When is it time to hang up the helmet?

[hawaiidirtrider]

13 minutes ago, Drop-Bear said:

Wife. I do as I please, and get a nice massage after a long day on the bike. Plus dinner cooked for me, and, If I play my cards right, great sympathy sex.

There are a few perks. It's all about choosing the right one 

Yeah...that’s still a gamble... it’s all a gamble.. good you got a good hand... but there’s no guarantee of anything.. be happy for what we have..This is it, 

[DuginMT]

I rode dirt and enduros, age 10-21, mostly by myself, never any organized competing unless you count cousin Cliff! Then had a CB750 for fun in my mid to late 20's, then went into the Harley craze when I turned 40, still have that.  But last spring I found a bike that reminded me of a '79 XR500L that I had, an XR650L, and bought it.  I'm 56 now.  Funny how your legs get shorter when you get fatter, but I managed to get used to it and am having a ball now.  I am more careful than ever, with two teen boys to look out for, but I plan to ride until I'm about 65, maybe longer, as long as my legs don't get any shorter or too muck weaker!  I carry full coverage on both older bikes, very reasonable price, plus a death and dismemberment policy, God forbid, so the Boyz would have something.

[mxer95]

11 hours ago, Gflo said:

 

My wife threatens to sell my bikes from time to time.  I just tell her, “Go ahead.  I’ll just go out and buy new ones.”

lol.... I may have said this a time or two

[mxer95]

9 hours ago, hawaiidirtrider said:

This is it. There’s no dress rehearsals. Everyone has an expiration date. It’s adapt and overcome..

Wise words to live buy, I might use this on my kids... I dig it!!!

[trackmaster]

At 57 I was diagnosed with untreated sleep apnea! I do not want to give up yet still trying to find a way to ride. Like stated before, on the trail I worry way too much about having a head on or flying off the trail and hitting a tree, so I recently went to an mx track and discovered my wonkyness for jumping! I still think as long as I don't jump mx tracks are for me as long as I roll everything. Should I quit? I really don't feel ready to yet, still feel quite competitive, just need to find where and how I can ride. When I feel like a danger to those around me I guess I will be done, until then I just need to slow down.

[El Extremo]

8 hours ago, DuginMT said:

I carry full coverage on both older bikes, very reasonable price, plus a death and dismemberment policy, God forbid, so the Boyz would have something.

I carry a full lunch box with me so i don't get hungry on long rides. I'm not a great rider. I'm less great when I'm hungry....?

[El Extremo]

2 hours ago, trackmaster said:

So I recently went to an mx track and discovered my wonkyness for jumping! I still think as long as I don't jump mx tracks are for me as long as I roll everything..

Jumps!!!! I am possessed by the desire to jump!!! I'm talking Ronnie Mac-Esque jumps, Man!!! Once this lockdown lifts, I'm gonna to MX School here in SoCal to learn as much as i can.

I'm 55 and have less fear than ever, so i would encourage you to explore jumps, Man...

When a big jump comes along, you must rip it...Before the gas sets out too long, you must rip it...Your plug is sure to foul, unless you must rip it...

Now rip it...Into shape...Tear it up...Don't wait...Weight forward...Eyes ahead...Pin the throttle...it's not too late...

To rip it...Rip it good!!!

 

 

Edited June 6, 2020 by El Extremo
Image Added

[trackmaster]

2 hours ago, El Extremo said:

Jumps!!!! I am possessed by the desire to jump!!! I'm talking Ronnie Mac-Esque jumps, Man!!! Once this lockdown lifts, I'm gonna to MX School here in SoCal to learn as much as i can.

I'm 55 and have less fear than ever, so i would encourage you to explore jumps, Man...

When a big jump comes along, you must rip it...Before the gas sets out too long, you must rip it...Your plug is sure to foul, unless you must rip it...

Now rip it...Into shape...Tear it up...Don't wait...Weight forward...Eyes ahead...Pin the throttle...it's not too late...

To rip it...Rip it good!!!

 

 

Sure man! If you felt like me I bet you would not jump, I used to race with intermediate riders 10 years ago, in 2018 while riding single track in Baja is when I first noticed the problem. Fine as long as I don't look down going up a jump face is fine. Landing I tend to lose myself.

 

[Old Viewfinder MCRcr]

I really miss the MX tracks. Between my 23 broken bones and two bouts of leukemia, it was time. Jumping dbls at Piru and AV were awesome. Two big triples at AV were always intimidating but one time when I was up to it. My son followed me around the track. Triples were normal for him and challenged me. We went out on the track and I hit them both. What a rush. I’ve always said it takes the three “C’s.”

Confidence, commitment, and cohonnies. 

Do stop until your body says No. You’ll regret stopping too early. 

Remember “Remorse is the poison of life.”

Never regret stopping until You are done!

[Old Viewfinder MCRcr]

17 hours ago, Gflo said:

 

I did several Viewfinder’s GPs when they were doing them at Indian Dunes.  Your club put on the best GPs that I raced.  Two hours long.  Most of the others I did regularly were 45 minutes to an hour.

Yes, they were fun to put on. I’ve got old 8mm video of the infamous water jump at Indian Dunes where Tom and Cordiss Brooks made it look simple. Those guys were racy fast. 

I remember one year down at Carlsbad where Larry Rosseler was amazing. I think the best Desert racer ever. D37 plus 10 time overall Baja winner. 

We used to race the 6 and 12 hr races out at Glen Helen and he was still the Man out there. Malcolm Smith would come out to support his team. He couldn’t walk very well but would still jump on a bike. 

Great memories. 

[Piney Woods]

On 6/5/2020 at 6:33 AM, DBMX 925 said:

I was about 55 I guess, got hurt, busted ribs, punctured lung, fractured pelvis. A couple nights in the hospital and sleeping in a chair for 2 months was no fun. Got rid of the Mx bike for awhile, bought another, sold it and on and on a couple years. I bought a KTM EXC and started riding the bike to trails around the area which was great fun. 
 

I finally had to give it up when a few hours of riding meant knee pain for 4 days. Just wasn’t worth it anymore. 
 

I guess, when it’s time, you’ll know. As a matter of fact I just threw my extremely worn Tech 3s out, painful to part with them.  

Don't know your age now but if you still have any desire I suggest seeing a QUALITY Dr who specializes in knees only. My wife did and she had both replaced at the same time. Walking the next day and honestly NEVER had a pain. The only discomfort she had was during rehab which is always uncomfortable. Best thing she ever did. We went to a clinic that only does ortho and each of the Drs specialize in limited areas. The Dr DOES make a difference. Good luck!

[DBMX 925]

41 minutes ago, Piney Woods said:

Don't know your age now but if you still have any desire I suggest seeing a QUALITY Dr who specializes in knees only. My wife did and she had both replaced at the same time. Walking the next day and honestly NEVER had a pain. The only discomfort she had was during rehab which is always uncomfortable. Best thing she ever did. We went to a clinic that only does ortho and each of the Drs specialize in limited areas. The Dr DOES make a difference. Good luck!

62 now, I’ve considered Replacement, I’d like to ride again, I’m just not sure how comfortable I’d be on a bike after knee replacement. There’s the” if I screw up this time WTF comes next” voice in the back of my head..... 

[motrock93b]

On 6/2/2020 at 7:33 AM, mlatour said:

It depends on each one's specific conditions but myself actually find trail riding more of a risk due to all the crazy ATVs & SxS out there plus,

at least on an MX track there are no trees & rocks to crash into and, everyone is riding in the same direction (no risk of head-on collisions).

Also, unlike when at a track, when you get tired or do injure yourself, you are likely miles away from your truck and still have to ride back.

 

Only you decide how high/far you want to risk jumping, it's not a competition and there is no one there but yourself you are trying to impress by clearing everything.

If I feel I'm not up to it that day I'd rather roll thru a series of whoops or over double and,

be able to ride again the next week rather than to chance my luck/health or 'show off' my abilities for the imaginary trophy.

It has to remain 'fun', with never any pressure to 'outperform' anyone and accept your always changing limits.

 

I agree 100% about a MX Track feeling safer than the trails, and for the same reasons stated. I tone it down on the trails.  

[2milehighspike]

4 hours ago, Piney Woods said:

Don't know your age now but if you still have any desire I suggest seeing a QUALITY Dr who specializes in knees only. My wife did and she had both replaced at the same time. Walking the next day and honestly NEVER had a pain. The only discomfort she had was during rehab which is always uncomfortable. Best thing she ever did. We went to a clinic that only does ortho and each of the Drs specialize in limited areas. The Dr DOES make a difference. Good luck!

In 2015 I went to scrips clinic in San Diego and had a knee specialist replace mine, it was the best thing I ever did, after 30 plus years of ski bum life I could barely walk let alone ride a dirt bike. For my 60th birthday I bought my Beta 300rr. It reenergized me! It’s a fine line we walk when we ride because in your 20s-30s you are invincible not so when the clock hits 60. Last summer I had an incident which cracked some ribs and the hang the helmet thought crept in. I pushed it back. A couple weeks back I rode with @redhurricane, @Hammy., and several other very good riders and was challenged with some very technical terrain that pushed me past my comfort zone. That ugly thought crept back again but I gripped it and ripped it, the exhilaration of conquering both my fear and the terrain was beyond words! At 62 I have no intentions of hanging it up. Everyone is different but the way I see it , you rest, you rust!!!

[Hammy.]

8 minutes ago, 2milehighspike said:

In 2015 I went to scrips clinic in San Diego and had a knee specialist replace mine, it was the best thing I ever did, after 30 plus years of ski bum life I could barely walk let alone ride a dirt bike. For my 60th birthday I bought my Beta 300rr. It reenergized me! It’s a fine line we walk when we ride because in your 20s-30s you are invincible not so when the clock hits 60. Last summer I had an incident which cracked some ribs and the hang the helmet thought crept in. I pushed it back. A couple weeks back I rode with @redhurricane, @Hammy., and several other very good riders and was challenged with some very technical terrain that pushed me past my comfort zone. That ugly thought crept back again but I gripped it and ripped it, the exhilaration of conquering both my fear and the terrain was beyond words! At 62 I have no intentions of hanging it up. Everyone is different but the way I see it , you rest, you rust!!!

I hope Im riding as well as you are when Im 62!

[Drop-Bear]

3 minutes ago, 2milehighspike said:

In 2015 I went to scrips clinic in San Diego and had a knee specialist replace mine, it was the best thing I ever did, after 30 plus years of ski bum life I could barely walk let alone ride a dirt bike. For my 60th birthday I bought my Beta 300rr. It reenergized me! It’s a fine line we walk when we ride because in your 20s-30s you are invincible not so when the clock hits 60. Last summer I had an incident which cracked some ribs and the hang the helmet thought crept in. I pushed it back. A couple weeks back I rode with @redhurricane, @Hammy., and several other very good riders and was challenged with some very technical terrain that pushed me past my comfort zone. That ugly thought crept back again but I gripped it and ripped it, the exhilaration of conquering both my fear and the terrain was beyond words! At 62 I have no intentions of hanging it up. Everyone is different but the way I see it , you rest, you rust!!!

I've ridden with some very fast riders. The fastest rider I've ever ridden with, was 67. And, he had leukaemia at that time. Kevin McKinnon .

He wasn't just the fastest, he was also the most skilled. If he didn't do 200+ ks of ST in a day, he'd get rally pissed off. If you were the reason he didn't get over 200 in, you're not going to be invited back 
He knew all the tracks, they called him Mr Maps. He had fuel dumps buried everywhere. Riding with him was the best riding I've ever done. His leukaemia medication caused his eyes to water badly, he had to give it away at around 70, but just went from the dirt, to the tarmac.

I learnt more riding with him in 12 months than I'd learnt the previous 35 yrs of riding.

As I said. "You don't stop riding because you get old. You get old because you stop riding". And I'll add this "There's no substitute for experience".

[2milehighspike]

Just now, Hammy. said:

I hope Im riding as well as you are when Im 62!

Thank you my brother! It was an honor and let’s do it again soon!!!!

[Spud786]

On 6/2/2020 at 6:22 AM, Nicola Paoletti said:

Hello everybody,

I am 48 years old and after 36 years of motocross I am in a big crisis, the second or third to be correct.

In the last 3/4 years I am constantly worried about getting injured, my rhythm si slower and slower...and I am not having the fun I used to have.

Is it the time to quit? 

I remember Ricky Johnson said thet he was going to quit the day he felt he was scared to ride.

I am in that situation.....but I still have a lot of passion  for the sport....

I would like to listen at yours opinion , maybe giving me also your age so that I can relate.

Thankyou

If you dont have the desire to race any more then dont, but that has nothing to do with RIDING.

Im pushing 60 , and no intention to stop riding, but zero desire to Race.

But yeah, as you get older , your eyesight goes bad, balance weakens, endurance weakens, and body heals slower.

You are probably at the age when alot of people do quit, But there's alot of riding pleasure out there, outside of an mx race. But if you are not having any fun, then there is no point in doing it.

 

When Rick Johnson broke that right wrist, I dont think he ever had the same level of control with it, and that ended his MX/SX career.

 

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Spud786

[3Crows]

I am 66yo. Began racing MX in 1970. No, I do not race anymore, quit that a long time ago. Have had several long hiatus from dirt bikes and rode street instead and still do. My dirt bike is but a toy most would laugh at though I may grab a YZ125 if I find a deal. I just spoke to a gent I met in a parking lot who was asking me questions about my lifted Tacoma. He had a BMW 650 Adventure bike and had just completed an 11,000 mile trip to Alaska all the way to Dawson and the Arctic Circle last year and was preparing to go again. He was only 81!

Okay, you slow down, you stop doing the super cross track. Maybe try a smaller bike that makes you work harder and challenges you, the opposite of always bigger is better. Quit racing the young guys who do not know what it feels like to get hurt.

Lets see, this week I did 100 miles on my bicycle, did two full weight work outs, spent two hours on the elliptical, two hours on the rowing machine and I usually swim three to five miles per week (pools closed due to C19). My point is, physical fitness and keeping your weight on BMI both do wonders for life quality and allow a fella to continue doing things long after most have quit. 

Edited June 7, 2020 by 3Crows

[markbfe501]

61, been riding from the age of 8.  My goal is to ride until I'm 80+.  I'm currently able to ride about as good as I ever could, but I also don't have a huge desire to ride beyond my abilities as I know that's what will bring it to an end prematurely.  I don't race motocross.  My competition riding consists of a few hare scrambles, enduros and trials and chasing my son on singletrack.   I'm not in it to win anything, I'm in it to get that adrenaline rush from pushing toward my limits, while being careful not to exceed my limits (too often, anyway).

I started new types of riding a few years back, including trials and adventure riding.  I used to ride a lot of on road, up to 40,000 miles a year, including commuting 50 miles each way every day in Houston rush hour traffic.  I got rid of my cruisers, and about the only on-road I do anymore is in between dirt sections, or backroads on the adventure bike.  I no longer live in Houston, but rather a small rural river community in lower Alabama.

I got my son on a bike when he turned 8.  He's 30 now and we still ride together (his wife, he and I ride singletrack, enduros and trials together).  I just got my 5 year old granddaughter off training wheels and she's riding her CRF50 now.  Her 2 younger brothers are on the OSET 12.5R with training wheels.  We have nearby property with trails and trials areas and ride a couple of times a week together.  The little ones also gear up and get on the front of the seat with me and my son-in-law to putt around the trails.  To me, riding with my family, and introducing new generations to riding (to give them something other than TV, social media and video games to do) is what it's all about for me.

On the knees, tore my ACL in 2007.  Have re-tore it a half dozen times.  Never did any of the surgeries, but started wearing Asterisk Cell knee braces for all riding, so the re-tears were never anything like the first one.  Will eventually have to have a replacement, but no time soon.

  

Edited June 7, 2020 by markbfe501