When is the time to give up doing long road trips?

[NoshowJones]

As the title says, when is it? When your in your sixties, or maybe seventies?

Anyone know any really old road trippers?

[OmegaRacer]

My dad is almost 70 and still makes long trips on his Goldwing. In fact, he has one coming up in September. ..Italy to Romania.

He once told me that he will make a trike conversion to his Goldwing should it become too heavy for him.

Respect, dad!

[NeverSure]

For me it isn't only age, it's heat. I can't take a long trip in 100 degree F (38 C?) heat anymore without being worn out for a couple of days. I couldn't do that day after day.

It doesn't fix it to have a windshield and full face helmet either - it's the heat and effort combined. If the weather is nice and cool I'm not limited but I could do the heat only when I was younger. I'd say maybe through my 50's I could do anything I wanted in that regard.

[papa al]

Depends.

What is long?

5 hours? / 5 weeks? / 5 months?

How far is it from Italy to Romania?

Anyone over 66 still doing long rides is nuts, IMO.

[OmegaRacer]

Around 3.000km roundtrip

https://goo.gl/maps/LlHiC

My dad does these trips quite frequently with his Goldwing Club. Last year it was Greece, before Germany, Turkey, Spain...

[NoshowJones]

Around 3.000km roundtrip

https://goo.gl/maps/LlHiC

My dad does these trips quite frequently with his Goldwing Club. Last year it was Greece, before Germany, Turkey, Spain...

I would doubt whether the drivers in those countries have the very low mentality of most of the Thai drivers.

I suppose you will have told your dad about them, or has he ever experienced them for himself?

[eeeya]

i saw on youtube an american company which makes these caster wheels for big touring bikes that lower down when you slow down at the lights or even so you can do a slow moving U turn.

sorry cant post a link cause bandwith is slow where i am now

[robblok]

You should just think what you can do.. asking a question like that is crazy. Some young guys can't do road trips as they are too fat to sit comfortable on motorbike. Some older guys are tough as nails and some are not.. Just look at yourself and your body will tell you what you can and can't do.

If you enjoy it keep doing it.

I rather die doing something I love then not do anything at all.

[OmegaRacer]

Around 3.000km roundtrip

https://goo.gl/maps/LlHiC

My dad does these trips quite frequently with his Goldwing Club. Last year it was Greece, before Germany, Turkey, Spain...

I would doubt whether the drivers in those countries have the very low mentality of most of the Thai drivers.

I suppose you will have told your dad about them, or has he ever experienced them for himself?

He's never been here, but I told him many times.

I got taken down just yesterday. ..was about to turn right, when a young guy had the brilliant idea to overtake me on the right, sending us both flying.

[billd766]

Depends.

What is long?

5 hours? / 5 weeks? / 5 months?

How far is it from Italy to Romania?

Anyone over 66 still doing long rides is nuts, IMO.

Thank you very much for labelling me nuts but of course that is only your opinion and certainly not mine..

I will be 71 on Saturday and though I am considering giving up long distance biking it won't be this year but I don't ride far in the hot season.

I can still ride to BKK or CM in a comfortable days ride of some 400 km but it would be on my 200cc Honda Phantom or the 400cc Honda CB400.

I would LOVE a Honda Goldwing trike in Thailand and that alone would keep me biking a year or 2 longer.

When I was younger and only 66 I took my Honda Phantom to BKK and back in the same day, about an 800km round trip. Granted for 3 days after I walked like a cowboy who lost his horse but I did it then. Now it would take me 1 day each way.

Edited May 17, 2015 by billd766

[NeverSure]

i saw on youtube an american company which makes these caster wheels for big touring bikes that lower down when you slow down at the lights or even so you can do a slow moving U turn.

sorry cant post a link cause bandwith is slow where i am now

Why don't they just learn how to use the friction zone and make tight slow turns anyway? You couldn't get a license most states if you needed those caster wheels. Cheers

[NoshowJones]

You should just think what you can do.. asking a question like that is crazy. Some young guys can't do road trips as they are too fat to sit comfortable on motorbike. Some older guys are tough as nails and some are not.. Just look at yourself and your body will tell you what you can and can't do.

If you enjoy it keep doing it.

I rather die doing something I love then not do anything at all.

Spot on Robblok.

[NoshowJones]

Around 3.000km roundtrip

https://goo.gl/maps/LlHiC

My dad does these trips quite frequently with his Goldwing Club. Last year it was Greece, before Germany, Turkey, Spain...

I would doubt whether the drivers in those countries have the very low mentality of most of the Thai drivers.

I suppose you will have told your dad about them, or has he ever experienced them for himself?

He's never been here, but I told him many times.

I got taken down just yesterday. ..was about to turn right, when a young guy had the brilliant idea to overtake me on the right, sending us both flying.

I hope your OK, are you?

[OmegaRacer]

Yes, I'm ok, thanks for asking.

Just a bit of road rash. Funnily, couple of hours later I was doing some DIY around the house...and buried a knife in my finger and almost got electrocuted!

Not a very good day yesterday...

Going to the cinema to watch Mad Max will make up for it though.

[billd766]

Depends.

What is long?

5 hours? / 5 weeks? / 5 months?

How far is it from Italy to Romania?

Anyone over 66 still doing long rides is nuts, IMO.

Thank you very much for labelling me nuts but of course that is only your opinion and certainly not mine..

I will be 71 on Saturday and though I am considering giving up long distance biking it won't be this year but I don't ride far in the hot season.

I can still ride to BKK or CM in a comfortable days ride of some 400 km but it would be on my 200cc Honda Phantom or the 400cc Honda CB400.

I would LOVE a Honda Goldwing trike in Thailand and that alone would keep me biking a year or 2 longer.

When I was younger and only 66 I took my Honda Phantom to BKK and back in the same day, about an 800km round trip. Granted for 3 days after I walked like a cowboy who lost his horse but I did it then. Now it would take me 1 day each way.

I just Googles Honda trikes and found this. A snip at US$39,911 but it is in the USA and at 32 thb/USD that comes in at 1,277,152. However by the time it would be on the road here it would be closer to 4,xxx,xxx baht and if it ever gets broken it would be cheaper to get a guy to fly in from the USA with all the parts than try to get it fixed here.

http://www.trikeshop.com/shop/product/671/honda-2014-honda-goldwing-gl18hpnme-roadsmith-trike/

[papa al]

Depends.

What is long?

5 hours? / 5 weeks? / 5 months?

How far is it from Italy to Romania?

Anyone over 66 still doing long rides is nuts, IMO.

Thank you very much for labelling me nuts but of course that is only your opinion and certainly not mine..

I will be 71 on Saturday and though I am considering giving up long distance biking it won't be this year but I don't ride far in the hot season.

I can still ride to BKK or CM in a comfortable days ride of some 400 km but it would be on my 200cc Honda Phantom or the 400cc Honda CB400.

I would LOVE a Honda Goldwing trike in Thailand and that alone would keep me biking a year or 2 longer.

When I was younger and only 66 I took my Honda Phantom to BKK and back in the same day, about an 800km round trip. Granted for 3 days after I walked like a cowboy who lost his horse but I did it then. Now it would take me 1 day each way.

Ha ha , no problem.

Your last paragraph proves my point.

Nuts.

When I was 65, I rode a 150cc from Chiang Rai to Nakon Nayot 900km. in one day.

That's when I developed my "nuts" theory.

[moe666]

Come on guys 69 and still riding here, at 67 did the 8 days Chiang mai to pattaya back to Chiang via Bangkok it is just a matter of will.

[Bung]

I think only you can answer the question. But its good to keep riding as long as you can whilenyou enjoy it. Remember, you never see a bike parked outside a psychologist's office. Just take it easy so you get home and can do it again. Its mad out there.

[Gnasher328]

Age has nothing to do with it. It is overall health and fitness that count. I know people over 70 with twice my energy (at 56) and people younger with less. I have less than perfect health and last season in Thailand still managed reasonably long round trips by taking short hops of arounf 200km a day. After all, accommodation and food is cheap in Thailand. It just gets a bit boring existing on a diet of noodles and rice when stopping off in a lot of provincial 'one horese towns'.

[thailandsam]

I went Chiang Rai Chiang Mai on my Honda Forza in January and I am 70.

[thailandsam]

Forgot to put from Pattaya

[LindaLovelace]

Depends.

What is long?

5 hours? / 5 weeks? / 5 months?

How far is it from Italy to Romania?

Anyone over 66 still doing long rides is nuts, IMO.

I'm 64 and I like to go for 10 days. Just go and go and go. It gives me a free feeling. But I find myself often wondering about the answer to the OP's question. What's fair to my spouse? I know there is worry their. Is continuing to ride selfish?

At least when I smoke a cigar on the road nobody is complaining about the stink. Like i said, FREE.

Edited May 18, 2015 by LindaLovelace

[dotpoom]

That's purely an individual thing. We all age differently both mentally and physically and have different life experiences. I'm 66 and love going off for 4 or 5 days at a time on long driving trips. about every 6 weeks or so. Have been around Thailand about 8 times already, using different routs every time. I feel more up for it today than ever. I gave up drinking and smoking 14 years ago (a year before coming to Thailand) and my lust for adventure grows day by day.

This bit is a true story. I met a man 7 years ago that I had not seen for 30 years. At that time he too had given up the drink and was trying to help me do the same. On that last occasion that I seen him (seven years ago) he said to me ...."I have never seen you looking so young". That I do believe, I was 29 when we had last met and even then people were telling me I looked like an "old man". That's what booze can do to people it controls.

I love and cherish life today and cannot get enough of it. I live with an attitude of gratitude and every day above ground is a fabulous day.......for me.

Have a lot of catching up to do for the lost years of my youth (and more).

Edited May 18, 2015 by dotpoom

[jaaaason]

I am 62. I have lived here in Thailand for just three years. I have ridden my Honda Forza to such places as Rayong , Udonthani and several other places in Issan. I live in Chiang Mai.I make stops every hour or two to walk around just to avoid being sore. For local trips I love the road to Pai . Pai is really nothing much but the ride is fun. I have gone there several times. I do most of my rides alone...........

[louse1953]

When you can't see the road.

[overherebc]

You should just think what you can do.. asking a question like that is crazy. Some young guys can't do road trips as they are too fat to sit comfortable on motorbike. Some older guys are tough as nails and some are not.. Just look at yourself and your body will tell you what you can and can't do.

If you enjoy it keep doing it.

I rather die doing something I love then not do anything at all.

You mean on these lines

[capt635]

A lot of good positive thinking here! I am 84 and in younger years have always enjoyed 'trials' bikes for the most part. These days I have only a 125 Honda which I ride along the minor roads in the Province - buts its enough to keep the mind active and body healthy

[smotherb]

You should just think what you can do.. asking a question like that is crazy. Some young guys can't do road trips as they are too fat to sit comfortable on motorbike. Some older guys are tough as nails and some are not.. Just look at yourself and your body will tell you what you can and can't do.

If you enjoy it keep doing it.

I rather die doing something I love then not do anything at all.

Thank you robblok. finally some sense. I am 70, and I take road trips frequently. However, I do not ride as fast as I used to, I stop more often to rest, drink, and eat; and I do not ride through, I stop and spend the night after several hundred kms. I think as long as you still enjoy something and are still capable of doing it, you need to do it; else you become an old codger who may as well stay in a rocker with a shawl over his knees.

[louse1953]

Depends.

What is long?

5 hours? / 5 weeks? / 5 months?

How far is it from Italy to Romania?

Anyone over 66 still doing long rides is nuts, IMO.

Thank you very much for labelling me nuts but of course that is only your opinion and certainly not mine..

I will be 71 on Saturday and though I am considering giving up long distance biking it won't be this year but I don't ride far in the hot season.

I can still ride to BKK or CM in a comfortable days ride of some 400 km but it would be on my 200cc Honda Phantom or the 400cc Honda CB400.

I would LOVE a Honda Goldwing trike in Thailand and that alone would keep me biking a year or 2 longer.

When I was younger and only 66 I took my Honda Phantom to BKK and back in the same day, about an 800km round trip. Granted for 3 days after I walked like a cowboy who lost his horse but I did it then. Now it would take me 1 day each way.

I just Googles Honda trikes and found this. A snip at US$39,911 but it is in the USA and at 32 thb/USD that comes in at 1,277,152. However by the time it would be on the road here it would be closer to 4,xxx,xxx baht and if it ever gets broken it would be cheaper to get a guy to fly in from the USA with all the parts than try to get it fixed here.

http://www.trikeshop.com/shop/product/671/honda-2014-honda-goldwing-gl18hpnme-roadsmith-trike/

Honda trike.jpg

Have you seen the tuk tuks they have at Si Racha and Ko Si Chang.Trikes with a small Jap car motors,plus reverse.Could convert one of them for the missus and luggage.That's what i'll be doing when i can't do 2 wheels any more.

Edited May 18, 2015 by louse1953

[Just1Voice]

I had a stroke 19 months ago that knocked the hell out of me. I was 64, and only 4 months away from being 65. But before that happened, I did 2-4 day road trips every month on my CBR 20. Sometimes it was a planned trip, with a certain city picked out, and other times it was just get on the bike, drive, and end up wherever.

Ok, had to sell the CBR, which was a seriously painful thing to have to do, but hell, I couldn't even walk, so.....

Now I can walk again. Not far, and there's a serious lack of strength in the legs, but I'll be damned if I'll give up, and just be some "old codger" sitting around. I have a picture of a new Honda CB300f taped up on the wall of my office, and everyone knows that is my next bike. And my wife knows that the day I buy it, don't look for me to come home for 2-3 days, cause I'm going for a ride!