Age and fear

Unfortunate but it sounds like you may be over it. Can’t say I blame you either. It happens. Trying to do one of, if not the most demanding physical activities on the planet when your head isn’t in it isn’t probably the best idea. It’s one of the main reasons at 43 I still stay in shape. I love riding but it takes a ton of commitment mentally and physically. And I’m no A rider ha. Maybe get into to hitting trails to still get some seat time and scratch the itch. 

Fire goes out.  40's here.. wife, kids, mortgage.  I'm not the same person I was 20 years ago.  I think for the majority, it's normal.  

Sooner or later there’s that point in life when you realize you‘ve become a pu..y and gone soft.

I slowly switch from Moto to MTB. You still need to commit and feel good doing so, but the speeds are lower and the crashes have less consequence. 

46 here and im finding it harder to shut the brain off and easier to find excuses when it comes time to pull the trigger on the big scary ones. 

Get yourself a full suspension ebike, Im having way more fun on my ebike these days, the jumps feel just as big and as scary but the consequences are much smaller. If you haven't tried one, definitely go buy, hire or borrow one. It will definitely relight a passion and give you that feeling we all crave. 

Find a track that is vet friendly and practice, practice, practice if you love riding and it's your passion (mine) it will come back to you, riding and hitting jumps takes confidence and is supposed to be fun. Stick the electric bike idea you know where! I'm 64 and have several practice tracks that are really fun once I figure them out and sometimes follow guys to know the speed to clear jumps. My generation we never really had jumps so I didn't learn jumping until I was in my 40's. And if I have had a bad day once I hit 3rd gear I'm wondering now what was bothering me?

Get your testosterone level checked. 13 years ago I was at the point I just didn't need to launch the big stuff. Then it started to be smaller and smaller jumps. Had my free test level checked for other reasons, found it bottomed out. Body was not making hardly any. Started getting injections and got my test level up to middle of where I should be and I was right back to where I was earlier in life. Jumping bigger and bigger jumps wondering why the hell I was not hitting these months ago.

Agree with the above, find a vet track or some trails or somewhere that's so basic it almost looks boring, and just keep getting comfortable on the bike 👌

While doing that, laying off the beer and chips, keep walking or running or cycling or lifting or whatever combination of those helps you build some fitness while not feeling like it's some pain in the ass chore.

Fitness goes up, testosterone gets a lil bump, mentally and physically it'll benefit you, and that'll translate to the riding 👍

Even if you need to lay off the actual moto a little to get your ducks in a row, and you just get out on the bike now and then so it doesn't start feeling alien to you, keep watching and listening to stuff like Moto Academy / MX Factory and watching the racing and working on yourself.

That's my best advice, as an uneducated dude who's frequently been in a similar headspace you sound to be in 😂👍

turn 60 this month, hitting jumps now that I would not hit 10 years ago, still slow, still wont hit big gap doubles or big booter table tops.  I just spend whatever time it takes to work up to something I think that I should be able to do.

Lucky we have a vet friendly track nearby that is fun to ride, Ill go to the bigger tracks with my son and do 3/4 of the jumps, I'm not riding scared but like to put it in perspective that I would like to ride again next weekend ok maybe that is scared, lol!

I'm 46 & ride & race in the woods. I definitely think to much about bad stuff happening while riding nowadays. I can still go pretty fast, but it's hard to clear my mind like I could before. Once shit starts happening to fast I back it down real fast.

I turn 56 this month and I'm looking forward to the day when I'm happy just buying a trail bike and plonking along a two lane Jeep trail enjoying nature. As it is now I don't even ride my Turbo Levo without tracking it on my Garmin and Strava. 

What Garmin did you go with man?

I'm finding that stuff kind of motivating in itself.

64 here and mostly a woods rider. Didn't start riding Moto until I was 40 and it always scared the crap out of me doing the jumps but  it wasn't fun not doing them and much harder on the body. Started riding Moto again with my son and grandson last year and I really don't care that I don't do all the jumps. Woods are still my thing but being out there with my son and grandson are the important thing for me. Keeps me out of the recliner.

Just shy of 47. Think we are just more aware of the consequences now, work, mortgage and family to support etc etc.Need to have fear it’s what keeps us in touch with reality. I’m definitely not as sharp as once was and my reaction time is getting shocking… Anyway rather than taking a break or getting away from bikes which wouldn’t make me happy I recently switched from moto to a headlight bike and it has given me so many more places to ride and having more bum on seat time definitely helps with confidence. Needed that change to be honest. I also try to keep fit,watching what I eat and limiting alcohol etc. I mtb and or road cycle weekdays also. 

I tried and still ride trails since we have hundreds of them all around us, did that for several years and found it just aint my thing. Went back to Moto and just love hitting a wet dirt corner and roosting the shit out of it! I do hare scrambles and still hit some motocross races - just lining up on a start gate with a bunch of racers just gets my heart pumping! trail riding not so much

Everything in life has a season....

Old racers still race folks through the check-out line at the grocery store---and holeshot every red light... 🏁

Oh yeah, don't sell your gear---you'll be back. 😎

Gotta go to work monday itis.  
 

race offroad.  Its a bit easier and safer and you can go as fast as you want and still have fun.  

I thought the same thing until I shattered my collar bone, dislocated shoulder, broke 2 ribs and knocked myself out on my ebike last year around this time. Still trying to come back from it. The concussion was the hardest part. 

Just my watch which is a Fenix 5 Plus which is about 4 years old and due for an upgrade. I haven't got the bike computer yet but I was looking at a speed/cadence sensor.

I hear about this in ads all the time, to the point that im wondering if it is just placebo/scam? 

Patronize the tracks that know how to build safe fun jumps and work your way back to what you are confident doing. I”m 56, I do most jumps but if there is a jump I don’t feel safe doing, I just don’t do it…I see a lot of young guys doing the big booters, puffing their chest out… then their corner speed is garbage….as others have said, woods/GNCC type riding is excellent if you are over the big jumps..

Almost 67.  Motocross is as fun today as it was in August of 1972 (my first race).  However, even a small crash results in broken bones and a lengthy recovery, so I roll the doubles.  Riding a KTM 150SX keeps me from getting into too much trouble.  Lots of things have changed since 1972 but my love for motocross is not one of them.

72 here and I certianly agree with your statement - Motocross is my passion (my 1st race was in the late 60's), however the risk reward equation has to be considered.

I'm loaded up for the Old Timer Event at Washougal this weekend, yes I'm looking foward to it with caution as the key word.

Don’t worry about the jumps. Put that anxiety aside and focus on other parts of the track and fitness when you are off the track. 
two bits of advice

One I got from a local pro who won 250 class in golden state National in ‘85. If you have to think about a big jump you aren’t ready.  When you are ready it will come naturally. Now that I’m older I remember that advice and just concentrate on everything else until I’m ready. And if I’m never ready that is OK. 
 

Second was at a GSN at Saddleback in ‘83. 
I watched David Bailey roll every double in a qualifier hounding (I think it was) Jim Gibson who was clearing every one. Yes, he could have been faster jumping everything but if he had more speed in other areas and didn’t seem to worry about it. 
 

That's badass! I'm loading up for the long drive to Millville amateur day is a must do!

I have wondered this myself but I think I may rather take a dirt slam at 40 than go down a rocky, rooty, cheese grater of a trail because the front slipped. I have never ridden a mtb before but grew up park/street BMX so I'm familiar but not acquainted. What do you think about this? Am I wrong? I've never broken anything riding just soreness but i don't see that playing out on the trail.

I was never fast so not doing big jumps was never something new. I was pretty gung ho until I wadded hard at 61. 64 now and mostly dual sport and desert ride. Haven't been back on a track yet but I miss it. I keep thinking when (if) I'm completely retired and have no obligation to earn $ I'll start back with the OTMX in 5 years and race the 70 class. I miss it but I'm so paranoid to get hurt again right now racing is currently off my radar. My dual sport and Emtb has been my fix lately.  Getting older is a bitch but still better than.... not getting older.  OP my advice is do whatever you feel like you need to do and don't stress about it. So what if you slow down or have to step back a bit and be responsible, you're a lifer your desire to ride will never go away. 

Will be 55 in a few months and riding often is what keeps your skills and comfort up. If I am off the bike for a while and go to a track that I can’t do certain jumps, fuck it, I don’t do them. I don’t care what people think of me. In due time they come back, as does comfort, confidence, sense of accomplishment and most of all, fun. Ride On…

It's not fear. It's called wisdom.

Nope it isn’t.

The hardest part is finding a doctor that will work with you. I turn 50 in a couple weeks, combat veteran with PTSD and my test was 150-250 in my early 40s. I gained a lot of weight, couldn’t loose weight, lethargic, extremely exhausted all the time and around 2pm i would almost fall asleep at my desk, emotional swings all the time! The Endocrinologist are scared to do anything and all they said is it’s still “ normal levels … blah blah blah”.I found a civilian doctor that specializes in athletic performance and in a year he has me at high normal levels, I feel amazing, dropped almost 50 pounds, BP has dropped to levels i haven’t had since I was in my teens, most of my blood labs are in the optimal level now as well… if you can do it I recommend it.

57 yr old here. I don't do testosterone but once per year. Definitely not a placebo or scam if you go to a Dr like I do. I see one in Flower Mound and he does the pellet at the top of your butt cheek, instead of injections. This method is time release and lasts way longer than injections. Some of the best money I spend. Trust me when I say it will invigorate you. Only drawback I can say is within the first 60 days, your thoughts of "uhh-hem" with the women goes way up, like you're in your 20's. If you want to call that a drawback!