My last ride?

[Guest Ken8143]

Today a couple buddies invited me to do a nice ride up in the north central part of PA - which I did. We were two up - other 3 one up - a sportster, BMW something or other and ST1100.

 

I guess I am wussy, but hitting a mountain twisty at 125 mph (the ST1100) is not my style of riding at all. I did not even want to keep up. I hated to make them wait somewhere for me, but that kind of riding is not for me thank you very much. Plus I was not getting set up right for the curves anyhow today, must be a Zen thing. So. I took my time.

 

Now - I think this will be my last ride with these guys, even though I like them a lot. What do you think?

[Tom]

Do as I do.."I will ride but will meet you at destination..I want to see the scenery and have nothing to prove." If they dont like it enjoy the ride. I know at Ft Collins when I had my wife on I rode EASY and just informed the group I was with and they stayed with us the 4 days we were there. Tom

[Relaxin]

I AGREE with you 1,000,000 %.

[cecdoo]

You wont have to worry about that happening on our Pa meet n eat, when my wife is on the back I take it easy and enjoy the view. Sounds like you and your wife were riding with the wrong group. I have never felt "pushed" on any ride I have been on with this group, thats why I like getting together whenever I can. Craig

[flb_78]

Ride at your own pace. If they're your friends, they'll wait at the next stop sign.

[ahoutzer]

Just because someone else is being an idiot does not mean you have to match wits with them.

 

Ride within your comfort zone and have a great time.

[eagleeye]

Yup, you were riding with the wrong group. Ride at your own comfort level and enjoy the ride. That's what it's all about right?

Find a new group to ride with.

 

Steve

[Ponch]

My wing ding riding companion, myself and our wives went on a leisurely ride through most of New Mexico (from South Texas). He kept getting way ahead of us burning the twisties pretty good. Not that I can't do that, its just I regard my life and my wife's life too much to risk ending up at the bottom of White Mountain because I was burnin a twisty a little to hard and lost it.

 

We went to enjoy the scenery as well as enjoy the ride. Once he got so far ahead he had to double back thinking we fell off the mountain or something. Heck, we just stopped to enjoy the tranquility of our surroundings (geesh I sound so old all a sudden).

 

Anyways, I guess I'm preaching to myself. If you're not comfortable riding with these guys, I'm sure there's quite a few of us you can ride with.

 

Ponch

[BuckShot]

Ride safe. Enjoy yourself and you'll be rideing till a ripe old age.

[Schlepporello]

What is wrong with riding safe?

What is wrong with enjoying the scenery while you drive?

What is wrong with getting back to the house in one piece with a bike that's still ridable?

[Squidley]

Let 'em go, if they wait for you then you know where you stand. If not, say a prayer for them and enjoy your ride.

[Pilot]

I had a friend back in Illinois that rode that way. He was a bit on the crazy side you might say. Always trying to prove he could take the twisties on his crotch rocket faster then anyone else whom he was riding with. He raced dirt track and he was a good rider. I stopped riding with him after the first 30 minutes of our first ride together. He finally had to start riding with his other crazy dirt racing friends on crotch rockets.

 

Sorry to say we buried him in 2001,he lost it in a curve went into the oncoming lane and hit a car head on.

 

Stay alive and ride your own ride. Anyone who is out there and has something to prove while on two wheels is just a step away from a hospital say, or the cementary.

[Yammer Dan]

Let em go. Healing don't work right anymore..

[Ozark]

Like they said, absolutely ride your ride. If they are friends, they'll understand and wait for you. If not, find some friends to ride with who share you idea of what a good ride is.

[Guest BigJohnD]

Got nuthin to add except my vote...ride yer own ride.

[Gene Kearns]

Today a couple buddies invited me to do a nice ride up in the north central part of PA - which I did. We were two up - other 3 one up - a sportster, BMW something or other and ST1100.

 

Think about how you really feel... "a nice ride up in the north central part of PA" (or anywhere, in my opinion) is not undertaken at 125 mph. To paraphrase Samuel Clements, "125 mph, a nice ride ruined."

 

I guess I am wussy, but hitting a mountain twisty at 125 mph (the ST1100) is not my style of riding at all. I did not even want to keep up. I hated to make them wait somewhere for me, but that kind of riding is not for me thank you very much. Plus I was not getting set up right for the curves anyhow today, must be a Zen thing. So. I took my time.

Why not take your time? Isn't this supposed to be about fun? You can compare manly endowments over some less deadly endeavor.

 

Now - I think this will be my last ride with these guys, even though I like them a lot. What do you think?

You really didn't ride "with" those guys. They had their own agenda.... you had yours. Share the camaraderie of a brew with them and save your biking moments for those more suited to you temperament and interests.

 

You made the right decision for you....

[skydoc_17]

One of the many things I enjoy about riding a motorcycle is the fact that there is one seat for me, and one seat for Jean. If Jean and I decide we want to go fast or slow, Stop or go, It's our decision. If the people we ride with wait, I thank them very much, If they don't, I know how to get home. I do ride differently when Jean is not on the bike, But I try very hard NEVER to out ride my abilities. I can show you a spot on my hide for every time I wrote a check my abilities couldn't cash! I would like to think I closed that checking account a long, long time ago. It's a no brainer... RIDE YOUR RIDE for yourself and your co-pilot ...no one else.

Just my 2 cents.

Earl and Jean

[nelsonrl]

You did the right thing - it truly could have been your last ride. This is why I seldom ride with groups. I know my limits and do not want to be tempted to exceed them.

[BOO]

I find the older I get the slower I go. I do enjoy seeing what is around me and I'm not looking to get there (where ever there is) faster than anyone else.

My wife just started riding a few years ago and the last thing I want to do is scare her.

Like they said you have to ride your own ride and be happy about it.

Find a group that rides the way you want to ride and have fun.

Jerry

[Guest Ken8143]

Well - I will say that the PA M&E was quite a different - and more enjoyable ride than I had up to Northern PA. Even down River Road, or up River Road, or up and down on River Road.....

 

- Ken

[Guest maddabber]

You folks have it right, you can not ride dead. I have worked all my life and have rode bikes for most of them. I have a confort zone and I know it well. I still work to ride and nothing gives me more memories than the places I have been and the friends I have made. Buddy Ride your ride and enjoy LIFE.:cool10:

Darrell

[frogmaster]

Friends do not make friends drive above their abilities of themselves or their machines. Joking is one thing but peer pressure is wrong and those kind of people don't have many friends to begin with and they usually end up at someones funeral sooner or later.

 

Ride your own Machine at your own pace that makes you comfortable and safe. Nothing bad happened here but I was just reminded of this when it started to happening around my group of friends or so called friends.

 

Ride safe and come home safe to your real friends and family []