Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Here's some history first...

I used to ride a lot 30 years ago. My bike was my only transportation for a very long time. I stopped riding and did the family thing, and in January the wife went out and bought me a Harley. (Sweet lady huh?). Okay... I am going into this like I'm a beginner (as much as possible). There are just some things I can't "forget," so I'm not a total newbie. I am very safety minded and am taking things very slow until I "earn" my way into the rider community. I am planning to do the MSF thing, and am reading volumes on rider strategies and safety. I practice slow speed maneuvers and hard braking to a limited degree, as I haven't had the training except for what I've read. I'm not riding beyond my capabilities at all.

I've been doing a thing I read on a cycle site about maping out a route in the neighborhood and just tooling around and getting the feel of the bike. It invloves no traffic to speak of, and no major intersections. Lots of stop signs, and lots of right and left hand turns, both from a stop and without. This is mostly at 2nd gear speeds with one 3rd gear stretch... 20-35 MPH. I time this for a part of the day when there is nobody around, so I'm not dealing with kids playing, people coming home from work, street racers, etc... My route is bacically the same each time, and I increase the number of "laps" I do periodically to get more time on the bike. I started with about 1/2 mile and am up to about 10 miles now. Just joy riding and practicing my "radar" skills.

Today I went out for the 1st time in a couple of weeks (weather related time out), and when I got done I was left feeling just blah about the whole thing. I was pretty happy to get going, but when I finished I was just... "eh". It was windy today and it was louder than normal. I needed air in the tires and gas, so I made my 1st trip to the station down at the corner of the street. I was wore out when I got home. I obviously wasn't as relaxed as I should have been. This entire ride only lasted about an hour, but I felt like I'd been on it all day. And I didn't feel as connected to the bike as I had on previous rides.

Anyone else ever feel that way after a ride?

Thoughts? Opinions?

Sounds like you are too old to ride. Time for a buick

Seriously I would just take your time getting back into it. Like riding a bicycle again after many years...major soreness. Take more short rides to get your body used to it again.

I dont think you'll have that 'thrill' again as when you were new to bikes, but you can definately learn to enjoy it. Think about getting your skills back up to snuff and then taking the wife along! That would definately be something you can add to the experience.

Sometimes Im not in the mood to do anything...

I sometimes feel dissapointed after a ride if it is just a bunch of traffic... it just isn't the same. It is a lot more fun to ride with people too! But I rarely am unhappy with my rides unless there are too many people out. I like the road all to myself.

Strong wind can make any ride horrible. When you're getting blown around be it you, your bike or both of you, it just sucks.

Dude I have felt like that and I'm not an ex rider or an old rider.

Just the other day I took my bike out and it's as though all the confidence I'd gained on bikes over the last few weeks had disappeared.
I felt like I was in some bad dream where my body was not in sync with the bike and I couldn't pull off crucial maneuvers.

But luckily for me it was gone the very next time I rode.

Heimdall Einherjar wrote:
But luckily for me it was gone the very next time I rode.

I'm hoping...lol!

Sounds like you need a vacation and a good long twisty country road. I think the Smokey Mountains are just the cure, they have got some great roads to ride in that area. Just bring some rain gear because the weather has been known to change as you head up to the mountains.

Heimdall Einherjar wrote:Dude I have felt like that and I'm not an ex rider or an old rider.

Just the other day I took my bike out and it's as though all the confidence I'd gained on bikes over the last few weeks had disappeared.
I felt like I was in some bad dream where my body was not in sync with the bike and I couldn't pull off crucial maneuvers.

But luckily for me it was gone the very next time I rode.

when this happens go home.it is a warning not to be out that day.i have never ignored one of these warnings.never will.

Hey... I think you will feel better when/if you ride with other people riding alone can suck sometimes.