Loosing my motivation to ride

[catch2otwo]

Hey all,

Been a while since I've been on here. A little back story here. Joined up here a few years ago when I got to borrow my cousins Smokin Joes f3 for the summer. My first bike etc etc. Met quite a few folks on here when I decided to join up on a random group ride. Oreo Pete, Rob, Kirra, duc dave were the first of the bunch.

Rode all through college and even managed to get out to a TTD. Fast forward to today. Moved to San Francisco about 2 years ago, a place with arguably some of the best twisties and scenic riding in the country. Was pretty happy about riding here the first year and even got my gf to start riding.

With a few more trackdays under my belt, and a whole lot more commuting/lane splitting miles, I just dont want to ride on the streets anymore. Twisties or not, im just bored with it all. My insurance is starting to go down, bike is almost paid off, I just dont really want to rail on some backroad. I guess im bored or getting lame or something.

Thinking of selling my Tuono maybe next year if this keeps up. I still love doing trackdays but when the gf asks to go riding, for some reason I just feel like im wasting my money buying gas haha. Well done with my "rant"

Anyone else gone through anything like this? What did ya do?

[Chippertheripper]

sorta. ever since i started getting ok at riding (td's) the less and less i gave a shit about going out rippin' twisties with my motorcycle buddies. i do miss it (hanging out with those kooks mostly) but i think i've got a good happy medium going now.
i've been running a motard on the track, and i ride a dual sport on the street to commute with and run around in the woods on. it's not fast, it's kinda heavy, but i just like it.

sell the tuono, and get something less zippy for commuting or something. a weestrom or whatever. and then maybe get a dirtybike.

[korndogg]

Get a faster bike

[catch2otwo]

Get a faster bike

haha that didnt take long.


Been toying with the idea of thinking Im just bored with my bike. But everytime I ride it, it feels awesome. Part of me feels like I should just buy a track bike and get a 250 or a drz to commute on.

[butcher bergs]

Just prior to buying my house last year, I decided to sell the bike but in that same timeframe I found myself getting bored with street riding and also sick of it with all the idiots out there making it less fun for myself and my passenger.

Now, just 7 short months later, I'm discovering that I am missing having a street machine to throw a leg over any time I wish.

[CBR929RE]

I haven't been on the street in 2 years and I miss it. almost all of my riding was by myself and most days it was fun and relaxing but there were those days where I just wasn't feeling it. track riding has just been so much more fun the last 2 years but I think I wanna get back on the road this year. and since I started track riding a few years ago I just cruise around on the street. So much so that I've thought of getting a more comfortable street bike like a VFR but my 929 is just so awesome I don't wanna get rid of it.

[catch2otwo]

I hear you guys, I just dont want to make the mistake I read so much about of being the guy that sold his bike and then regrettably kicks himself in the ass for doing so.

[butcher bergs]

IMO, you will eventually.

[LiterR1]

Man the things I would do to my bike if I Lived in Cali, riding year round, Mulholland Drive would be my playground not to mention the Canyons, I guess we don not know how good we have it till we have to let it go.
please do not sell your bike unless she makes you choose between the two, the bike or her

[Rambunctous]

haha that didnt take long.


Been toying with the idea of thinking Im just bored with my bike. But everytime I ride it, it feels awesome. Part of me feels like I should just buy a Yamaha TZ 250 to race with.

All fixed.....Next

[KingCast 650R]

So much so that I've thought of getting a more comfortable street bike like a VFR but my 929 is just so awesome I don't wanna get rid of it.

The only thing that made my friend get rid of his 929... is his tricked-out Gen1 Busa. So he sold it to his brother to make sure he can still ride it. It's a great bike, too racer for me but damn it is nice.

[CBR929RE]

The only thing that made my friend get rid of his 929... is his tricked-out Gen1 Busa. So he sold it to his brother to make sure he can still ride it. It's a great bike, too racer for me but damn it is nice.

this is my second one and I've had it for 5 or 6 years now. Woulda kept the first one had I not totaled it.

[jwm2k3]

Ive seen people go thru it before...


Me...I can see myself riding for the rest of my life. I dont feel as gung ho as I used to when I first started but I still love the ride. What Im on changes from time to time but Ive always loved to be out there.

Maybe switch up your ride...?!?

[jbmass]

Find some new places to ride, new twisties and back towns you've never been to.

[Kenn157]

Ive seen people go thru it before...


Me...I can see myself riding for the rest of my life. I dont feel as gung ho as I used to when I first started but I still love the ride. What Im on changes from time to time but Ive always loved to be out there.

Maybe switch up your ride...?!?

I sure did! But I really wasn't having any issues riding with my friends and "family". I'm still in "hung ho" mode!
Speaking of switching up... Mr. Brutale hopeful!

Track Days are fun but I'd miss the twisties too much.

[mzdagrl]

I'm going through this now as well. With a toddler in the house, I don't get out as often as I'd like to, and when I do all I think about is getting home. But, every time I think about selling, I remind myself how sad I would be to not be able to hop on and go for a ride, even if it is only once a month. I say keep it.

[zombie]

Hey all,
With a few more trackdays under my belt, and a whole lot more commuting/lane splitting miles, I just dont want to ride on the streets anymore. Twisties or not, im just bored with it all. My insurance is starting to go down, bike is almost paid off, I just dont really want to rail on some backroad. I guess im bored or getting lame or something.

Thinking of selling my Tuono maybe next year if this keeps up. I still love doing trackdays but when the gf asks to go riding, for some reason I just feel like im wasting my money buying gas haha. Well done with my "rant"

Anyone else gone through anything like this? What did ya do?

The opposite happened to me
I use to do a a lot of track days until the last one when I realized I was bored out of my skull going around in circles.
I've always had a bike and could never imagine my life without motorcycles.
For many years my bike was my only transportation.
These days I do the long distance riding thing and dont see myself doing a track day again.

To each their own but life without a bike would seriously suck.

[Falko]

that happened to me a while back. Didn't have anyone to ride with, not using the bike, so I sold it, and bought a boat. If you think your bike takes up gas and maintenance money, move over to the floating recreation. So, I did the only responsible thing, sold the boat, bought a bike and a bigger boat. The boat is the wife and kid's, yeah, that's it...

If you don't have a lot of money wrapped up in the bike, keep it and just get off of it for a couple months. you'll figure things out and where you want to be. MAybe you need something different, but a Tuono is a great bike for the twisties, tough to beat the low end torque.

[roadracer685]

I can relate,i have had just about every brand sportbike out there and a few motards. But after going racing and doing trackdays the thrill is gone on the street unless im going mach 1 and thats just dangerous, so i did the unthinkable i bought a 05 HD nightrain did a little motor work and i love it! I never though i would like a HD but doing some engine work can really wake them up and make them fun to ride. Think of it as an old muscle car looks cool sounds good and goes good but doesnt handle or stop too well!

[Billy]

Can't really speak from a track perspective but can chime in from a street only perspective.

When I first started riding in 2005 I was nuts about it. I was still living at home at the time, didn't have a girlfriend, and career wise I was just starting out (entry level). Basically I had plenty of time to devote to riding. Every day I came home from work I'd jump on the bike and go for a ride for 1-2 hours every day during the week. Then on the weekends I'd go for day long rides.

Fast forward to today, I own my own house so now I have house chores I need to keep up with, home remodeling projects that i've been working on, a girlfriend I need to keep happy, got involved in other hobbies that interfere with riding, and career wise I'm pretty high up in the food chain which means I work longer stressful days. By the time I get out of work it's either late, or I'm mentally/physically drained.

I definately don't ride anywhere near the amount I did when I first started. I've thought about hanging up the towel completely since I don't have enough time to ride like I used to. The reason I haven't hung up the towel is I know the second I sell the bike I'm going to regret it and miss it. Even though I dont have as much free time and don't ride as much as I used to, I don't think I can completely give it up.

On the flip side I think subconsiously part of the reason I don't ride as much is because I'm not comfortable on my bike anymore. I've been toying with the idea of getting a second bike that has more upright ergonomics and is passenger friendly (comfortable to ride with a passenger on the back). I'm thinking next year I might make a change. Either sell my current bike and buy something new and more comfortable or keep my current bike and buy a second bike that is more comfortable for longer rides and for 2 up riding. We'll see.

[TheIglu]

Anytime I get sick of riding, I realize how many types of riding you can do.

Then I go buy a different bike.

Don't get rid of the old one, if you can. Just start collecting until you have one of every style bike you want.

Variety is the spice of life

Took the Vmax to work today.....that thing attracts school buses and mini-vans doing 10 under with handicap plates.

[gregp]

This type of "burnout" is quite normal. Take a break. Sell your bike. If you are like most riders, you will come back. If and when you do, buy another bike that sparks your interest.
For me, the older I get, the more I enjoy smaller and simpler machines.

[markbvt]

It all depends on what you get out of riding.

For me, as much as I enjoy twisties, the adrenaline-rush aspect wore off a long time ago. Don't get me wrong, I hit up as many twisty roads as possible -- but I'm also not the type to session a road. I get bored riding the same thing over and over; this is why track days don't hold a great deal of appeal for me. I know a track day would be fun, but it's too damn expensive for me to justify riding around in circles all day, and I'd rather be out exploring some new roads.

The thing that really appeals to me about riding a motorcycle is seeing the world around me, and feeling far more a part of it than I do from inside a car. This is why most of my riding consists of long day rides and, increasingly, long tours. Touring has massively changed my perspective on motorcycling. There's absolutely nothing like seeing remote locations from the back of a motorcycle. The feeling of riding through mountains or along a rugged coastline or through the vastness of Labrador is indescribable. Throw in some twisty roads, and it's just that much better.

Trust me -- if you think you're getting bored with street riding, take a week off work, pack up the bike, and just head out on a trip. It will completely reinvigorate your desire to ride.

In the meantime, take a look through the ride reports section of ADVrider for inspiration. Here are a few of mine to get you started.

Labrador/Newfoundland:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=502224
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=620129

West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=580821

Gaspé:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=389932

--mark

[Doc]

I have had some of the same feelings but I change bikes enough to keep it exciting. I also have a number of bikes to try difeerent types of riding.

Do I need all these bikes? No. BUT it sure is fun having them.

I also like to wrench on bikes and learn about them. Bikes are more than just riding.

[Falko]

.... Bikes are more than just riding.

+1