wingmen that quit riding

[tourbus]

Hi all, i just had one of my main riding buddys up and sell his bike today and when i asked why? he said its not fun anymore but two weeks ago or so our group rode and all of us including him had a ball like usual. In my 17yrs of streetriding iv seen alot of people come and go & understand some people may have to get out of them ie...kids, job, etc... but to just quit wtf? frankly i dont see what there is to get tired of. anyways just curious if anybody else runs into this

 

[Copperone]

Sounds like there's something going on in his head space. Probably more to the story....

 

[Lamb busa]

Definately more going on! Sounds like he scared himself and doesn't need the adrenaline rush anymore! If he has been riding as long as you, he will miss it and be back, more than likely.

 

[Devil Dog]

yup....+1 from Lamb....

Arnold voice: "He'll be back"

 

[fasttoys1]

Does sound like more to the Story. I haven't thought about quiting, but. I've been talking to Sue about making some changes myself especially after Tim's accident. I'm going to ride little easier on the street, save it for the track. Which means picking up another track bike, oh darn. The back roads are just getting to many houses on them, people don't stay on there side of the road anymore, & leo's are less forgiving too.

Sorry your friend sold his ride but he may come back to the darkside after awhile.

 

[psycobusa]

yeah, i bet he started fearing his life could be cut short and decided to get out before something could happen. people start selling bikes especially after a friend is killed on one cause it gets them to start thinking that could be them one day. i usually save all my rides for the night. its just to damn many cars around here and you have to be on your toes so much that it just gets to be too stressful to want to ride. i for one definitely had to stop riding as carelessly as i could in MS. you have to when you go from a place of 20,000 people to a place with over 5,000,000 people

thats 250 times as many people. its definitely been the cause of me beefing up my armor, but ill never let it cause me to quit riding altogether.

 

[rrookey]

A few years ago, there was (3) of us that rode a lot together, one friend Keith rode a Honda F4I he then came down with NLH Cancer and past away, that left John and I, John rode a Honda F3 loved the bike it was so sweet like show room condition, he went and decided to have a son.... well there goes his bike. so now it's just me with some great memories and my Busa with a picture of them tucked away on the bike so that we are all still riding together.......... so yes lost my wing men!

 

[DaCol.]

I don't know about what you guys think

. Maybe he just got tired of riding the type of riding he was doing and couldn't think of how he could change it. Making the riding where it just wasn't any fun any more for him. For me, if I could only ride in town, I would probably quit too or just do track days on a track only bike. Riding around town or from restaurant to restaurant just doesn't do anything for me. On the road and LD rides is what I enjoy and without them, well you would find me at track days only  

 

[MoosesBusa]

Been contemplating it myself to be honest. Been riding Bikes for 20+ years. Still enjoy it but I find myself going faster and faster with an insatiable appetite. The other night I was coming home and my cruising speed was 120 with bursts of 175+ Not smart.
I see my boy in the backyard on his first 50r and he's loving life, as am I. Perhaps i'll Turn the Busa into a Drag Strip only bike, Keep the Harley for the street to clear my mind and the four dirt bikes can be used on the weekends. Perhaps throwing a few dirt bikes in the bed of the truck and the Rail Buggy on the trailer and head for some national parks on the weekends will be a good way to go. I'm still thinking ...
To answer your question... I've never had any buddies voluntarily give it up for more than a couple months after losing a friend. Those that have left it behind did so because the wife got too scared and they gave it up "for the Family"or they left the earth for their eternal rest. Your buddy has some conflicts going on somewhere in his life either emotional financial or physical.

 

[umairhashmi]

While i understand you can die from pretty much anything the reality of the matter is that your chances of survival in a motorcycle wreck are much lower compared to a car.I am 23 and so far i have been in two car accidents.In either case had i been on the bike instead of the car im sure it could have turned real ugly (even with gear).
The day i have kids is the day i will give up motorcycles.I understand that many do not want to do that but you should get good life insurance so in case you are to go then your kids would get taken care of

 

[Saxoplay]

(MoosesBusa @ Jan. 01 2007,21:36) Been contemplating it myself to be honest. Been riding Bikes for 20+ years. Still enjoy it but I find myself going faster and faster with an insatiable appetite. The other night I was coming home and my cruising speed was 120 with bursts of 175+  Not smart.

+1...that's what scares me. I find myself going faster and faster as well. I've been riding for 20+ years but, it's just a matter of time. I do question wether or not I'm being irresponsible as I've got 3 kids to provide for...etc.... Then again....I've also been contemplating getting an '08 next year! We'll see what wins out.

 

[Strait Line]

(DaCol. @ Jan. 01 2007,21:30) I don't know about what you guys think

. Maybe he just got tired of riding the type of riding he was doing and couldn't think of how he could change it. Making the riding where it just wasn't any fun any more for him. For me, if I could only ride in town, I would probably quit too or just do track days on a track only bike. Riding around town or from restaurant to restaurant just doesn't do anything for me. On the road and LD rides is what I enjoy and without them, well you would find me at track days only  

Pretty much sums it up for myself.I have had no close calls or any scary life changing moments that has made me think what am i crazy.Have been riding street for 12+ years.Riding just plain sux anymore nothing else going on in my head

it just is not fun at all for me.Maybe the same for your friend.Sometimes things are just that simple.However i will keep the bus just in case i get the itch again someday.

 

[Wag]

I like to tell people I've been riding for about 27 years. However, that only means it's been about 27 years from the first time I rode until now.

The first few years were dirt bike only. Then I rode street for a few years. Finally, I ended up on an 1100 Katana with a 1260 kit in it. As with you guys, I kept going faster and faster and had an insatiable appetite for it. Even put some other people's lives at risk.

I sold that bike, ostensibly because I needed the cash and in reality, I did. But a part of me was greatly relieved that I was no longer "in jeopardy." Something about me changed whenever I swung a leg over. I didn't ride for 12 years until I bought the Busa.

Now, don't get me wrong, I've done a few top speed runs and wouldn't mind doing some more. But I'm not out there just trying to do the crazy things any more. I've mellowed at least in terms of feeling like I no longer have to get it up to the fastest possible speed.

As for the other dangers, I believe it's just like anything else. People rock-climb, jump out of airplanes with parachutes, scuba dive, etc. All are dangerous. All are what make life spicy. Not because they are dangerous but because they are the things people love to do somewhere deep inside.

Loving to ride motorcycles is a part of you. Sometimes, people who quit are giving up a part of themselves. Better to just change how they ride or just take a sabbatical for a while, then jump back into it. But until I get tired of riding itself or it no longer gives me the stimulus I get from it now, I doubt I'll ever give it up again. My love for riding is a part of me and to quit again would be like cutting out my heart.

I am what I am!

--Wag--

 

[runeight]

(MoosesBusa @ Jan. 01 2007,22:36)   To answer your question... I've never had any buddies voluntarily give it up for more than a couple months after losing a friend. Those that have left it behind did so because the wife got too scared and they gave it up "for the Family"or they left the earth for their eternal rest.

Partly true in my case. Three years for me before returning. I still don't ride long because I know what she is thinking and that she is worrying for the "phone call" or knock on the door. This is why I don't have a lot of miles on the bike. Plenty of time to ride but by myself is not as fun as with your best buddies.

My GF still shows no intrest in riding. We had a lot of fun so I hope someday she will ride again. I have all her riding clothes stored.

I do not push the issue. Strickly her choice.

Heck, I even have the next bike picked out for "us" to ride on. It was a moment in our lives that I hope we never go through again.

I suppose there are several reasons a person just up and quits riding. I just respect there decisions as I'm sure you will.

runeight...

 

[semi]

i climbed on my first mini-bike about 32 years ago and have never lost the love or urge to ride...there have been times when i have been without a bike due to financial responsibilities (college, newly married) but i was always looking forward to the next one...16 accidents in cages and a couple on bikes haven't managed to dull the excitement...however, as much as i don't understand it, there are people who don't feel that way about bikes (they don't understand me either lol)

back to your question, i have lost many fellow riders over the years...some quit when we got older (got married, started families), some started different hobbies (3 wheelers, stock car racing, hunting and fishing), a couple were seriously hurt while riding and decided not to get back on...some left for a while and came back to ride later

whatever is going on in your friends life, just give him room to sort things out...if he isn't comfortable on a bike right now, the worst thing you can do is force him to get on one

 

[WWJD]

I'm nearly done with street riding. Some guys I rode with lately push there luck too much on the streets and I don't wanna be there when they die. The track [road corse] is 10 times the fun and 10 times as safe as street.... so it's souring me. Every ride in traffic p!$$es me off nowdays.

My best riding buddy sold his bike a couple months ago... jsut had another kid, wife scared of him dieing.... completely understandable.

Plus, I've been all over all the good roads in the area a dozen times.....

I have no plans to GIVE UP riding... but I don't miss it like the addictive drug it used to be.

....maybe come next track season the spark will reignite

I've only been riding since [any cycle] since 99, and tend to do LOTS of hobbies, for shorter amounts of time I guess

 

[dadofthree]

He'll be back

 

[Revlis]

I have the Solution for riding... Oddly enough it's called a sports car.

Seriously though, I hadn't had a car of my own in years, I've been riding my whole life. But I still find myself NOT riding since I got the car. I cannot think of a reason to...

There is nothing there for me, when I want to get out and play, the answer nowadays is the car. I have two choices on any given day, car or bike. I stand there looking at my closet full of riding gear, and contemplate riding. Then I look at my car key.

Hmm:

Get all geared up, warm the bike, get out there to wrestle with the A55hats trying to kill me, always being too hot, or too cold, and with my junk all uncomfortable.

OR

Grab the key to the car, sit in comfy leather (Mostly), listening to the motor or the music, carving corners BETTER and faster than ANY sport bike, all with my lady sitting next to me. Being surrounded by 6 Air bags, a bunch of steel doesn't hurt either.

NOW, the whole "they are Scared", or it's "FEAR" thing is largely bullsh!t. This ready pointing to FEAR is mostly male ego and chest puffing folks trying to impress with how big and pseudo brave they are. I believe strongly that those folks who get scared do so early on and sell their bikes quickly just look at the classifieds and you can usually see the folks who simply scared themselves off their bikes. A reasoned understanding of risk is far different from Fear. There is a risk VS reward balancing act that we all do either consciously or unconsciously it changes and shifts as we age, moving back and forth depending on where we are in life.

BUT, I have found that I get just as many thrills and just as much OR MORE enjoyment from being out there in the car. I get the speed, faster corners, better braking, sound and fury that I got on the Busa (LESS Speed OF COURSE) without the negatives. No sweating, no freezing, if it rains I roll up the window, and I don't need a helmet!!!

It's part of the risk reward thing, RISK Plummets while reward stays pretty much the same.

Am I done riding??? I dunno, I think about selling the Busa and I am pretty sure I am OK with it. But I dunno if I am done riding... Right now if I had to choose, for the first time in my life I'd pick the car. But then when I think about spring and all of the perfect roads out here I get all excited and ready to ride... BUT last summer, all the perfect roads be damned I rode only about 20 miles...

Yup, 20. Perfect roads and weather and I still chose to take the RX cause it was easier and simply was more fun.

I do miss the straight line acceleration of the Busa, and the occasional TOP end Rush. But otherwise the car simple works better out in the world, simple as that.

So I dunno, FEAR doesn't really have anything to do with it, just not being interested does. Besides, I'd rather have a wingman QUIT and still have a buddy, than force the issue and keep riding not having any fun.

 

[BUSAFETT]

(Saxoplay @ Jan. 02 2007,01:17)

(MoosesBusa @ Jan. 01 2007,21:36) Been contemplating it myself to be honest. Been riding Bikes for 20+ years. Still enjoy it but I find myself going faster and faster with an insatiable appetite. The other night I was coming home and my cruising speed was 120 with bursts of 175+  Not smart.

+1...that's what scares me.  I find myself going faster and faster as well.  I've been riding for 20+ years but, it's just a matter of time.  I do question wether or not I'm being irresponsible as I've got 3 kids to provide for...etc....  Then again....I've also been contemplating getting an '08 next year!  We'll see what wins out.

+2 - we all have chosen one of the baddest of the bad bikes in existence.. and although they rock, I found myself riding last year w/o being able to find a comfortable cruising speed.. The Busa just constantly taunts you to go faster.

I'll be 36 in Feb and I can assure you had I gotten one in my younger days I'd probably be dead today. I just spook myself on it once in a while b/c that little spook keeps me afraid of it. And that's where I need to be to stay riding it.

BUSAFETT

 

[tourbus]

just read revlis's reply & everybody has opinions but a car doesnt even come close to riding a bike, if you think a care is more fun i would deffinatly sell the bike then.