Giving up.

DogT said:

This is anecdotal, but I was having some 'moderate' blockage in one of my carotid arteries. Cardio doc had been trying to get me on statins for years and nothing worked, that is I can't tolerate it. GP told me to try taking CO-Q10 with the smallest statin that was best for me. Well, that worked, actually I think that's when the dizziness went away, and the brain fog too, I just felt better generally. Last time I had the sonogram, my blockage was 'normal' for my age. But I really doubt the statin cleared up my blockage. You have to try lots of things, everyone is different. What bugs me is some days I feel like crap and then get to thinking I'll be like this all the time, but it does seem to clear.

Sun's over the yardarm, I'm going up for some Jamesons.

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I have had a double heart by-pass op, three strokes and a carotid artery clearance op. I am brand new again, but lately I have been getting dizzy. So I went back to the doctor. It might be psychological, due to ne gasses, or my medication might need adjusting. Whatever it is will be fixed. When you are old. you need to keep doing what needs to be done, to keep you alive. When you give up, you are dead.

My wife's attitude towards me racing again is a problem in that it destroys my motivation. As you get older, keeping the irge going becomes more difficult. It is all in the mind.

That's most of my problem, keeping the motivation going. Some days I do, some I don't. I got a sore throat 4 days ago and now it's in my nose so I've been laying low. I may call the doc tomorrow depending on how/if I sleep tonight.

Here' a relevant song - keep your chins up blokes!

I think Covid 19 lock-downs would make anyone depressed. I'd like to go to Tasmania on holiday, but if I fly over Bass Straight and there is a case in Tas, Victoria might force me to go into quarantine in a hotel for a week when I try to get home. It is all in the mind. Before it became difficult to go there and return, I did not want to go there.

Fast Eddie said:

I’d keep it that way... bloody dangerous things... no brakes... no kill switch...

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Hmm, there is a kill switch available as an optional extra, but it is rather final, and leaves the problem of disposing of several hundredweight of dead horse afterwards

SteveBorland said:

Hmm, there is a kill switch available as an optional extra, but it is rather final, and leaves the problem of disposing of several hundredweight of dead horse afterwards

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Some that appear in the Grand National seem to be fitted with one :-(

SteveBorland said:

Hmm, there is a kill switch available as an optional extra, but it is rather final, and leaves the problem of disposing of several hundredweight of dead horse afterwards

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Cured horse meat is quite popular in various parts of Europe!

EstuaryBoy said:

Some that appear in the Grand National seem to be fitted with one :-(

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Part of the race technical regulations I suspect...

Sad news Fullauto....

I guess I am making steps towards the same end....

Had difficulty starting my 500 AJS the other day and finally wheeled out my race starter rollers to get it moved from one workshop to another!

Slippery slope....that we are all on our way down!

My target was to keep going till 70, but with less than 3 years to go I realise that actual ability to ride, track or road, will count more than dates!

Big decision for me will be....do I let someone else ride my race bikes?

"Big decision for me will be....do I let someone else ride my race bikes?"

Though totally not age/health related, I went through that sort of decision many years ago with a race car. I did all the mech work AND drove the car. It was getting to be too much hassle so a friend ended up driving the car in races while I did the mech work and drove it in some test/trial runs at races to have the fun of driving the car but without the worry of the actual race. Turned out I enjoyed the wrenching/adjusting/setup/track runs more than I enjoyed the actual racing. He was a better driver anyway and we won more! Of course, one of the reasons he was a better driver might have been because he drove it harder since he didn't have to worry about the car. If he broke it, it wasn't his problem!

SteveA said:

Big decision for me will be....do I let someone else ride my race bikes?

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IMHO definitely YES.

It keeps you involved, keeps the grey matter going.

I'm sorry you have to give up something you've clearly loved for a long time, Ken, but you'll still have the memories. And you certainly started one of the more interesting threads in the forum. It's amazing to hear from so many riders who have had similar thoughts lately, but then again, many of us are a bit "age challenged", so it's not too surprising that we are facing the same issue. If I live long enough, the time will surely arrive when the risks outweigh the rewards. I've already found that I have to be a bit more careful when pushing the bikes around in parking areas, but some of that is due to a simple decrease in physical strength. At least the riding part still seems to work well enough, so my current solution is to move away from tall and/or heavy bikes. I've just put my TDM850 up for sale for that reason. At the moment, I'm still looking forward to celebrating my 80th birthday in January with some sort of significant motorcycle activity (on a Norton, of course). After that,who knows. I'm already into that "any day above ground is a good day" philosophy.

Life goes on, and I'm confident you will find some sort of interesting activity to replace riding. You just don't seem like a couch potato candidate to me.

Ken

Is there going to be a Norton owner's knitting circle formed soon?

I've quit riding for a few years before, but not due to age and balance issues. Mid life hot rod car building crisis. I can always fall back on that when I start getting dizzy too often.

BTW, stay hydrated motorcycles or not. Dehydration in seniors really messes with balance and strength. I definitely don't always drink enough water, and wonder what the heck is wrong with me at times.

"Is there going to be a Norton owner's knitting circle formed soon? "

That would be good; I have some socks that need mending...

I hope all you old geezers who are thinking of packing it in riding are still going to assist all the new entries to the Norton world on the forum! All us nimrods would be up shit creek without a paddle without your support.

BERT said:

I hope all you old geezers who are thinking of packing it in riding are still going to assist all the new entries to the Norton world on the forum! All us nimrods would be up shit creek without a paddle without your support.

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No problem. My opinions are freely given even when sometimes unwanted.

Fullauto - i fully understand where you're coming from and support your move. YOU DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO! turning 74 this year, and not quite ready to give up just yet. don't have the strength i had in my 20's, nor the balance. i ride very defensively and assume everyone in eyesight is out to get me. i don't race, don't speed, and don't take the curves like i use to - my thrill seeking days are over. don't know when i'll throw in the towel, and i'm sure it will happen one day. in the mean time, i'll take every ride as if it where my last, and enjoy the day for what it is. Fullauto, i'm glad you're walking away from the hobby and the lifestyle on your terms. stay safe, stay healthy, and cherish all the good times and memories. sometimes, you just have to move on. good luck....

MexicoMike said:

"Big decision for me will be....do I let someone else ride my race bikes?"

Though totally not age/health related, I went through that sort of decision many years ago with a race car. I did all the mech work AND drove the car. It was getting to be too much hassle so a friend ended up driving the car in races while I did the mech work and drove it in some test/trial runs at races to have the fun of driving the car but without the worry of the actual race. Turned out I enjoyed the wrenching/adjusting/setup/track runs more than I enjoyed the actual racing. He was a better driver anyway and we won more! Of course, one of the reasons he was a better driver might have been because he drove it harder since he didn't have to worry about the car. If he broke it, it wasn't his problem!

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I drove my friends rally car on the same basis, though I got a hard time if I put a dent in every corner on an event mainly I just drove, he sat alongside as co-driver so had as much interest as I did in it staying together. We had some great results, and in truth I was faster in a rally car on gravel or in the snow than on a race bike, but I had to have faith in the guy doing the wrenching and co driving!

Luckily my wife thinks that my racing could make her a wealthy widow sooner. Will continue as long as I pass the mandatory yearly health tests required each year for the race licence when over 70.