Have motorcycles ruined you??

[johnmark101]

Well, have they?  When you are not riding are you thinking about riding?  Do you purposely avoid spending money on other things just to have more disposable cash for parts, upgrades and road trips?  When you close your eyes at night before falling asleep, do you have thoughts about sunny warm days and fantastic twisty roads.  Are most if not all of your best friends motorcyclists who share your obsession?  Would you rather be on your bike than taking a vacation to the beach or some other place you have never seen?  Is riding your motorcycle the one thing you would rather do than anything else?

It's pretty bad. 

[betoney]

@johnmark101 - I completely agree with 100% of what you said.  It is a sickness and obsession that has consumed me since I was 8 y/o on my first dirt bike - 45 year now and its even more consuming than ever. 

I'm at a point where there is absolutely noting left that I want or need to buy for my bike 😲 so now my bike expenditures are purely routine maintenance, money is now allocated for tires and yearly road trips.  And agree with you, my idea of vacation is a road trip through the Rocky Mountains or Northern California vs. laying on the beach of some exotic island.

This time of year kills me with bad weather and seasonal road closures in the mountains, dreaming of sunny days...😎👍

[keithu]

Honest answer: not entirely. I still enjoy and even look forward to non-motorcycling vacations. And I will periodically forgo riding to focus on other hobbies, in particular woodworking and hunting.

But it does seem that I don't have room in my life for both bicycles and motorcycles. I got into bicycling hardcore in 2005, to the point where I quit motorcycling altogether and didn't even own one from 2008-2015. But since I got another motorcycle in 2015 my poor bicycles mostly collect dust.

I guess I'm fickle.

[littlebruv]

Getting out on the bike and having a great ride clears all the cobwebs from the brain after a shit week at work

[betoney]

2 minutes ago, littlebruv said:

Getting out on the bike and having a great ride clears all the cobwebs from the brain after a shit week at work

Agreed, I always feel better after a good ride, guess that's why it is called "Two Wheel Therapy". 

[littlebruv]

1 minute ago, betoney said:

Agreed, I always feel better after a good ride, guess that's why it is called "Two Wheel Therapy". 

Therapy is an excellent word to use when riding on 2 wheels, best psychotherapy ever

[micah2074]

I’m way past gone. I ride around 20k a year with a cross country trip or two a year. I have the greatest job in the world and the most wonderful family that always comes first.  With that being said, retirement can’t get here soon enough (hopefully in 15 years). Then I’ll really be able to put some miles in. 

[johnmark101]

I agree with the whole two wheeled therapy idea.  Riding the bike really clears the mind of everything else as you are focused on your safety and simultaneously feeling the joy of tossing the bike back and forth on your favorite stretch of winding road.  I was fortunate enough to be able to retire at age 56 and if it would not end up putting me in divorce court, beyond my few trips to the fitness center each week all my waking hours would be spent in some way riding, washing or working on my motorcycles...…..mostly riding.

We are remodeling the house over the winter and I cringe at the cost when I think of the other bikes I could have along side my Tracer.

Love taking trips with the wife but after a few days I am already thinking about where I will ride when I get home.

[draco_1967]

I love being on two wheels, and I love riding to places I've never seen. There is no better way to see the world. 

[dazzler24]

16 hours ago, johnmark101 said:

Well, have they?  When you are not riding are you thinking about riding?  Do you purposely avoid spending money on other things just to have more disposable cash for parts, upgrades and road trips?  When you close your eyes at night before falling asleep, do you have thoughts about sunny warm days and fantastic twisty roads.  Are most if not all of your best friends motorcyclists who share your obsession?  Would you rather be on your bike than taking a vacation to the beach or some other place you have never seen?  Is riding your motorcycle the one thing you would rather do than anything else?

It's pretty bad. 

When I read this, I actually realised that this is me!!  While I'm not totally obsessed, I do feel 'better' after I return from a ride.  Sometimes when I head for home, I ride past and end up doing a few more 'laps' to nowhere in particular just because I don't want to end the enjoyment.

Hmmm... maybe I need some psychotherapy!?  I know, a bike ride will make me feel better! 😜

[jdavis]

Im ex military with a few carry over problems, I find when the night turns to shit, a ride usually fixes it.

[Dave76]

Not really, I have other hobbies/pastimes that I do. I'm a fair weather rider anyway, living in the UK that means the bikes parked up in the garage a lot anyway. It has however ruined cars for me. Always used to be a car guy but since getting into bikes, cars just seem so boring. 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Dave76

[norcal616]

Not really... I like my motorcycles, but I got a few hobbies that also fill the same peace of mind I get riding my motorcycles... lately the past few years I have been playing with turbo street cars/trucks after spending a good 10yrs or so playing with nitrous motors... now I got a new toy that I'm itching to play with, a FT-07(turbo version of the FZ-07 🤪) ...I am also lucky my job along with my hobbies mesh well together, I can apply knowledge/skills from my job to my hobbies and vice versa...

[stumpy]

When I brought this home to join my FJ in the garage,  it almost ruined my relationship....my wife just doesn't understand us boys.  Mind you, she would really like a new Triumph Speed Twin  to add to her Versys. So maybe she's getting a bit warped herself

[Wintersdark]

On 2/4/2020 at 5:59 AM, johnmark101 said:

Well, have they?  When you are not riding are you thinking about riding?  Do you purposely avoid spending money on other things just to have more disposable cash for parts, upgrades and road trips?  When you close your eyes at night before falling asleep, do you have thoughts about sunny warm days and fantastic twisty roads.  Are most if not all of your best friends motorcyclists who share your obsession?  Would you rather be on your bike than taking a vacation to the beach or some other place you have never seen?  Is riding your motorcycle the one thing you would rather do than anything else?

It's pretty bad. 

Well, I'd say they've made me who I am.  I've been an avid motorcyclist my whole life, and deeply resent any time I'm forced to drive my wife's Jeep around.  I'd sooner ride to work at -20 in the snow.  It's cost me - a few major motorcycle accidents that were not much fun at all.  Some really unpleasant incidents, too, like severe hypothermia after hours without appropriate gear in 9C rain - but they had no effect.  Still desperately love riding.  Don't even care what sort of bike.  Give me a Grom, an R1, a Harley, my Tracer, doesn't matter, I'll have a blast.

It's kind of tough for me, as there's very few people around with the same level of obsession - or to be honest, any obsession at all.  I work with a bunch of guys who do like 3000km per year (most of that on a single group motorcycle trip) but otherwise just leave their bikes at home.  Hell, guy last year couldn't go on the trip, and didn't take his bike out once that year.  Not once!   I literally cannot comprehend not riding when you actually own a bike.  So many people who just own bikes as an accessory, a neat thing to have in their garage.  Just seems like madness.