Anyone ever take breaks from riding?

[redtail]

Plaster was the only thing that kept me off a motorcycle... :mstingray

 

[Sharky]

I mean total break. Sell the bike(s), all your gear, etc.

I still enjoy riding I just feel like I barely have or make the time to ride purely for pleasure these days. I have a 2015 FZ09 that I’ve put about 14,000 miles on and probably 90% of that is commuting. My previous bikes I would have put that many miles on in a single year let alone multiple years.

Seriously considering just selling it, donating / selling my gear, and freeing up the closet space. I can always buy another bike down the road if I change my mind.

You can just store your bike at my house and I will keep the fluids moving.

 

[mototireguy]

that last trip to Hawthorne last year, I determined that the NineT is absolutely not the bike for me anymore. I'm virtually on the verge of hating it and every time I've ridden since that trip

Norcal; Is it your bike that you've fallen out of love with or just riding in general?

Or is it the daily grind riding the bike for work/commuting and not riding for fun?

I fell out of love with my 04 CBR1RR after ten years and sold it for an FJR13. That CBR seating position just wasn't for me anymore. I guess I'm getting old.

Take a break, revisit later, try different smaller bike, different rides.

 

[Kurosaki]

I was out for about 2 years, 2 years ago. I left my bike in Sacramento when I moved back to SoCal. Got complacent about it, going through a lot of personal stuff.

Part of getting my head screwed back on straight was waking up one morning and thinking, "this is not fucking okay."

Went back to Sac, got the bike, brought it home, and here we are.

 

[HadesOmega]

I remember kinda taking a little break I didn't sell all my bikes though. It just got to the point where I was so busy I didn't have time to ride. Even now I'm so busy I rarely go out for a joy ride but if there's some place I gotta get to and there is a fun road along the way I hit it up.

But actually being a youtuber has got me riding a lot more. I find that I wrench more than I ride my bikes also. I'll fix something, video it, then test it.

 

[Johndicezx9]

Ouch!
That right there is the difference between the moto industry and mine. I would've flipped you the keys to a loaner the the day you dropped it off.
Six weeks, though....sounds extreme.

As far as the thread subject goes, the only time I've taken away from riding was when I ended up in the ICU for several weeks. with a ruptured appendix. That was hardly voluntary.
https://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=382722

Some of the important parts were back ordered, which I can understand and appreciate, but when I went in to find out the status just yesterday they said they were waiting on one last part and said they don't like to start work unless all the parts have arrived. I asked which part... "The turn signal." I facepalmed with "I can change a blinker, let's get this thing fixed!"

That probably bought another week and a half.... :laughing

As for my car, the side impact airbags were also on back order, I may get that back by Halloween, with my luck, just in time to get egged. (While this summer has been a bit rough on me personally, August was especially hard on my vehicles.)

 

[R3DS!X]

dibs on your gear

 

[russ69]

No.

 

[Kornholio]

Norcal; Is it your bike that you've fallen out of love with or just riding in general?

Or is it the daily grind riding the bike for work/commuting and not riding for fun?

I fell out of love with my 04 CBR1RR after ten years and sold it for an FJR13. That CBR seating position just wasn't for me anymore. I guess I'm getting old.

Take a break, revisit later, try different smaller bike, different rides.

It's the bike, trust me. I'm working on moving back to something more ideal for long-distance and overnight trips in general. Most likely it'll be a GS.

 

[tfkrocks]

I haven't ridden for fun in a couple years because too much commuting and just generally having different interests but I still like having a bike to get around the bay in traffic and not worry about parking. I'm ok with the fact that it's just a way for me to get around.

 

[budman]

Pete,

I think the advice of a different bike is a good one.

Perhaps a dual sport and seize a little offroad adventure... or a sport touring bike and get out on some trips (rallies?)

If you look through the trip report stickies (adventure, sport touring and dirty barf) you will see a lot of good fun to be had. Perhaps you just need to adjust your flavor to rekindle the love of two.

 

[jbawden]

The great recession forced some undesirable moves (at the time) so I was without anything but an old KTM dirt bike for a spell, but my desire to be on two wheels was strong. I didn't realize how much I love bikes until I was without one (specially something to turn in anger on a race track), so I endorse taking a break and than revisiting as appropriate. Gear and bikes age out over time, so consider it an opportunity to hit the rest button. If you find that bikes just don't interest you, then you've removed a huge risk factor from your life.

 

[BillSmith]

belt sander...

Stopped riding in the 70s. :afm199 Resumed late 80s.

Was an athlete back-in-the-day. Looking down at pavement passing under pegs, decided that was a belt sander I could not afford upon which to fall.

Ditched the bike, but got back on when most get off, after the arrival of our daughter. Been riding ever since.

 

[PaleHorse]

I took a 15 year break from riding. Got married and she didn't want me on a bike. Like an idiot, I sold everything. Fast forward 15 years and I got rid of her and bought back 2 bikes.

I agree with everyone that it may be the bike you are on. One of mine is a gsxr 750. I dig the power to weight ratio and how easy it eats up the corners but for me at 6'1" its incredibly uncomfortable. Love/hate relationship with it and I think about selling it for something else every time I ride it.

 

[Holeshot]

Eh risk doesn’t even weigh into it for me. Just busy all the time and I find that more often than not I have more need for the cage to carry golf clubs, surfboard, snowboards, whatever. I might ride to a dinner or something nearby just so I don’t have to worry about parking.

Pete, how about trying a different type of riding? I'm with you...I stopped road riding years ago and only do occasionally because I love the comforts of an auto for getting around. However, I absolutely love the track and racing. It's what I love about motorcycles...and there's so many different segments of our 2wheel pastime. A touring bike for 2-3 day trips to see everything on the West Coast and Rockies? One of my dreams...I'll be looking for one of the larger BMW's for this in the next few years. So...maybe something like this? Or...how about something similar on the water?

I can' tell you how much fun the SXR-1500's are. Next spring, come up and try one of mine out for a ride...or maybe in the next few weekends if you can find the time and the weather is good. You could even ride your bike to the lake!

Commuting will make you hate riding. I even lost interest in sport riding but it was rejuvenated by the more engaging experience of a direct drive electric drivetrain. Nothing out there is really worth the price now, but the 20 kWh Energicas and 2021 electric Ducati will be out soon and I expect they will sell very well here in the Bay Area.

This, too.

 

[metalmaster]

I gave up riding for 10 years when I had a kidney transplant .
they said sudden jarring would be bad, decided I didn't want to live scared so I bought another dirt bike and had fun

 

[Johndicezx9]

I gave up riding for 10 years when I had a kidney transplant .
they said sudden jarring would be bad, decided I didn't want to live scared so I bought another dirt bike and had fun

Wow! :thumbup

 

[Ready to Ride]

I stopped riding at my wife’s request when the kids were small. She said she’d keep me in wind surfers and sailboats if I didn’t absolutely have to ride. Kept my M1 but no bikes for 15 years or so.

About 12 years ago was out walking with the wife when we saw a gorgeous bike spot lit by a sunbeam. Took both of our breaths away as we gasped at its beauty.

Started buying bikes again. Two were new at the time. Later picked up a couple of vintage bikes. So now I have four bikes, a lift and a new prosthetic hip, which still feels quite delicate.

Just started riding again and enjoy taking them out for a little run but find no desire for the longer rides any more. Don’t find them very comfortable after an hour or so. Thought about selling them but realized I couldn’t get much money out of the, now higher mileage, “ modern” bikes or the vintage bikes, at least not compared to what I have in them. They are pretty out in the garage and I enjoy going for a little putt now and again.

Long answer to say yes, I consider not riding, or at least not as much, anymore. We’ll see what the future brings.

 

[Rob750]

Yes, twice. Once in the 90's for several years, I was broke and the thrill was gone. Currently, I don't ride much, between work, school, being a dad and bicycling - not much time.

 

[bobl]

I quit riding for about 10 years after a divorce, a change of jobs (formally a motorcycle mechanic, lol), and loss of both riding friends and a garage to store and maintain my bikes. Later I was at a garage sale, and couldn't resist a beater 88 ninja 600. Eventually, right back into it. Now days, I love to ride my 86 Fazer on rural and gravel roads that I've passed by for years on my GSXR. Sport bikes no longer interest me, and the GSXR for sale. The Fazer takes me back to the reason I originally started to ride. 60 mph on a warm summer evening back road, with the wind in my face. OP should definitely try a different style of ride.