K11 Owners Group

Moondog · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 2:50 pm Post subject: Give up riding?

How many out there know someone or heard of someone who gave up riding for one reason or another?
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"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges"!

I like the social aspect of riding. Rally's, socializing, drinking beer, fartin' and carrying on. Smile

2004 R1150RS
1996 K1100RS (moved on to new home)

Flying Duck · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 3:40 pm Post subject:

Me. For four years.

I used to be a pretty casual rider. Owned a couple of UJM's that I'd ride occasiionally. In 96 I bought my K75S in CA and rode it up the coast. I was travelling every week for work so didn't have to much time to ride and my girlfriend HATED bikes because dad was a doctor.

Then in 97 I went to a buddy's bachelor party four hours away. The next day riding home I was so hungover I fell asleep about two hours into the ride and crashed. Shocked

Just banged up my knee a little and had crutches for six weeks.

I had always half-jokingly told myself that I would give up riding if I ever crashed and survived. So I quit riding. Not out of fear or anything, riding just wasn't that important to me and I didn't know anyone who rode so I never missed it.

Then, in 2001, while scuba diving on the Bay Islands in Honduras I met and made friends with an Aussie couple who'd shipped their F650 to Argentina and were riding to Alaska. For some reason this give me the bug and I started looking for another K75 the day I got home. I couldn't find a K75S and was anxious to get a bike so I bought a K75RT because it only had 6,700 miles on it.

When the Aussies came through Seattle I put them up for a couple of nights and then rode with them up to Banff before we parted ways. Then I decided to tour the western states. 6,400 miles of two lane roads, 10 states and 21 national parks in 18 days. With that experience, the bug had bitten me HARD. And it turned out that since most of my riding would be touring that getting the RT model ended up being better than a K75S for me.

I've occasionally considered giving up riding since then, figuring SOMEDAY I'll get wiped out and I should quit before my number is up but on my last ride up the coast on the RS I swore I would ride until I'm in a coffin. It's just too fun. Beemered

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93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

rydor · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

SugarHillCTD · Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2008 5:28 pm Post subject:

I did give it up once our daughter was born, followed by her brother.

That was after 2 years of amateur road racing and lots of road miles on 2 different bikes.

Last Fall, in anticipation for our son turning 18, I started looking. First bought the Kaw 250 to get my reflexes back then came the RS.

Boy, have I missed it, but with kids at home- glad I waited......

Happy to be back on 2 wheels (with a motor)

John
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John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

Geoff · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 1:31 pm Post subject:

I gave up riding for about a year following a left turn accident that totaled my '79 R100RS. I wasn't hurt, but riding lost its appeal.
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2000 R1100RT
2008 H-D Electra Glide Ultra Classic

CheapJapCopy · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 2:25 pm Post subject:

I never got a car licence, so I'd be pretty stuck.
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1992 K1100RS - Red and gold.

hirschhs · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject:

Gave up in '84 after being totalled by a blind woman in a Fiat on the hill going up to Assisi. Doing 45 mph on a Duc 750s, almost lost my right leg - got some impressive scars to show the kids Very Happy

Picked the bike up 4 months later, got passed by a bunch of kids in a big Lancia (daddy's car, I imagine) doing the ton +, found them around the next bend scattered all over the road. Took that as a message.. Confused

But now I think it's just too much fun.
Cool

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Cheers, Steve H _______________________________________
K-less in Bucks
2001 ST1100A

1994 Yamaha 600 Diversion 'Hers'
2006 Kawasaki Z750s 'Hers'

Moondog · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject:

I guess I just need to work through it. I also can't think of life without riding. I guess I need to get back on the bike every once in awhile. I am spooked and I alo have alot of personal and financial issues going on. So maybe when things settled down I'll enjoy it more.
_________________
"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges"!

I like the social aspect of riding. Rally's, socializing, drinking beer, fartin' and carrying on. Smile

2004 R1150RS
1996 K1100RS (moved on to new home)

mnb · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 7:40 pm Post subject:

If you ride, you have to accept that injury is possible. Actually getting injured shouldn't change your willingness to accept that. Either you can or can't accept that risk. Some can. Some can't.

New fathers often give up riding for fear of being hurt and leaving their family in the lurch. I can understand that. I guess. But riding is so core to me, I just couldn't do it myself. I guess I'm too selfish. Should family and riding every collide, I'll just have to make sure I'm well insured.

I want to be riding up to Alice's when I'm 80. Either on some crusty, ancient 1996 BMW K1100LT Smile

or maybe a nearly as crusty 2007 Harley Road King or perhaps the latest crotch rocket or ripping it up on a dual sport.

The only way that'll ever happen is if I stay sharp and ride smart.

The sharp failed me last week. I was fatigued on a ride and didn't notice some VERY obvious gravel coming up to a stop sign. Dropped the Harley at about 20-25 and slid about 40 feet. Damage to the bike was minimal and I'm still a bit sore, but doing well. Injuries were pretty minor. I know very well how dangerous gravel and front brakes are, but if you're barely awake, those skills don't do you any good, do they? I knew I was tired, but I was in the middle of nowhere, so I altered my plan to get me to a small town within a few miles and I could hang out at a coffee shop for a half hour or whatever. Good plan. Never made it that far, though.

How could I have avoided this? Don't eat and leave immediately. I had a sammich at the Hollister rally and bailed. I should have hung out for an hour or so. While I probably still would have been tired, I don't think it would have been nearly so great an affect on my alertness. My back wouldn't be killing me from hitting that bump on Pescadero Creek Road yesterday and I wouldn't have a crash bar to replace on the harley or a new set of boots and jacket to buy.

Fortunately, that's all it was and I've been able to look at what went wrong, why and find some halfway decent solutions to prevent it from happening again.

I didn't for a moment consider giving up riding. I just couldn't. Love it too much.
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M N B
1997 BMW K1100LT ABS Special Edition
2003 Husqvarna TE610e
2007 Harley Davidson Road King
2009 BMW F800GS
2011 Husqvarna TE310
2014 Ducati Multistrada Pikes Peak MNB Edition

Moondog · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:01 pm Post subject:

Flying Duck · Posted: Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject:

mnb:

You oughta give up crashing though. Razz

Glad it wasn't too serious. Very Happy

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

wera32 · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 8:58 am Post subject:

I tried it for a year. It was about 1989 or so. I didn't have any riding buddies at the time and I sold my GPZ1100 and bought a Triumph GT6+. The car was fun but didn't fill the hole. I was afraid I'd break it if I drove it too hard. Sold the car and bought a CB1100F and haven't been without since.
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Paul - '93 K11/12RS (sold), 2002 R1100S BCP and '03 RC51 KOG 29

Jim Brotherton · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 1:32 pm Post subject:

Stopped riding for about 20 years. A few years back started getting the itch to ride again. Rented a bike for a few days , was to scared to really go on the highway. Well three bikes later and have the idea as long as I can throw my leg over the saddle. Even started taking formal riding courses which I never did before, guess it's time to learn how to ride (rode for the first time in 1973, no lessons, tests or permit endorsements).
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1995 K1100RS
2004 R1150RT

wera32 · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject:

mnb · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject:

rover759 · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 6:36 pm Post subject:

Well I can say I have been a sporadic rider-I bought my LT more to fix than to use as a serious daily machine.However I work in construction and as that is a bit shakey at the mo I fixed my bike up double quick just in case i need transport in a hurry!!
Ultimately it seems to me motoring is going back to the 50's where running a car as good as your bike is just out of reach and in terms of accidents yes there is a risk, however you can get wiped out just as easily in a car!
In fact one of my neighbours used to run a bike for years without problems.Then he got a job close to home and he was involved in a hit and run on his cycle.......
In terms of crashing bikes yup i have succeeded - on wet leaves!!! Shocked

Just goes to show how important rider protection is as the leathers look a pounding and my skin stayed on my leg!!
The biggest problem we have as a group is that many people lumps us together with the "max power" brigade.......
Incidently do you have wire crash barriers in the US?
Over here they were banned and all of a sudden they are back to slice our legs off... Shocked

Ted · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:33 pm Post subject:

I have not ridden much since my crackup in 1999, when I have it has been on borrowed bikes. That said, I've never forgotten about it for even a single day, still ride in my dreams every week or two, and am currently on the market for a new(ish) ride. I have all the gear except boots, and am hunting for a good broken-in pair of combat touring boots or the equal

So to sum it up, I cannot WAIT to own another bike!
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Ted

KOG#1

Moondog · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:51 pm Post subject:

Glad to hear it Ted. Happy riding!
_________________
"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges"!

I like the social aspect of riding. Rally's, socializing, drinking beer, fartin' and carrying on. Smile

2004 R1150RS
1996 K1100RS (moved on to new home)

Flying Duck · Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2008 9:53 pm Post subject:

Right on, Ted! Very Happy

_________________
93 LT (x2)
94 RS
86-97 K75F(K75/100/1100 Frankenbrick)
86 K75C w/paralever, hi perf cams,TURBO!
91 & 92 K75Ss
91 K1
86 custom K100
14 WR250R
IBA #17739 (SS1K, BBG, 50CC)
Buy parts HERE

rydor · Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 1:12 am Post subject: