Thursday 24 October 2013

Dangerous Motorcycles at 60

I recently achieved the ripe old age of 60 and to mark the event I went for a motorcycle ride. Not my longest ride todate but over 1,200 miles between 7:30am and 10:30am the next day, on one of those "dangerous motorbikes", mostly in the rain. I reckon that, at the age of 60, I no longer need be frightened of the health and safety do-gooders and in any event it's not like I just did a spur of the moment act of lunacy.

In order to complete the ride and return home in one piece a number of conditions were met:

  1. Train to Motorcycle Advanced Observer standard
  2. Understand that accidents don't just happen and there aren't "too many idiots" out there
  3. Take full responsibility for my own safety and not rely on other road users to not kill me
  4. Understand requirements and management of food and fluid intake
  5. Understand requirements and management of sleep, fatigue and concentration
  6. Farkle motorbike to be fit for and comfortable for at least 24 hour continuous operation
  7. Regularly practise night riding, motorway riding, traffic filtering 
  8. Start with my "sleep account" in credit
  9. Avoid all stimulants including caffeine
  10. Wear proper gear
  11. Be mentally prepared
  12. Complete two previous certified Iron Butt rides as well as numerous others
 What would be the point of being 60 if I was too scared to ride a motorcycle?

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