Loosing my motivation to ride

[Pittenger5]

I havent touched my street bike in months. I dont have much of a desire to street ride at all anymore. Especially my bike on these roads. However, my desire to ride dirt and the track is stronger than ever. I just like pushing my limits, and bad things happen on the street for that.

[e30addict]

I took a few years off after my first bike got totalled. Really missed it after a while and haven't looked back since. I do find I don't get to really ride the bike as much as I used to, but when I do it still helps everything melt away.

I think I'll always have something to throw a leg over.

[catch2otwo]

I dont think im going to sell the Tuono just because its so versitile. I can go do a trackday, go 2 up with the gf, or commute on it. But I do like the idea of maybe getting something new.

But I think Billy has hit it on the head for me. Your post basically put all my thoughts together. Life has changed I guess, when I started riding I was just done out of high school and in college so i had lots of free time and money. Now im working alot, gf, and it just seems i have no want to ride probably cause most of my miles during the week are spent splitting lanes. By the time the weekend comes, the last thing i want to do is spend time with other motorists.

Ill probably just take a break for a few months and drive to work.

[kb1]

Bikes are like toys to me - I buy different ones and switch things up. If you do the same thing over and over and over again you will get bored. I have a dirty bike for a bit, then sell it, pick up a quad, then sell it. I had a street bike, then a race bike, now back to a street/track day bike. Who knows what's next. The key is not to take loans on bikes, buy stuff cash, and buy worthy investments. If you can get your money back on what you bought after a season or two, then go buy something else. Just keeps things fresh.

My next addition will either be a motard or harley electro-glide or St1300 for the wife and I do some touring on before starting a family.

[Pittenger5]

I find myself seriously wanting an XR1200, mainly cause its more comfortable for commuting than my motard. Plus on the weekends you can do this

[schleppy]

Get a slower bike. Every time I start to get bored I'll ride a 250 of some sort. It reminds you of the simple joys of motorcycling.

[Pittenger5]

Get a slower bike. Every time I start to get bored I'll ride a 250 of some sort. It reminds you of the simple joys of motorcycling.

Thats what I said. A Harley.

[SVRACER01]

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San fran is the perfect place for a motard. Sell the ape and get a tard. You'll never be bored again and won't worry about it getting scratched.

[breakdirt916]

street legal dirtbike?

or just stop...you'll be back

or, you're in san fran with the girl of ur dreams...f bikes...live up life!

[TTD]

Been through several of these phases...

Answer for me right now is trackdays, dirt bike, and a convertible car.

Yep... the convertible car gives me that "freedom" feeling I'm looking for when it's a nice day out. And the perk is I can jump in with shorts and a tank top!

[R7]

I look back at the days when I would look forward to the weekends and adding 500-600 miles to the bike and riding 15k a season was an average season! Now I look at my 09 R1 going on it's 3rd season with only 5,800 miles on it, and I can't help to think the same thing as the OP. Other than a group ride/poser event here and there, my sportbike has become transportation rather than pleasure. I don't want to get rid of it, but the desire to sportride or even take it to the track isn't there anymore. Now I look forward to getting in 30 or 40 miles of dirt on the weekends and maybe taking the sportbike for a 8 mile round trip to get lunch.

[Talus]

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!

Funny you should write that. I sold my '87 HD last year and bought my Street Triple. The Triumph goes,turns and brakes 1000x better than the HD, but I had some great 4-5 hour rides on that rattle-box. Highway pegs, legs out, putting along on 119 up near NH. It got the job done. The Triumph is great, I can't imagine buying another bike with much less power, but it'd be nice to have something else to cruise around on.

OP, maybe that's what you need, a change? Variety is the spice of life.

[Wislon]

Yes, me too. Business, family, dilapidated old house take time. There is no "free" time after thirty.

How the hell you get bored with a track day I don't know! Track days are expensive but exhilirating. Plenty of motivation there for me, but can only do a few per year. And it's like organising a vacation for me.

Scratching on my local (pretty good) roads? I go slower now, for good safety reasons, so it's not a blast any more. Practicing perfect riding can be absorbing, but the routine Sunday Ride can get to be, well, routine.

Two-three day trips to Catskills, White mountains etc. are touring with just the occasional nudge from the wife, "Pass that Ninja!" but again only three-four times a year.

The constant positive element in all this is the riding companion(s). Get some. Get out of town to new roads. Don't let commuting burn you out. There's got to be new routes and destinations, go with friends, swap bikes, read maps.

Sounds like an old guy talking, right? But I'm still riding and I wouldn't be me without a bike. You will miss that thing if you sell it. Let it sit there if you must, it'll be ready when you are!

Wislon

[jwm2k3]

I'm still in "hung ho" mode!
Speaking of switching up... Mr. Brutale hopeful!

Ken, you KNOW I dig my RC51..but I just....dont really wanna ride it right now.

To be honest...its all your fault.

While riding a lil with you watching you on the Zuki, all comfortable and having a blast...and me all contorted on my RC51...I said, Im getting a naked sportbike. So, yes. I blame you Hats of to ya!!

ps. once I get the Brutie, Im gonna need you to gimmie your impressions of how it rides (while I in turn try out the Brit bikes a lil!)

[Stromper]

I am old

I operated my 1st motorcycle 43 years ago.

Except when I started my business for 2 years I have had a street bike continuously. Since 1976 usually a superbike.

YOU will ebb and flow. YOU get depressed and listless. We here in the Northeast have the benefit of winter that except for Randyo has the bike put away for months. So every year its a new thrill.

I like Mark like exploring with a bike so the GIXAH became a Vee strom so little roads are fun.

So just man up and get straight, what next Princess baking?

SF Faerie dust is like pollen, it just gets into everything

[dankatz]

Aren't you glad I didn't buy your Tuono?;-)
I just ride to work daily, so I never get a chance to get bored. Honestly, spice it up. Get another bike, farkle your Tuono, whatever. Honestly, if I lived in SF I would ride every day and everywhere!

[MysteriousR1]

I've kinda gone through the same thing. While the R1 is fun and all, I was starting to get sick of just going for rides. Was acually becoming....boring. My solution was a Motard. It was amazing how much a different style of riding made the rides so much more fun. Also being able to cruise down some trails really made it interesting.
Then I bought a dirt bike and holy fuck. I cant wait to get back on those rides. I think if your getting bored with riding you just need a change in bikes.
Switch it up, it re-sparked my love for riding.

[Kenn157]

I ain't getting bored..

[dingley00]

fortunately in new england we have natural "built-in" hiatus from riding... it's called WINTER

[NeverlosT]

eh, I ride my tuono like a motard on steroids so I dont have much desire to change bikes. I think just take a break for a bit, the bike will call you back.

I know how you feel though. Try to get other people to ride with. I know most of the time I have no one to ride with down here so I go on solo ventures. I have much more fun though when I am riding with others.

Track days are a blast, but they are also expensive and I tend to push it too much and crash and then it just got a lot more expensive... eh, ill do more this summer, just going to tune it down and ride within my skill level more.

Also a big thing is diversify a bit. I ride Downhill bikes all summer, and my moto is my escape from bicycles. So it is fresh and new often. I commute on the bike too but not every day. My moto is very much a "toy" and not core transportation.

I second the comment of heading to the Gaspe peninsula up north, that is a GREAT ride!

good luck either way! maybe switch to 15-42 gearing on the tuono, that should spice things up... get some obnoxious pipes?

[-jro-]

Once riding becomes no fun, sell the bike and throw in the towel. There is way too much at risk to participate in the sport if you have fallen out of love with it. Just saying.

[TheIglu]

Once riding becomes no fun, sell the bike and throw in the towel. There is way too much at risk to participate in the sport if you have fallen out of love with it. Just saying.

Or give it a break, try to realize why you don't enjoy it anymore and then make an educated decision on if making a change would help.

If I gave up riding completely the instant I didn't love it, I would own no bikes and be some guy sitting on a couch watching sports.

[Billy]

I think if your getting bored with riding you just need a change in bikes.
Switch it up, it re-sparked my love for riding.

I think this is the answer to my issue. I think the reason I dont enjoy it as much is the discomfort is starting to get to me. I found myself many times debating if I wanted to go for a ride but then there was a side of me that was saying to myself "F that, you're gonna be uncomfortable" and I ended up doing something else.

I want a bike that I can throw a leg over and ride all the way up to the white mountains or Western Mass, ride back home and be comfortable. 2 hours on the Gixxah and I need a break. If I have a passenger on the back, I'm done after about 30-45 mins.

So many choices......... Yamaha Vmax seems like a fun crusier like bike to rock. This vboost sounds interesting........

[dontpanic]

Group rides re-invigorated me. (Thanks, DucDave!)

[duganc1717]

taking the sportbike for a 8 mile round trip to get lunch.

Poser......