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Regardless, I knew I'd feel differently as soon as I started feeling better, so while I was down I bought another bike, even if it was just going to be something to look at.. But the more comfortable I get walking and riding a bicycle.. the more I think about riding my RMs,
I don't think you can ever find a substitute for riding/racing dirt bikes. I tried 10 years ago when I raced cars weekly. It wasn't even close to giving me what Moto did.
Good luck.. Soon you'll forget the injury, you'll only remember the good days, and you'll be back out there doing what satisfies you most. Riding that damn dirt bike.
As for the kids, well, I made dirt bikes available to my son, but didn't push it on him. He didn't end up showing the interest and he did his own thing. and thats fine with me.
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-there is life after moto. I won't lie, I got a bit emotional watching our bikes leave in someone else's truck, knowing they weren't being replaced with something else. But I knew that if I REALLY regretted it, I could get another some day.
-keep your gear! I kept all my gear. I will be outdated if I start again, but I won't have to buy boots, braces or any clothing goggles etc, making getting back in much cheaper.
-for me, jumps, berms etc were great, but the best part of moto was the fact that it required so much concentration that you physically couldn't worry about the BS of daily life. I had always wanted to fly, so I went and got my pilot's certificate. It fills this void as it also requires said concentration. Nothing will replace letting her rip on a big table, double or triple, but this comes close.
-I don't miss having more time with the fam (weren't that interested in the bikes) and to do other things. I tore my bikes down to the roller (with engine still in) every ride. This amounted to three days (tear down, clean, and reassemble) plus gear every week. I was never a wash and call it good guy.
-I don't miss hurting for two days after riding.
-good bad or indifferent, I wouldn't change a thing about my time riding and racing. The time spent with my dad sharing a sport that so few try was a once in a lifetime experience. Having a dad that rode moto into his 60's is awesome in my book.
I still follow moto and there are certainly times I miss the sport. But it's not the "I can't find anything to replace it" mentality I used to have. And I still have an XR250, so if I really need a motorcycle fix I could trail ride it. The nice thing with a stock XR is that it is so slow with such soft suspension that I really can't push things much.
Good luck in your decision.
Throughout my entire riding “career” (beginning in 1988 @ age 14), I’d never had any serious injuries. I was always super careful, didn’t have a steep learning curve, and felt I rode smart.
But then I turned 40 and had a couple of bad injuries. The first one kept me off the bike for about 4 months. ER visit, bone reconstruction, lost time at work, needed to get driven around places, etc. I chalked it up to just a freak deal.
Eleven and a half months later, I jacked myself up again. Surgery, three pins, had to go on disability (3 months), no driving, weeks on end spent going from bed to bathroom and back.
That one shook me up. Both injuries will have lasting effects, which will worsen as I continue to age. The hardest part was the realization that my riding is only going to get worse from here on out. My eyesight isn’t what it used to be. My strength isn’t what it was. My reaction time is worse too. In a way, I am becoming more susceptible to injury. Meanwhile, the stakes are growing (responsibilities, etc).
But it’s not just that. It’s how the injuries affected my family. At the time, the only people available to help get me home and collect my stuff were my parents. I’m a parent too and it was embarrassing to think how my 70+ year old parents must’ve felt to have to collect their banged up 41 year old son. They don’t need that kind of stress and anxiety. Then having to explain to my son why I wasn’t going to see him for Christmas (doctor said no flight in cast with pins)…I was ashamed of myself.
I’m not planning to quit cold turkey, but I know my “moto life” will never be what it was a couple of years ago. I don’t want to put my family through any more of my injuries. I’m backing it way down. Seriously thinking about selling the MX bike and sticking to trail riding. Exploring other alternatives as well. I gotta make sure I stay safe, man.
I'm 57, took a hard hit a few years ago and have stepped away from competition MX. I do hit the ride days for sure, but no more actual race conditions.
It's just to far inside of me...
Honestly, as much as I enjoy racing, and I still feel like I am getting better-fundamentally-at riding a dirt bike, and I have no intention of stopping any time soon...I do look forward to the day when the 450 is replaced by a BMW GS or a KTM 990...and rather than pounding whoops, I'm exploring the back country with my buddies and camping and taking dirt roads and trails from one small town to the next for gas and food (I'm not sure how feasible this would be on the east coast...but out west, its incredible).
I also have plans to pick up a trials bike...probably sooner than later...just because it looks so dang fun, and hard, and slow (so less chance of injury).
Anyway, dirt bike will always be a part of my life-in some capacity-so long as I'm able to twist the throttle...I have no ego in the sense that if I'm not charging and racing and progressing I can't have any fun...the dirt bike world is a great big and diverse world...so I look forward to the future phases of my dirt biking life.
Just my .02 on the topic.
I got busted up quite a few times, like every metatarsel bone in my left foot. (which now has a hump to it even after the surgery and cast). And 10 years ago I blew my right knee, and have 2 cadaver ligaments (PCL and MCL), that required extensive rehab, and a 2nd scope surgery 2 years later.
But at my current age of 50, about 1 month ago, I spent my 4th of July weekend and week in the hospital with a lacerated and collapsed lung. The suction took awhile, so I ended up being there 6 day's, and 5 nights. Just got the bill 2 days ago. $36,000.00 .
Thank God for insurance. I been to the track twice since this accident, and feel good. Just did a lot of bike riding in between to get in cardio.
I haven't raced since 2005, and this may be my last year. Not sure.
Not because it has to be, and not because of an injury. Just because its getting close in my heart that's all.
I don't need the money, so I'll keep my bike, drain the oil, coolant, fuel, etc and make a display with it and all my plastic trophies in the house some where.
I love moto, and its so hard to decide when and if, its time to move on.
But the deal is, you gotta learn how ride and race within your limits and face the reality that as you get older, your limits are lower. Learn to throttle back and think more. You still gotta stay in shape, too! Incidentally, the other day I went out just trail riding. Just cruising around. I had forgotten how much fun it is just to go ride around in the hills! It was the most fun I've had going slow in a long time!! Total blast.
48yrs old here. I've lived , breathed , ate and almost died for this sport in the 35yrs I've been doing it. Took some long breaks ( usually after the injuries ). After taking 6yrs off , from 2005 - 2011....I got myself a bike and started riding again. So far I've only ridden practice days at most of the NW tracks around here. I haven't raced , mainly because I'm still a little screwed up inside my head from my last wreck. I " want to ".....and plan to race a couple here soon.
I simply love everything there is about the sport....except the injuries. I'll keep riding , until I can't , or get tired of being hurt. I don't know if I have one more year , or 10 more years left in me....but if I can physically throw my leg over my bike and ride safely , I see no reason to stop.
I've done a lot of other things in my times off , but never found anything that quite filled the hole that MX does. I mean seriously....what other activity can we all do that gives you the physical workout , puts the fear of God in you every now and then , acts as a glue to connect you and all your friends together and is this much fun? What else could possibly do all those things at once like what this sport does?
If it's out there , I haven't found it.
Im 46, and have had the itch to try to qualify for Lorettas for a few years, but bad knees (chondromalacia) have almost made that idea impossible,( I only get a few laps in before its too painful) so I have also been thinking of ways to stick with moto, but reduce the impact.
What do non-riders do on the weekends? I feel like a real-life version of that Honda commercial where the guy is folding laundry in his helmet.
There are other things to fill that void we get while riding, but it still puts us in that danger zone. For example surfing is super fun, but I don't feel on the edge until the waves are bigger. Mountain biking is great, but when you are pushing it's not much different than a moto bike.
The biggest thing i've realized about myself after reading this conversation is that take away after a day riding the track, trails or the hills here in So Cal, it's that everything in my brain gets washed out for that 2-3 hour window. I don't think about the bills, the workload on my desk or the chores around the house. As cliche' as it sounds, it's true for me. I enjoy that moment of a clear head more than trying to get an adrenaline jolt.
but im back into a little more and its a hard uphill battle, mentally and physically. fitness is down and injury is in the back of my head which plays into how i ride, but how i ride is not satisfying.
If you're going to do. DO IT. dont try to have one foot in because not being ready will only increase chances for crashes.
if your only going to do it a bit just be out with the kiddos get a crf150
Pit Row
The thing that bothers me is when I crash I truthfully was not pushing any limits. I was riding comfortable, lost the front end, got that back and then the back went. It Whipped right back high-side style while I was traveling off of a step down. It's the freak thing that just happens that literally has me questioning it.
And you're right, there is nothing that clears the mind like riding. I just don't want to cause any stress for my family. They are super supportive in either decision I make, I just don't want to put them in a bad spot.
I really appreciate your posts. Looking into my decision and how I will proceed will take all of your information into account. It seems most of the time I've had a bad crash it has been jump or air time related. Not that it can't happen crashing into a tree off into rocks. I may stay away from tracks for awhile and just cruise the woods. My kids are starting to get into riding now. I won't be going very fast following them around. That's kind of where I'm at.
For me....my story may ring true for certain guys here. In 05' when I had the worst wreck of my life , I was 37 years old. It was from no mistake of my own , as another rider snuck out onto the track during a practice , went backwards and we hit head on....both 2nd gear wide open. It destroyed both bikes and landed me in the hospital for a little over 3 weeks. First 5 days in ICU. Double punctured lungs and about 30 broken bones , and almost losing my life....made me walk away from this sport forever...at least that's what I thought.
I was on a mission after that wreck to get into better shape than I was before the wreck. And still to this day , I would probably still be out of this sport if it wasn't for my buddy Wardy who basically bought me a bike to get me back into it again after 6yrs off.
I've had a few spills since I came back , but I'm thankful I came back and have tried to work out the demon's the best way I could. Mentally....that wreck damaged me in ways I wasn't prepared for. I went through the first couple years with some sort of " shell shock "......dreaming of riding and always seeing a red front fender coming at me and it would startle me bad enough , that I never thought I'd ride again.
But I got past that part. I get a little more comfortable every time I ride again , and I'm not always looking around wanting to know where everyone else is at on the track. I'm glad to be back.
I have also noticed in the last few years if I don't train of the bike, I don't have as much fun on the bike..
Others have said it, you have to know your "current" limitations. I'm a firm believer that you can always be in better shape and be better at what ever craft you are putting time, effort and money into.
How on earth can anyone give this up anyway? Like OP says, NOTHING compares to riding.
Riding dirt bikes, now more than ever, is my therapy, it takes my mind off the world...it is just fun!
I hate for anyone to stop riding because they feel "unsafe"...just take more calculated risks, focus on progression in other areas (for me its technique and bike control that I work on so I still feel I'm progressing), and get out and have fun.
Being a vet rider rocks!
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