My Harley has been my main source of transportation since 2002. I have ridden Harley's since I was 16 years old and started on motorcycles at 11. I am not sure why but lately anytime someone suggests we go for a ride, I am not interested. Mind you, it is not cold here in Houston as we may have a week in the 30-50's before visiting the 70's again another week.

I recently paid off my work car and gave it to my daughter...so I am riding almost every day. My bike has over 22000 miles on it and I've had at right at 15 months. But something is missing.

I took the tour pak off, added a solo seat, made it more Street Glide style, but still I am not sure what's going on.

Have any of you old schoolers ever hit a stage like this? I used to really think I was one of the "Live to Ride, Ride to Live" type, but truthfully I am not. Now when I see someone riding in the rain or extreme cold I think "dumb".

Does this pass? I have been told if I sell it that the itch to return will be greater than I can imagine, but am not too sure.

I was wondering if this was normal or maybe it's just my MANopause kicking in?

 

I started riding around 18, had a Panhead I luved. At 21 a blue haired woman pulled out in front of me and I totaled my bike. I swore I would never ride again.

Course over the years every time someone would let me I jumped on a bike I did without a moments hesitation.

On nice days I would see folks out for a ride and think, wish I was out on some nice back country road, slowly touring and enjoying the sites.

Being down near the coast with tons of great back roads, the "I wish" got more intense. I would sit and stare at a bike, at a red light, thinking about a ride with some buddies and how great an early weekend ride would be.

For the last year I have been checking sites looking at bikes, checking prices.

Right before Christmass I bit the bullet, saw the bike and went I want that one.

Do not know if I am glad I quit for all those years or not, but that "I Wish" was there every year, and every time a saw a couple of guys out touring that "I Wish" would kick in.

 

I went five years without owning a car when I was young and dumb.
I paid my dues.
If it's nasty out, I'll take the cage.

Riding should be fun.

 

A bike should be fun and not an obligation.

Up here in the North there is no question that the cage is needed, even preferred for much of the year.

Personally, if my head wasn't into the ride I won't do it anymore. YMMV.

Good luck on whichever way you decide.

 

Been going through the same **** myself. Been riding since the late mid '60s but I didn't get my first Harley till I was 21 in '74 though. Anyhow I run it to keep the fluids going and use it for going to work during the week but pretty much never on the weekends.

After my wife died if it hadn't been for my daughter I'd probably would have gotten rid of it....then again after she died I lost interst in allot of things.

I've always seem to have had a motorcycle or acces to one so I think if I did sell it I'd miss it. So I'll just keep trucking as things are for now.

 

Bought my first Harley in 1962 rode till the early 90's then needed something different sold my prized stroked 79 Shovel SuperGlide to build a big block Cobra.That took me 3 yrs to build and perfect then that need for a Harley really hit me hard but wanted something a lot more powerful than stock.So built a Road King with 124" engine 4 yrs later built another Road king with a 155" engine.Could not be any happier.

 

Your bike has become just transportation to you. Why wouldn't you, when faced with shitty riding conditions, no longer be interested in riding?

By having it become such a chore to ride (in any weather), you've lost that 'loving feeling' for hoping on the bike and enjoying a nice ride.

If it's not fun, don't do it if you don't have to. Got nothing to do with being a real 'biker' or not. Let it sit in shitty weather and you're be dying to get out on it when it turns decent.

 

Phew, having deja vu here! I'll only ride the bike in 'reasonable' weather, I don't see the point in the 'sackcloth & ashes' mentality of riding in all sorts of crap weather just to say I'm a 'proper' biker. Also, with age has come selfishness - the bike is MINE - no back seat, footpegs or sissy bar cluttering things up, and if I pass her thumbing a lift, I'm afraid Daryll Hannah will have to walk!

 

Found a new hobby for you.

 

Looks like the guy nearest the middle is ready to knock one out!