How My Risk Equation Has Changed

[James Burleigh]

 

[08FJR4ME]

Well James you are very wise to know when it is time to let go.

Enjoy your other persuits my FJR friend.

Dave

 

[Fairlaner]

**** dude where have you been?????

R

 

[beemerdons]

**** dude where have you been?????

R

I think Hans is a really great guy, but I think that he discovered Dr. Timothy Leary's hidden LSD stash up there in the Bay Area! Quit Riding? I cannot even comprehend this!!!

 

[azitlies]

Certainly respect that James.

Part of the way I keep my risk down is avoiding riding in rush hour traffic (Tucson) as much as possible.

Good luck to you.

 

[Tyler]

Hans, I totally get it... perhaps more than the rest. I hope you find something else that makes your heart sing in a different way.

 

[FJRay]

I know you have been tossing this around for some time. If this is the time to hang it up go for it and like Tyler said find somethig that works for you. I don't think I could or would have the sense to decide when to quit. Stick around so we can pick on you.

 

[majicmaker]

Good luck to you Hans with your new sources of adrenalin. Me?!...... I couldn't imagine not riding my bike anymore. I guess there will come a time but, not anytime soon.

 

[TwoWhldTerror]

As someone that gave up riding once already, no way will I ever do it again. Each to his own though and I respect YOUR decision.

Good luck on whatever endeavors are in your future.

 

[wheatonFJR]

I limit my riding to non-commute out-of-state riding on rural roads. Risk still there....yes. Acceptable to me...yes, considering the joy it brings me.

Best of luck to you as you travel life's other highways.

BTW, your first RR still cracks me up. The best use of "thought bubbles" in a RR evar!

 

[redtail]

This has been on your mind a long time now, sounds like you're overdue for something else!

People often mention wanting to start riding and my usual response is " well maybe ", but if you have to ride I totally get it! It seems to me that the risks are too high for a motorcycle to be simply a form of transport. Our roadway system wasn't really designed with two wheels in mind.

Without an unfulfilled passion to cheat death or feel free or whatever motivates us, by all means begin a quest to find something that you can't live without! I'd love to know what you find!

 

[littlefish]

I wish you the best with your decision and applaud you for not writing checks your body and brain won't cash. I started examining my choices after friends and associates started dying or getting maimed in bike related incidents. I almost hung up my CE padded gear for good. Golf wasn't an acceptable substitute and I couldn't afford F1 racing, so I'm still riding!

 

[Spud]

You left out a key component: reward. Now, think about never having any of the reward of riding again, calculate again with that factor included, and see if your result changes.

 

[odot]

I think he watched that russian youtube video. Wow, what a turn around.........

 

[Bugnatr]

You left out a key component: reward. Now, think about never having any of the reward of riding again, calculate again with that factor included, and see if your result changes.

Nicely put Spud. I understand your decision to stop riding Hans, after all you are the only one who can make the choice. Keep your gear, you can always rent a bike once in a while if you feel a ride would be fun.

Perhaps you need to build some outrageous machine for the Burning Man next fall.

Stick around and dole out some art once in a while, lord knows we need it around here.

 

[dcarver]

I am waiting till Friday to make my most astute response.. :rofl:

 

[Twinrivers]

When I was in my early teens I witnessed a car pull out in front of a motorcyclist which resulted in a upright broadside hit and a dead on impact rider. When I moved from a dirt bike to my first street bike that memory stayed with me and saved my life two years later. It took me twenty years to get back on a street bike. Last spring I sold my bike mostly due to financial stress from the purchase of a boat the year before. In the 32,000 plus miles of ridding I had what I consider two very close calls. To me that means a seriously close call that would have resulted in death or very serious injury. One was of my own mental lapse and the other was out of my control. I had several WTF moments with cagers but no more than I have had while in my F150 and none that would have resulted in a crash.

After selling the bike and then deciding to get out of boating before I went bankrupt, I decided not to get another bike again. My reasoning was the increase in drivers who were texting while driving and what seemed like an increase in motorcycle fatalites. That decision was short lived. Motorcycling is what I love. I didn't like golf, boating, home improvement projects & I was bored with shooting.

Whether by diease, natural causes, or tramatic injury life has an end. I decided that I wasn't going to not do something I loved because of the inherrent risk. I haved had two recent close calls while in my truck. One involved a driver crossing into my lane and the other a moose. Not long ago I stepped out into an isle way at a manufacturing plant right into the path of a fork lift.

Having said all that, and probably way too much, I'm not trying to talk you out of your decision. You must do what is right for you and I respect your decision to pursue a lower risk lifestyle. For me, I can't give it up nor replace it with another pastime such as boating. Riding is in my blood and I'll continue to ride until I physically cannot do it anymore.

 

[exskibum]

Really sorry to read that you have made this decision, Hans, but I know you've been reevaluating for a while now. Only you know what is right for you, but you'll be missed. Should you have a change of heart, we'd love to see you back amongst us on recreational rides. (You KNOW I always thought that daily urban commute you did was borderline suicidal.)

Be good to yourself and your family,

Rich

 

[Bustanut joker]

Sucks to hear this Hans, but we all make our own decisions regarding what we do in this life.

Granted others are going to try and influence us to their way of thinking, in the end it's our decision.

I know you didn't arrive at it without a great deal of thought, as with all of us it's something we enjoy or did at one time but when it becomes uncomfortable it's time to stand down.

Several here have crashed hard over the years and we've lost a few due to it.

Others of us have been lucky and jumped back on that horse to ride yet again, but with the thought in the back of the mind what if it happens again.

That feeling may eventually fade and we carry on our merry way. Possibly never giving it another thought...... But it's there..

Lately I've been thinking the same thing.. Not so much quitting riding, more like a different pace/ style of riding. It's been decades since I went down really hard , but the last year or so the memory nails me.. Hard.

I know darn well it's the reason I've become somewhat tentative when it comes to aggressive riding.

Granted it may be a comfortable pace for most here, anymore a straight up touring machine just seems more like it.

I'm not dissing the peeps that enjoy miles of twistys, but I'll be much more comfortable with something I don't feel the need to push the edge with..

Will it keep me in the saddle? I hope so..

But I dunno, maybe the memory of my incident will finally push me the same direction..

Do stick around as Doug suggested I haven't met that Art guy yet..