When is it time to call it?

Till I can't balance no more and need a quad hopefully not till I'm 80. 

Feeling my spine tingle from my tailbone to the base of my neck was enough for me, 32 yrs. in the saddle.

I’m 22. One of my knees is so blown out with no ACL and worn down i’m on the verge of a knee replacement according to my ortho. I’m not stopping anytime soon. This sport is all that i’ve ever wanted to do since i was 6 years old watching Kailub Russell blast through the trees at ironman. Sure the injury’s suck, things are expensive, and you get beat most of the time, but there ain’t nothing better than meeting new friends from going to the races every weekend. Riding bikes is about the only thing that brings myself absolute enjoyment, and it will be that way all the way into the super senior class for myself. 

28 here, right knee is starting to give me some issues. Actually it kind of has the last couple years but especially know. And I just don’t give a shit. I don’t care if my entire body hurts. I love it so much. Ima do this until I die. I’d say a lot of us feel this way.

The people I meet, the memories made, in the end I’ll be looking back with a smile.
 

I've hung up the race boots this year. I wanted to finish out the season but with 3 race meets to go I took a trip over the bars resulting in 3 broken ribs, lacerated liver and separated AC joint in my shoulder.

For me it was the risk I was having to take to compete with the guys around me. I ride vet expert and the commitment with training and riding on top of work was getting too much. When my 12 year old called me in tears as they left the hospital it got me thinking, when my 14 year old called me a couple hours later upset it really had me thinking.

Now that the injuries have healed I'm ready to get back on the bike and honestly if I worked for someone who was ok if I rang up and said I'm injured and I'm gonna need a few weeks off work I would probably keep racing. As it stands though, I have a physical job and am a sole trader so injuries cost me way too much money.

I'll still ride for fun and take the kids to the race meets but my days of racing are done

I had to have my foot amputated last May. after a few moto injuries. I thought that would ultimately be it for riding. 4 months later, I was back on the bike. In 9 or 10 months after surgery I raced day in the dirt. Raced some Florida gold cups and even racing mini os this year. I think for me, when I no longer feel like I have control over the bike is when I’ll hang it up

I guess when I can't lift my leg over the seat?

I've felt excruciating pain on several occasions. Shoulder, ribs, knee, and a couple surgeries to go with them. The knee was mentally the toughest to deal with... Made life feel like a black hole for a year.

I turn 40 in January and I'm the fastest I've ever been on a bike. I'm going to keep pushing it until I can't. It is a stupid sport, really, but damn it there's nothing like it.

When the wheels fall off… 

No seriously, I wasn’t allowed to ride until later in life so I plan to continue to ride til later in life.  Been at it 35 years and don’t plan to stop til the bod can’t handle it.  When that is, who knows.  I’m struggling with watching an uncle slowly let it go cause his body just can’t handle it anymore. Back and knees especially and it sucks because he loves it.  The brain still says yes but body says no. 

Never!

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor??????

Don't call it, just go vintage racing.

65 years old, can't seem to put it away. I'v broken bones from head to toe, and usually back on the bike when healed up. Spending more time off-roading, but still hit the moto track. Hmmm... when will I hang it up? Maybe when I can no longer throw my leg over the seat, or my balance is so bad I fall over in the parking lot. When it's in your blood, there's really no escaping it.

Gave up racing motocross a couple decades ago. But still continued to ride. Had many injuries over the years, but with some lingering neck and back pain from it and a very labor intensive job with lots of heavy equipment, it has taken its toll. 
I haven’t ridden in 6 months and only a handful of single track days this year. My track days have been over for a while now. 58 years old, with a 68 year old broken body. 
I’ve been pedaling my MTB a bit, trying to keep my blood moving. Nothing but mellow dirt paths and local bike paths. The neck doesn’t like the angle of my head when riding, I may have to get a different bicycle to be able to enjoy it. Nerve pain is the worst pain I’ve ever had, no comparison. 

the only correct answer is when your not having fun anymore. 

This sport isn’t worth the risk if you aren’t having fun 80% of the time you ride.

Like anything else, when it's affecting your day-to-day life negatively you probably shouldn't do it anymore. I'm not going to take out multiple mortgages on my house for my kid to get 20th at LL.

56 here.  Started at 10.  Raced a bit and my last race was at Mammoth in 14. Hit the big pine on the start, with my head. Concussion.  That stopped the racing.  

I ride with my son every two weeks, like clock work.  We throw in a private LACR rental day once a month.  I only ride tracks and mainly stick to vet tracks, and ride at 75%.  Luckily ive never been much of a crasher so, im comfortable at a decent pace.  Unless the big get off comes, im not stopping. The time with my boy is precious and im fully aware how nice it is to be in his ozone.  At 23 he likes hanging with dad still.  Im a lucky bastard.  I still ride my MTB and road bike and feel good, little pain in my daily life.  Every now and then my back hurts but its usually a work related passing thing.

That is a great summation of motorcycling in general. When it stops being fun enough, the risk is no longer worth it.

I was living in SoCal when I gave up MX. I was spending more time prepping my bike and driving to the tracks than actually riding the damn thing. I switched over to street bikes and found another tribe to ride with and the thrill was back. And so was risk at a different level, but the fun outweighs it.

Two more decades passed and now I’m riding way less. Some of my riding buddies have already tapped out, and my Kawasaki mostly sits under a dust cover waiting for me. I’m not ready to sell it yet; I can’t see myself without a bike. I only ride when I’m “feeling it,” because bad things happen fast on the street when you ride distracted. But I wonder if I will have to think about three wheels in another 10 years…

32 and just about to have my first kid. I'm expecting to have 2025 off, might get out once or twice if I'm feeling it.

But no plans on packing it in!

For me, it’s all about minimizing risk. I don’t race anymore, and try to ride tracks when they are empty. I’m sure a serious injury would stop me from riding for a while, but I’d probably get back on the bike sooner or later. The biggest reason I’m afraid of an injury is because I wouldn’t be able to ride anymore. By stopping riding, I’m guaranteeing my biggest fear. 

54, knees, shoulders, and right hip are shot. I have to stand on my bike stand to throw a leg over my mx bike. I don't ride much anymore but I still love it when I do. Also I have a RC51 that I ride on the street, hands go numb while riding, but I'll take a sport bike over a cruiser any day.

Im 56 and my body cant handle moto or training anymore, and my kids lost interest long ago.  So I sold or gave away everything moto related.  Regular life is depressing for me.  I now do trackdays on a superbike.  There are no bumps so my old body can handle it.  It keeps me kinda sane.  

I still ride, but scaled back speed and expectations.  I'm 56 now and being able to still get out there is good enough for me.

This was it for me . I started thinking about getting hurt more than just putting in hard laps and getting everything together and loading up became a chore . I thought to myself,  why am I still doing this? I gave it up and really don't miss it . Still a fan of the sport though. 

Easy question, quit if it's not fun.  

57, been 100% committed to training and riding/ racing for most of my life…after a few hard crash”s in the last 2 years with multiple injuries , my body is finally saying no more…..I need a knee replacement and have lower back issues from time to time. I still love to train, Mtn Bike, road cycling, lite weights ect. But its getting harder to keep at it. Going for knee injections this week, hopefully that will kick the TKR down the road a year or 2. All I really need is a good sand woods track…Nothing will replace Mx riding, I get depressed thinking about when the day comes that I have to retire from riding….I don’t know how guys walk away from this… My family thinks I”m insane, I should be golfing and going to car shows with all the other old guys……no thanks…

Like looking in a mirror except I'm 66. 

I read all your posts.  Every one I can relate to. Im 56. In June this year I came up way short on a huge gap jump at an old timers race. Ruptured both achilles and tore up my left shoulder.  No rotator cuff left. Ive told my family I quit racing. Waiting for a shoulder replacement.  Unfortunately the axillary nerve isn't working. If it doesn't recover then I will get a shoulder fusion. I've been contemplating my riding future alot since the day after the injury.  There are moments when I feel I won't be able to quit. Ultimately the outcome of my shoulder will determine my riding future.

I’m 59, way back in my 30s I decided that I didn’t care about being a fast guy (much..). I race 2-3 times a year, ride when I feel like it and only do it when it’s feeling right. My thoughts 25 years ago was that if I slowed down a little bit every year, I could ride a lot longer, and so far it’s working. I’m hoping to make it past 70 but I’ll take whatever I get. My body hurts, but I don’t think it’s worse than most people at 60, and I had a lot more fun than most!

Most races I run I’ll roll up to the start telling myself “let everyone go, then take off and chase them”. But then I’ll think “just go, and see if I get a good jump, and back off when the pack tightens up”. The last few races turned into a “I just gotta pull this guy a little more and I’ll have the lead through the first turn”, the last two I pulled several lengths on the pack and led the first lap. Then reality sets in and I start getting passed, because you gotta respect the awesome talent in the 50+ novice class, lol!

My intention is to be on a fun and safe MX track at 80 plus! I'm 73 and still gettting after it. My injury list is long and it's certainly not a badge of honor! This is a risky sport and the penalty for an error is high. I still will jump some big gaps with the proper approach. I will not jump a series of gaps or even tables anymore as I cannot muster the courage to process and time all of them. Washougal is a good track as there is really not a lot of do or die jumps. Boise is another good track for not having do or die jumps. I've paid for an event or a practice and realized that I was not comfortable after 1 lap and loaded back up. I really enjoy offroad type tracks that are several miles long. I just want to ride my dirt cycle and have fun. No ego needs, to be the top dog anymore. A win is loading up and heading home with a smile on my face and dog tired😀

Thiis thread is interesting to read. Just hit 60 and worked this passed year to get back in what I would consider pretty solid shape.

I tell myself more practice days than racing in 2025 then I see the new OTHG schedule and see races at Glen Helen, Hangtown and the Oatfield.

I’m banged up a bit from a crash a few weeks back but I’m Racing this weekend.

My  local track flipped the track and it’s not for me. 
I’ll drive a bit and go to club Moto or PC.

It will end but I plan on being on the gate into my 70s
 

I've been wondering about this as well. I haven't raced much since 2008, but every time I do, it's fun. The last time I had a big crash really made me stop and think, though. I'm still reeling from that one and it's been 2 years now. I'm 53 and not getting any younger, apparently.

I won my most recent race, including a wire-to-wire, killer holeshot second moto. It was on my 50th birthday. Maybe that's a good way to cap off a Motocross career.