When to stop racing?

I have not raced since before my 60th birthday last year, and somehow life has just filled in all the voids and I'm so busy now that I can't even think of going racing any time in the near future. It's probably just as well, I know I'm a lot slower, and that just creates a rolling roadblock to the fast guys. I sure do miss the WERA family, though. Great people and solid friendships.

 

For me.. it was as simple as I came to the realization that I don't have the killer instinct on the bike to push through my own mental barriers in order to improve enough. I'm happy enough riding track days at my own pace now.

 

Tom, you still do track days so it is not like you walked away altogether.
My return started by doing track days but I like lightweight race bikes and they are much more fun to race against other light weights than being sucked up into the vacuum of three liter bikes blowing past me on the straight at a track day.
I have no "killer instinct" but am no road block either.
But I get it that you have a BMW 1000 that is entertaining at track days but is at a pretty high terror level when pushed to racing speeds.
A consideration when weighing the pros and cons of returning to racing certainly is coming back gradually at track days. And choosing a bike that will be fun for whichever you choose.
That said, my Mid Ohio trip fell apart as my KTM was not put back together so maybe I'll see you at Summit Monday. I've got a new toy....

 

For that week...

 

When's it time to quit? You'll know.

I have been racing 50 years now, and quitting is on the horizon, just not quite here yet. Every time I've had a good hit, I found I needed to come back, but now I can see, I am probably one more good one away from stopping...

 

whenever anyone quit's they will still have the memories forever, i wouldn't trade mine for anything

 

Variety is the spice of life
Possibly also the heroin....

Papa, don't drag my personal issues into this.....

 

Hey, notice I have abstained myself since your first post from mentioning that your issues and Morris' are miles apart.

 

Yeah it was pretty shocking particularly after we spoke that morning. I had a less than a fun day never getting up to expert 600 pace and hearing about your accident so I packed up that evening. The most fun I had was that 2nd exp. practice with virtually no one on the track...Im really glad that you came out reasonably well. The rumor mill @ the track was questioning whether you would make which completely pissed me off when clearly it was totally overblown.

I'm getting to a decision point also but probably more due to burnout. Been racing 9 years: CCS sprints, 2008 GT team challenge, 2010 CMRA big bike endo... I'm finding that its a lot of work,money and time. I don't have the confidence and skill to ride competitively (not willing to put the time/money to get there), and I'm not having fun.

Another issue is that I do a lot of other things completely out of racing that I could potentially no longer do it if I had a bad fall: skiing/snowboarding, refereeing hockey, fly fishing, playing drums, tennis and sailing. I'm really enjoying racing AMA enduro more anyway...

 

I started racing late, I was in my 50s. Just club stuff with no anticipation of anything else. I loved every moment of it. And like everybody, there were a few crashes along the way and some minor breaks etc.
A year ago June, than 65, I was in a bad incident with multiple breaks, internal injuries and a serious concussion. I intended to return to racing when I healed up, and frankly thought I might get on the track by the end of the season just as an instructor for the novice track day guys and be back at it this year.
I had my new helmet and was measured and had the form and check filled out for a new set of Vansons. I think it was near the end of August. My family doc and the neurologist jointly called me in for what became a "come to Jesus" talk. Basically, they explained the risks if I were to have another concussion. It was time to walk away. I hated that fact, and still do in some ways. I certainly miss racing. But life goes on and I've found other things to take up my time. Overall, I've changed my approach to riding in general. The sport bikes are gone and there's a GS in the stable.
If you had a head injury, especially if you've had any in the past, I would suggest a discussion with a neurologist that specializes in concussions/trauma and get his/her opinion of what risks you now face. It might help in your decision one way or another.

 

In the early days of American motocross (late sixties) we were lucky to have 10 bikes in each class so it was a hell of a lot of fun for us all. I was already in my late twenties so I was considered "over the hill" for that kind of competition. I raced anyway and got pretty good at it by being a track manager sort of rider.

Starting in the mid seventies however, people were discovering motox and here came all the mid teens that had never been hurt so they rode like there was no tomorrow, and since there were so many of them, we started having to have heat races in order to advance to a final. That meant 6 or so laps per heat instead of two 30 or 45 minute motos. Well hell, any dumbass 16 year old could win if he rode like there was no tomorrow for only 7 or 8 minutes. I finally hung it up since managing the track no longer mattered much. To win you had to go like a bat out of hell and manage to not fall down.

Within three months of hanging it up I screwed my left knee up on a cotton picking 100 cc trail bike in a vacant lot. Sure enough, I stopped racing because of the danger and ended up getting screwed after the fact.

Bottom line; keep riding as long as you feel comfortable with it and can ride hard enough to satisfy your own inner desires. Getting hurt can happen when you wheelie your pit bike over backwards. :up:

 

That is kinda cute considering the thread on concussions and loss of memory
Just sayin'....

Kidding aside, I agree

 

I would say that, if you have to ask if it's time to stop racing, you aren't ready to stop racing.
Whether to continue racing or not is the best thing to do is another question entirely.

 

I find it funny how people in this thread pick trackdays, motocross, etc as the lesser evil. Never gotten hurt during a race weekend. Trackdays, dirtbikes and mini's is a whole another story though.

Actually, after my last off in March where I busted my hands up pretty bad (still recovering from that) my wife's ultimatum is I'm only allowed to race WERA now. lol.

 

418. I've crashed way more racing AMA enduro than amateur road racing. But road racing clearly has the potential for more serious injury. Having said that, I believe that mx racing is the worst in terms of frequency and severity of injuries.

I've had more concussions enduro racing because of trees hitting my helmeted head...

 

Started racing MX and Hare scrambles in 72, thru till 84ish. MX was how I initially destroyed my knees. Plus a chit load of bone breakage over the yrs. Hare scrambles and enduros, not so much. Of course theres less of having to literally jump off a 1000cc superbike at 130+ because of zero brakes on the back straight at Tally. haha That being my last roadrace.

That crash (=financially retired) and becoming a full time single parent months later of a 6yr old son, sealed the deal.

Been racing mtbs since 03 till now. Less potential for bigger crashes(cept those trees) and much better for ones overall health.

Since I live just 15 minutes away(way too close), I absolutely need to stay off of Deals gap and I'll have less broken back and neck action(=dumb arse). Managed to be life flighted out of there not once, but twice in 2 yrs time. And that was pretty damn recently. I'm way too old for that chit. At least one would think so.

Back now training hard to get back into racing mtbs. Almost there.

The end

 

Barber, Tally and Roebling. Hope to make the GNF, but not sure if WERA will let me do a qualifying round. If I go we will have to hook up for sure!

 

When the $$ dries up....

 

Just got back from a 45 minute ride, my first time on a bike since my crash. Man, it felt great to lean into a turn again. I won't be racing this year but I will at least get to continue touring on a bike. Short ride, but it totally made my day.

 

Yes, sometimes after a long winter and not riding, that first ride is even more magical than expected.