At 83 maybe taking a year off from riding

At 83, enjoying the heater and AC in my Chevy Spark, maybe not buying new bike this year....because too many dealer add ons, making $3000 bike cost over $5000 with tax. Maybe times get worse, things will come down.

Looked at Honda PCX 160, but 7.2 hours required to check valves----do not like taking whole scooter apart for routine maint. But this scooter would have worked for my use. Just poor design on maint. Probably after reaching valve cover once, could cut hole in cargo box to reach valve cover and design flap to get to cover for next check.....But Honda should have figured that out.

Like Honda Super Cub 125---but no accessories easily available in US, and US model comes with no luggage rack or side stand. I had C-90 in Japan and CS 90, they work and do not break.

I still have vision, including night, hearing...lucky

Old,67 years riding, over 75 new bikes/scooters, somewhere around 1.5 million miles, might be good idea to quit bikes while I am still ahead---but I enjoy riding and working on them, one rule though, old, do not buy/ride anything that you cannot pick up alone!

Maybe take a break from riding if you want to do so, but keep what you have. I have the SW and 2 Honda ST1100s now. I know them so well mechanically, I won’t part with any of them. New is nice, but these days quite expensive, and then it’s a new learning curve.

I ride only new---ride them 50,000 miles and get rid of off---saves walking. Also like riding under warranty.

Unless I have an unused miracle running around someplace my days of 2 wheels are over

Over here once you reach 70 your Driving Licence expires and you have to apply to for a new Licence. Along with answering an online questionnaire about your health and eyesight.

Your renewed Driving Licence only lasts for 3 years and if you still want to ride and drive, you have to apply for another 3 years Licence when that one expires.

Why anyone still wants to ride or keep heavy ass or old motorcycles and maxi scooters well into retirement age is a mystery to me.

But some of us have not aged so much and still like to have fun

Meldrew wrote:

Over here once you reach 70 your Driving Licence expires and you have to apply to for a new Licence. Along with answering an online questionnaire about your health and eyesight.

Your renewed Driving Licence only lasts for 3 years and if you still want to ride and drive, you have to apply for another 3 years Licence when that one expires.

Why anyone still wants to ride or keep heavy ass or old motorcycles and maxi scooters well into retirement age is a mystery to me.

Where I live you must take the eye exam each time you renew your license every 4 years. I gave up the G'Wing years ago, the S'Wing felt like a feather in comparison.

I think it’s an individualized decision- some people can safely ride well into their later 70’s and 80’s and some become rather frail/ weaker at those ages. It’s important to know one’s limitations (I think Dirty Harry said that in Magnum Force- ‘a man’s got to know his limitations’). I don’t disagree with an eye test from time to time- I had to get the ‘Real ID’ driver’s license in SC when I registered the SWing- my wife was able to get hers renewed online, I had to go to the DMV to take an eye test, which was reading one line in the little tester they had there.

I think an eye test every year or two should be requirement of having a driving license at any age.
A few years back on a drunken night a mate put my glasses on as a joke, and then said "f****ng hell I can see out of these". It turns out his vision had deteriorated over the years without him noticing.
It explained some of his near misses...

Erdoc48 wrote:

I think it’s an individualized decision- some people can safely ride well into their later 70’s and 80’s and some become rather frail/ weaker at those ages. 

That's your view as a rider under 60. Maybe you’ll retire then and naturally assume that everything goes on as normal barring ill health, and we’ll all want to ride well into our twilight years.

In another 10 years or so you'll probably think a lot differently. I have a completely different mindset now to riding from what it was before retirement. It changed again after downsizing from a Silver Wing to a Forza 300 almost four years ago. Now post-pandemic with Brexit and the way things are in the world now, riding maxi scooters is still enjoyable but way less important than it was before I hit 60.

I'm not alone either, riders I've known for years have lost their appetite for riding, or developed other interests. One has even has sold his collection of motorcycles and maxi scooters apart from one. Mainly to save his wife the burden of having to dispose of them and all the assorted junk if he passes before her.

Thankfully one maxi scooter covers my needs, although I've had a long overdue and very liberating clear out of maxi scooter related accessories and riding gear. What I've been unable to sell I've taken to charity shops, the local recycling centre, or simply binned. 

I've needlessly hung onto loads of of stuff for too long, things I should have junked years ago, and once it's gone I never give it a second thought. It's a habit I should have gotten into years ago.

So I'm with Mr Grinsel in clocking up the miles in his Chevy Spark, instead of going through the usual rigmarole of buying a new scooter, then having to source and buy all the necessary accessories to turn it into a decent tourer.

I think age changes our 2 wheel habits... First we migrate to lighter machines and in my case I find riding on the super slab (freeways) to be more stressful now. I try and stick to 2 lane roads and avoid big cities if at all possible. For now I can still lift both of my scooters. Also I find the Forza is much more fun around town due to the weight. No intentions to get rid of the Silver Wing at this time but I am sure it will have to come eventually.

>>>>I've needlessly hung onto loads of of stuff for too long, things I should have junked years ago, and once it's gone I never give it a second thought. It's a habit I should have gotten into years ago.<<<<<

A big AMEN to that.