Now What?

[PharmerKyle]

Has your definition of "sporty" changed since hiting the big 4-0?

I woke up today with an urge to go chase kids off of my lawn...

[Snowman]

My first choice I riding gear is no longer leather.

[Nick_Ninja]

My hemorrhoids take precedence over Iron Butt rides.

[asp_125]

Say... that Goldwing looks pretty good.

[Snowman]

You start considering heated, anything.

[towneh]

automatic chain lube a la exxon valdez on 2 wheels!
bus_henry AARP

[Bueller]

Happy bday in that case. It only goes downhill from here! Huh Dean.
I have been severly limited in my twilght years.

[dirkterrell]

I have been severly limited in my twilght years.

Same here.



Dirk

[Jim_Vess]

Naw, the definition doesn't change. You just have to stop for a piss more often.

[Bashed]

Has your definition of "sporty" changed since hiting the big 4-0?

I woke up today with an urge to go chase kids off of my lawn...

I find as the gray hair starts to infiltrate,
the time goes by much quicker,
and the younger get to be much more annoying.


Congrats on passing 4 decades of life PharmerKyle!

Bash

[Bueller]

.........and the younger get to be much more annoying.

And the freakin' music is too loud!!

[mtnairlover]

Now what?

Whatever you damn well feel like.

And no, the definition of "sporty" has not changed for me.

One thing that becomes a whole lot more clear as time goes by is the idea that many things in life truly are your choice.

Some things are not...losing both my brother and grandmother in the months before my 30th birthday kinda let that day slip by almost completely unnoticed. Going through a divorce in the months before my 40th birthday kinda had the same effect. But, you can be damn well certain that my 50th is gonna be nothing like the previous two milestones.

Looking forward to each day is that much more sweet.

[PharmerKyle]

My first choice in riding gear is no longer leather.

Word! My aging shoulders get tired of fighting a two front war between the leather and the bars.

My hemorrhoids take precedence over Iron Butt rides.

Heed the elders, Corbin seats and monkeybutt powder rule!

Say... that Goldwing looks pretty good.

Yeah, the ST2 is just an Italian middleweight compromise on the way to Goldwingdom.

[PharmerKyle]

You start considering heated, anything.

BTDT... then my skin lost all feeling. I seldom wear coats when not on 2 wheels.

automatic chain lube a la exxon valdez on 2 wheels!
bus_henry AARP

I hear you. The last time I stooped down to lube a chain, my life passed before my eyes on the way back up. There has to be a better way.

Happy bday in that case. It only goes downhill from here! Huh Dean.
I have been severly limited in my twilght years.

I see where you're going (showoff!), but I think "sporty" and "competitive" are just overlapping sets. I'm sure you'll always have a competitive streak, but I've noticed your tastes changing over the years as well.

I can look at an R1 and think "fast" but not necessarily "fun", for example.

[Bueller]

I see where you're going (showoff!), but I think "sporty" and "competitive" are just overlapping sets. I'm sure you'll always have a competitive streak, but I've noticed your tastes changing over the years as well.

I can look at an R1 and think "fast" but not necessarily "fun", for example.

When I show up on a Ninja 250 then you can tell me I am old

[PharmerKyle]

Same here.

Dirk

Don't get me wrong. I know for sure that my experience and age add to the concept of "capability", I guess it's just that my interests in what I want to be capable of are changing.

I've spent enough time at the track and in classes to know my limits. I have great admiriation for those of you who race, but my mind's wiring is just too inhibited for that venue.

Naw, the definition doesn't change. You just have to stop for a piss more often.

I like this. It's almost good enough for a sig line or a birthday card. Kudos!

I find as the gray hair starts to infiltrate,
the time goes by much quicker,
and the younger get to be much more annoying.


Congrats on passing 4 decades of life PharmerKyle!

Bash

My aging Greyhound, Bernard, definitely agees. He loves people and older dogs, but puppies always make him growl & show teeth. Thanks goodness for having our own little subforum.

[longrider]

In my case I would say my tastes have not changed as much as sportbikes have changed. If they still built bikes like Honda and Kawasaki did 8 - 10 years ago (think F4i, 954, ZX6 (pre636) and ZX9) I would still be riding a pure sportbike. It is possible to have sport performance with a measure of comfort. Sportbikes now are racebikes with lights so initially I went pure naked - Aprilia Tuono, Z1000 but the desire for a fairing brought me to the VFR800 which is still very sporting despite the availability of saddlebags

[PharmerKyle]

And the freakin' music is too loud!!

Now that I'm older, the voices in my head are much more civil. I don't need thumpin' bass or Remus pipes to drown them out.

When I show up on a Ninja 250 then you can tell me I am old

See, I saw that post of yours on the $3K thread and couldn't tell if you were kidding. This is the way I'm drifting as well. Less plate, insurance and maintenance money lost per unit of free time to actually ride!

Now what?

Whatever you damn well feel like.

And no, the definition of "sporty" has not changed for me.

One thing that becomes a whole lot more clear as time goes by is the idea that many things in life truly are your choice.

Some things are not...losing both my brother and grandmother in the months before my 30th birthday kinda let that day slip by almost completely unnoticed. Going through a divorce in the months before my 40th birthday kinda had the same effect. But, you can be damn well certain that my 50th is gonna be nothing like the previous two milestones.

Looking forward to each day is that much more sweet.

Sorry to hear about your past milestones. Mine's been drowned out by work and a few other events. I think my revised goal will be to celebrate my 42nd with a Hitchhiker's Guide theme.

And yes, of course, you are right about the choices. My choices in what and how I ride have come only as a byproduct of age, not age itself. The experiences I've accrued and finding out what I like and don't are what shape my def. of "sporty". The current version's manifestation is still in daydream form, but may be ready by this year's BN&P ride.

[PharmerKyle]

In my case I would say my tastes have not changed as much as sportbikes have changed. If they still built bikes like Honda and Kawasaki did 8 - 10 years ago (think F4i, 954, ZX6 (pre636) and ZX9) I would still be riding a pure sportbike. It is possible to have sport performance with a measure of comfort. Sportbikes now are racebikes with lights so initially I went pure naked - Aprilia Tuono, Z1000 but the desire for a fairing brought me to the VFR800 which is still very sporting despite the availability of saddlebags

Good point. There are DS bikes out now that could outrun some of the sportbikes of the 80s.

Comfort and ergonomics seem to be more of a question of riding style than age. The difference is essentially that of which you want to conquer, a single corner at sickest speed, or largest geographical area.

So what is "sporty"? Is it strictly a look or a body position that equates to racing? Does riding upright vs. prone position automatically translate to non-sporty?

[Bueller]

So what is "sporty"? Is it strictly a look or a body position that equates to racing? Does riding upright vs. prone position automatically translate to non-sporty?

DIA

(Do it all!)

[PharmerKyle]

DIA

(Do it all!)

Good plan

[peteremsley]

Same here.
Dirk

Same here, same here.

I'm enjoying my riding more than ever. Trying harder at the track. Relaxing more on the street (the pace??), taking in more of the surroundings. Slowing down and having a good look around while riding the old BM has its place, too.

That said, I wish I'd started racing 25 years ago, rather than this year at 43

[longrider]

Good point. There are DS bikes out now that could outrun some of the sportbikes of the 80s.

Comfort and ergonomics seem to be more of a question of riding style than age. The difference is essentially that of which you want to conquer, a single corner at sickest speed, or largest geographical area.

So what is "sporty"? Is it strictly a look or a body position that equates to racing? Does riding upright vs. prone position automatically translate to non-sporty?

I can agree with your second statement, I am definitly more or the largest geographical area type even though I may do it in excess of the posted limit and without sparing much of my tires Sport bikes of the 90s and very early 00s just fit my style and comfort requirements quite well. The highest average miles per day trip I have done was 2600 miles in 6 days, it would have been 3000 if snow in the Canadian Rockies hadn't interfered and I was ready to do more if I didn't have to get back to work. This was on a 2000 ZX-9

To me sporty is more of how you ride and enjoy your bike. Having a sportbike to cruise LoDo on friday night is NOT sporty, while running a good pace in a canyon on a naked and smiling IS sporty

[Dogsbody]

Well, a few months past my 48th birthday I bought a new 08 Kawi ZX10R. I've still got the 03 KTM 520 EXC too. It took a few days for the body get used to the riding position on the Kawi, I don't think thats age related. The denial part might be though...