Riding miles when your old!
- Thread starter 1200ts
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chrisk
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- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
I had a mole removed from the corner of my eye under local/twilight anaesthetic. It wasn't unpleasant, the worst part was the stitches.
My wife asked afterwards what it was like ......... the conversation about no longer seeing a mole on the side took a bit of explaining.
rocketonarail
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- Location
- Gloucestershire,England
Ah ....... I understand .... ! ........
Yes , I do tend to stay up late ........ the joys of retirement , and not having to go anywhere the next day if I don`t want to .
In fact, I`ve almost turned nocturnal ..... getting up at mid-day is pretty much normal for me now ....... terrible isn`t it .......
........ ? .......I blame YouTube as well as the Laverda Forum .....
Was watching Ships Sinking In Real Time recently ..... The Lusitania wasn`t so bad ( twenty minutes or so ) ....... but The Titanic ..........
I started watching at about 1 am ......... It was three hours later before it eventually went down , and I was able to get to bed ......
......... ( and still no sign of the bloody Carpathia ) ..........
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Exmoor beast
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- Location
- Minehead,Somerset, ENGLAND OF COURSE
You were waiting for the twist at the end?Ah ....... I understand .... ! ........
Yes , I do tend to stay up late ........ the joys of retirement , and not having to go anywhere the next day if I don`t want to .
In fact, I`ve almost turned nocturnal ..... getting up at mid-day is pretty much normal for me now ....... terrible isn`t it .......
I blame YouTube as well as the Laverda Forum .....
Was watching Ships Sinking In Real Time recently ..... The Lusitania wasn`t so bad ( twenty minutes or so ) ....... but The Titanic ..........
I started watching at about 1 am ......... It was three hours later before it eventually went down , and I was able to get to bed ......
......... ( and still no sign of the bloody Carpathia ) ..........
Laverda SF
Hero member
The Canadian Health System is really SLOW - Vince ;o(
The waiting list for Cataract Surgery is like 2 to 5 years - 2 Years if your lucky.
Unfortunately for me it was on the long end of the stick at 5 years.
I'm LOOKING forward to getting my eye's FIXED this summer ;o)
It's a shame I had to give up being a motorcyclist because of the SLOW Canadian Health System and I sold my beloved 750 SF0 to someone whom I know would take care of her.
Canada needs more Health Care Personal !
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chrisk
Hero member
- Location
- Brisbane, Australia
piranha-bro2
Hero member
- Location
- Melbourne
That's truly crazy, Ron. I'm shocked to hear that Canada could be so behind in such a basic health service (that is very inexpensive so not a financial burden on the state coffers).
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- Location
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
great thread! Just read all the posts in one go.
I am now 70. I just celebrated a 5-year cancer free anniversary surviving pancreatic cancer. The major surgery at age 65 and lengthy recovery, as well as having to figure out how to manage severe insulin dependency as a surgically created diabetic, kicked my ass for a few years. I do know how uncommon my survival has been and how lucky I am to have survived while so many others have died of the same disease.
I now ride with a continuous blood glucose monitor display in my line of sight on my various motorcycles, as well as an audible alarm Bluetoothed into speakers in my helmet. Insulin in a temperature-controlled tank bag, as well as various other diabetic management related supplies. But I am back riding.
I still have three Laverda triples registered and insured, but they do not see as much use as they used to. Similarly, my 1978 Kawasaki 650 SR and my 1957 Gilera 150. I do make sure to keep them ready to ride, well maintained, on battery maintainers, and I do ride them, just no longer very far or for very long. I am good for a couple of hundred kms day ride on any of the Laverda triples, but no longer any 1,100 kms one day blast through the mountains to Vancouver Island from Calgary as I used to do. As there are not any multi motorcycle insurance policies available here in Alberta all my bikes are individually insured, which is annoying and may lead to me selling a couple just because of the ridiculous insurance costs.
The older bikes really beat me up. I have compromised with more modern bikes. I still regularly ride my modified 2008 Kawasaki ZX14 that I have had from new and is set up to fit me like a comfortable glove. It is still mainly my long distance rider. Great brakes, great suspension, lots of smooth power. No vibrations.
I reluctantly sold my heavily upgraded 2018 Kawasaki H2 SX SE supercharged (as well as several other bikes) when my health journey was not looking particularly good and I was selling off other bikes and cars to simplify what my spouse would be left to deal with if I didn't survive. (Eerie typing that sentence......)
When it then appeared that I have a reasonable chance of remaining on this planet a while longer, the first celebratory thing I did was buy the 2022 Kawasaki H2 SX SE supercharged, add the hard luggage, bar risers, had the stock seat modified, lowered the foot pegs and installed a Hindle exhaust. Very different bike than the ZX 14, and uncomfortable for me in stock configurations, but with the mild modifications I can now ride it for pretty much as long as I can ride the ZX 14. I have added the diabetics monitoring and supply capabilities to the H2 SX SE as well.......
My wife went to three wheels last year, with her 2024 Can Am Spyder RT, so I still have someone to ride with. So many of my long term friends have either died, been physically incapacitated to the point they can no longer ride or have just given up riding altogether. I am down to only two friends left who can and do ride at the real pace I prefer, (my wife can't keep up) which is an issue as I am no longer supposed to go out by myself on a bike for long periods of time as I used to in case of a diabetic emergency, bloody hell........
but, still here, still riding, have a lengthy lap planned with my wife of as many twisty roads as I can find in British Columbia already planned for this summer
I am now 70. I just celebrated a 5-year cancer free anniversary surviving pancreatic cancer. The major surgery at age 65 and lengthy recovery, as well as having to figure out how to manage severe insulin dependency as a surgically created diabetic, kicked my ass for a few years. I do know how uncommon my survival has been and how lucky I am to have survived while so many others have died of the same disease.
I now ride with a continuous blood glucose monitor display in my line of sight on my various motorcycles, as well as an audible alarm Bluetoothed into speakers in my helmet. Insulin in a temperature-controlled tank bag, as well as various other diabetic management related supplies. But I am back riding.
I still have three Laverda triples registered and insured, but they do not see as much use as they used to. Similarly, my 1978 Kawasaki 650 SR and my 1957 Gilera 150. I do make sure to keep them ready to ride, well maintained, on battery maintainers, and I do ride them, just no longer very far or for very long. I am good for a couple of hundred kms day ride on any of the Laverda triples, but no longer any 1,100 kms one day blast through the mountains to Vancouver Island from Calgary as I used to do. As there are not any multi motorcycle insurance policies available here in Alberta all my bikes are individually insured, which is annoying and may lead to me selling a couple just because of the ridiculous insurance costs.
The older bikes really beat me up. I have compromised with more modern bikes. I still regularly ride my modified 2008 Kawasaki ZX14 that I have had from new and is set up to fit me like a comfortable glove. It is still mainly my long distance rider. Great brakes, great suspension, lots of smooth power. No vibrations.
I reluctantly sold my heavily upgraded 2018 Kawasaki H2 SX SE supercharged (as well as several other bikes) when my health journey was not looking particularly good and I was selling off other bikes and cars to simplify what my spouse would be left to deal with if I didn't survive. (Eerie typing that sentence......)
When it then appeared that I have a reasonable chance of remaining on this planet a while longer, the first celebratory thing I did was buy the 2022 Kawasaki H2 SX SE supercharged, add the hard luggage, bar risers, had the stock seat modified, lowered the foot pegs and installed a Hindle exhaust. Very different bike than the ZX 14, and uncomfortable for me in stock configurations, but with the mild modifications I can now ride it for pretty much as long as I can ride the ZX 14. I have added the diabetics monitoring and supply capabilities to the H2 SX SE as well.......
My wife went to three wheels last year, with her 2024 Can Am Spyder RT, so I still have someone to ride with. So many of my long term friends have either died, been physically incapacitated to the point they can no longer ride or have just given up riding altogether. I am down to only two friends left who can and do ride at the real pace I prefer, (my wife can't keep up) which is an issue as I am no longer supposed to go out by myself on a bike for long periods of time as I used to in case of a diabetic emergency, bloody hell........
but, still here, still riding, have a lengthy lap planned with my wife of as many twisty roads as I can find in British Columbia already planned for this summer
rocketonarail
Hero member
- Location
- Gloucestershire,England
My modus operandi now when out and about on the bike is breaking up the trip during the course of the journey by stopping at a pub , or cafe , or both , in order to give my bones / muscles a chance to rest .
This may seem an obvious thing to do , and many would take this approach anyway .......... but in the past I would launch into a 350 mile or so trip from Bristol down to the North Cornwall coast ( say ) , and treat it as a non-stop trip there and back , all in one go ......... with just a short break of about ten minutes staring out to sea , or whatever , before turning round , and heading back for home again .
It was all about the riding , not the destination .
Now , I tend to stop at pubs I used to whizz by , in order to take that break ........ those pubs which are still left , that is ............
( One pint only , which probably doesn`t help much to keep their business solvent , but hopefully keeps me out of too much trouble with the law ...... )
I was out today on a little trip from Bristol to Gloucester ........ horrible place , more speed cameras and camera vans than you can shake a stick at , and limits which change from 30 mph to 40 mph , and then back to 30 mph again ....... almost as if they`re deliberately trying to catch you out ........ and then back down the other side of the river , stopping at the Silver Fox cafe at Newnham , which used to be a port of call for groups like The Beatles , when they had to travel this way before the first Severn Bridge was built ........
Sausage , beans , eggs and toast ......... sitting next to an Ariel Red Hunter which had somehow found it`s way indoors .... ( a Triumph 3TA stands guard just inside the door as you enter ... ) ....... and surrounded by various fat old gits , who mostly seemed to have arrived on 24/25 registered Royal Enfields ..........
....... and then down to Chepstow , over the bridge , and back up the A38 to home ...........
Hardly a trip of epic proportions .......... but that`s the answer from now on , I reckon ........... twenty minutes rest for every hour and a half ridden , that should do the trick ...........
......................
This may seem an obvious thing to do , and many would take this approach anyway .......... but in the past I would launch into a 350 mile or so trip from Bristol down to the North Cornwall coast ( say ) , and treat it as a non-stop trip there and back , all in one go ......... with just a short break of about ten minutes staring out to sea , or whatever , before turning round , and heading back for home again .
It was all about the riding , not the destination .
Now , I tend to stop at pubs I used to whizz by , in order to take that break ........ those pubs which are still left , that is ............
( One pint only , which probably doesn`t help much to keep their business solvent , but hopefully keeps me out of too much trouble with the law ...... )
I was out today on a little trip from Bristol to Gloucester ........ horrible place , more speed cameras and camera vans than you can shake a stick at , and limits which change from 30 mph to 40 mph , and then back to 30 mph again ....... almost as if they`re deliberately trying to catch you out ........ and then back down the other side of the river , stopping at the Silver Fox cafe at Newnham , which used to be a port of call for groups like The Beatles , when they had to travel this way before the first Severn Bridge was built ........
Sausage , beans , eggs and toast ......... sitting next to an Ariel Red Hunter which had somehow found it`s way indoors .... ( a Triumph 3TA stands guard just inside the door as you enter ... ) ....... and surrounded by various fat old gits , who mostly seemed to have arrived on 24/25 registered Royal Enfields ..........
....... and then down to Chepstow , over the bridge , and back up the A38 to home ...........
Hardly a trip of epic proportions .......... but that`s the answer from now on , I reckon ........... twenty minutes rest for every hour and a half ridden , that should do the trick ...........
......................
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1200ts
Hero member
- Location
- USA - Riverside CA
After another 370 miles back home on the RGS, I think how fast you are going has a big effect on comfort. The entire trip there and back was done on expressways at 80MPH minimum. I saw 100MPH a few times while going across the desert where I was the only thing on the road for as far as I could see.
And I need to investigate a Airhawk seat cover for the bike as my ass was getting sore.
Now yesterday I rode 240 miles on a 1958 Triumph 650. This is a bike happiest at 60MPH and weighs 150lbs less than a Laverda and is very nice to ride. It does not beat you up other than having one of the most uncomfortable seats of all time.
Next weekend, I will pull out one of the BMW's and see if it is the bike or me. My R1200RT has multiple things done to it to make it comfortable. It was the last bike I bought to commute to work and I put 154,000 miles on it in relative comfort. The last time I rode it was in 2015.
And I need to investigate a Airhawk seat cover for the bike as my ass was getting sore.
Now yesterday I rode 240 miles on a 1958 Triumph 650. This is a bike happiest at 60MPH and weighs 150lbs less than a Laverda and is very nice to ride. It does not beat you up other than having one of the most uncomfortable seats of all time.
Next weekend, I will pull out one of the BMW's and see if it is the bike or me. My R1200RT has multiple things done to it to make it comfortable. It was the last bike I bought to commute to work and I put 154,000 miles on it in relative comfort. The last time I rode it was in 2015.
henrywillms
Hero member
- Location
- Canada
Prior to a year ago when I contracted PMR....aka PMS for " Riders"....just kidding, it's a sore muscle joint thing, I could still do long rides. I found the mental fatigue if on long boring roads was worse much than the physical discomfort. Once on some new roads or on some challenging roads any physical discomfort magically disappeared!
No doubt as I age my reaction times are not as responsive. Not as noticeable on the motorcycle where road conditions like corners etc are fairly predictable but more obvious on the snowmobile where conditions are much more fluid and unpredictable and visibility can be impaired by snow dust and weather. I know let the young punks go first now.
I'm on Prednisone for my PMR that reduces swelling and pain. It does affect your focus though...if you consciously focus on one thing, like riding, I'm fine. But if you let your mind wander a bit my brain can have a delay in picking up on a change like a car stopping in front of you , and is slower to respond....sort of a brain fog. Im slowly reducing the Prednisone as I feel less pain(it's nasty stuff and you want to be off it asap). Right now I went down in my dosage too soon and some pain is back in my hamstrings and spine. Hopefully I can get it all balanced out again before riding season starts again here in the middle of Canada.
Message....get out and ride when you can...old age catches up to everyone at some point.
No doubt as I age my reaction times are not as responsive. Not as noticeable on the motorcycle where road conditions like corners etc are fairly predictable but more obvious on the snowmobile where conditions are much more fluid and unpredictable and visibility can be impaired by snow dust and weather. I know let the young punks go first now.
I'm on Prednisone for my PMR that reduces swelling and pain. It does affect your focus though...if you consciously focus on one thing, like riding, I'm fine. But if you let your mind wander a bit my brain can have a delay in picking up on a change like a car stopping in front of you , and is slower to respond....sort of a brain fog. Im slowly reducing the Prednisone as I feel less pain(it's nasty stuff and you want to be off it asap). Right now I went down in my dosage too soon and some pain is back in my hamstrings and spine. Hopefully I can get it all balanced out again before riding season starts again here in the middle of Canada.
Message....get out and ride when you can...old age catches up to everyone at some point.
Dellortoman
Hero member
- Location
- Tasmania, Australia
Blimey Paul. I reckon that's the most unusual dashboard display I've heard of. Maybe motorcycle manufacturers should consider it as an optional extra for diabetic riders.
The only extra display I've got is a digital voltmeter.
The chemically induced diabetes is a bummer, but I suppose it's better than being dead. I was pretty lucky with my cancer treatment. The Chemo sent my thyroid gland crazy for a couple of years. It was looking like I'd have to go onto permanent thyroxin meds, but it eventually settled down by itself and is now back to normal.
Exmoor beast
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- Location
- Minehead,Somerset, ENGLAND OF COURSE
I arranged to meet wife in Bairritz, she drove from Santander but I booked ferry from Caen, as you say -all about the ride. I absolutely love riding on my own with no exact route, follow my nose. I’ve just found my route that I had in my Baglux that got me to Italy on the Guzzi. I follow my notes and if I get lost reset with my 1996 map! My son downloads routes that other people have suggested and has them on his phone
I still use a piece of A4 with my scrawling on it - the different handwriting is from a delightful French lady who updated my route for me!Attachments
Perry
Hero member
- Location
- West Dorset UK
Love that Macon /Belley/ Chambery route. Last did it couple of years ago heading eventually to Marseille for the rugby world cup. That nice lady gave you a good route there ..
Jo
Hero member
- Location
- Cologne, NRW Germany
I arranged to meet wife in Bairritz, she drove from Santander but I booked ferry from Caen, as you say -all about the ride. I absolutely love riding on my own with no exact route, follow my nose. I’ve just found my route that I had in my Baglux that got me to Italy on the Guzzi. I follow my notes and if I get lost reset with my 1996 map! My son downloads routes that other people have suggested and has them on his phone
I also found many of these old route notes (and put them in a separate drawer). I recreated some of them in my route planning tool to get an overview of what I did at the time. Some I repeated (with more background info now) with the 3c ...
- Location
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Congratulations on your recovery, Cam!!!
Small Potatoes compared to what's here. I went to the Dentist yesterday for what I hoped was ONE small filling. She had to stop 3 times to up my local anesthetic and in the end didn't finish at all. Just too painful; it wasn't till she started work. I had so much local anesthetic I was having trouble swallowing and breathing through my mouth, but the oddest thing was completely losing my ability to talk, my tongue just didn't work, but the tooth was when activated, insanely sore.. Anyway, she capped it temporarily, and I have some super strong dual-action antibioits and an upcoming Root Canal to look forward to. Luck me.