Who's still riding? (Fall & Winter 2024 Edition)

Forum Sponsor
PrivatePilot said:
Yep.

Tomorrow is never a guarantee.

I’ve watched a lot of coworkers over the years decide they’d “Do that sort of stuff later” or “When I retire”, either to not make it to retirement, or to be so physically busted when they did reach retirement to not be able to do all that stuff they’d planned to do.

Balance is key.
Click to expand...

Yep. My dad built a little retirement home in Italy, and then didn't make it long enough to retire.

Part of why I shipped one of my motorcycles to Italy last year. And spent 3-4 weeks last year, and again this year, riding across the country.

The world can survive with me for a few weeks. I'm going to enjoy my time on two wheels right now while I can.
 
Quite happy to be shy of single digits.
Gorgeous moonlit night.....23C and mild breezes.
Hope for good sleep and ride tomorrow. Then Black Forest cake by step-dottor after a steak dinner for my almost Bday on Friday. 77 and 60 years riding. 🕺🏍️
 
adri said:
Yep. My dad built a little retirement home in Italy, and then didn't make it long enough to retire.

Part of why I shipped one of my motorcycles to Italy last year. And spent 3-4 weeks last year, and again this year, riding across the country.

The world can survive with me for a few weeks. I'm going to enjoy my time on two wheels right now while I can.
Click to expand...

In the last five years I’ve had a real perspective shift on enjoying life while I can instead of being one of those people that literally saved every single penny they could at the expense of their own enjoyment during their good years, only to never actually get to spend all those pennies when they planned to.

Anyone could drop dead tomorrow of a massive heart attack or stroke or something, never having really lived your life. Or end up debilitated in a nursing home or something because of a multitude of things, also unable to enjoy life, giving all that money to the nursing home instead of having spent it and enjoyed it yourself.

Now and then, live life it’s your last day on earth, because you never know when It might actually be.
 
Last edited:
Fuzzbuster said:
Have to start thinking about winter prep as it can sneak up on you quickly!
Click to expand...
With the KLR "winter prep" is pulling into the garage and removing the key.
I expect it'll be ridden most months this winter ( when I should be out riding a sled if we had snow....)
 
shanekingsley said:
With heated gear, I’ll ride into the low single digits. I’m not as crazy as I used to be, so no more riding for me when the temps are well below single digits.
Click to expand...

I don't know about you, but for me, it's both less "crazy", AND less need.

I bought a condo at 23, a house at 25, but I never got a car (20 year old shitbox VW) until after, when I was 26. My brain couldn't justify the cost of a car + car insurance for a young person doing everything on my own + a sick parent.

But that meant both working 2-3 jobs + needing to ride 24/7/365. Rain, shine, or snow... Sometimes it was too cold for my carbureted little 50cc two stroke scooter to make it home. It would keep chugging out and dying at red lights and I would have to leave it and go back for it the next day.

Now my finances, and the world in general, are different. Life is easier. I don't need to ride and many of the things I do need get delivered to my door. Now when I spend 3 minutes putting on my winter gear I'm not frowning looking outside thinking "I have to ride today?" I'm smiling thinking "I get to ride today!" It gets me out of the house and does wonders for my mood, happiness, everything.

Life is good on two wheels.
 
PrivatePilot said:
Now and then, live like it’s your last day on earth, because you never know when It might actually be.
Click to expand...

100%.

Already getting ready to book next year's month riding in Italy. My bike is in Salerno (the south) so I'll ride across the country again to get it up to the Alps(north). The missus will fly there directly because her and her 70+ year old dad are hiking around Mont Blanc. While they're doing that I'll be riding the Alps (Stelvio Pass, etc.), and meeting up with them probably around Charmonix.

We're forcing ourselves to make the time to live, and not just be alive.

I blame it on @Lightcycle and his wife to be honest. It's their fault. They're great.
 
I admire that @adri and wish I could say the same. But sadly I cannot.

No different than many of my friends saying ‘f this…what’s a few more grand on the LOC. I deserve that vacation’

I wish I had that attitude…but I don’t. Maybe I should.

Just checked only 438k left on the mortgage!
 
I have had heated grips on several bikes. They work, but aren't great at keeping the backs of your hands warm. Hand guards make a big difference by blocking the wind. The answer for me is hand warmers. Inserted in the back of your glove all the way down to the knuckles, keeps you warm for hours. You can also buy toe warmers. After a ride, put them in a sealed sandwich bag squeezing out the air and you can use them several times.
Mark's Work Wearhouse sells them.
20241016_100616.jpg
 
Last edited:
adri said:
While they're doing that I'll be riding the Alps (Stelvio Pass, etc.), and meeting up with them probably around Charmonix.
Click to expand...

There's an account I follow called @kanyarfoto. He's like the Killboy of the Stelvio Pass.

Kanyarfotó Reels

Kanyarfotó Reels. 35,386 likes · 9,587 talking about this. Welcome to Kanyarfoto, the new hub for motorsport enthusiasts and scenic ride lovers.. Watch the latest reel from Kanyarfotó (kanyarfoto)
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

Can you wave to them as you go by?



He normally does hairpin fails - guys who can't negotiate a turn without having to stop and back up, or worse... grabbing too much front brake and tipping over when they put the wrong foot down in the middle of a turn.

Next time we go to Stelvio, I want to do Figure-8s in front of him in the middle of the corner, try to get on his feed. 🤣
 
PrivatePilot said:
Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope.

And nope.

With a nope cherry on top.

I’ll fly the plane. I’m sure as hell not jumping out of a perfectly functional aircraft though. 😆
Click to expand...
no sense of adventure..

what happened to 'live like it's your last day!'
 
Evoex said:
no sense of adventure..

what happened to 'live like it's your last day!'
Click to expand...

Fair, but given I’d probably have a heart attack being forcefully pushed out of an aircraft (because there is zero chance in hell I would do it willingly lol), it probably *would* be my last day. And I’d like to have as many “last days” as is possible versus rushing it. 🤣
 
PrivatePilot said:
Fair, but given I’d probably have a heart attack being forcefully pushed out of an aircraft (because there is zero chance in hell I would do it willingly lol), it probably *would* be my last day. And I’d like to have as many “last days” as is possible versus rushing it. 🤣
Click to expand...
conquering your fears is extremely uplifting for the soul (i despise heights).

whenever you feel like you've checked enough boxes, put this back on your bucket list.
 
Evoex said:
conquering your fears is extremely uplifting for the soul (i despise heights).

whenever you feel like you've checked enough boxes, put this back on your bucket list.
Click to expand...

I’ve conquered some fears in my days, but heights will never be one of them.

I find it incredibly odd honestly considering I love flying small aircraft and that doesn’t bother me at all. On one memorable flight when I was getting my license and flying with my instructor, we were climbing out of Oshawa Airport and my door actually popped open as we were about 750 feet AGL. I still remember looking out, straight down at the ground, and exclaiming to my instructor that “the view was much better with the door open”.

Why my brain is perfectly OK with that sort of thing, but I can barely climb a ladder to put lights on the eavestrough, I’ll never understand.

As soon as I stood next to that open door on a skydiving plane, I’d probably pass out.

I watched this video on my bigscreen a few years ago and my knees literally started wobbling. Sitting down.

 
Lightcycle said:
There's an account I follow called @kanyarfoto. He's like the Killboy of the Stelvio Pass.

Kanyarfotó Reels

Kanyarfotó Reels. 35,386 likes · 9,587 talking about this. Welcome to Kanyarfoto, the new hub for motorsport enthusiasts and scenic ride lovers.. Watch the latest reel from Kanyarfotó (kanyarfoto)
www.facebook.com www.facebook.com

Can you wave to them as you go by?



He normally does hairpin fails - guys who can't negotiate a turn without having to stop and back up, or worse... grabbing too much front brake and tipping over when they put the wrong foot down in the middle of a turn.

Next time we go to Stelvio, I want to do Figure-8s in front of him in the middle of the corner, try to get on his feed. 🤣
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting those - that was hilarious!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom