Life and MotorBikes

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:18 pm

I turned 30, 3 years ago.

I never felt so old as when I turned 25. Now Im slowly marching to 40.

As I watch my kids grow and ppl die (celebs and whatnot) Ive been thinking about mortality.

Its rough to see my once super handsome superhero Dad (an avid motorcycle rider), deal with prostate cancer, unable to eat cashews like he used to because his teeth have grown soft (Hes 75. Had me late).

I wonder if there is anything as hard in life as aging and watching ppl drop off, unable to do what they once enjoyed.

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:46 pm

Welcome to life...

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 8:50 pm

cliffiec wrote:

Welcome to life...

I meant to PM you. I was reading through the posts in this forum and came across the one you made about the 5'3" guy with Honda parts, who died 8 days after checking himself into a hospital. It then occurred to me how wonderful this forum is for telling stories, building friendships and getting through life together.

Im glad I found this forum and have come to understand what it truly represents. Its so much more than bikes. Its Humanity and Fellowship.

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:22 pm

WOWDad wrote:

cliffiec wrote:

Welcome to life...

I meant to PM you. I was reading through the posts in this forum and came across the one you made about the 5'3" guy with Honda parts, who died 8 days after checking himself into a hospital. It then occurred to me how wonderful this forum is for telling stories, building friendships and getting through life together.

Im glad I found this forum and have come to understand what it truly represents. Its so much more than bikes. Its Humanity and Fellowship.

In 1979 when Honda marketed the DOHC 750F, I looked at that and decided that was the bike I wanted to ride (I had and sold a Honda 350/4, BITD). Life happens, and in 2006 I finally got an 82 900F. Shortly thereafter, I found this forum, and here I have made friends that I'm closer to than some of my family. I started posting here, and asked if anyone had a bike that needed exercise at the Spring 2009 NE ride (Killington, Vt). I flew in to Albany, got picked up at the airport by a guy I'd never met, and he let me ride his bought from new 83 1100F for the whole weekend. Two of these guys flew to NM to help me rebuild a motor back in 2012. After a mishap at a ride 6 of these guys pitched in and got my truck in position for my wife to get it, on her way to the hospital, and to spring my bike from the tow yard (one using his own credit card to pay the bill), and then return it to my house, two states away. While I was laying in a hospital bed. I don't think it's possible to find better people than we have on this forum. They'll give you the shirt off their back, sage advice on modifying/maintaining/repairing these bikes (and others), and many times will give you the parts you need to get or keep a bike on the road. Just a few stories that go on here. Come to a NE Ride, and you'll see it first hand.

The guy whose wife had cancer, and he was going to sell his bike to be able to take her to Chemo treatments. These guys took up a collection and gave him the money (roughly the purchase price he was asking for his bike), he kept the bike.

Multiple guys who travel cross country, and ride a loaner bike for a great weekend, with guys they've only met on this forum.

Too many stories, man...

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 9:29 pm

cliffiec wrote:

WOWDad wrote:

cliffiec wrote:

Welcome to life...

I meant to PM you. I was reading through the posts in this forum and came across the one you made about the 5'3" guy with Honda parts, who died 8 days after checking himself into a hospital. It then occurred to me how wonderful this forum is for telling stories, building friendships and getting through life together.

Im glad I found this forum and have come to understand what it truly represents. Its so much more than bikes. Its Humanity and Fellowship.

In 1979 when Honda marketed the DOHC 750F, I looked at that and decided that was the bike I wanted to ride (I had and sold a Honda 350/4, BITD). Life happens, and in 2006 I finally got an 82 900F. Shortly thereafter, I found this forum, and here I have made friends that I'm closer to than some of my family. I started posting here, and asked if anyone had a bike that needed exercise at the Spring 2009 NE ride (Killington, Vt). I flew in to Albany, got picked up at the airport by a guy I'd never met, and he let me ride his bought from new 83 1100F for the whole weekend. Two of these guys flew to NM to help me rebuild a motor back in 2012. After a mishap at a ride 6 of these guys pitched in and got my truck in position for my wife to get it, on her way to the hospital, and to spring my bike from the tow yard (one using his own credit card to pay the bill), and then return it to my house, two states away. While I was laying in a hospital bed. I don't think it's possible to find better people than we have on this forum. They'll give you the shirt off their back, sage advice on modifying/maintaining/repairing these bikes (and others), and many times will give you the parts you need to get or keep a bike on the road. Just a few stories that go on here. Come to a NE Ride, and you'll see it first hand.

The guy whose wife had cancer, and he was going to sell his bike to be able to take her to Chemo treatments. These guys took up a collection and gave him the money (roughly the purchase price he was asking for his bike), he kept the bike.

Multiple guys who travel cross country, and ride a loaner bike for a great weekend, with guys they've only met on this forum.

Too many stories, man...

Wow. Really amazing and heartwarming. And to think, I came into this thinking everyone was against me and no help at all. BOY was I wrong and Im so glad I found out I was wrong!!!!!!

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:07 pm

cliffiec wrote:

Welcome to life...

You are only 33yrs old - still very much a young man. Being old is more about mindset than actual age. Rick is very correct, the longer we live, the more we learn and experience, the wiser (hopefully) we become. We learn that life is not what we first thought it was, we realize that what we once thought was important was not.

There are many ways to live one's life, it's all your choice. Not every guy can be a stud, a titan in business or politics...whatever. What's important is that you are happy with your life. Want to make changes? Make them. No one knows how long their life will be - best to do what fulfills you, makes you happy. Living a life of compromise and settling for less not a good way to be.

Death is part of life, people die all the time - best to accept that. Your father's situation is unfortunate, but it's part of life. I'm twice your age, I've seen 1/2 of my family pass away and more than a few friends - I couldn't prevent it or somehow keep it from happening....I don't have that power. I just keep on keepin' on. I've been nearly killed more times than I can count - last time was 2012 on my HD. My body healed quickly, but it's taken years to overcome the effects of the concussion I received....and now I'm going to get back on a motorcycle and resume my life the way I want to live it.

Life can be hard, if you choose to see it as such, but that's just perception - something you can change. Take, for example, Sonicrete and Captain and their views on improving these bikes. At some point, Sonicrete threw up his hands and said "enough, it can't be done!" and chose to become embittered from his experience, despite his wealth of knowledge and hard-won experience. Captain, on the other hand refused to give up, deciding somehow there had to be a way to improve/correct these bikes....and he has done so.

"Life happens" despite all our efforts, precautions, etc. so why worry about it.? Enjoy what there is for you to enjoy and just deal with the rest and move on.

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2018 10:52 pm

Hey my dad is 91. My mom just passed and he is lonely. He is very lonely at night especially like from 6 to 10 so I hired a nurse to come over and get him or drive him or anything he wants and he loves her. She cooks drives him to the diner showers once a week. My brother and little sister think that she is getting paid to much just to keep him company. My other brothers think she is great.
He can very much afford it but I am some sick of being in the middle of it.

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2018 12:17 am

wamkap1100 wrote:

Hey my dad is 91. My mom just passed and he is lonely. He is very lonely at night especially like from 6 to 10 so I hired a nurse to come over and get him or drive him or anything he wants and he loves her. She cooks drives him to the diner showers once a week. My brother and little sister think that she is getting paid to much just to keep him company. My other brothers think she is great.
He can very much afford it but I am some sick of being in the middle of it.

Sorry to hear. Family having differences is hard. Just remind your brother and sister that your father is lonely and "this" makes him happy.

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 1:44 am

WOWDad wrote:

cliffiec wrote:

Welcome to life...

Im glad I found this forum and have come to understand what it truly represents. Its so much more than bikes. Its Humanity and Fellowship.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is not about fixing bikes BTW...

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 2:08 am

silversurfer1050 wrote:

WOWDad wrote:

cliffiec wrote:

Welcome to life...

Im glad I found this forum and have come to understand what it truly represents. Its so much more than bikes. Its Humanity and Fellowship.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is not about fixing bikes BTW...

Yeah I read it. A shame his son was killed in the 70s. The author only passed away a few years ago as I recall.

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 5:21 am

I have far outlived my Dad and Mom and the older I get
the more I am aware of mortality. however I believe
that as people age they dwell on it robbing themselves
of the joys of still being alive. concentrate on the fact
that you are still here and have so much left to do and
and many people here to help when you are impaired
in any way that slows you down. don't give in to age.
finding ways around it is much more rewarding. you
are way to young to worry about it. LIVE while can.

peace !

Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:31 am

bobcat7 wrote:

I have far outlived my Dad and Mom and the older I get
the more I am aware of mortality. however I believe
that as people age they dwell on it robbing themselves
of the joys of still being alive. concentrate on the fact
that you are still here and have so much left to do and
and many people here to help when you are impaired
in any way that slows you down. don't give in to age.
finding ways around it is much more rewarding. you
are way to young to worry about it. LIVE while can.

peace !

...Well said.