To bike or not to bike that is the question.

[gn2]

I'm 47, up until I was 30 I had motorbikes, but due to financial constraints I haven't had one for years.
My favourite bikes are Ducati and Triumph.

Now I'm in a position to have a decent secondhand Ducati for fun while maintaining my car as practical transport.

The thing is, after 17 years I'm unsure if I will enjoy riding bikes again, it's been so long....

Has anyone here returned to biking after a long break, and what has your experience been of riding again?

Should I take the plunge and buy a bike....?

[RiceMonster]

Perhaps there's a way you could try riding one again so you can be sure you want the money? I'm sure you can rent one somewhere. Then again, I know nothing at all about motorbikes.

[xpod]

I'm 47, up until I was 30 I had motorbikes, but due to financial constraints I haven't had one for years.
My favourite bikes are Ducati and Triumph.

Now I'm in a position to have a decent secondhand Ducati for fun while maintaining my car as practical transport.

The thing is, after 17 years I'm unsure if I will enjoy riding bikes again, it's been so long....

Has anyone here returned to biking after a long break, and what has your experience been of riding again?

Should I take the plunge and buy a bike....?

Agree with the previous poster about trying it out first, somehow.
It could just be some midlife crisis your having after all

[Exodist]

Tell ya what, enjoyable or not the way the economy is going it may be a better way to conserve gas and save you money in the long run.

[CFury]

As a rider and fellow European motorcycle fan, I say go for it. Initially I intended on riding for recreation on the weekends and the like. However after that first weekend of riding the car sat for 5 months.

However there is the matter of maintenance. The initial cost of the bike may be alluring, it's the maintenance that gets ya. We're speaking the same language as I daily ride my Ducati. You'll be doing, or paying for, at least a valve inspection every 6k miles. If there are shims out of spec you'll be replacing them. Dealers charge a mint for valve service so I do all my own service. And if I can give you any advice on the type of motor to service yourself, go for a 2v air-cooled motor. I've done valve jobs on both the 2v air-cooled and the superbike 4v liquid-cooled - the 2v is MUCH easier to work on and takes half the time. Then there's the matter of a handful of special tools and the shim kit you'll need to purchase. There are more special tools to buy for the 4v and the shim kit is more expensive as well.

Ride safe.

[gn2]

My car (Hyundai Getz diesel) averages 47-53 m.p.g so there's no saving to be made there.

Any bike that gives better fuel economy than that isn't one I would want anyway.

Xpod you're spot-on, it's definitely a mid-life thing.
I don't want to become old and boring, returning to biking would be a return to my youth.

[gn2]

CFury, yep, we're very definitely speaking the same language.
Back in the 80's I had a Pantah 500 and it was easily the most fun bike I ever owned.
A 600ss 2v air-cooled is what I'm considering because it's very similar to the old Pantah.
If I could afford a good Pantah I would get one but they're very rare and much more expensive than the 600ss.
I still have the old genuine Ducati workshop manual for the Pantah, I would be looking at getting a manual for the 600ss and doing all my own maintenance, it's all part of the fun.

[CFury]

CFury, yep, we're very definitely speaking the same language.
Back in the 80's I had a Pantah 500 and it was easily the most fun bike I ever owned.
A 600ss 2v air-cooled is what I'm considering because it's very similar to the old Pantah.
If I could afford a good Pantah I would get one but they're very rare and much more expensive than the 600ss.
I still have the old genuine Ducati workshop manual for the Pantah, I would be looking at getting a manual for the 600ss and doing all my own maintenance, it's all part of the fun.

Then I see nothing stopping you!

Now if only the postman would deliver my new chain I could continue with our type of fun!

[Dragonbite]

.



You'll always be asking yourself this question, until you find out the answer.

[wojox]

Your only as old as you feel. That's my motto. I'm grew up with dirt bikes and five years ago bought a Suzuki DRZ-400 SuperMoto ( dirt bike with street tires ). I to thought it would be a weekend thing, but with gas prices the way they are it's turned into an everyday thing. Plus it feels great. It took me about a week to get my bearings back. Like the saying goes "it's just like riding a bike". I vote to bike.