I dont want the game to end.

[Andrew Shadow]

A look at the "Boeing Study":

In addition to stating that it was old I should have included that I have no idea as to its accuracy or how true it is or isn't. I never researched it because it's conclusion made no difference to the planning of my future.

If it is true that it didn't come from Boeing then there is a bit of an ironic twist to how it got to me as I didn't get it off the internet. I was given this in paper form, still have it, somewhere in the mid to late ninties at a guess. It was given to me by a man who was the on-site rep and head of the area field office for a large American company for the area where I worked. The ironic part is that that company was Boeing. I wonder if he relied on it to plan his future.

 

[Sadlsor]

If 90's is 'classic' then I must be way past 'antique'!

I’m just hanging around, waiting to become prehistoric.
It’s only a matter of time.

 

[rwthomas1]

When I was in the USAF, we'd comment on how hard life was in the Air Force. Guys would retire in their forties and keel over dead a few years later. Later, I went to work at Boeing. I heard the same line, but the average age had shifted 15 years older. Guys would retire...and within 5 years be dead.

My conclusion was that for those that died early like that, they were married to their jobs. When the job left their life in retirement, they sat around waiting to die. And so they did.

Chris

You just described my father....

 

[Henry567]

I guess I'm too young to complain. Fortunately, no serious health issues (at least, I don't know about any of them and feel well).
But I have an uncle. He is 60 and he runs marathons, goes to the gym 5 times a week, decided to lose weight several months ago and he did. Btw, I'm currently trying a fasting plan that worked for him https://betterme.world/articles/40-hours-fasting/ What is more important is that he considers himself as a young man. He wants to live and does his best for that. I don't know what I'll say in 20-30 years, life is too unpredictable, but now I believe that a lot depends on our attitude. It's all in our heads.

 

[Mellow]

I guess I'm too young to complain. Fortunately, no serious health issues (at least, I don't know about any of them and feel well).
But I have an uncle. He is 60 and he runs marathons, goes to the gym 5 times a week, decided to lose weight several months ago and he did. What is more important is that he considers himself as a young man. He wants to live and does his best for that. I don't know what I'll say in 20-30 years, life is too unpredictable, but now I believe that a lot depends on our attitude. It's all in our heads.

At 36... I'd say don't start bad habits ... if you have some, stop them now, they add up over the years..

And.. put away for your retirement.. I'd be retired by now if I'd done that sooner or even more aggressively..

I'm pushing 61... good to see your uncle fighting the good fight..

 

[Uncle Phil]

I guess I'm too young to complain. Fortunately, no serious health issues (at least, I don't know about any of them and feel well).
But I have an uncle. He is 60 and he runs marathons, goes to the gym 5 times a week, decided to lose weight several months ago and he did. What is more important is that he considers himself as a young man. He wants to live and does his best for that. I don't know what I'll say in 20-30 years, life is too unpredictable, but now I believe that a lot depends on our attitude. It's all in our heads.

Figure this - Your health is like a bank account.
You make deposits and you make withdrawals and when the withdrawals exceed the balance the account is closed.
Your uncle is making lots of deposits and it is paying off.
I get up 5 days a week and lift weights, do sit-ups and walk 3 miles as I have made a lot of withdrawals over time.
It is not that it is pleasant or enjoyable but I do enjoy the 'residuals' from it (I've also been pretty active all of my life).
There are things you can do to hasten your demise and things you can do to extend your life.
Some are mental and some are physical and some are hereditary - the hereditary stuff is just the hand you are dealt.
And I am a living example of many types of 'repairs' you can have to keep rolling on!

 

[Chris09]

Not a doubt in my mind though that the bike (still primary way of getting around most days) has kept the brain younger and sharper than it would otherwise be and probably has added a few years to life.
I couldn't agree more with this point; it's only when I come home and swing a leg off any bike that I gradually clue in that I'm nearly 65.
I got my ST on my 60th birthday which was a blue moon. It was and remains the bike of my dreams. At the time, I thought this is pretty stupid.
My Dentist told me, "well, if you enjoy it, and it makes you feel young..."

 

[Larry Fine]

My Dentist told me, "well, if you enjoy it, and it makes you feel young..."

Amen!

 

[Daboo]

When I started riding again, I started out with scooters. First a Kymco Bet&Win 250. Then 11 months later when I found I'd be commuting on the freeway, a Suzuki Burgman 400. As much as I loved riding it and thought it was the best bike made...I realized that I was getting older but had not reached the age yet when most riders move to maxi-scooters. And I was getting arthritis in my hands, especially my left hand, and the docs said I had arthritis in my hips too.

On a scooter, there is no clutch, so your left hand...the one that was bothering me the most...is used for the rear brake. It got very little use. And the step-through area in front of the seat doesn't require much movement of the hips. I decided to buy a "real" motorcycle before my body got so old, I had no choice but to ride a scooter.

It didn't take long before I realized my arthritis was going away. How many times on a 70 mile commute do you shift? I don't know, but you do it without thinking about it. And stretching to swing your leg over the seat instead of in front of it helps keep up the range of motion. Stopping and putting both short legs down on the ground also helps with the arthritis.

And then I bought the BMW F800GT. The clutch...oh my gosh! It was so stiff! At first, it took everything I had to get through stop-n-go traffic with it. But eventually, the hand strengthened to the point where it was no big deal.

And then there's the mental side of things. We make decisions every second on the road. The surface changes constantly. Our line in corners changes constantly...unless we live in Kansas where it is flat and the roads between the wheat fields are straight as an arrow. I was riding with a group of Concours owners over a pass in Utah. We hit a thunderstorm and a lot of hail. The rider in front of me lost it in the turn. The riders in front of him kept going. I stopped to block traffic till we could check him out and get his bike upright again. How many decisions did I have to make just then?

I'll keep riding till I can't. And then I'll buy a Porsche and see how many tickets I can get.

Chris

 

[Nashcat]

A lot has happened in the last month. I turned 74, and I had a hip replaced. It was a terrifying experience….the birthday, not the hip. The hip was a piece of cake.

I had reached the point where my hip was keeping me from riding. The sidecar helped with the weight, but the sitting position was unbearable. So, only a week ago, I had the left hip replaced. Yesterday, I quit using the cane, as the 30 yard walk to the mailbox is doable, unaided. I’ll probably get the other hip scheduled for late February. If it goes as well as the first, I’ll be riding by April or May.

I got my first ST1300 in Nov 2011 and I feel that I’ve experienced more in the last 13 years, that I did in the preceding 60, and I ain’t done yet.

My secret for the speedy hip recovery? If you live alone, and there’s nobody to whine to, you just get up and “Git’r done”.

John

 

[Chris09]

I got my first ST1300 in Nov 2011 and I feel that I’ve experienced more in the last 13 years, that I did in the preceding 60, and I ain’t done yet.

This reminds me of the years that I didn't have a bike, and there were too many.

 

[Lee T]

I am on the cusp of becoming 64, just another few weeks and then I´ll be singing...:

"When I get older losing my hair
Many years from now
Will you still be sending me a Valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine."

Well the getting older has happened and now here I am. Recently over the last few years I have noticed that I hurt after rinding, knees for one, but who needs knees on a bike? More worrying is the thumb saddle on both hands. Arthritis is showing me my limits and when you get off the bike and cant open your hands then I start to wonder how it will be in a few years
I have tried to polster the grips but find it uncomfortable after a few km´s. Best would be a way to have my hands on the bars without gripping but I don´t know how to do that.
Am I really looking at the end of the road if I can´t find a solution?

I already turned 64.

Have you ever tried solid copper bracelets? I would never have believed something like that would work, but a good friend who was special forces back in the day, and is a very serious, sober, not prone to BS, kinda guy introduced me to them about 5 years ago. My hands were really getting stiff. two weeks after starting wearing the bracelet he made for me, which I did mostly out of respect for my friend, not expecting it to work, I noticed my hands felt better than they had in a while. At one point the latch broke, and I just didn't get around to fixing it for a while. After two weeks or so I noticed my hands were getting bad again. I currently wear two of them, and have no problem riding, swinging a hammer, or any of those other manual labor things. I made a set for my older brother last fall. He's a farmer, and was getting so bad that he said "I can't go on like this." He tried the bracelets and told me the other day he feels better than he has for the last two years.

I don't believe in gimmicks, and I didn't believe in the copper either, at first. Now I swear by them. You do have to really commit though. 24/7/265, never take it off.

 

[Daboo]

You guys are young pups...

Chris

Edited: You give me a good chuckle. 64? I rode about 10,000 miles that summer. The thought of the game ending wasn't even in the back of my mind. I'm planning right now, boxing out dates for a rally in Idaho in April, another in Northern California in May, another in New Mexico in June, plus the "Longest Day" ride in Washington. Something probably in July. Then two others in August going into California and North Central Oregon. Now is the time to start getting the bike ready...and yourself.

 

[Slammer]

You just described my father....

Mine too. Four years into retirement making plans to do something and anything regardless how stupid.
Just keeled over one fine day.

 

[the Ferret]

I passed 64 a decade ago. Yes, sometimes things hurt. Knees, back, thumb joints, sit bones. Some med issues means I take a few pills now to stave off the real dire things. Basically done real long distance riding (not riding to Maine, or Florida or California these days) and just doing day rides for the most part and a couple short non freeway tours usually. I traded my FJR in on an NC 750 DCT in 2021. At first, I thought I made a mistake. Missed big power, big brakes, cruise, giant wind protection and huge luggage capacity, but have learned in the last 3 years and 51,000 miles I don't need all that anymore. The DCT is absolutely brilliant, and pushing a sub 500 pound motorcycle around instead of a 600-700 pound one is a god send for me. I've averaged riding 305 days and 22,371 miles a year for the last 10 years. Today will be day 263 of riding for me this year with 76 days left in the year for a possible 339 days of riding, but I will probably only make about 18,000 miles this year since I didn't take my usual two yearly tours this year.

We do what we have to do to keep on riding.

You'll figure a way, if the desire is strong enough

as a follow up to my October of last year post above, I ended up riding 335 days and 18,577 miles in 2024. Upping my days ridden average but lowering my yearly mileage average.

As of July last year, I had ballooned up to 195 pounds on a 5'5" frame. Decided to lose weight, thru better and controlled eating. Had my yearly cardiologist appt two weeks ago. When I saw him in Feb of 2024 I was at 190. This year I was down to 173. (as of yesterday morning, I'm down to 168). He was thrilled with the weight loss. Blood pressure was 126/66 which made him happy as well. He did a 12 lead ekg which was good. I again asked him if I could get off the 81 mg aspirin (which they say once your over 70 can cause stomach bleeding etc) he said NO! lol. I also have to keep taking the blood pressure and cholesterol meds he prescribes. He said all is good, see you next year! So, I am happy lol. The arthritis in my thumb joints is still pretty bad, and I just got mono-visque injections in both knees for arthritis in those joints. But other than that, I'm still feeling pretty good. Even my eyesight has improved the last 2 years. My prescriptions have actually gotten weaker, and I'm no longer chained to the glasses than I've had to wear for the last 35 years.

In 85 days, I turn 75. I've mentioned on here before, no male in my family has ever made it past 78. The last few years, that has weighed on my mind. Are my really down to less than 5 years left? I'm doing what I can to be the first over 78. Don't smoke, don't drink, don't do drugs that aren't prescribed by my doctors. Trying to eat better. Getting "a little" exercise (wish I would do more.... going to have to work on that).

I'm still riding every day that I can (today Feb 22, will be day 34 of riding so far this year ...we've had a very snowy winter). My goal for 2025, as always, is 300 days and 20,000 miles. Riding gives me purpose. Something to look forward to every day. A reason to wake up and get going. Some guys work in their shop, some fish, I ride...and go to grandkids sporting events lol

I'd like to think it's never too late to make the changes in your life, necessary, to make your life better. The hard part is just getting started.

 

[Valker]

You guys are young pups...

Chris

Edited: You give me a good chuckle. 64? I rode about 10,000 miles that summer. The thought of the game ending wasn't even in the back of my mind. I'm planning right now, boxing out dates for a rally in Idaho in April, another in Northern California in May, another in New Mexico in June, plus the "Longest Day" ride in Washington. Something probably in July. Then two others in August going into California and North Central Oregon. Now is the time to start getting the bike ready...and yourself.

I turned 70 last year. To celebrate I rode my Valkyrie to Alaska and back in June, spent much of October and November riding east of the Mississippi (way too many people), etc. All told, I rode my bikes 30,000 miles in 2024 and drove another 20,000 in my Ridgeline and convertible. I just (two weeks ago) had a spinal fusion surgery (my second) which has me on weight restrictions that I will attempt to follow. I will break in the vertebra stuff on a trip to Arkansas in April and a Pacific NW tour and home through MT and WY in June.
I usually do several dozen shorter trips every year. Shorter being around 1000 miles or so. I plan on fully living until I'm fully dead.