I do get jealous when I see and hear bikes. I've accepted that - for many years, very important to me - part of my life is filed away, but not forgotten.

Yup. It's one thing to get bored with it, I guess most of us do at some point, but to be told you can't ride, then people will start to understand how it feels when you're told the end of the 'while' I wrote about up there ^^^^ is forever. (It hasn't happened to me...yet).

[Zimbo]

I'm mid fifties now and I've got five bikes, four of them haven't been MOT'd or insured for several years, but I like them and haven't got round to thinking of selling them on yet.
The one that I do use gets about 500 miles a year, been out on it twice this year apart from to the MOT station. I don't ride in cold or wet weather any more, done plenty of that in the past, can't be bothered to get cold and wet these days!
I insure the ST3 every year (£70), tax it about May and SORN it again around October. Can't justify having it logically, but I like that it's there and that I can use it occasionally.
Maybe I'l get to ride it more next year, or the year after, who knows? But I don't worry that it doesn't get used much.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I just knew. Even today I was out on MTB and sitting in pub garden at least 10+ bikes came past and I never once wished I were them instead of being me on MTB.
I'd lost my mojo, my desire etc 3+ years ago but I still battled it until this time last year..

No regrets for a second

IMG_20231008_161133 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

But if you decide you want a bike again you can buy one, not saying you're going to, or that you should, just that it doesn't have to be a final decision

[Dodgy69]

You need a RE, and just go bimbling.

[Horse]

I don't think you ever really stop. You just stop for a while without knowing when the 'while' will end. As Noggin said, if you sell the bikes, don't get rid of all your kit.

Your weather has been this year. Winterise them and see how you feel when the sun comes out in spring (better time to sell anyway if the mood doesn't take you).

I had actually done that stop for a while. The Beemer was 'on blocks'. I'd usually had a reason for riding, never really ever just got togged up for a ride. By then I was commuting by car and had stopped training. Ironically, though, I was occasionally getting to ride different bikes for work!

Re weather, I actually preferred riding in iffyer weather, didn't really enjoy riding in hot weather.

And I haven't got rid of all my gear yet heated jacket and boots have been given away, but still have the suit, helmet, and several pairs of gloves