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MOTOBRICK.COM => The MBdotCOM Community Center => Topic started by: foliver on September 19, 2023, 10:08:09 PM

Title: How old are we?
Post by: foliver on September 19, 2023, 10:08:09 PM
I don't know if this subject has been discused before, but times to times i think about my age ( 59) and until what age can we ride a motorcycle...
Fists days after the winter, in the first rides, i feel my k75 heavy, after some days, it feels lighter, so it's obvious that if i'm in good phisycal condition, all the maneuvres to go out or into my house are easier.
Two days ago i have seen a neighbour that has sell his big Harley, and bought a light Vespa, and i felt strange to think that at some point I could let go of my K......
Any thoughts about age, and ride?
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: The Mighty Gryphon on September 19, 2023, 10:36:55 PM
I recently sold my K75RT because my current situation prevents me from doing any long tours.  It was fussy to handle at low speed or at stops because of the high center of gravity and the comfort seat made getting my feet on the ground difficult.  Fully loaded luggage didn't help, either.

I still have a K100RS that I ride.  It has a lower center of gravity and the seat makes it easier to plant my feet when I stop.  It has city cases that even when fully packed don't add a lot of weight.

I'm 75 and don't plan on not riding any time in the near future.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: frankenduck on September 20, 2023, 12:04:10 AM
At least he bought something faster than a Harley. . .
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Martin on September 20, 2023, 03:12:02 AM
I was starting to feel my age 70 and the bike was becoming a bit harder to maneuver at slower speeds. So two years ago I took up water aerobics 3 days a week, Tai Chi one day a week and walking around our small local lake the rest of the week. A recent vacuum mod to my 75 topped it off. A drastic improvement in my balance which has improved my slow maneuvering and the vac mod did the rest. One of our group is a Physiotherapist specialising in the elderly and he commented that my riding has improved.
Regards Martin.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: beemuker on September 20, 2023, 09:03:13 AM
I'm 68, and so far I'm still enjoying riding my motorcycles. My R1100RT feels heavy at a standstill, but I was still able to  right it after it fell over in my driveway while putting it on the center stand. A reverse would be nice though.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on September 20, 2023, 09:41:43 AM
I sold my K75S recently for a couple reasons, partly after 36 years and a couple hundred thousand miles it was starting to show it's age, partly because me at 70 I was starting to show my age.  Just didn't feel comfortable on it especially at speed, and was riding the Ural 90% of the time.  So the trusty old K went to a friend and I upgraded the Ural to a '23 with electric start that works, discs and fuel injection.  So far very happy with my decision though I miss a 2 wheeler, maybe something lighter in the future. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Laitch on September 20, 2023, 03:31:07 PM
I'll give up my Brick when it's pried from my cold, dead buttocks.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: foliver on September 20, 2023, 04:23:34 PM
Jajajaja, i need to say that once riding, the brick becomes a feather
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Scott_ on September 21, 2023, 03:59:41 AM
I must be on the other end of the crazy train, I just bought a heavy Harley last year.
It is easier on my back on long trips, the center of gravity is way lower than my K or R, and my wife is more willing to ride with me again.
After spending time on the Harley, the K feels like a mini-bike....
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: beemuker on September 21, 2023, 10:00:12 AM
I must be on the other end of the crazy train, I just bought a heavy Harley last year.
It is easier on my back on long trips, the center of gravity is way lower than my K or R, and my wife is more willing to ride with me again.
After spending time on the Harley, the K feels like a mini-bike....
that sounds like a good reason to get one.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Laitch on September 21, 2023, 10:33:30 AM
I must be on the other end of the crazy train, I just bought a heavy Harley last year.
I've always liked the hypnotic sound of a well-muffled idling 883 Sportster and probably would have bought one if its distance mileage and fuel capacity were greater. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: The Mighty Gryphon on September 21, 2023, 12:29:56 PM
I've always liked the hypnotic sound of a well-muffled idling 883 Sportster and probably would have bought one if its distance mileage and fuel capacity were greater.

+1 I have lost count of the Sportsters I have looked at and lusted after. Never could bring myself to pull out the wallet because of the limited range they had.  The exhaust note from the stock system is music to my ears.  Funny thing, the local Motorhead Coffee Club was discussing H-D exhaust sound and engine design just this morning. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: milq on September 21, 2023, 09:37:00 PM
The Evolution Sportster may be the single toughest engine HD has ever made. I've seen people thrash them, idiots run them near dry of oil, etc. and they just keep going. I  think the Sportsters are unfairly chastised by the Harley crowd in general too. They're solid machines.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: daveson on September 22, 2023, 11:36:23 PM
I'm 61 until I ride my brick, then I feel like I'm under 30.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Past-my-Prime on October 26, 2023, 08:28:37 PM
At the young age of 58, I am not complaining. But am not looking for anything bigger that the K75. Until I start looking at the R1250 GS Adventures. But I give myself a "cooling off" period and get over my overly enthusiastic attitude.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: AtLarge on October 26, 2023, 11:08:52 PM
63 here and still ready and willing to go.  In fact, I just bought a new bike.   :laughing4-giggles:  It's 300# lighter and no kicking required because I'm mindful of the future.   177381
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: stokester on October 27, 2023, 05:24:18 PM
I'm 61 until I ride my brick, then I feel like I'm under 30.
Me too, at that Medicare age but still spending quality time on my bricks and airheads to feel younger.

Headed to Georgia next week on the R100RT for an Airheads Beemer Club event.

Ride on 112350
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: jbt on October 31, 2023, 11:27:26 AM
I don't know if this subject has been discused before, but times to times i think about my age ( 59) and until what age can we ride a motorcycle...
Fists days after the winter, in the first rides, i feel my k75 heavy,

The solution is to go on riding in winter. It preserves from aging...
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Laitch on October 31, 2023, 12:03:47 PM
The solution is to go on riding in winter. It preserves from aging...
It isn't the riding in winter that preserves from aging; it's the refrigeration. The same effect can be had from walking quietly through snow listening to ravens as they call to each other for hours while gliding in an icy, shimmering sky above the folds in a mountain forest. The difference is you don't need to wash off road salt afterwards.  :laughing4-giggles:
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: jbt on October 31, 2023, 12:17:22 PM
I prefer washing the salt!
(https://i19.servimg.com/u/f19/13/49/48/64/traver23.jpg)
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Laitch on October 31, 2023, 12:20:16 PM
It looks like they put a lot of salt on the road over there. Ice cream-making must be the local village industry.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: jbt on October 31, 2023, 12:31:18 PM
At this point, salting is useless.
The road is supposed to be closed to all vehicles. But after 3 attempts failed, I wanted to ride the pass in winter, so I moved the barrier...
It was 14 °F in the Valley, around 0°F at the pass.
Thus no winter tyres nor chain, just a very old and worn Citroen 2cv tyre at the rear. And it was perfect in the deep snow!

(https://i19.servimg.com/u/f19/13/49/48/64/traver14.jpg)
What a lovely day!
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Laitch on October 31, 2023, 01:05:11 PM
Perfect.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on October 31, 2023, 01:13:18 PM

What a lovely day!

Good to see other brickers without any good sense! :laughing1:
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: drut on November 01, 2023, 01:00:43 PM
75 and hoping not to give up for quite a while. Do notice the weight of the K100 more now but only when stopped/paddling about,do have smaller,lighter bikes(Guzzi V50 and Harley Sprint 350) but prefer K100. I see videos of small women handling massive bikes on Youtube so maybe my skills need improving.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: PitchlerBrick on November 15, 2023, 12:27:57 AM
I'm 61 until I ride my brick, then I feel like I'm under 30.

This.

Find an old, original red-oak Nordic Trak exercise machine, nobody wants them anymore, so they're often cheep. Cross country ski in front of the TV or to music and improve strength, coordination and balance. I bought mine when I was 25, still have it. Just saw one as new at the curb with the moving truck parked out front. They couldn't give it away.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: The Mighty Gryphon on November 15, 2023, 07:57:13 AM
Nordic Trak, LOL! 

After my surgery a few months ago, a friend started offering me their Bowflex.  Free, and they will bring it over and set it up for me.  They hit me up every time I see them. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on November 15, 2023, 09:01:06 AM
After retiring in 2016 I decided to slow down the aging process, bicycling worked for me.  It's a bit of an obsession but a good obsession :laughing1:
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: PitchlerBrick on November 16, 2023, 11:53:55 PM
Good stuff. New road bikes and mountain bikes are typically more expensive than really nice K-Bikes. It's really impressive what a good value the flying bricks are, and they go uphill so much more easily than those pedal two-wheelers.

In my bachelor days I lived in Brown Deer, Wisco and one late Fall Sunday morning I rode my Motobecane Gran Jubilee (chrome pedal toe cages with leather straps, clip-ins were in their infancy) the 20 miles to Port Washington to meet friends at a pub that did Bloody Mary Sunday Mornings. Sorry about that, Jesus! Well, lesson learned and back to church for me.  I got caught up in the action, stayed longer than planned, drank a fair bit more than expected, then had to ride my bike back home in the late afternoon. By now the clouds had moved in, the sun was gone and there was a relentless wind blowing cold rain into my face. Not a great time to be seeing double. Made it home, painfully and very thankful. Haven't had a drop of alcohol when riding ANYTHING with two wheels, motorized or pedaled, since that day. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: volador on November 17, 2023, 03:29:54 AM
^^ lightweight

Rename this the "Geezer Bicycle" thread

Yo Kaos, picking up that Santa Claus gig this season?
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on November 17, 2023, 09:29:27 AM


Yo Kaos, picking up that Santa Claus gig this season?

Bah, humbug!
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: fconway3 on November 17, 2023, 07:30:38 PM
I’m 49. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: daveson on November 17, 2023, 10:45:35 PM
No fconway, you're not 49 are you?
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: fconway3 on November 17, 2023, 10:48:19 PM
Yup - for another 5 months.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: daveson on November 17, 2023, 10:49:33 PM
I'm 61 until I ride my brick, then I feel like I'm under 30.

But not 29. When I turned 29, all year long I was thinking, wow I'm gunna be 30 next year.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Laitch on November 18, 2023, 07:41:53 AM
But not 29. When I turned 29, all year long I was thinking, wow I'm gunna be 30 next year.
:laughing4-giggles:
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: fconway3 on November 18, 2023, 08:22:11 AM
Yeah, me turning 50 next year was kind of motivating me to get my K75.  A few years ago I had a Ducati ST2, a Triumph Sprint ST1050, and an R65 (which I found pretty lackluster).  I sold them since my wife and kids wanted a boat.  In the last year I’ve been yearning to ride again and realized coming to 50 that at best I’m about halfway done so I better get cracking.  The k-bikes always seemed interesting and quirky to me and there was one cheap a few miles from my house.  I’ve put about 200 miles on it in the last week and a half and am really enjoying it.  NH is getting chilly so I have a plexiglass windscreen coming for it in about a week, which should help.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: sebas2357 on November 18, 2023, 09:45:20 AM
22 here, got many decades to go with my 85 brick. Looking forward to it  112350
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: ErikDK on November 18, 2023, 10:30:50 AM
I just turned 56. loving the comfort of my recently aquired K75RT after 13 years on a Suzuki Burgman 650 with no suspension to speak of.
If only the K75 had an automatic gearbox
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: The Mighty Gryphon on November 18, 2023, 11:36:21 AM
The past year has been kinda tough.  Had some health issues that kicked me pretty hard and suddenly I am feeling a lot older than I did even last Spring.  Dropped my K100RS in the garage the other day trying to get it on the center stand(I couldn't do it) and had to call my son to come over to pick it up and put it on the stand for me.  I've been riding for over 55 years, and for the first time in my life my bike makes me nervous about riding it. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on November 18, 2023, 03:14:16 PM
Damn gryph, I know how you feel. Getting old is a bitch, loving my new Ural though. Still makes me feel like a kid and hasn’t fallen over yet😀😀
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: The Mighty Gryphon on November 18, 2023, 09:34:29 PM
Yeah, There is a Ural that comes down our road every now and then.  I think he lives a couple miles from us.  I like the looks and sound. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Past-my-Prime on November 20, 2023, 12:21:28 PM
Getting on to 60 (soon) and recently pulled the plug on full-time work so I could do more fun stuff while I can. After crashing my F650 Dakar last summer (twice within a week), I think I'm going to sell it to focus my riding on the long-in-my-care (almost 30 years) K75RT which is more fun anyway.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Snowman on November 28, 2023, 09:45:54 PM
I am 61 and wifey says I should start acting my age! Ha! Nope.
I love Suzy’s as much as my BMWs.

1993 K1100LT
1985 K100RS Turbo
1992 R100RS
2023 Suzuki GSXS1000GT+
1986 Suzuki GSXR750
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on November 28, 2023, 10:57:53 PM
I am 61 and wifey says I should start acting my age! Ha! Nope.


Haha, 70 and wife has never told me that, I think she afraid I might!
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: sooprvylyn on January 16, 2024, 05:36:42 PM
Might as well add to the data...Im currently 44 years young riding a k-1100.  My first k-bike(75) was appropriated at age 36. Im probably on the younger end of the spectrum, and as expected by my age, Im one of those cursed cafe modifiers most of you guys love so much:P

Ride safe and remember to keep the rubber side down!!!
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: foliver on February 10, 2024, 09:23:24 AM
The past year has been kinda tough.  Had some health issues that kicked me pretty hard and suddenly I am feeling a lot older than I did even last Spring.  Dropped my K100RS in the garage the other day trying to get it on the center stand(I couldn't do it) and had to call my son to come over to pick it up and put it on the stand for me.  I've been riding for over 55 years, and for the first time in my life my bike makes me nervous about riding it.

Damm Mighty
Maybe a lighter bike? just for fun?
The K are heavy. If i stay a week laying down after a heavy job, i feel stiff like a log, but if i keep moving, all feels lighter.
Today i need to change fuel hoses, and valve cover gasket. Let's see how it goes!
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Martin on February 10, 2024, 04:28:33 PM
Gryph I was getting to a point where I was starting to struggle with slow speed handling, coming to stops and moving the Brick around the garage and generally getting up and down. The boss and I took up Water Ballet as in Water Aerobics, Tai Chi and walking. Water Aerobics 3 times a week Tai Chi  once a week and walking around the local lake on the other days if it's not pouring rain.  After 3 months I felt an improvement after 6 months I was heaps better. It's now been 2 years and I'm the best I've been in a lot of years and still improving. A mate who's a Physio told me that once you get older and start loosing your balance that it's all down hill from there. It's extremely important to work on your balance.  Funny thing is when we  started Tai Chi I was the 2nd bloke, now there is about 6. Water Aerobics is worse we have just me and one other guy that is a bit intermittent. A lot of the moves in Water Aerobics and Tai Chi are based on martial arts moves where Tai Chi is slow and the focus is a lot on breathing. Water Aerobics is a hell of a lot more physical if you want it to be. It's up to you how hard you push yourself.
Regards Martin.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: The Mighty Gryphon on February 11, 2024, 08:43:28 AM
I have signed up with a personal trainer and been working out at a gym once a week and working with weights at home.  The sessions with the trainer are pretty intense, the only break I get is the few seconds it takes to walk to the next machine or set of weights.  I am slowly gaining back the 50 pounds I lost last year, mostly with muscle mass(I hope).

I'm hoping that I will be back in shape for the riding season. 
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Martin on February 11, 2024, 03:33:00 PM
  112350 icon_cheers  Good to hear. My Physio mate stated that if you don't want to stop moving as in dead you need to keep moving. I've stuffed up a fair bit of my body due to sports injuries but Tai Chi and Water Ballet allows me to get into it with the support of the water. Never give up and never surrender.
Regards Martin.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: matjas on February 19, 2024, 01:53:47 PM
49 here - I know if I have to give up riding one time, sometime in the future this will be it.

keep it up folks.

best regards and wishes

matjas
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: natalena on April 09, 2024, 11:09:05 PM
Do it the easy way, set the date, throw some trash in, and fire the flux capacitor! Collecting SSI, terrorizing any errant bunny that runs onto the roadway, and still using paper directions taped to the tank. Stay young my friend, vigorous, and lusty.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: RoyalWaffles on April 10, 2024, 07:09:33 PM
I'm Currently 19, Ive found my '86 K75 motobrick ABANDONED in the woods when I was 18. It was stripped down to just wheels, frame, engine, ECU, and that was basically it, I managed to contact the 9th registered owner of the bike and got the bill of sale for free (the 10th and final one never registered it and rode using bogus plates, presumably abandoned it later on). I joined this forum to get a bit of insider knowledge on the platform to eventually rebuild it. Just waiting on some money, but I've already unseized the engine after approximately 6 years of sitting in the woods, had the block honed and dismantled the bike into all its individual components until I have enough new parts to rebuild it into a cafe racer. But maybe introducing some forced induction to it is peaking my interest...
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: sooprvylyn on April 11, 2024, 09:43:04 AM
Careful Royalwaffles, once you go k75 it's hard to go back. Smoothest engines out there
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: Chaos on April 11, 2024, 12:13:54 PM
can you hone Nikasil?  just curious.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: RoyalWaffles on April 11, 2024, 03:29:39 PM
can you hone Nikasil?  just curious.
They simply ball honed it to clean it up and did some head work for valves since the engine had lost compression in cylinder 1. The nikasil should be alright.
Title: Re: How old are we?
Post by: RoyalWaffles on April 11, 2024, 03:30:22 PM
Careful Royalwaffles, once you go k75 it's hard to go back. Smoothest engines out there
I'm looking forward to it  112350