Thinking of giving up

[Crazylegs]

I’ve riden bikes since I was 16, scooters, trials bikes, enduro bikes, duel sport bikes etc. Current bikes are a Honda Innova, BMW 1200 gs and last year at age 71 I took a shine to a 1200 Rt so got me one of those. I’m both a blood biker and an active IAM member, I ride with these guys two or three times a month. Riding with other guys who take their riding seriously keeps you match fit.
I agree with everyone that our road surfaces are woeful, however if like me you have taken additional training it really isn’t that difficult to avoid potholes on two wheels. Safe riding is all about reading the road ahead and adjusting your position, speed and gear to the conditions.
Might I respectfully suggest that anyone who considers the roads too dangerous to ride should get themselves some additional training and ride more often.

 

[f6c]

It might not be You But what about the other road users!

 

[bigtree]

Gonnae no start this shit, I’ve just dropped a deposit on a 1390 Evo.

 

[f6c]

Good point Crazylegs, IAM did that my wife said I was a much better more considered rider. That is on a Motorcycle

 

[L' Hobo]

Looking at the state of our roads and knowing they are NOT going to be improve i am seriously thinking of giving up biking.
Some of the pot holes a proper bad. I can imagin following a car and not being quick enough to reach now (74) to avoid it and getting thrown off.
Last week i drove to Blackburn on the M6, M62, M65, i was shocked at just how bad even our motorways have become.
I've had bikes and been riding since i was 7/8 year old and even now consider myself an ok rider, BUT.
I don't do Europe biking anything like some so that is not in the equation.
How are other riders thinking?

My last bike was a 650 Thunderbird, so I know how you feel.
Much as you might hate it, if you're asking on here, while you can, you should!

Some of the potholes are treacherous and, as I said to the Mother of my 51yr old Godchild (ex Special forces instructor now personal trainer) yesterday, ( me proud, of course not! ) (after he had had a car sideswipe him and he finished up in a ditch) he should never be riding a bike, at this time of year, when he has a dry, kite skiing, van he could use!

Maybe that advice isn't 'cool' but it makes sense!

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[Orion]

Like the OP I’ve been riding in one way or another since I was a nipper. Having turned 70 and for the same reasons, state of the roads, increased traffic, and the general (sub)standard driving by other road users, I’m doing less and less miles on two wheels. I’ll probably reduce the Guzzi stable by selling the Centauro this year, my son is having the LeMans, and I’ll keep the California so we can enjoy some mini- touring on it.

Been looking at the new Triumph Speed or Scrambler 400 as a possible add-on to the rear of the Moho if I can source a decent demountable carrier as I still want to access the tow ball.

In the meantime, and after having an off-road quad (Agri Registered) for a number of years, I have this road registered beast for exploring green lanes, and will hopefully trailer it over to the Pyrenees for a few weeks later in the year.

And it is a beast, even on the knobblies it’s capable of a GPS measured 80mph two up, and quite stable with it.

 

[bobnick]

I’ve riden bikes since I was 16, scooters, trials bikes, enduro bikes, duel sport bikes etc. Current bikes are a Honda Innova, BMW 1200 gs and last year at age 71 I took a shine to a 1200 Rt so got me one of those. I’m both a blood biker and an active IAM member, I ride with these guys two or three times a month. Riding with other guys who take their riding seriously keeps you match fit.
I agree with everyone that our road surfaces are woeful, however if like me you have taken additional training it really isn’t that difficult to avoid potholes on two wheels. Safe riding is all about reading the road ahead and adjusting your position, speed and gear to the conditions.
Might I respectfully suggest that anyone who considers the roads too dangerous to ride should get themselves some additional training and ride more often.

I totally agree with you.
However, no matter how good one thinks they are or any amount of training there is always that one circumstance that is/was unavoidable, and those odds on that one circumstance happening is a lot higher now due to our woeful roads.
I pride myself in my road craft and reading the road ahead and total awareness of whats around you is a constant.

 

[scotzsue]

Bloody traitor.

He loved those bikes, but his riding position was no longer comfortable, despite all the tweaks.
He had also hankered after the ducati, any ducati, for a while, we were surprised that the monster was better, for both of us. not that i have done more than sit on the back might not be so good on trips out
You only get so long in this world to go for a dream.
Your new bike is awesome

 

[jerryz]

I ride over 12,000 miles a year at least in UK EU and Thailand on various
Ducati monsters , Z900 etc I dont like any adventure bikes, all too tall even though I would like a bike with 19'' front wheel.

Trikes and 3 wheelers ,,meh!!! might as well get a sports car,, and get stuck behind traffic
Potholes are nasty but somehow I cope ,, bad in UK all year now. After rainy season in thailand its also very bad but they do repair them unlike UK most of Europe roads are superb ...Weight is my biggest problem so Im slowly downsizing bikes ,,,Even getting some old britbikes , Gravel and sand on roads is probably a worse hazard then potholes

 

[Pablo19]

I'm bucking the trend here! 61 and 16 years since I had a powered bike (apart from an eMTB!) and just bought a Moto Guzzi V7 Special as a present to myself for my retirement. I only really gave up due to not having time to ride so I'm looking forward to doing some pothole dodging! Previous back catalogue of bikes include Kawasaki Z1000R, Honda CBX1000 and Suzuki GSX1100F so this one should feel reasonably sedate in comparison. I've done a LOT of miles both on and off road on pedal bikes inbetween so I think my experiences of vulnerability and associated reactions should still be reasonably sharp.

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[andysam]

I still ride most days but I'm only a youngster at 54 Use the wifes Honda NC750S when the weather is bad and my BMW RT1200LC in better weather. The roads are currently lethal. I commute 20 miles each way to work and two of the pot holes I pass are about 12" x 12" x 8" deep. Both have been painted around for dealing with, but it hasn't happened for about 2 months. There is an abnormal normal amount of pot holes now, so much so that my wife refuses to ride.

I also travel along a stretch of 30 mph where for around 100 yards the entire (I am not exaggerating) surface of both lanes is pot holed, broken up and literally rutted (it's tarmac) so much so that cars slow to about 15 mph and in the dark I slow to around 5 mph.

People have asked about advanced riding. That only works with good surfaces. You are taught to maximise your vision on the road through moving to one side of the road or another instead of travelling in the centre of the road. Of course pot holes are formed by the passing of vehicles wheels, which of course are one either side of the carriageway. Normally I am viewing the dissappearing line/horizon of the road and allow your peripheral vision to see hazards and obstacles as well as scanning, but just last week I have taken a concious decision to ride in the centre of the carriageway and to look in front of the bike. I have been slamming down too many pot holes and loosing traction on too much debris that has been ejected from damaged surfaces for anything else to be safe.

I couldn't object to anyone's decision to withdraw from riding at the moment.

 

[Pablo19]

I still ride most days but I'm only a youngster at 54 Use the wifes NC750S when the weather is bad and my BMW RT1200LC in better weather. The roads are currently lethal. I commute 20 miles each way to work and two of the pot holes I pass are about 12" x 12" x 8" deep. Both have been painted around for dealing with, but it hasn't happened for about 2 months. There is an abnormal normal amount of pot holes now, so much so that my wife refuses to ride.

I also travel along a stretch of 30 mph where for around 100 yards the entire (I am not exaggerating) surface of both lanes is pot holed, broken up and literally rutted (it's tarmac) so much so that cars slow to about 15 mph and in the dark I slow to around 5 mph.

People have asked about advanced riding. That only works with good surfaces. You are taught to maximise your vision on the road through moving to one side of the road or another instead of travelling in the centre of the road. Of course pot holes are formed by the passing of vehicles wheels, which of course are one one side of the carriageway or the other. Normally I am viewing the dissappearing line/horizon of the road and allow your peripheral vision to see hazards and obstacles as well as scanning, but just last week I have taken a concious decision to ride in the centre of the carriageway and to look in front of the bike. I have been slamming down too many pot holes and loosing traction on too much debris that has been ejected from damaged surfaces for anything else to be safe.

I couldn't object to anyone's decision to withdraw from riding at the moment.

I actually had an incident recently in my car driving home on a very rural commute. I hit what I thought must have been a pothole and it blew my front tyre out straightaway. I pulled over and walked back and it was a pallet in the road, invisible to me with bright lights traveling towards me at the time I approached it. It did make me thank god it wasn't a motorbike that hit it.

 

[Fatboy]

I have rode bikes from starting on a Honda 90 at 11 yrs old, I am 61 now and love bikes but as age has caught up with me so has my height, I am short at 5'5" and I really struggle with the big bikes now. A couple of yrs ago I had a look at what I needed from a bike, the fleeing of freedom, getting the wife to join me and riding without being uncomfortable. It meant either a smaller, 500cc bike which I know I wouldnt gel with or get something different. I opted for a Can Am spyder, ive now got my Mojo back, I love the damn thing, its not a bike, it doesnt lean but its as fun as hell, comfy and you cant fall off it... good luck whatever you choose

 

[3crispies]

Gave up riding a few years ago, promised myself to get to 50 on my gixer 750 that I had from new for 10 years. Here the fen roads are not only full of potholes, tractors, general crap on the roads but with so much badly managed surfaces due to the increase in remote lorry yards I spent more time with one wheel airborne which may look impressive.
I commuted into London for many years and luckily only suffered knee slider rub off traffic, have been to many european GPs but ask me if I would still like to ride no way to many waggs on mobiles and uber deliveries.
No disrespect to any riders on here but like most things age catches up on us all and so does our observation, reaction time there are still many power rangers on their superbikes having no dramas.........