That made me think..

[dbmg]

Matt, The more you ride the more you will experience a invasion of your space. After 26 years of riding I can not count the number of times that has happened. Its normal to wonder if riding is the right thing to do. By continually practicing and applying evasive maneuvers and continued reading of safety articles it really becomes second nature and you will get to a point that you don't even get upset with the foolishness cagers do while driving.
Hopefully the great replies here will encourage you to overcome your concerns and use it as a learning experience to make a better and more aware rider out of you.

 

[deucedog]

"You have to do what's right for you, park the bike for awhile and let the choice come to you peacefully. Remember all the fun you had on it, that may be enough for now.
Harley."

I've had a couple of those moments in the last couple of years. The same that you're having now. The advice that Harley@16 gives above is what I've been doing. I find that after about a week of walking by my bike sitting forlornly in the garage, the desire to ride returns. I'm now considering selling (next year) my Deuce and moving to a bagger. My wife is actually suggesting more and more that we go riding. This is new, she doesn't enjoy riding like I do. At least she hasn't in the past. I figure that if I get a bike that is more comfy for her bad back, then we'll do more riding.

 

[R_W_B]

Oh Mat I forgot to mention one thing that REALLY helps extend your time on this earth. I never ride in a blind spot for long, in other words it's impossible to avoid them altogether, but either slow down or move past them. They are dangerous places to ride.

Also wilks3 that's a good admission you wrote. We all need to LOOK a second time and really focus. The older I get I have looked down some roads so many times that I sometimes feel like it's routine. Trees, light poles etc can block out images if you don't really focus.

 

[Iceman24]

Mat; what's that Tim McGraw song..."Live Like you were Dying"..?? Sometimes it's almost impossible to go out on m/c & not have some type of close call. Especially nowadays w/all the distractions (cell, passengers, eating, etc.). Just gotta shake it off & take it in stride. Rising still brings out a great feeling of freedom in me & I tune out the negative world while maintaing a constant state of alertness. I'll turn 49 this weekend & been on bikes since I was old enough to ride mini-bikes. Couldn't fathom being without some type of two-wheeler & hope to keep riding as long as some of our fellow forum members...when I can't hold-up two wheels - there's always a trike...

Be safe & ride on!

 

[mat 60]

Thank you all for posting..Lots of good thoughts and after sleeping on it and reading all of what you all have said, I dont think selling the bike is a very good idea...When I think about it , because I have furniture store about 2100SF that I run witch is located at my home and I work 6 and sometimes 7 days a week so all I do is work and take small rides on on my bike after work and sometimes on sundays ..I dont have time for much ...Its hard to take time off when work is not what it should be....Im thinking Ill get a new truck when my bike is paid for....I think a light kit is a good idea...Its funny,,right after my close call I put my high beams on and will start using them for daytime riding... I gess close calls hapten to all but this was not the first one and it wont be the last.. ..Also ..Thank you all very much....One last thing....You all are good people....

 

[dbmg]

Glad you thought it through Mat. May you have many more miles of smiles as you ride!!!! :s

 

[fatbryan]

Mat i read all your post because you ride a fatboy like me lol. May i suggest you ride back roads for awhile till you start feeling more comfortable with yourself. When i was a kid i raced motocross and when i wrecked and i did, my dad was always there telling me to get back on and ride, sometimes i thought he was crazy, but with out him making me get back on, i would truelly regret not riding today. Good luck to you in what ever you decide.

 

[horizonchaser]

Totally understand everything that you have said. I feel like Redfish.
Today I needed to buy a pair of workboots. Instead of taking the cage I took the bike. Why, because then my trip to the store becomes fun. That is what does it for me. It is fun and I love it. You need to ask yourself the same question. If I too had second thoughts about my safety and seriously questioned my risk/reward motives I probably would feel like yo do. None of us want to die "out there" but we are drawn to our passion.

 

[mat 60]

Mat i read all your post because you ride a fatboy like me lol. May i suggest you ride back roads for awhile till you start feeling more comfortable with yourself. When i was a kid i raced motocross and when i wrecked and i did, my dad was always there telling me to get back on and ride, sometimes i thought he was crazy, but with out him making me get back on, i would truelly regret not riding today. Good luck to you in what ever you decide.

Hi....Im not realy uncomfortable with riding at all .After this hapten I still went for a ride to the cost and after a mile or so I never thought about it till I got home..I gess what I was thinking is one of these days I may not be able to miss it.....Now do I wish I had more miles under my belt...Yup...I only have 6,000 miles on this bike..So I am geting to see and do all kinds of new and fun stuff like ,dirt in a turn....tar snakes on the off ramp in a sharp turn..people almost running into the back of me,,oh ya, dont forget pulling into my path, and thats just the tip of the iceberg....Then thair is alot of people that just dont like bikers or thay wish thay had one....Oh here is one thing that makes me mad....you got someone in frunt of you going 45 in a 55 and you set out to pass them and you look over and thay are still next to you and your going 70 and a car is coming..Now, when driving my car I just move over aneyway and then thay can wave at me....Its different on a bike....I was kind of wondering yesterday if riding a bike is a very smart thing to do and what I came up with is NO.....but Im going to keep doing it aneyway.. Thank you all,,,now I know its all part of riding and doesnt just hapten to me..Sorry so long.

 

[Porter]

Hi....Im not realy uncomfortable with riding at all .After this hapten I still went for a ride to the cost and after a mile or so I never thought about it till I got home..I gess what I was thinking is one of these days I may not be able to miss it.....Now do I wish I had more miles under my belt...Yup...I only have 6,000 miles on this bike..So I am geting to see and do all kinds of new and fun stuff like ,dirt in a turn....tar snakes on the off ramp in a sharp turn..people almost running into the back of me,,oh ya, dont forget pulling into my path, and thats just the tip of the iceberg....Then thair is alot of people that just dont like bikers or thay wish thay had one....Oh here is one thing that makes me mad....you got someone in frunt of you going 45 in a 55 and you set out to pass them and you look over and thay are still next to you and your going 70 and a car is coming..Now, when driving my car I just move over aneyway and then thay can wave at me....Its different on a bike....I was kind of wondering yesterday if riding a bike is a very smart thing to do and what I came up with is NO.....but Im going to keep doing it aneyway.. Thank you all,,,now I know its all part of riding and doesnt just hapten to me..Sorry so long.

Riding makes me think about being alive. Period. That means ALL of it. The good and the bad. There perfect days and the close calls. EVEN if you decide to hang it up, I still say riding got you to think about what you are doing with the time you have, rather then going along like a zombie. I don't think of it in terms of winning or losing. If you stopped riding because you just had a child,for example, that is a great thing. You are then still thinking about living, just in a different way.