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My motorcycle days are numbered


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My first VFR was an '86 VFR 750. I rode that until I saw a beautiful '97 VFR 750. That was my ride until 2010 when I found a dealership in Dallas that had a new/unsold 2008 VFR 800 for $3000 under MSRP. For all those years I was divorced and had both a Honda Accord and a Honda motorcycle. 

 

About three years ago I met a beautiful woman on an internet dating site. She's from the Philippines. She relocated to the US and we married last year. Now that she has her green card, SSN and a drivers license she's found a position near downtown. I don't mind riding the bike to and from work since I live less than a 5 minute ride. But the writing is on the wall that I'll need to move on from the bike to another cage. 

 

Three of my biker friends have sold their bikes for similar reasons including the increased traffic gridlock in and around town. There's rarely a time that I don't run into congestion. More people on the road and more people distracted with their IG, Facebook, SnapChat and Twitter. They take their eyes completely off the road so they can view the latest internet banality. Commenting on their dog doing stupid human tricks and their children doing stupid dog tricks. 

 

I've had more near misses the last couple of years than ever before. 

 

Others have argued that I can keep both. There isn't enough room in the garage for two cars and the bike. I don't wish to store the bike outside. We know what that can do to the appearance when a motorcycle is left outside. The weather isn't kind at all to the aluminum.  It was a good run, of about 17 years. 

 

My bike as been my daily rider during the warm and cool weather months for those years but the winters can make a short ride unbearable so I switch to the car. My wife hasn't said anything to me nor has she made any negative implications about the bike. But marriage has a way of changing more than we think when we go down that path.

 

My wife has embraced American college football, photography, fishing and possibly hunting. I'm fortunate for that.

 

It'll be a few weeks or more before we buy another car due to the inflated prices of used cars in the US due to the supply chain and chip shortages. I might be able to get a few hundred more for my  bike than before.

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Well, good luck on whichever road you take.

 

At some point you will return to motorcycling, you can take comfort in that .... :tongue:

 

 

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I can't imagine my life without motorcycles.  You have mentioned a lot of positives regarding your departure, so good luck.

 

But as Dutchy said, you'll be back in some form.  Wish you all the best.

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True. One of my biker friends does very well for himself and rides Ducati. Recently he told me he sold the Ducati for similar reasons but more the inability to park an expensive bike just anywhere. 

 

I can park the Honda anywhere and it doesn't attract attention. When he parks the Ducarti there's usually a crowd gathered around the bike. 

 

He fears it'll be gone one day. That and the increased traffic.

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2 hours ago, Dutchy said:

Well, good luck on whichever road you take.

 

At some point you will return to motorcycling, you can take comfort in that .... :tongue:

 

 

Amen to that.  I am the prime example! Sold my KTM duke in 2010 after 28 years of riding on various bikes. In 2020 got the itch again (ok, maybe in 2019 already) and own 2 bikes now (one of them a beautiful 97 interceptor) happy as a clam!

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1 hour ago, Wald said:

Amen to that.  I am the prime example! Sold my KTM duke in 2010 after 28 years of riding on various bikes. In 2020 got the itch again (ok, maybe in 2019 already) and own 2 bikes now (one of them a beautiful 97 interceptor) happy as a clam!

 

Yeah!  97!   Last of the true sporting VFRs.

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3 hours ago, Captain 80s said:

I can't imagine my life without motorcycles. 

Ditto! Motorcycles are part of my core being.

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My 97 lived outside from the day I bought her.

And Dutch weather is mixed to say the least.

IMG-20191230-WA0002.thumb.jpg.9dbd5abe065d93c5c3ab6ffd2c9d76f4.jpg

Till it got totalled in 2016.

 

Got a "new" one last year and gave it to my brother

20211023_161308_copy_2880x2156_1.thumb.jpg.33a1843dcde24db26fd794fc4bbdde0d.jpg

 

 

My VF500F2 lives under a tarp since 2015.

Here she is last month, ready for 3,600km riding in 5 days...

20210912_152030_copy_1612x1209.thumb.jpg.355435c13f23b7394b67d9522d45cd1e.jpg

 

 

You will be back.... :wheel:

 

 

 

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5 hours ago, Dutchy said:

Well, good luck on whichever road you take.

 

At some point you will return to motorcycling, you can take comfort in that .... :tongue:

Way back when I chased a better job by moving with my wife to another state. We had one car (Civic wagon) and one bike (Suz GS400) to commute to two jobs. Before we were forced to figure out what we would do when NJ winter arrived, my bike was stolen. Wasn't sure when I would be a riding motorcyclist again.

 

Fast forward almost four years, the longest--and only--time in my adult life without a motorcycle. Out to dinner, spouse six months pregnant: "Love of my life, I really, really need to own a motorcycle." The result was a new leftover VF700 in the barn of the farmhouse we were renting. Did I mention how much I love my wife?  😎

 

I do agree with Dutchy, I expect you back!

 

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Put the wifey on the back of the bike, and see if she likes it. When I first met my wife I took her over Mt. Hamilton to Mines Road, and was hauling A$$. At the end of the ride she said, "Can we go faster next time?" :wheel:

 

25 years later, we are still married, and now 5 bikes in the garage... :woohoo:

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On 10/30/2021 at 11:54 AM, FireWire said:

 There isn't enough room in the garage for two cars and the bike. 

Hello @FireWire.......Congrats to getting married to your beautiful wife, happy for you. But to your situation......( I admit to being a little tipsy)

Rereading your story again, the statement above kinda hit me, Jeez dude.... like I have done for a couple decades (my garage is my shop)

>>>>>>....Park the car(s) outside!?

 

 

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If you  want something,

you will find a way.

 

If you donot want something,

you will find a reason...

 

That's the way it is;

and either way is ok :beer:

 

 

 

 

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No your motorcycling days aren’t numbered , they are on hold . One day it will bite again , harder , bigger , you won’t be able to fight it. Your older now , the rules no longer apply , you can do what you like . The young ones will snigger and maybe even laugh at your old bike and you in the out dated leathers that are no longer in fashion. But it’s ok , your the crazy old man now with the bikes , you smile to yourself knowing one day they might ride as well as you . But right now your off on another one of your trips wondering where the road is taking you this time , no hurry , no rush , camping gear on board , you have months to figure out where you will end up , tonight you don’t even know where your staying , another crazy ride doing what you thought you would never do at your age , way to young to spend the days playing golf like the kids want you to , you can do that when you can’t pick the beast up any more. You say there numbered , you can hear it coming while having coffee , inline four , aftermarket pipe , you knew it was a 1000rr ……..no just on hold for a bit. 

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I have raced ,ridden a lot of bikes ,worked in a couple dealerships and have had a lot of fun on bikes . Time now for me to get out of the sport ,too many close calls and not because I ride too fast or crazy just poor driving skills around here . Not feeling the mojo any more and am thinking my leathers should go up for sale . What to do with all the equipment I have gathered over the years ? I have sold 6 bikes this year and still have a couple . Trying to get a VFR back together after it was taken apart a few years ago by a friend . Been a year or so getting all the parts reassembled . 

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Yeah, the 138 RWHP V2 went in August

21-AO-1312-105-scaled.thumb.jpg.7d3bacb1ecb805410e0912afbb3ca8ba.jpg

 

But doing 2,000km's in a single week,  riding up and down mountain passes, with 7 (on a good day) or 6 horses?

Still doing that! 🙂

251335052_10221777793415634_7715713850813135287_n.jpg.7a4bca253dde6bd08953b4cf526949f4.jpg

 

 

Still hold a 40 hr/week job as well, otherwise I'd be riding even more.  My wife is in Venice atm, I'll be in Milan next weekend.

That the drag of living in a euro-trash country......... 38 paid vacation days per year... :laugh:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We'll all have to give it up one day, and I'll dread that day, but will hang in there.   Depends what kind of riding you do perhaps.  Commuting is just plain wrong and not worth your life.  I've always had sport tourers (ST1300, Goldwing, two FJR's), go on longer trips to the twisties and mountains.  Once averaged over 20k kms/year, now down to half that.  These days, I just went with lighter sport tourers around 100 HP, 500 lbs. that you can flatfoot and still have fun.  I'm over 70 now, hope I'm still riding at 80, but not that many that do at that age.  I have quite a few hobbies, so spending more time on those too.

Your lifestyle is driving your decisions and priorities, you have to do what your heart tells you.  Some of us remember back when family, etc. got in the way and we put riding on hold for a number of years.  Others have ridden all their lives and are hanging up the spurs..... we're all different.

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Can you not park one of the cars outside?  I realize some people live in condominium or other communities with strict rules about parking cars and motorcycles outside, but if it's possible to park one car outside, I'd do that rather than sell a perfectly good motorcycle.  Even if you had to keep the bike outside most of the time, there are some decent solutions for that to keep it out of the weather.

 

If you're going to have to buy a second car anyway, maybe shop for a subcompact that is short enough that you can fit the motorcycle in front of the car when it's parked in the garage.  I did just that for a couple years.  I had a small 2-door hatchback, and in the winter we were able to fit our two cars in the garage, with my VFR parked in front and just off to the side of my car.  It worked great.

 

Now, if you've lost your mojo, like @gmtech94 said, that's a different story.  Maybe it is time to sell the bike, and maybe come back to riding one day, perhaps on a different kind of motorcycle altogether.  Or if your wife expresses an interest in riding with you, whatever kind of bike she's comfortable riding pillion.  Or even having her own bike!

 

I kind of lost my joy for riding for a couple years.  Those two years I think I only averaged about 1,500 miles annually.  Thankfully I got it back and have ridden quite a lot over the last couple years.  I'd say if you don't absolutely have to sell your bike, don't.  But there's no shame in getting out for now, or even permanently.  Just don't rush into that decision is what I'd say.

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Can you build car-port or portico cover just outside of garage? And park car under that?

Most cars are more weather-proof than bikes with more durable paint and use sealed electrical connectors with coated terminals.

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FireWire, I'm a bit sad you are leaving motorcycling, but you have stirred up some very insightful comments here re quiting, from the practical to the cosmic--thank you. Some random thoughts:

 

Mello Dude, I'm with you. I've never figured out exactly why, but I am a motorcyclist and it is a core of my being.

 

I have assumed for a long time that once I could no longer balance, I'd get a Can-Am and continue on for a few more years. It's amazing how this polarizes my riding friends, from "of course" to "never! are you joking?"

 

I owned that VF700, in photo above, for 16 years, and only put ~40K miles on it. Job, family, finances, you know. But I was always a motorcyclist.

 

I believe that one factor that has kept my passion stoked is that I've been a big fan of motorcycle racing all my adult life, can't get enough of motogp and WSBK.

 

I am maybe in the 50th percentile of mechanical ability on VFRD--at best! (although the bar is set very high here...) But I have always loved to travel, and motorcycle travel is the best.

 

I could ramble on...motorcycle riding/wave riding, moving through space and time outside the cage, hitting the apex just right, just looking at a beautiful bike, but you get the idea!  😎

 

 

IMG_0921.thumb.JPG.37c15fef2e553d94e660d6876e328101.JPG

 

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On 10/30/2021 at 8:54 AM, FireWire said:

My first VFR was an '86 VFR 750. I rode that until I saw a beautiful '97 VFR 750. That was my ride until 2010 when I found a dealership in Dallas that had a new/unsold 2008 VFR 800 for $3000 under MSRP. For all those years I was divorced and had both a Honda Accord and a Honda motorcycle. 

 

About three years ago I met a beautiful woman on an internet dating site. She's from the Philippines. She relocated to the US and we married last year. Now that she has her green card, SSN and a drivers license she's found a position near downtown. I don't mind riding the bike to and from work since I live less than a 5 minute ride. But the writing is on the wall that I'll need to move on from the bike to another cage. 

 

Three of my biker friends have sold their bikes for similar reasons including the increased traffic gridlock in and around town. There's rarely a time that I don't run into congestion. More people on the road and more people distracted with their IG, Facebook, SnapChat and Twitter. They take their eyes completely off the road so they can view the latest internet banality. Commenting on their dog doing stupid human tricks and their children doing stupid dog tricks. 

 

I've had more near misses the last couple of years than ever before. 

 

Others have argued that I can keep both. There isn't enough room in the garage for two cars and the bike. I don't wish to store the bike outside. We know what that can do to the appearance when a motorcycle is left outside. The weather isn't kind at all to the aluminum.  It was a good run, of about 17 years. 

 

My bike as been my daily rider during the warm and cool weather months for those years but the winters can make a short ride unbearable so I switch to the car. My wife hasn't said anything to me nor has she made any negative implications about the bike. But marriage has a way of changing more than we think when we go down that path.

 

 

My wife has embraced American college football, ph ootography, fishing and possibly hunting. I'm fortunate for that.

 

It'll be a few weeks or more before we buy another car due to the inflated prices of used cars in the US due to the supply chain and chip shortages. I might be able to get a few hundred more for my  bike than before.

 

My $.02 on this is that if you have room in the garage to walk around the cars, there's room for the bike.  Grab a center stand dolly and put it on that.  Many to choose from.  Removing the lean will significantly reduce the bike's footprint in the garage and the dolly will make it as mobile as a lawnmower.  If the garage is narrow, put it in front of the cars right up against the wall, folding in the mirrors for every last inch of space.  Before doing so, run all the crap E10 out of it and fill with non-ethanol with Stabil in it.  Cover with a large blanket from a thrift store. 

The incremental cost of holding the bike is for all purposes zero.  Drop the insurance on it, and park as above.  In a couple of years, your perspective and / or circumstances may change and as many have mentioned, you may get the itch again to ride.  I guarantee you that if you sell and do get that itch, you'll be kicking yourself in the ass over and over again for having sold it.  You can't go back.  OTOH, if in 2 years you say "meh, who cares - I am done with that thing", then get rid of it.  Your wallet will only be lighter by the cost of the dolly, but you gave yourself the chance to gain more perspective on it.  You're not out anything significant. 

 

Just keep it for a while, and it may start calling to you again.  When it comes to these bikes, we've seen so many people say "I never should have sold it!!"  . . .

 

Edit

 

I've already figured out the fate of my bikes when I'm done riding, whatever the reason.  Presuming they're still intact, they'll be parked as above in the workshop.  They'll be cleaned up, polished and looking as good as I can get them, and each will have a few photos of trips I've done on them on the wall above to remind me of my days riding them.  Just a way to remember and give them the retirement they deserve. 

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I have four motorcycles two cars and assorted storage in a double garage!! Not easy and a pain in the backside sometimes, but where there’s a will there’s a way. Can’t stand the idea of leaving any vehicle outside in the weather. Besides which we have a problem with vehicle theft in my town.

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I can relate to the ultimate in smartphone stupidity.  I've still got two bikes, but I've gotten to the point that most of my sport riding is early on Sunday mornings while the drunks are still passed out and before the perpetually late head into church on the wrong side of the road.  I find the roads around here almost desolate during those hours from sun up until near 10:00.  There are a few folks out for 8:00 or 9:00 services, but they are usually under control and on time.  It's those perpetually late 10:00 and 11:00 service folks you have to worry about.  They cut the inside of curves and top hills straddling the double yellow while applying lipstick in the mirror, arguing with the spouse, etc. It's always dangerous between the top of the hour and 15 minutes into service time.  

 

 

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On 10/30/2021 at 4:13 PM, Captain 80s said:

 

Yeah!  97!   Last of the true sporting VFRs.

Yeah, ...and it is sporting very well!

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I took a 6 year break after a head on collision with a car. I wasn’t in a financial situation to buy another bike and there were family priorities to manage. But since 2001 I’ve been fortunate enough to pretty much always had a bike. We had a 7 month break Sept 18’ after hitting a deer but got back on the next spring.

 

Take a break, you’ll be back one of these days when the time is right!! 

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