Motorbikes and a troubled concience

[alex2006]

Hello folks,

long time no speak. does anyone out there ever have the "should I sell my bike 'coz everyone keeps telling me how dangerous it is and I'm bound to get killed if not paralysed eventually" fear?
I'm only writing this as it's been happening to me latley. Perhaps Fatherhood does that to you. But it' seems that more and more people I know have started making comments like "you're a Father now, you have responsibilities" and "you ride a motorbike, you're mad!"
All this chatter has made me a bit uncomfortable and I wonder if anyone else had the same?
Well, anyway, to try and cure this (hopefully) short term ill, me and a mate are riding through Germany in two weeks. I can't bloody wait! Anybody want anything fro the Sub museum in Kiel!
As far as I'm concerned, being on my bike is one of the best things I can do. I just love it. I know if I gave it up I'd be a grumpy bugger.

Hope eveyone is well.

[snapper]

Yes I used to get that a lot, I did have a big acident a few years ago and some people went nuts with me when I got back on. I made a commitment to improve my riding and since doing my AIM course the flak has stopped. The course stopped the " OH SH*T" moments and I don't have the "biking is a time bomb" thoughts at all now.

I'm about to become a dad too and I still want to ride, my Mrs has only asked that I condense my 2 bikes into 1 so there's room in the garrage for the pram (anyone want an NC30 or fully legal OTR Africalp?). I'm very excited about it and It's added further weight to my efforts to ride safe.

As you say, life's too short to not do the things you enjoy and stopping because someone has pestered you will only cause resentment.

Enjoy your trip!

[Steve T]

The little voices speak to me as well mate, but I just ride faster and they cant keep up

[severs]

Snapper - sell the VFR and keep the TA/AT.

Alex - Going to the sub museum? Going to the type VII sub on the beach in Laboe? Please post your pics and publish the link.

Every A&E doc/nurse will confirm the medical establishment's view of motorcyclists - we are all just organ donors-in-waiting. Same goes for cyclists. You can offset this with training, but when some git slams into you because they are drunk or stupid, it won't help (it might help you spot them first though). However, the death / permanent disablement rate is much lowered by wearing proper boots, helmet and armour.

But ultimately, you can't choose the day you die. If it is your own internal fear, then respond by trying to be responsible about important things. Do what you can but don't surrender your identity.

If the fear is external - ie it's other people badgering you to change your lifestyle (as happens to many people who wake up one day and suddenly discover that they have dependents) then have you tried just telling them all to f**k off?

[Sharribee]

Every now and then I get a little voice saying what are you doing. My mum hates me riding and my dad - well he just encourages me

I work in healthcare and you'd be surprised there are very few judgmental people in fact I know loads of A and E staff that do ride.

Extra training and proper kit can help reduce the risk but at the end of the day we are vunerable. Personally that is something I can live with at the moment

[snapper]

Severs, I thought about keeping the Africalp but whilst great for commuting and razing about the lakes it's not good on long m/way journeys as the wind blast is quite uncofortable after a while. If I have to have just the one it will have to be something faired, still not sure what though, perhaps a 955i.

[alex2006]

Gosh, thanks for the quick responses guys.
The 'biking time bomb' thing is exactly whats been going through my mind. It's almost like I'm thinking I'm due a bloody accident. to be fair, I wear all of the kit, and I ride assuming no-one has seen me. I'm also a total scotchlite freak. (you can get this great stuff that you can cut into shapes and is BLACK! www.respro.com) and I also did that Ridesafe course which was brilliant. I will look into the AIM course though.
Yes, you['re right, it's important to do the things you love, it keeps you alive.
Someone was looking at all my kit, waterproofs, helmet, panniers, boots and said, 'why don't you just go camping, you can still use all of the kit and it's not dangerous'
I don't want to go camping. Well, not unless I can ride their first. And thats the point. I just love being on the bike. Even at 30 miles an hour it feels great.
Anyway, thanks for the supportive emails. It's appreciated. I'll definately get those pics on the web of the Sub Museum. We are going via Amsterdam....don't know if the pics I take there will be publishable......

P.S Being a Dad is great too!

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Look at it this way - when our number is called that's it.

Anyone of us or our friends could be taken at any time due to illness, accident or a simple mistake, whether on a bike or not.

As you now have dependants, greater responsibilities, take rider training & ride safe.

Phil

[chronyx]

What he said.

[Cabby]

I hear all that from my middle aged peers often....

But all my surviving older relatives and friends tell me how they wish they'd done what I'm doing...(whatever that is!!)

I don't have a death wish......

I have a life wish !!!!.....and I ain't finished with this bit yet !!!

Sh*t...I ain't even started !!!!!!...