Sold my bike and riding is behind me

thsmith

After owning, building, restoring Harleys for the last 27 years I sold my 1998 Ultra Classic. Someone is coming to look at my wifes Low Rider tonight.

We have enjoyed many years of riding and seeing this great country on 2 wheels, meeting and maintaining some great friendships.

For the last couple of years we have ridden only 750 miles so we finally admitted to ourselves that riding is in our past.

People who know us can not believe it but it is true.

My kids say audio has replaced Harleys in my life.

Anyway just thought I would share. The Harley market is very soft and it took a month to sell mine.

If you ride watch out for the idiots!

Ricardo

You will miss it next spring. I know.

Polkersince85

I agree, too many idiots out there for it to be safe.

Like I told my son: If you want to get to be an old man, drive like one.

Erik Tracy

thsmith wrote: »

After owning, building, restoring Harleys for the last 27 years I sold my 1998 Ultra Classic. Someone is coming to look at my wifes Low Rider tonight.

We have enjoyed many years of riding and seeing this great country on 2 wheels, meeting and maintaining some great friendships.

For the last couple of years we have ridden only 750 miles so we finally admitted to ourselves that riding is in our past.

People who know us can not believe it but it is true.

My kids say audio has replaced Harleys in my life.

Anyway just thought I would share. The Harley market is very soft and it took a month to sell mine.

If you ride watch out for the idiots!

Well - life is about 'chapters' - and some chapters close sooner than others.

I used to ride off-road on my dirt bike up until about I was 40. Then the kids grew bigger and more weekend time was needed for karate tournaments, football, more hours at work.

Its been a good 5 years now since I last rode my bike...still in the garage collecting dust. I probably will end up selling my bike as well.

Fun times...

dorokusai

You'll get over it.

FiveORacing

After owning 7 different Harleys since the age of 19, years ranging from a 1948 to a 2004, and actually riding one for a living for 10 years, I gave them up about 3 years ago. In that one year I had 4 people I know die on bikes and one suffer a serious head injury. The final message to me was while riding double with the wife, we struck a deer on a country road, taking off both mirrors and knocking my helmet hard into hers behind me. How I kept the bike up I still don't know. I rode alone after that, she wouldn't get on anymore. I lost interest, sold the bike and bought a Z06.

thsmith

Looks like my wifes Low Rider sold, guy left a $200 deposit until he could get the rest of the money.

Eric, I like what you said about chapters.

I have no regrets we had a great run

Time to upgrade phono pre;)

zarrdoss

I thought it was behind me several times, I don't have a bike now but sometimes sure wish I did and nothing besides the open road in front of me.

Jstas

Get a convertible Corvette, you won't miss the bikes at all!

nooshinjohn

I feel for your loss. I can say that everyone I know that parted with their bikes got a new one within 18 months. The first six months were easy, but as they saw others out riding, the need kept coming back.

cincycat13

You can always buy again if things change. I have an '02 goldwing. I put on like 28k mi in first 3 years. add kids to the equation...I think I have ridden 1k in the last 3 years. But its paid for, insurance is reasonable, and I have had a bike since I was 16 so I am not yet ready to close the book.

dkg999

I went without street motorcycle for about 5 yrs. I missed it and bought another bike in '06. I'm a lot less serious rider now than in the past, ride when I want to, and don't feel the need to ride where the idiot cagers roam. It's also nice being 17 miles from the WI border and having a lot of nice, low traffic, blacktops that go pratically nowhere to ride on.

Jetmaker737

Jstas wrote: »

Get a convertible Corvette, you won't miss the bikes at all!

That slow ride could never replace my 1300 cc speed demon! :cool:

WilliamM2

I was told by the surgeon absolutely no riding until my neck fuses completely, which will probably be September at the earliest, and the bike gets put away for the winter in October anyways, so I only have it insured for storage this year.

I've thought of just selling it, and being without a street bike for the first time since I got my drivers license 30 years ago. Not sure I'll want to ride even a fairly comfortable sportbike like my ZX-11 anymore, and I'm not into cruisers. Maybe I'll go without for a couple years and get something like a Concourse in the future, I don't know, it's a tough decision.

Conradicles

thsmith wrote: »

I have no regrets we had a great run

Bingo and thank the Lord. I have a huge scar on my shoulder, but still love bikes. A helmet saved my life.;)

camp21178

I must be doing this backwards. My wife bought me a new motorcycle in 2007 when I turned 50. I had not owned a bike since 1975 so it was 32 years between bikes. It's a blast!

ohskigod

camp21178 wrote: »

I must be doing this backwards. My wife bought me a new motorcycle in 2007 when I turned 50. I had not owned a bike since 1975 so it was 32 years between bikes. It's a blast!

Did your wife also purchase a term life insurance policy on you

" here's a new bike hon, I also got you some bungee jumping lessons " lol

juuuuust kiddin

WilliamM2

Lasareath wrote: »

Lost a good friend a few months ago. He was only 37

I'm glad you sold them while you are still alive!

I've lost 8 friends over the years to car accidents, 5 of them in a single crash. Should I sell my car?:rolleyes:

exalted512

I'm actually fixing to buy some new riding boots this week

Hopefully I can take mine out to the track later this summer.
-Cody

Jstas

Jetmaker737 wrote: »

That slow ride could never replace my 1300 cc speed demon! :cool:

What do you want, a cookie?

madmax

WilliamM2 wrote: »

I've lost 8 friends over the years to car accidents, 5 of them in a single crash. Should I sell my car?:rolleyes:

Sell that damn thing before it kills someone! :eek:

exalted512

Well, with my b-day money I was able to defray some of the cost of my boots, went ahead and ordered them...very stylish too:p


-Cody

thsmith

SIDI makes outstanding gear

ViperZ

exalted512 wrote: »

Well, with my b-day money I was able to defray some of the cost of my boots, went ahead and ordered them...very stylish too:p

-Cody

Not going to rain on your parade, but... try bending that boot at the ankle sideways... Unfortunately, only Daytona and Dainese make real protection (yes, I have A-star and Icon boots, and cannot afford those too).

Timothy Smith

Shortly after I was married (29 years ago), I bought junk $300 motorcycle and had the time of my life riding it and working on it. My wife asked me why I liked riding so much, I told her "It's the most fun you can have with your pants on", which didn't go over too well. 29 years and 8 bikes later I still love it even though I don't ride a whole lot. It is a challenge to do it well, and it even makes you a better (car) driver. I have crashed a few times and took a beating but I keep going. I figure I don't climb mountains, get in bar fights, frequent hookers, take heroin etc. (anymore) so I can allow myself one "dangerous" hobby.

exalted512

ViperZ wrote: »

Not going to rain on your parade, but... try bending that boot at the ankle sideways... Unfortunately, only Daytona and Dainese make real protection (yes, I have A-star and Icon boots, and cannot afford those too).

You're the first person that has anything bad to say about those Sidi's that Ive heard of...and I've done a lot of research....and these arent exactly cheap, they were over $500 shipped.
-Cody

Radridd

Been on two wheels since 1966. Mostly dirt and motocross until a broken back in 1987. Took a 14 year break and in 2001 bought my first street bike a 2001 Wideglide. Rode the wheels off, 2 trips to Sturgis, then decided I needed a bagger to travel. Bought a Streetglide in 2007 and only clocked 8000miles. Now just a quick ride now and then, may be time to sell it. Now if Surrogates becomes a reality. Look Out Dungey, Stewart, Villipoto, Rad is back. Ok so I am dreaming but there is nothing like the dirt to me, miss it bad!

billbillw

thsmith,
I did the same thing last year. Sold the bike and most of the gear. Nothing to be ashamed of.

We each have our own reasons for riding and retiring. No one can argue that riding is anywhere near as safe as driving in car. Mile per mile, riding is about 25-30 times more likely to end in a fatal wreck than in a car.

I enjoyed riding for many years, but it got to the point that I couldn't ride enough to keep my skills sharp, which only increases the dangers. That and the sudden loss of a local club member (who was one of the most conscientious, safe riders that I've met) made me take a hard look at whether it was worth the risk. Its been almost a year now and I occasionally get an urge, but then I look at my family and my motorcycle thoughts quickly dispurse.

Jetmaker737

deleted

JimKellyfan

I gave up riding shortly after moving down south.
I think I miss it all the time as the weather here is always riding weather almost.
I got rid of it to get a boat, to which I have not done that either.
But will eventually.
I too, was sick of dodging more than one accident per ride.
Couldn't take it anymore.
It wasn't a question of if, it was an inevitability, and more a question of when I would get wrecked.
A friend of mine has had 19 motorcycle accidents alone.
And still rides.
I have had only minor drops, except one fall where I was on the back of my own bike, that was around 80 around a turn, or an attempted turn.
I have had three low speed or nearly stopped drops.
But it was the daily accident avoidance that did it for me.

cnh

exalted512 wrote: »

Well, with my b-day money I was able to defray some of the cost of my boots, went ahead and ordered them...very stylish too:p


-Cody

What are those? A shot of the new suit for Iron Man III? lol

We have a group of guys up North where I live who meet at the local Burger King once a week in full gear on every major make of bike you can think of to talk shop and have coffee. ALL those guys make me look like a youngster and I'm on the other side of a half century. So do bikers 'ever' REALLY hang it up? I wonder!

cnh