Riding into the 70's

[rboe]

Bugger, the software grabbed the ")." and shouldn't have. Try this:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20...110014.htm

[Cormanus]

Fixed.

[jitaylor_imp]

63 now... oh man, that sounds old. I have been riding since I got a Kawasaki Bushmaster when I was 15 and hid it in my friends barn so my folks wouldn't find it. We bombed all around the timber and old inter-urban rail lines. No helmets or anything of course. I had to de-tassel many corn fields to pay for it. Also, I was a bus boy at night. Then got a job on a bridge building crew and got into the heady area of 4.25/hour.

Got away from it until I started working in Venezuela as an ex pat, and got an old Ducati 750 Desmo and got it running. Most useful was a Vespa 150 just to be able to get around in traffic. I got to be expert at filtering and lane splitting, although it did result in some spills. A marvelous conveyance that. Just put in gas and oil and change the clutch cable every couple years.

Now I am down to a gsx-r750, the cb1100 and a Yamaha XT 250 which I use to explore the bush around here. It is a gas. I go a few times / year up to the track, JenningsGP. I am dieting hard now to be able to get into my leathers and doing 100 or so miles per week on the bicycle since Jennings opens the season in September. That is much less than I used to do but I have a day job so I fit in what I can.

I commute pretty much every day, 23 miles on a tollway either on the CB1100 or the Suzuki. I do like to go fast. On the tollway, speeds in excess of 95 are pretty common. On the days when I can't or don't ride, if feel like a surfer on a day with no waves. Sort of bummed out a bit.

[decarmine_imp]

63 now... oh man, that sounds old. I have been riding since I got a Kawasaki Bushmaster when I was 15 and hid it in my friends barn so my folks wouldn't find it. We bombed all around the timber and old inter-urban rail lines. No helmets or anything of course. I had to de-tassel many corn fields to pay for it. Also, I was a bus boy at night. Then got a job on a bridge building crew and got into the heady area of 4.25/hour.

Got away from it until I started working in Venezuela as an ex pat, and got an old Ducati 750 Desmo and got it running. Most useful was a Vespa 150 just to be able to get around in traffic. I got to be expert at filtering and lane splitting, although it did result in some spills. A marvelous conveyance that. Just put in gas and oil and change the clutch cable every couple years.

Now I am down to a gsx-r750, the cb1100 and a Yamaha XT 250 which I use to explore the bush around here. It is a gas. I go a few times / year up to the track, JenningsGP. I am dieting hard now to be able to get into my leathers and doing 100 or so miles per week on the bicycle since Jennings opens the season in September. That is much less than I used to do but I have a day job so I fit in what I can.

I commute pretty much every day, 23 miles on a tollway either on the CB1100 or the Suzuki. I do like to go fast. On the tollway, speeds in excess of 95 are pretty common. On the days when I can't or don't ride, if feel like a surfer on a day with no waves. Sort of bummed out a bit.

Twelve years ago, when I was 62, I was at "Zephyrhills Music and Motorcycles" -- if you're in Orlando, you've probably been there -- and struck up a conversation with a 72-year old Harley driver. "Wow!", I thought, "He's still riding at 72!. I can't imagine what that must be like."

Well...

[jitaylor_imp]

Yes. I know bicycle racers who are 74. I am hoping to emulate those guys. Looks like I just missed the Zephyrhills event.

[ohiorider_imp]

Come on! I'll be 76 this coming January, and, (thank Gawd) my biggest concern at the moment is if my R100GS will come out of 'surgery' at the tech's shop feeling like a nice ride. Hopefully it (she) does! The top end was rebuilt 30,000 miles ago .... now it was time for some serious carburetor and drive train work. So, Bing carbs totally rebuilt, tranny bearings replaced and everything shimmed to spec, shift mechanism wear parts replaced, clutch plate and diaphragm spring replaced, and perhaps most important, the driveshaft is being replaced. These things typically wore out within 30-40k miles ..... mine lasted to 122,000 miles. Rebuilt and made it another 35k, but one u joint ready to give it up! OK, so much for the BMW refresh!

I truly think I've been very fortunate to be able to ride, and still have the desire to ride, at my age.

A blood-borne staph infection following aortic valve replacement in 2016 left me nearly-dead, having gone septic. When I woke in the hospital next morning, I could not move my right arm or right leg. At that point, I thought, 'well, life will be different from here on out.' Thankfully, within 3-4 days, I was able to barely move both arm and leg. It got better. After a month on intravenous antibiotics and physical therapy, I went home, still too shaky to ride. First attempt was way too soon, on the tall GS. Stopping at lights and signs had to be thought out well in advance. I took the bike home, thankful that I hadn't fallen over at a stop.

Time marches on, and all is well in 2018.

The CB is running well, and suspension mods have made it a favorite bike.

I'm gonna keep on keepin on!

Bob

[the Ferret]

Awesome story bob. Glad you came thru that septic thing ok. Keep on riding on sir!

[gmike_imp]

Come on! I'll be 76 this coming January, and, (thank Gawd) my biggest concern at the moment is if my R100GS will come out of 'surgery' at the tech's shop feeling like a nice ride. Hopefully it (she) does! The top end was rebuilt 30,000 miles ago .... now it was time for some serious carburetor and drive train work. So, Bing carbs totally rebuilt, tranny bearings replaced and everything shimmed to spec, shift mechanism wear parts replaced, clutch plate and diaphragm spring replaced, and perhaps most important, the driveshaft is being replaced. These things typically wore out within 30-40k miles ..... mine lasted to 122,000 miles. Rebuilt and made it another 35k, but one u joint ready to give it up! OK, so much for the BMW refresh!

I truly think I've been very fortunate to be able to ride, and still have the desire to ride, at my age.

A blood-borne staph infection following aortic valve replacement in 2016 left me nearly-dead, having gone septic. When I woke in the hospital next morning, I could not move my right arm or right leg. At that point, I thought, 'well, life will be different from here on out.' Thankfully, within 3-4 days, I was able to barely move both arm and leg. It got better. After a month on intravenous antibiotics and physical therapy, I went home, still too shaky to ride. First attempt was way too soon, on the tall GS. Stopping at lights and signs had to be thought out well in advance. I took the bike home, thankful that I hadn't fallen over at a stop.

Time marches on, and all is well in 2018.

The CB is running well, and suspension mods have made it a favorite bike.

I'm gonna keep on keepin on!

Bob

I like hearing that. Especially all is well in 2018. Keep it up.

Will be 74 next week. Medical stuff has hit me lately but that is over. Dr. said keep on doing what you do. Yes he did.

Figured my bike traveling days might be over, but now I'm getting the itch.

Havent been out of State for about 2 years but really feeling the need to get back to Nebraska next Spring. Park in the middle and travel to all corners. I like Nebraska. After that would be Texas again. I like them Texans and their food.

[decarmine_imp]

So tomorrow marks 2 years since I first started this thread. Still riding at 76, though both the CB1100 and the Fury are gone, both having been traded in on my second Harley, a 2019 Sport Glide. I'm still around on this forum, just more lurking than posting. I've seen some new members come and some old members go, and I've been wondering if any of the newer members have any inspirational tales to share, or if any of the older members care to contribute or update those previously-related memories...

[Houtman_imp]

Most of us older members can not even remember what they had for breakfast , let alone some lies they told us a while ago .....