I am obsessed with dirt bikes

[yamaharichey]

You guys are the only people that can understand my obsession. I am now 58 years old and have been riding since I was 15, so thats 43 years of owning and riding dirt bikes and a couple of road bikes ( tried road bikes twice, but too boring). There isn't a day go by that I don't think about my bike or riding, I subscibe to Dirt Bike, Dirt Rider and Cycle News and read every article, then save them and go through them again from time to time. My screen saver at work is a picture of the WR450, I've got posters above my desk of the my bike, My garage wall is full of posters with signatures of Ty Davis, Destry Abbot, Brian Brown, Steve Hatch and some of the other off road greats.

You would think at my age I would start losing interest, but I feel the same as I did when I was in my twentys. I dread the day I won't be able to ride any more, but I figure I've got at least another ten years maybe more.

As most of you know we are a rareity, all The guys at work talk about who won the last golf tournament while I try to tell them that Ricky is kicking butt now on a four stroke. They talk about the NBA draft while I try to tell them that now Ricky is going to Suzuki. I tell them that I met Ty Davis at the last Hare & Hound and they stare at me blankly and ask what the hell is a Hare & Hound ?

I tell ya this is a sickness with no cure, Some of my old riding buddys have lost interest, one just said he doesn't want to ride anymore because he's afraid of being hurt, now that just doesn't compute with me, I thought that was one of the reasons we ride is for the adreniline rush, if it was totally safe and wasn't scary what fun would that be. You younger guys beware, some of you will end up like me. I'am just glad my wife understands and doesn't say "Its either me or the bike" cause I would have to think about that for a while. ?

[LinuxDave]

While I'm not quite as 'matured' in years as yourself (I'm 41), I also am obsessed with bikes, been riding since I was 13, bought my first dirtbike at 14 (New 79 RM125) and my first streetbike at 18 (81 GPz550). Recently had a long hiatus from biking but just now getting back into it.

My wife also understands my passion for motorcycles and firmly supports it, hell, she was the one to convince me to buy a new 04 WR450 instead of an 02 YZ426... ?

While she doesn't ride bikes herself, she just loves to go for quick blasts on my ZRX1200. She actually mentioned that the ZRX seems too quiet, imagine that....guess I'll have to get a full Muzzy exhaust for it just to make her happy....heehee.

Dave.

[Math]

I'm only 27 and ride since I'm 13. At thirteen I dumped all the money I had saved in two years on my first dirt bike and things did not improve up till now. I also go through my old DB articles and there is not a single day that goes by without me thinking about riding or riding.

People don't understand. In this world where nothing remains to challenge testosterone, where nothing brings the satisfaction feeling that comes with the physical effort, where everything is so physically easy that it can be done by women, only few things truely satisfies: fighting sports, lugging, making love with a hot girl and riding dirt bikes.

Stay alive dude and go kick this bike! ?

[live_to_ride]

My log-in name says it all. Riding my wr is what I live for and it's the most fun I've ever had. I also have a 03 r1, and it's a blast, but still very boring in comparison to riding off road. I keep the r1 over at a friend's house while the wr450 sits inside my house. I'm 26 and been riding since I was 17, and my only regret is not discovering this passion much sooner. I'm the only one in my family of 7 who likes motorcycles or any motorized recreation. I'm also the only one with any mechanical skills or any inclination to build things. Sometimes I swear I'm adopted. ? I dearly hope I can still ride when I'm 58 and that I love it as much as I do now!

[barkbuster]

you sound just like me,all my non riding friends think I'm nuts.I'm always ridng or working on bikes.I'm 47 and my son is 21 we ride every weekend and wer'e having a blast.I've been riding since I was 13 , my first bike was Kawasaki 238 Greenstreak.I love the bikes today they are so much better than they used to be.I have an autographed poster of Chad Reed over my desk,my wallpaper is a picture from my last vacation, 2 of my buddies looking over the rim above Moab.I too hope I have many years left.Like you I have an understanding wife,I spend a lot of money on my addiction/hobby but she knows that I'm unbearable to be with if I don't go riding.

[Dezrider]

I just turned 53 in May. I was considering selling my XR650R, but changed my mind. I thought about the injuries too, but I just enjoy riding too much. In fact, I'm going riding tomorrow.

[Guest Guest]

Yamaharichey, Have you ever been injured? If so have you ever considered giving up riding? I ask this because I'm 46 and recovering from a injury. The day after I got out of the hospital, I repaired the bike using only one hand ? That's not obsessed with riding is it?

[Lowedog]

Well I'm 37 and have been riding since I was old enough to climb on the neighbors dirt bike. My dad bought my brother and I Honda sl70's when I was 10 and I have been obsessed ever since. I love everything about dirt bikes. From riding on them to working on them and talking about them.

I'm lucky in that I work with a bunch of riders and we talk about bikes and riding constantly.

I hope that I am still enjoying riding when I'm 58 and well past. There's a fella here that is 62 I think and the guy will absolutly run your arss into the ground on a dual sport ride. He rides a old mid 80's XL 600 with about 80,000 miles on it and a big 5 gallon tank with saddle bags and still stands that thing up and rips through the gears. ?

I wanna be like that when I'm 62.

:cheers:Lowedog

[yamaharichey]

Great replys guys, I feel better when I talk to others that have my same illness. I really like the reply by Dominic that he gets out of the hospital and starts working on the bike with one hand. I can't beleive how many Utah guys we have on TT, I got to meet up with you sometime. I thought I would here from regulars like Indy 450 or DDialogue, those guys have got to be obsessed like us.

[Guest dsornot2ds]

I've been riding since age 15...now 40. I sold my KX250 almost 3 years ago to help pay for a trip to europe (to watch motocross sidecar championship races...) I have been in withdrawels ever since. This Sept I'm getting a new bike and cant wait ? to get back into it. 3 years without dirtriding has been the longest dryspell ever and my wife said I can buy any bike I want, just to shut me up!! Those TM's look awful sweet!!

[khan99]

i wish i started earlier. i'm 46 and started a year ago.thankfully I was a bodybuilder so when falling thru the learning curve I am still pretty much intact,

i love this sport!

[gloft]

A few years ago I bought a house on a golf course in the mountains . . thought that'd be the ultimate. Shortly after moving in I bought an XR250 and started riding again after not sitting on a bike for 20+ years. Well, I haven't picked up my clubs in aver a year! Bought a WR450 last year and could care less about golf. All my buddies think I'm crazy since most 40 somethings don't ride dirt bikes. As far as I'm concerned they can bury me with my bike! ?

[live_to_ride]

A few years ago I bought a house on a golf course in the mountains . . thought that'd be the ultimate. Shortly after moving in I bought an XR250 and started riding again after not sitting on a bike for 20+ years. Well, I haven't picked up my clubs in aver a year! Bought a WR450 last year and could care less about golf. All my buddies think I'm crazy since most 40 somethings don't ride dirt bikes. As far as I'm concerned they can bury me with my bike!

Dude, that's awesome!! LOL! I have always thought golf is a really boring old man game and I can't understand why anyone watches it on tv. It's about as exciting as a video of someone mowing their lawn or peeling some potatoes. Or what about watching a video of a tree growing in slow (yes, slow) motion?? How about a video of rain hitting a window? Why aren't these as popular? ?

[live_to_ride]

Or how about a 2 hour instructional video on how to safely operate a light switch? ?

[ddialogue]

Great replys guys, I feel better when I talk to others that have my same illness. I really like the reply by Dominic that he gets out of the hospital and starts working on the bike with one hand. I can't beleive how many Utah guys we have on TT, I got to meet up with you sometime. I thought I would here from regulars like Indy 450 or DDialogue, those guys have got to be obsessed like us.

I was born and raised in Utah. Does that count? I just arrived home today from the UTMA Cache Valley ride. Other than the extreme dust, the ride was A W E S O M E!! A lot of the terrain up there is similar to what we have on the other side of Idaho too.

Yes, I'm OBSESSED! Just ask my bro, N7SLC. Dirt biking is an addiction, for sure. I'm 34, started at age 8 racing with the Utah Desert Foxes motorcycle club in Utah. Took some time off when I went to college and got married but have been back in it for almost six year now. I've had 11 broken bones (in my younger years) but I know my limits and never cross the line any more. I still ride fast, just not on the edge.

I'm right there with you YR....dirt bike screen savers, magazines, posters, etc.,etc. I LOVE THIS SPORT!! ?

[Apriliacati]

Hi Guys

New to the Forum, been riding since age 9, now 49 years old. At my age most of the people I know sit in front of the TV drinking beer, and getting fat, nice to know there are guys older than me still riding. Riding both street bikes and dirt bikes is still an obsession for me to, always has been.

2001 Aprilia Mille R

2001 Ducati 996S

2003 Suzuki GSXR1000

2001 Yamaha WR 250

2001 kawasaki KDX220

2001 Yamaha TTR125L, daughter bike

1974 Suzuki TM400

2001 Yamaha beartracker Quad

[The_Missile]

What a great thread.

I had my first dirt bike age 19 though I didnt use it for dirt. It (Beta 125 2.-smoke with 6 gears...6'th was a waste of metal !!) arrived 3 weeks after I had a knee operation but I still managed to get the thing started and went for quick ride with my right leg still in a cast !! I think I got the bug about then ? but had it drilled into me that riding was dangerous and what with lack of money and no real infrastructure in Switzerland my passion remained dormant until recently.

However...bought my pride and joy of the time... a XL600R when I was 22 and rode that thing all over for 15 years until August 2000 when I bought my WR. In that time I got married, bought a house had kids, a good job/career and spent most of my spare time mountainbiking....until....july 2000 I took my kids to see an endurance race locally. I was sitting there with a big grin on my face watching these guys pound around the circuit, absent mindedly thinking that that looked like a lot of fun. It was the proverbial light bulb over the head instant. I remember sitting up straight with one of those moments when time stops. In about .25 seconds the thought process went....looks like fun..yes.. lots of fun...damn, wish I could be doing that..hey...I could be doing that...but my XL600 is too heavy...wonder how much I could sell it for...not much...but hey I could sell my mountain bike and add it to what I get for the bike and I have some cash in the bank...but what will the wife say...but I'm 36...SO???!!!...ok thats probably about as much as I can scrape together...wonder what bike I should get...when can I get to the dealer...but I have a meeting tomorrow...wonder what kind of gear I need....and so on....

As it turned out, I had to sell my car (got a cheaper one), put that money along with all I had from other sources and about 2 weeks later was sitting on my WR with the biggest grin of my life !!!

Since then...subscriptions to dirt bike magazines, cruising endless hours of TT, endless jetting excursions, 2 aftermarket pipes and countless other goodies, WR426 in action screen saver and so on and just recently, just prior my 40'th, my first enduro which was just amazing. If anybody asks what I did over the weekend they better be ready for a long enthusiastic discussion on dirt biking....

My wife hates it but accepts it just so long as I dont get the kids too interested.

Anyhow, I'm hooked, kinda late, but I expect to be riding for just as long as I'm able to pick my WR up.... I wouldnt like to see the headline...."Grandpa stalls and falls on WR in the boonies and had to walk out cause he couldnt pick his bike up !!!

Ride on yamaharichey

later....

[ddialogue]

My wife and I were talking about various things last night and she happened to mentioned my passion for dirtbikes. Passion? hmmm... That got me thinking about this thread and I wondered if we're really not obsessed about dirtbikes but are just chasing our passions? I'm so passionate about it that I can see how some people could translate that into being obsessed.

Heck, maybe I'm just passionately obsessed? ?

[Mike_Hudson]

Riding is my either my first or second favorite activity....all depends on how good the dirt is. ?

[darmino]

You are my hero!