Taking a break now--

[MaXX2]

The bike was rebuilt last Friday (I'd rushed it through to be ready for this weekend) and I spent Friday afternoon, all Saturday, some of Sunday and all of Monday on the road. I enjoyed it (as ever) but it was the same roads, with the same idiot drivers, the same speed cameras blah blah blah and the cost of the long weekend----- £185 in petrol tax alone. To get things back to right, I need a new lid, new jacket and decent all weather pants... or £750 in other words (I don't ride in cheapy gear..EVER!) so I thinks "Bugger it, I'll take this Fri aft off as well and nip over to HG for the gear I need...."

So this morning I look at the weather forecast for the weekend---- grey, rain, wind. Perfect summer day. Just like most of the others for the past 3 years to be honest, so now I'm thinking "Lovely. Hartside, pissed through, wind blown and a loooooong ride home" For the first time ever, I can't see the point anymore. Taking the weather, the fact that most of the roads around this particular postage stamp of an island are the same shambollick array of pot holes, shale/gravel, manhole covers and a thousand and one other reasons to walk instead of ride, I've just lost that 'buzz'.

Another thing is- one of the big reasons I ride a bike is for the company, but now more often than not, I ride alone because it's a case of "Quick--- nip out today the sun's up" and whilst I have the flexibility at work to just stick a jolly day in here and there, most don't--- so I ride alone. I don't mind it, and sometimes I even prefer being able to ride between tank fills if I feel like it, but that's not the point. What I'm left with then, is a very expensive way of spending lots of time alone in the rain. I can stand in me back garden and do that for free.

Anyway, bottom line for me----- the insurance can lapse, the tax disc will be cashed in (SORN) and by Satdee pm the sump, tank and carbs will be drained and that'll do until I feel the real 'urge' again. I won't be selling the bike or anything off it. This is a temporary lay-up (as far as I'm concerned), I just don't know how long for, but I've lost me way for the mo and as they say "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" so I'll give that a go.

See thee around (I'll be about on here anyway), so you know where I'm at if you want a word, a garage to work in or whatever and do carry on taking care of yerselves

Mick

[Coggy]

Welcome to the armchair section

[MaXX2]

Been there for the last 4 years pal. I have the fastest armchair around thanks to Corbin

[Tazcbr1100xx]

Miserable boring cnut ...........







............ that's Coggy told anyway

As for you Maxx - well, there's bound to be a few on here who will offer words of sympathy and agree with your stance ..............
















.................. I'm not one of 'em so sort yourself out you big girl

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

We're here to support you in times like this Maxx2.
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If ya change ya mind, get down to HG quick, loads of kit like this on offer

[MaXX2]

I expected no less In fact the tax disc is in front of me here at work so I can be probably be better described as a 'determined drama queen'. I never really do very much by halves

[mack]

I took a short break which turned into a 20 year break but by god did I enjoy it when I came back to the world of biking probably more so. A change is as good as a rest. Buy a Ford, get stuck in jams in hot weather, have it break down each month, listen to the wife and kids nagging, listen to bollocks on the radio and then think why the hell am I not on my bike. You will be back sooner or later,I have no doubt.

[iainm9438]

i can sympathise with you Mick.
since my accident it has always been in the back of my mind that i would at some point get another bike....in fact, another .
BUT.....i have just been told by the police that the girl that hit us didn't once see us even though we saw her indicating to turn for nearly 1/4 mile.
yesterday, i was in the cage when an old boy just pulled out in front of me without looking. in fact, we followed him to give him a mouthful but it became apparent that he didn't look at any junction so i gave up the chase. if i had been on a bike he could have killed me!
then as you said Mick, there's the weather, the fact that fuel is so expensive that it costs too much to ride for fun and the fact no one seems to want to go out anymore.
so with this in mind, i have now decided that i won't ride again.
i can understand why you are feeling like that Mick.

by the way Mr Murphy and Mr budgie.......did you call me and leave a message? my answerphone was on the blink and it only gave me about 2 words before going to a silent message!

[Tazcbr1100xx]

I never really do very much by halves

Well you seem to have done biking by halves

if it was so important for you to have all your friends with you all of the time, why buy a Blackbird Surely a double decker bus would have been more appropriate

Anyway, my theory is that you don't really want to give up biking, you're just bleating about the cost of you top quality biking gear in the hope that us lot will take pity on you and donate it all to you - just like we did for the various bike repairs Yer a crafty one Maxx

So here's my donation .......................

[deanorc51]

by the way Mr Murphy and Mr budgie.......did you call me and leave a message? my answerphone was on the blink and it only gave me about 2 words before going to a silent message!

did you manage to decipher the ermm 'two words' ?

[deanorc51]

sounds sensible to me to give it a rest if you've lost a bit of the love of it - & after a couple of recent 'offs' I'm not altogether surprised.
maybe the offs have nothing to do with yer decision, maybe the decision subconsciously preceded & even contributed to the offs? whatever, its gotta be the right thing to do if you don't feel able to give it the necessary 110% at the moment. hope its a short lay off tho

[The Budgie]

\by the way Mr Murphy and Mr budgie.......did you call me and leave a message? my answerphone was on the blink and it only gave me about 2 words before going to a silent message!

...I rang...no answer....typical...






<I'll try another day>

[iainm9438]

\by the way Mr Murphy and Mr budgie.......did you call me and leave a message? my answerphone was on the blink and it only gave me about 2 words before going to a silent message!

...I rang...no answer....typical...






<I'll try another day>

hey.......i'm ill i have you know........i nearly died!

ok mate, speak to you again sometime

[duncan]

well mick I for one am not surprised ,I saw you after the incident and I thought you looked more puzzled by how it had happened not by what had happened ,,,,,think once you have got your head round that you will be back
What does Kay think of it all


its been about 4 weeks since I went any where apart from work on my bike by the way

[Shlink]

I fully sympathise with you Mick. You've pulled the sentiments that I've had for years straight out of my head, it's spooky.
If you want a good excuse not to ride, without getting any sarcasm from others on the forum, you and Kay should have a child (cringe, cringe, I know)... then you can join the club.
Fook this shitty little island with its shitty roads, shitty weather, overpopulated pothole ridden roads and mugging coppers

[T.Murphy aka Tim]

Whinging set of coonts. Life is what you make it. Potholed roads my arse..Sheffield supposedly is one of the worst cities in the country for potholes...so I don't go near them full stop. Weather shite? For fooks sakes get a fookin mac or summat and get out in the fresh air. Wanky myopic drivers you say? Jeez, rise to the challenge and get a big buzz ever time you anticipate whjat a driver hasn't even thought he's gonna do. Small island? get an imagination and try some different roads that you haven't been on before. There's more roads out there you haven't ridden than those you have.
Go get a GS and revel in a different type of riding than the Bird ( not better, but as good as in its way...and different.

Been on the Bird today, first time in months and it blew me away again...even over parts of the Snake with the surface removed....and it pissed it down on Holme Moss....and it was great to have a natter, take the piss etc out of Mr and Mrs Oldbull and Daveb. What it's all about.

Mick, really, really sorry you have gotten to this stage, you being sooooo passionate about riding and the Bird. It'll pass I'm sure. You aint the first and wont be the last to have turned funny like this.

Ya only here once so make the most out of it..Mick, go get 20 fags and we'll have a day in Snowdonia eh. You've really had a ball since you gave up that disgusting habit you loved.haven't you.

Shlink...ya a whinging coont like the rest. Sprog my arse...leave it at home with the bint and get yassen out...oh,but that's the excuse you need aint it. Think you need to let go of the bike thang once and for all and get a fookin caravan.

Iain. Thank fook you've given it up..You obviously can't ride for toffee. The roads are safer now.

Coggy. Yes, well there#s Coggy too. WTF


Anyone else out there want some?

[aj]

Anyone else out there want some?

yes please... you slow coooont...


regards
aj

[The Budgie]

Mick, go get 20 fags and we'll have a day in Snowdonia eh.

...always knew you'd turn one day....

[bodmin]

Taking the weather, the fact that most of the roads around this particular postage stamp of an island are the same shambollick array of pot holes, shale/gravel, manhole covers and a thousand and one other reasons to walk instead of ride Mick

Mmmmmmmmm, I think ya need to get ya arse, and bike (and Kay) over to Germany, even when you have to ride on yer own............

[MaXX2]

It's not the 'off' that's bothered me. The first one did, because I still have no idea what caused it, but ho-hum, I've put that behind and done some decent miles since then. The recent off didn't bother me at all. I know exactly what caused it and had cured the problem before my arse actually hit the road Been out since then and no real worries.

It's all the other junk. Same roads, rides usually rained on or alone for the 4th year running, the cost of it (abroad is just as expensive as here) etc etc I've given myself the "Pull yer finger out ya fookin puff" speech, but even that was half-hearted and not very convincing, so for a while at least it's break time!

I'm gonna repair a couple of fence posts in the garden, paint something in the shed I live in, put some extra in for work and try swing another pay rise this year, put me Oakley's on ebay and buy a decent Berghaus to walk around B&Q in with the proceeds. I'm also keeping £750 in me account (plus £90-£150 a weekend thereafter) and not going to worry that I've got half a dozen or more genuinely decent folks riding up from wherever and stumping up for their hard-earned for hots & cots, praying for a break in the clouds to try and give 'em a decent day sightseeing, just to find that (on the very rare occasion) the weather's nice, the zombies are taking the sprogs for a queue, the pensioners have gone for a walk in the Fiesta and the council have thrown thousands of tonnes of loose gravel over the cowshit, trenches and potholes in the pretence that it somehow does some good and justifies the taxes they're thieving off me every single mile I ride and every moment I exist awake or asleep blah blah blah

I saw a holiday in the local travel agents a couple of weeks ago, 10 nights half board in Greece at £290. (Same price as 2 nights in the Happy Holiday Hotel in the UK plus fuel tax to get there and back), I could hire a scoot or a 250/400 when I get there, so might have a scan after the school silly season ends in Sept

Anyway nuff moaning- I'm a post, pm or a phone call away if anyone wants a word or whatever (feel free!!), so it doesn't make much of a difference if I errrr, slope off the road for a bit.

Be safe y'all

[bodmin]

Probably should have been a pm, but..... Maxx, I really sympathise with you. At the end of the day for most of us, biking is a hobby, something to enjoy and relax with. If you loose that feeling, then on a bike is not the place to be. Biking can be dangerous, for all the reasons you have said, and if you are not 110% committed and focused, then the dangers are magnified. Take the time, and when/if the time is right to get back on, you will know it.

[MaXX2]

I've spent the last hour on the phone with a clinical psychologist (Wuk yannaaaagh ). She's diagnosed me with with 'Hedonic Adaptation'. Apparenetly I'm a classic case and when I have a minute, I'll Google it and find out WTF she's talking about

I did ask for drugs, but she said 'NO!!' I was relieved to hear though, that I won't die of it, I don't need a surgeon anywhere near me, it doesn't hurt, I'll still be able to sit down and my willy won't drop off, so whatever it is, can't be too bad

[jack]

Read this thread with amazement and although it pains me to say this I fully agree with Timofee 'Oh shit' did I just say that!

MICK CAN YOU HEAR ME ....Life really is too short, ger on with it, take that holiday and come back to biking if and when you want to.......Give us a call if ya want a natter

[MaXX2]

Read this thread with amazement and although it pains me to say this I fully agree with Timofee 'Oh shit' did I just say that!

MICK CAN YOU HEAR ME :shock) ....Life really is too short, ger on with it, take that holiday and come back to biking if and when you want to.......Give us a call if ya want a natter

Loud and clear Jack I have every intention of getting back on mate, just want the the bug to bite again. Things just feel incredibly 'samey' at the the moment and it's sort of gathered slowly over the past couple of years. The straw that broke the camel's back was simply another wet foercast for last Saturday, after all the rushing around, all the anticpation and all the prep work. I ride for the love of it not to get to work and back or for a living, so until I am loving it again.....

I have no doubt that at some stage I'll be sitting in the cage on a nice day, a bike will cruise by and I'll have the luggage on and the ferry tickets sorted inside 3 hours and that lovely old fashioned 'fired up and let me at it' feeling will make an appearance. Just need a break from it that's all. Besides, I've got a disease now, so that's me fooked

Nice tp hear from ya BTW--- all's well for you and Carole we hope

[aj]

I've spent the last hour on the phone with a clinical psychologist (Wuk yannaaaagh ). She's diagnosed me with with 'Hedonic Adaptation'. Apparenetly I'm a classic case

this chap has it too....http://www.hedonicadaptation.com/blog/

poor bastid....


regards
aj