Bike useage vs your age...

[81gs7501166]

Hear we go,I'm 59.
Rode my cousins Yamaha 60 when I was 12.
Had a 3.5 hp tec powered many bike at 13,[ started moding it after bout 6 months,
Different carb,and bypassed the govenor,it would do bout 50.
First real bike at 14, cl70 Honda bought new around 700$ for birthday.
Next a kawasaki 100 dirt bike.
First real bike I loved suzuki ts185 72 I believe,torque pipe,regear,stripped a all that lights stuff,plastic fenders,
Live 3 mile from lake rode from fall till spring on botoms,rode all neighbors farms,( I helped put up hay in summer for extra $s.]
Kept 2 years,rode he'll out of it,GREAT bike,like to have one now.
Got a ts250 at 16, wasn't impressed,185 wasn't much slower .
Bought a get kit from suzuki dealer,jug and pipe,woke the he'll of it up,kinda like a tm with some bottom.
Next was a 1980 pe250, another great bike, kept it 10 years.
First Street bike 83 gs550e, worked on a car for a a buddie,bike had benn wreccked,broken plastic was all,
Bike was payment,v and H pipe, dynojet carb kits, really woke it up, it would keep up with 8 valve 750.
Kept it bout 8 years, next was a 76cb750f from a work friend.
Still have it. Rebuilt 836,custom paint.
Next a 89 rmx250, GREAT MACHINE, pipe,rad valve,265 big bores, fatty pipe love it,its so much more bike than the pe.
Still have it,and it ant much less of a machine than the new stuff.
Redone a 74gt550,great machine,just sold it bout month ago to a friend,he loves It!
Had my gs750, 81, 1166 engine bout 18 years now.
Got a a Ozark 250 at, family machine.
Had a lt400z for a while,great machine.
I'm half owner of a a banshee with my 26 year old son.
Had a 77goldwing a while, not my cup of tea,sold it last year,
Got a Yamaha 360 dirt bike in barn to restore someday.
Got a xr350 ,on trade for the gt550, to work on this winter.
Daughter has a 125 Yamaha 4 stroke dirt bike, it's mine to.
6 year old son a suzuki 80 2stroke atv to repair this winter.
And I might have forgot Something?
Really like suzuki and Honda.
59 and still learning!

[gustovh]

I'm 66, been riding since I was 10. My first bike was a Honda 90 trail.
I use my bikes for getting around, when I feel like putting on all the gear. Attending rally's and carving roads for the fun of it.

V

[ryder60]

I first rode an Ariel 500 twin at 15 and 16 years old. A total piece of....... I was without a bike for different blocks of time but rode every chance I could. The second son gave me his old Honda CB550 for my 54th birthday and I've never been without something since. In my 60's I road raced an FZR400, a great bike for the track, and a CB550 I rebuilt for vintage racing. In between I have used the GS1000 on many a track day and thrown it down a good many times. I've taken it to the mid-west, all over western Canada, the Yukon and up to Inuvik in the Arctic. It simply never dies no matter how you abuse it but as I get older, 74 in a couple of months, it is getting heavier. But I have picked up some necessary parts and will bring it right up to standard, mechanically, this winter because I'm thinking a few longer trips next summer. Maybe down south to take in some race meets. It is very beaten up and looks like it's been treated badly. It has but the maintenance is always done. I do just about all work myself.

This year I simply rode for pleasure. Living in the middle of no-where I often just blasted down the highway 25 miles to the next town for an iced coffee or something and people watched in the evening. And for the first time I've begun to experience a numbness in my throttle wrist and forearm and cramping in a hip. I am apprehensive.

But what I'm developing an interest in is a c-90 or 110 just for jaunts around town or across the continent.

[GS1000S]

1. I'm 64, started riding in my early teens so about 50 years ago. I bought my first bike a new 1972 Yamaha AT2 and have had at least one in my garage all but a year or two. 2. Motorcycling for me has always been about pleasure and leisure time. I rarely start one of mine unless I'm gone for 40+ miles. I've never ridden much in town as putting all the gear on for a few minutes and dragging out the bike and warming it up is a hassle. I think if I rode every day and used my bike as primary transportation it would take away for the anticipation and excitement when I do ride.

[Grimly]

i'm 64, started out at aged 17 with a Vespa 150, followed by a 180SS, both of which provided many miles of travel all over Scotland with a bunch of mates who were similiarly inflicted with scooters, (Vespas and Lammies) and we had a great time.
After a smash, parental pressure persuaded me to leave off the two-wheeled adventure for a few years, but in 1981 I bought MZ250 commuter to simply get me to work and back. I loved that thing - while small, it had the heart of, if not a lion, at least something small and tenacious, like a Jack Russel.
I've had a bike or two on the road since, CBX550F Honda (went like shyt off a shovel thanks to some mods the PO did), a BMW R80RT (ex-polis) that I fitted R100 barrels, pistons, heads and carbs to. Fantastic difference.
Shortly after that, I got my first GS850, followed by another one, and those pair have stuck with me ever since.
Alone with those I acquired an XS650 at least ten years ago, but it took a decade to get around to sorting it out and it's not finished yet - it runs and stops pretty well, and everything works.
Couple year ago I got the XJ900F, which is great for doing higher speed blasts, and is currently in its second winter of being my daily driver, which is something I hadn't envisaged for it.

[GS1150Pilot]

50 here now, riding to work 4 out of 5 days on the Bandit. Did a jaunt down to Tucson and back this weekend. I do get numbness in my throttle hand, but then, that's been an issue for quite some time. Changing hand positions alleviates it, as does a throttle rocker. Surprisingly, after an initial week of soreness due to riding a bunch again, I've been feeling great. The ride in and home is a great time to clear my head.

[red1100]

I’m 67 been riding since 1971.A new 72 OSSA Pioneer 250. Currently have 44,000 on my 83GS 1100E and 15.000 mile 82 Yamaha Seca 750.About 10 bikes in between.Not sure how many miles a year but I won’t ride in bad weather,period.Living in the Northwest that’s the way it is. No fun. Suzuki and Yamaha have never been rained on. Retired from the phone company and can only ride when it’s not raining or too cold.

[GS1150Pilot]

There are two other guys at work who own bikes. One is 58 and just bought a brand new FJR, the other is 61 and just replaced his Valkyrie with a brand new Gold Wing. Both of those bikes provide boatloads more rider protection from the elements than the naked Bandit I ride. Both other guys, though, ride in about once every two to three weeks. When I asked them why so infrequently, they said "it's just too cold in the morning." We haven't had a morning below 45 degrees, have had very little rain, and the afternoon temps have been between 60 and 70 lately. I laugh at that fair weather distillation. Bad weather as in pouring rain, snow, etc., I get as a reason to drive, but a crisp morning ride is so wonderful to clear one's head, and 60 degrees on the way home is perfect.

[1978GS750E]

I'm 60 and have been riding since I was 8 years old. Still working, so I only get about 20K miles a year on the 4 bikes that I own. I've found that I seem to be enjoying the wrenching on the bikes, during the colder months, more than getting all the cold-weather gear on to go for a ride. Still enjoy the 3-4 extended bike trips (1,000-2,500 mile) that I take every summer! I need to get the Suzuki out to one of the meets this year! Need to meet some of the great folks on this forum!

[Alan Schlosser]

Almost 62. Mini bikes and such since we were around 12. First street bike was a Suzuki GT550 back in 1975. Currently own a 2008 Bandit 1250.

I ride mostly for fun. Day trips around 3-4 hours usually does the trick.

[GS1150Pilot]

Almost 62. Mini bikes and such since we were around 12. First street bike was a Suzuki GT550 back in 1975. Currently own a 2008 Bandit 1250.

I ride mostly for fun. Day trips around 3-4 hours usually does the trick.

Utterly love my new to me Bandit 1200. I've never ridden a more comfortable bike, and the power is linear as it gets. That bike makes me want to ride all the time.

[red1100]

I don’t mind the clear and cold rides which are infrequent here. Mostly like today,overcast maybe 45,50 for a high and threatening rain. I do what I can. Gets harder to ride on these days.

[GS1150Pilot]

Did 55 miles last night (forgot to take a pic). It is such a joy to ride this bike. It is so much better than the 1150 I had.

[argonsagas]

Utterly love my new to me Bandit 1200. I've never ridden a more comfortable bike, and the power is linear as it gets. That bike makes me want to ride all the time.

I loved my first generation Bandit, too. The sole complaint I had with the bike was the seat. It was a like it or hate it thing with many riders. I liked it, even after a 750 mile ride, but it was not comfortable for pillion riders.
My wife was OK for short rides, but not more. She is much more comfortable on the replacement Bandit, the GSX1250FA.

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I'm retired, so it's all pleasure. I'm 62. Been riding for 49 years. Dirt and street. My first bike was a gold '70 Yamaha 90 Enduro too.