Help for another "old man"

[Sig Taylor]

I'm 54 and had a very bad motorcycle accident 2 yrs. ago in the Baja. Nearly killed myself - 7 broken ribs, broken collar bone, collapsed lung, busted up knee...you get the picture. Had to be airlifted from San Diego back to Calgary, Canada. After the accident, I sold my KLR and most of my gear (except helmet and riding gear). I'd really only been riding for a couple of years before the accident so I didn't have a lot of experience. I rode in Vietnam and Cambodia for about a month.

I just read the article, "How to survive on a motorcycle," http://piratesk12site.net/SAFETY~1.htm; and it's really made me think twice about riding again. The picture of the accident at the beginning of the article looked exactly like mine: guy laying in the ditch surrounded by people, bike smashed up in the ditch and just beside a turn like the one I didn't make.

My dream was to eventually ride around the world but...I get really anxious when I think of getting on a bike again, particularly in the third world and overlanding. I just put a deposit on an 06 F650GS and but I'm having second thoughts. Is it really feasible for someone like me at my age and with my experience (including crash) to pursue overlanding and adventure motorcycling? I'm really only interested in motorcycle travel - not much into riding around town/highways in the US and Canada. Thought I'd start again with a trip to Baja solo in Jan. 07 (unless I can find someone to join me).

I'd appreciate any feedback from veterans about whether my dreams of world touring again are realistic. Any advice would be welcomed.

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semi-colon fixed by Grant

[Lone Rider]

First off..... 54 is old as dirt, almost ancient.
Heck, I'll only be 52 in Jan.

You want to live life, that's obvious.

Get your bike, personalize it, become comfortable on it...and make plans.
Accidents, both minor and deadly, happen to all age riders. Always has and always will.

Baja is a great place to do some out-of-country riding. You can easily pick and choose remote vs not so remote, get away from things, feel self reliant, explore at will, rejuvenate at some modern cities, US facilities aren't that far away, etc...

Set stages for yourself, ones that you're comfortable with, not some set by others and based on what they do. You're in charge of the curtain, when it raises and lowers...cuz it's your stage.

If you sit on the couch, all the other taters will be boring to you....

[SalCar]

Originally Posted by Sig Taylor

My dream was to eventually ride around the world but...I get really anxious when I think of getting on a bike again, particularly in the third world and overlanding. I just put a deposit on an 06 F650GS and but I'm having second thoughts. Is it really feasible for someone like me at my age and with my experience (including crash) to pursue overlanding and adventure motorcycling? .

I'm riding with RickMcD around latin america. he is older than you and he is doing great. my recomendations are to take a few classes such as the one from jimmy lewis on how to ride big bikes, ride slow, only during the day and make sure you are well rested before you start your day. buy the best protective gear, be alert, and have fun!! having someone else to go with you would be ideal but not a must

[Stephano]

Originally Posted by Sig Taylor

I just read the article, "How to surivive on a motorcycle,"

If anyone’s having trouble with Sig’s link above for How To Survive on a Motorcycle just remove the semi-colon at the end from the URL and it’ll work.

Stephan

[Lizanne]

Hey sig....I'd be up for it......I've been to Nicaragua from colorado twice....broke my arm once LOL. I speak Spanish at an intermediate level (never having any problems) Let mee know. Lizanne

ps I camp out a lot!!! NO FEAR ....just pick super secluded spots.

pps I love adventure

[Lizanne]

PS Your link you posted is not working!!!!!

[Sig Taylor]

You just have to take out the ; at the end and it will work. Great article!

Thanks for all of the replies...much appreciated!

Sig

[STG06]

Sig....Stephen in Red Deer here....great to hear you have the two wheel itch again...send me a note if you're interested in Baja or something else 'southern' this winter/spring. What about Colorado in July for the HU mtg - the great divide route is wonderful!!! You'll be pleased to know that your tank bags continue to serve well!!

[Sig Taylor]

Great to hear from you! Thought about how you were doing in Red Deer. Yep, thinkin' about gettin' back in the saddle. In fact I have a conference I'm attending in San Diego, Jan. 4-8 and I'm thinking about taking doing the Baja from there - Jan. 9-?

It would be great for you to join or me perhaps think of another time. I'd really like to get away in Jan-Feb.

Let me know if you're interested!

Sig

PS Saw Elrosario on the map and thought about stopping in and saying thanks...

[Sig Taylor]

Hi Lizanne,

Thanks for the reply. I'm thinking of the Baja in Jan. I'd be leaving from San Diego. I could be flexible with areas and times.

Sig

[pappy]

You are not old yet. At 63 years of age and 2 months into an attempt at reaching TDF, I got a laugh out of your age comment. My traveling companion through to Panama is 65. Two years ago on an Alaska trip I had to ride like hell to keep up with my 70 year old riding partner.
If you ride you will fall. All the gear All the time. NO night riding. Ride your on ride do not let someone else set you pace. Stop when you do feel comfortable. This type of riding in not for Iron Butte. It is the journey not the destinationl.

Ride on, now!
Pappy

[Frank Warner]

With your riding experience - Do a dirt riding course! It will improve your skills level enormously!!!!! Most of the 'older' riders' have some dirt riding behind them, you don't have much .. even those with dirt riding experience (of the older variety) will learn stuff from the newer dirt riding courses.

Youg uns will simply heal faster .. they still crash and hurt themselves. Do a first aid course .. you will thenm know what to do or at least have some idea.

[mollydog]

Sig,
Sorry to hear about your accident

[BklynDakar]

No question you can do it, but you have to accept that injury or worse is a real possibility. May have nothing to do with you; maybe a drunk driver will be coming down the highway at you, swerve into your lane and the road shoulder is a cliff. This was my biggest fear and it grew worse as I drove into Baja where they didn't teach the concept of road shoulders in civil engineering class.

On my trip I kept telling myself that speed is the biggest danger and I forced myself to go slow. Notice the picture in the article looks like a street bike high sided into a turn. Most likely he went into the turn too fast. Today's street bikes are more than 99% of the riders can handle.

I also bought all the safety gear and wore it even to go down the street. In the end I crashed in sand in Baja because of my overconfidence. No gear would have stopped my leg from breaking.

The last time I really crashed was in Creel at a HU meeting when I was going down the Copper Canyon. The two guys who help me get my bike running again were both easily over 50. One of them was probably over 60 and was riding down on a brand new BMW1200GS. He was having a hard time but just took it slow.

As I have spent the last three months recovering alone in San Diego I have questioned my trip many times. I believe once I get going again the joy of travel will return. I plan to leave mid-December but will spend two weeks studying spanish in La Paz or on the mainland. PM me if you want to ride together because I am riding solo. (Mollydog- why not ride Baja solo?)

[a1arn]

Baja.

To be more precise, where you crashed. It feels really queer and spooky as you head to the accident spot. But once you do it, you'll exorcise a lot of demons.

I had a bad crash in 2002. Nothing like yours, but multiple fractures all the same. The first thing I did (after about 6 weeks, with the "K" pins still in me), after getting used to the bike again (for one week) was to ride back to the crash spot 200km out of town. I felt really odd doing it but I knew I had to come face to face with the spot of my nightmares and slug it out again, as it were. The circumstances may have licked me once, and I had to prove to myself that I did not have to worry about it or similar roads in the future.

Can't describe how much better I felt, and what a confidence booster it was. As a bonus I got to meet the people who had helped me, and thank them properly.

May work for you too. It won't make you a better rider, but it will stop your mind playing unnecessary, nasty little games.