Getting old

A good mate has now admitted what we all suspected. Parkinsons.

And still he's reluctant to thin the collection. All racebikes except for 2 X 250 Ducatis in parts in his loft....
He'll never ride any of them again. Now's the time to see them go to good homes.
The recently restored and immaculate Honda RS125 can stay in the lounge. The other three of them should go.
There's (we think) about 15 bikes there either complete or in parts. Another friend is his bike executor, like me he's
pushing to cut the numbers.
It's hard.
 
Yes, it is a very hard situation. My cousin (64) is in roughly the same position. A lifetime-biker & worldwide tourer. He built up his perfect garage of three fantastic bikes to cover all the adventures he wanted to indulge in during his retirement years. Now Parky has stopped it all. My heart aches for him. Interestingly, when Parky first showed it's signs [and was not too bad], being on the bike was where all the symptoms went away, the shakes stopped and co-ordination was normal.
 
GregT said:
A good mate has now admitted what we all suspected. Parkinsons.

And still he's reluctant to thin the collection. All racebikes except for 2 X 250 Ducatis in parts in his loft....
He'll never ride any of them again. Now's the time to see them go to good homes.
The recently restored and immaculate Honda RS125 can stay in the lounge. The other three of them should go.
There's (we think) about 15 bikes there either complete or in parts. Another friend is his bike executor, like me he's
pushing to cut the numbers.
It's hard.
Click to expand...
A very difficult and hard situation. Recently an elderly friend had Parkinson’s and until his dying day thought he could get his licence back. His bike collection of pre and post war Ariel’s and very early Triumph flat tanker were eventually given by his widow to Bonhams auctioneers to sort and dispose of because she was too stressed to sort. It was sad to see his Square Four go as it had been a resident in the village for 60 years. Bonhams by the way are crooks in suits in my opinion. Another good friend died last year from MND which is a terrible disease. His widow is still sorting out his collection of Velo’s,Indians and others. At least his wife who is also a rider knows their value. It’s a sad fact that lots of bikes are disposed of by well meaning family for peanuts to unscrupulous twats.
 
Haggis said:
Yes, it is a very hard situation. My cousin (64) is in roughly the same position. A lifetime-biker & worldwide tourer. He built up his perfect garage of three fantastic bikes to cover all the adventures he wanted to indulge in during his retirement years. Now Parky has stopped it all. My heart aches for him. Interestingly, when Parky first showed it's signs [and was not too bad], being on the bike was where all the symptoms went away, the shakes stopped and co-ordination was normal.
Click to expand...
A friend with a early form of Parkinsons died recently in his 50s. He'd been heavily handicapped since his 30s.
Paul
 
SteveRocker62 said:
A very difficult and hard situation. Recently an elderly friend had Parkinson’s and until his dying day thought he could get his licence back. His bike collection of pre and post war Ariel’s and very early Triumph flat tanker were eventually given by his widow to Bonhams auctioneers to sort and dispose of because she was too stressed to sort. It was sad to see his Square Four go as it had been a resident in the village for 60 years. Bonhams by the way are crooks in suits in my opinion. Another good friend died last year from MND which is a terrible disease. His widow is still sorting out his collection of Velo’s,Indians and others. At least his wife who is also a rider knows their value. It’s a sad fact that lots of bikes are disposed of by well meaning family for peanuts to unscrupulous twats.
Click to expand...
Trouble is, how many of us are honest with the wife/family on how much we spent on our bikes???
 
The disposable assets nee collections, in the Amateur Radio community, trusted other "hams" were enrolled/notified pre any death event, to take care of the shack, one such time the lads found a biccie tin, near $7K in it, hidden in the shack, well received by the widow. Proper prices achieved in disposing of old and modern ( read expensive ) transceiver(s), test equipment, massive antenna et al.

Recently contacted by a widow, Laverda stored 10+ years, to be sold, by accounts it would appear a slightly modified 1980 triple, ( myself ) the one advice above all, do not let the local bike shop mechanics try to start it. Been some weeks now, i fear the widow and son may well believe a local mechanic is able to initiate this rare out here 1980 Jota, to running condition. They had little knowledge of the intrinsic worth of the Laverda as it stood in the lockup. We will see, i fear however, there is trouble in the making, glad to be wrong. j
 
All these stories just reinforce the "do it while you still can" thing, and keep an eye out for our mates, step in and help when things go awry. I have it in the back of my mind to try and have some method there regarding the bikes and everything else, as you never know when and if. I think that many people leave such a mess that the bikes are just a small part of the problem. There are billions lying unclaimed in financial institutions after people have left the building. With assets in three countries, I really need to make a will, or three.
John, when the local mechanics can't find the fly-wire (or whatever it is called) port to plug in the laptop they will probably give up.
 
Tippie said:
All these stories just reinforce the "do it while you still can" thing, and keep an eye out for our mates, step in and help when things go awry. I have it in the back of my mind to try and have some method there regarding the bikes and everything else, as you never know when and if. I think that many people leave such a mess that the bikes are just a small part of the problem. There are billions lying unclaimed in financial institutions after people have left the building. With assets in three countries, I really need to make a will, or three.
John, when the local mechanics can't find the fly-wire (or whatever it is called) port to plug in the laptop they will probably give up.
Click to expand...

I recently bought a new laptop and mobile printer, was having difficulties getting them to talk to each other. I employed a geek.

After it was fixed I told him I rather pull the plugs out, adjust the gaps and file the points…… he had no idea what I was talking about 🙄
 
All the best Terry, hope the surgery goes well and your recovery is rapid and uneventful.

On the subject of old folk wanting to keep driving, telling them they were no longer fit to do so and cancelling their MDL was one of the hardest parts of my ex-job. Tell someone they have cancer, "Yeah, I thought that might be the case, what is rthe next step?" Tell them they can no longer drive, anger, tears, all the emotions possible.
 
Andy J said:
Trouble is, how many of us are honest with the wife/family on how much we spent on our bikes???
Click to expand...
I was round a mates house, we‘d been in the garage looking at his secondhand KTM enduro bike.
I told him it was a bargain, way cheap, almost half price, I’d have bitten the guys arm off etc- his wife left the room briefly and he told me to shut up as it had cost twice what he had told the wife. A Cart racer I know reckons whatever number he says multiply it by three- it’s a cart racing thing!
 
Exmoor beast said:
I was round a mates house, we‘d been in the garage looking at his secondhand KTM enduro bike.
I told him it was a bargain, way cheap, almost half price, I’d have bitten the guys arm off etc- his wife left the room briefly and he told me to shut up as it had cost twice what he had told the wife. A Cart racer I know reckons whatever number he says multiply it by three- it’s a cart racing thing!
Click to expand...
I think the cart racer’s equation/formula is pretty accurate! 🤫
 
I accidentally started reading this thread from the start - glad to say most of you are still about so raise a glass to yourselves - we are surviving - a lot of the comments referred to back pain , I lifted a pot of soil the other day and the ache lasted for 2 weeks in a disc that got popped about 6 years ago so take care out there
 
Sir Sidney Ruffdiamond said:
I accidentally started reading this thread from the start - glad to say most of you are still about so raise a glass to yourselves - we are surviving - a lot of the comments referred to back pain , I lifted a pot of soil the other day and the ache lasted for 2 weeks in a disc that got popped about 6 years ago so take care out there
Click to expand...
I feel your pain. My ute had extra leaf springs in the back and was pretty rough to ride in. Went to the Dr after driving it 2,500klm. I was thinking I was dying from some lung condition…. Scans and X-rays showed 2 cracked ribs. 🙄

When I could drive it again, leaning forward in the seat, I had 3 leaves per side removed, taking it almost back to standard.

Still has one leaf more than factory.
 
Fell through a trap door on the scaffolding around the ship a week or so ago.
Still hobbling a bit.
Guess I’m not as fast or flexible as I used to be. Don’t seem to bounce like I remember I used to either.
Certainly don’t recover as quick.
Still no bones broken this time. Phew!
 
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