Sidecar Flip
Living Legend
Depends....
My general condition (health wise) will tell me when it's time to sell the bikes. Like sleds. The older I get, the less I can tolerate the cold and my frostbitten face and digits have precluded me from winter activities involving prolonged exposure to cold. It's even hard for me to put out round bales in the wintertime, just cutting the strings on the bales in bitter cold causes me pain in my fingers.
Sidecars are a viable alternative to advanced age. I have a friend who has lost his ability to properly balance a bike while in motion and has went to a HD factory sidecar outfit.
I'd imagine that your "state of mind" has more to do with a decision like that than any other factor.
Another factor that would be important is that when you age, you don't mend quickly anymore. My very good friends Ed and Carol who are lifelong bikers were in York at the HD Factory tour and Carol dropped her Heritage in a curve at slow speed and broke her shoulder. Carol is in her early 60's and the prognosis is a YEAR of P.T. to regain use of her arm again, That includes stainless plates and screws and a tremendous amount of PAIN. When you are young, a broken shoulder, arm or even leg is a 90 day ordeal. When you get over 50, the same injury can be life threatening or change the way you live dramatically.
Some old folks get forgetful and absent minded and that wouldn't bode well on a bike where you need to be alert and proactive to situations and be able to make split second decisions. Yes, my general health would govern my retirement from a bike or sidecar outfit to becoming a "porch" enthusiast.
My general condition (health wise) will tell me when it's time to sell the bikes. Like sleds. The older I get, the less I can tolerate the cold and my frostbitten face and digits have precluded me from winter activities involving prolonged exposure to cold. It's even hard for me to put out round bales in the wintertime, just cutting the strings on the bales in bitter cold causes me pain in my fingers.
Sidecars are a viable alternative to advanced age. I have a friend who has lost his ability to properly balance a bike while in motion and has went to a HD factory sidecar outfit.
I'd imagine that your "state of mind" has more to do with a decision like that than any other factor.
Another factor that would be important is that when you age, you don't mend quickly anymore. My very good friends Ed and Carol who are lifelong bikers were in York at the HD Factory tour and Carol dropped her Heritage in a curve at slow speed and broke her shoulder. Carol is in her early 60's and the prognosis is a YEAR of P.T. to regain use of her arm again, That includes stainless plates and screws and a tremendous amount of PAIN. When you are young, a broken shoulder, arm or even leg is a 90 day ordeal. When you get over 50, the same injury can be life threatening or change the way you live dramatically.
Some old folks get forgetful and absent minded and that wouldn't bode well on a bike where you need to be alert and proactive to situations and be able to make split second decisions. Yes, my general health would govern my retirement from a bike or sidecar outfit to becoming a "porch" enthusiast.
