5 Tips for aging sport riders

[Ken C]

For sport riders from 18 to 80.
5-tips-from-an-aging-sport-bike-rider/

Any other tips I might add?

[Rossco]

How to fit race leathers over Depends?






Sorry, had to.

[Garandman]

- Many bikes have a tall saddle option. This gives you more knee room.

- You can take Ibuprofin before the track day, instead of waiting until after...

[Marc R]

Never met an 80 year old on a sports bike, but I remember this story...
click for story on 85 year old buys new bike

[kumpy]

Hey Ken, thanks for sharing your thoughts about riding and aging. Although I'm not 50 yet, I'm quickly approaching 40 which is considered way over-the-hill for your "fast and furious" rider. I'm contemplating where I fit in the whole scheme of track riding / racing / street riding. I was wondering if a "wreckless" sport such as track riding and racing, fits into my mortgage paying, business owner, responsible lifestyle. From an outside perspective I think this lifestyle might be viewed as a early mid-life crisis, or dual personality traiit. But from my own personal experience, I find it a great sport for someone my age. I'm finding that my age is possibly the average age, and the young and irresponsible 20 year old will not last on the track because riding on the track requires discipline and money. I'm happy to find other semi-young, responsible, working professionals on the track looking to simply, have a good time away from the daily grind.

[breakdirt916]

good tips for younger riders too!

[kumpy]

What about tips for managing anxiety on the track, as in managing your fear while trying to get faster while not crossing the threshold of getting scared as you brake deeper into a corner.

[breakdirt916]

[DucDave]

Good stuff Ken. I'll be sure to bookmark that article for when I get old...!

As you become 'vintage' consider a 'vintage' bike for track days! Those old guys seem to have a lot of fun on those older bikes!
Street or track...stretch a little (more?) before mounting up. Rossi's a little younger than me but he stretches so I'm guessing if couldn't hurt for me to do so too...!

[nhbubba]

From an outside perspective I think this lifestyle might be viewed as...

Fuck what everyone else thinks. Soon enough you really will be too old to do stuff like this. Would you rather look back and remember or look back and regret?

All my non-riding friends think I've lost my mind and/or am compensating for something. They may be right, but I'm having fun doing it.

[whynot]

Thanks for posting, Ken, good points, and timely.

I'd expand on #4 Staying in Shape, maybe talk some about fitness training (walk, swim, weights, etc. whatever suits you) and ride your pedal bike, provides fitness training (#4) and balance training (#5), ... and training for riding nearly naked in a very risky environment.

As to stretching, if you run you know that people debate the pros and cons of stretching. I read enough about stretching injuries in my running days that I would warm up by walking, not by stretching first, maybe stretch after you have warmed up.

Also, I try not to eat a lot (in general), and in particular when riding, I eat pretty light, and drink only water.

(This year I've been asked three times at bike meetups, Motherofgod, how old *are* you?!)

[ZX11D]

Thanks for posting the article link. I am an Old School Fool riding a stupidly fast 97 ZX11 which has been tastefuly modded. At this point the bike and I are both considered vintage I would think. I`m pushing 60 and the bike 16. That being said I can keep up with most , lift the front tire on occasion , and mostly ride within my aging limits. Most of all I`m still enjoying myself . The bonus happens when I take my lid off and people see me for what I am. A balding grampa riding a stupidly fast Ninja with a huge grin on my face.

[nhbubba]

I'd love to hear more discussion of "Ride more Efficiently". The idea of not hanging off as much seems both reasonable and positively no fun, all at the same time. Maybe that's the old enough to know better, still too young to care poking through?

A big part of why I want to go to track days is to hang off. I actually want to hang off and carve way more than I want to go fast. Being able to really toss the bike around one day and head to work the next (to recover) makes single track days really appealing to me.

Does machine selection come into play? I wonder if a smaller, less powerful, lighter machine is less tiring than a really powerful super-sport? What is odd is most older riders I see both at the track and on the street are riding liter bikes, many very exotic ones.

[OreoGaborio]

For me, it's not just about how MUCH you're hanging off, it's HOW you're hanging off and where you're expending your energy. Relaxation, staying loose and not tensing up, smooth body transitions and minimizing effort are the biggest contributing factors to not tiring yourself out.

Work smarter not harder.

[nhbubba]

Likely a big part of my problem and why I'm so wrecked at the end of a day. Judging from photos, my tires, and feedback I get from others I would say I have a ton of extra tire and lean angle available. This means I could go just as fast without exerting nearly as much effort.

But it sure is fun.

[z3dsp33d]

[brady]

For me, it's not just about how MUCH you're hanging off, it's HOW you're hanging off and where you're expending your energy. Relaxation, staying loose and not tensing up, smooth body transitions and minimizing effort are the biggest contributing factors to not tiring yourself out. Work smarter not harder.

It is easier said than done, like most things that are worth doing well. The really cool thing is, when you "get" it you get faster too!

[Falko]

Good write up. One thing I would add to this topic, maybe not the article though, is that don't give up quickly, or take baby steps when moving along the bike progression. I have a nerve condition with my hands and wrists, couldn't be on my Ape for more than an hour without a lot of pain and numbness. I gave that bike up (should have kept it in the stable) and moved to a much larger tour-esque type bike. I hated it. Too much change too quickly. I didn't think it through, got it in my head that is what I NEEDED. You don't age overnight, no need to progress 3 bike types that fast either.

[dontpanic]

How about a discussion of nutrition and diet? That's become much more important as I age, and since it has a direct bearing on my stamina and alertness, it has a direct application to riding and track days.

[Ken C]

Good points, all. There is a lot more to discuss about aging and motorcycling. I wrote a three page article for MCN a couple months ago on aging. One of the hardest things I find is accepting and adjusting to your limits. This can sound like giving up, but unless you are working pretty hard to stay in excellent shape, and even if you do, you are going to face the realities of aging. Keep it at bay for as long as you can,but be prepared for its inevitable arrival.

[PhilB]

Somewhat related to your points, but a bit different, would be the advice to not stop riding. This is good for telling the young ones as well -- if you, like a lot of people, give up riding in your thirties or so (wife, kids, pigeon racing, whatever) and try to re-enter in your fifties, it will be a lot harder to retain your skills and your conditioning. Plus you miss about 20 of your best riding years.

Don't sell the bike; just keep riding it whenever you can fit it in. (Note: as an older biker who rides daily, I cannot count how many times I hear guys my age tell me they used to ride, and that the biggest mistake they ever made was selling the bike.)

PhilB

[ZX11D]

Don't sell the bike; just keep riding it whenever you can fit it in. (Note: as an older biker who rides daily, I cannot count how many times I hear guys my age tell me they used to ride, and that the biggest mistake they ever made was selling the bike.)

PhilB

Well put PhilB

[EJLemo]

Share your knowledge. #1 pick of the 5 tips.

[Ken C]

Share your knowledge. #1 pick of the 5 tips.

The previous tips allow you to live long enough to share your knowledge.

[SteveM]

Consider a better ergonomic fit, at least on the street. Creaky knees, wrists and backs can ride longer on more upright bikes and if the skills are still there, there is nothing on the street an FZ1 can't do as well as an R1.