People ask why I keep riding, especially at my age

hershey

hershey

PR Elite
So a conversation with Ron505 got me thinking......scary usually.

Each time I get injured people, especially my father, ask how I can keep riding. I really dont know how to explain it but I cant imagine quitting. I can only attribute it to the rush, competition and the friends. But given my injury list I can see why people think Im an idiot. So I thought Id see what everyones carnage has been and ask why you still ride or why you quit.

Broken
- wrist 3 times
- finger
- toe
- Shoulder blade
- ribs
- radius and ulna
- both humerous at the same time
- ACL
- radius
- ankle 3 times, once with surgery
- tailbone partially removed
- split my lip open so bad I had to go get stitches, made it back from the hospital in time for the 2nd set of motos though!

Im now 49 and have been riding since I was 6, racing since 18. I dont think thats too bad for 43 years!
 
The answer is VINTAGE BABY...... spent the weekend watching Zenia Ohio's own Henry Gref leading the + 70 experts in Missouri, he will turn 75 when he is in Houston for the Rio Bravo event. 50+ is always the biggest class at AHRMA events.

Me, a 58 year old fat guy with limited ability, and only 3 years of riding experience, on a 35 year old bike having the time of my life.
 
Too many injuries to even try to remember.
Only one that matters is the big one. 3 cracked vertebra, broken pelvis in 4 places and both leg sockets. That was Budds Creek in '90. Throw my back out 3 or 4 times a year since then. Trying to race again at 46 is dumb, but I need my fix.
Real goal is just getting to ride with my kids. If racing cant happen then I am fine with that. I get much more enjoyment out of watching them.
That Full gas thing looks fun. And with little to no jumps I may be able to keep my back in a straight line.
 
At wife's annual family get together this past summer, an in-law cousin that I don't know much
about and vice versa asked me, "how long are you going to keep racing?" I answered that if I'm
not racing anymore, I'm dead.

No I'm not going through my list of injuries. But I am 61 and racing since 18.
 
I was just thinking about the same stuff, Dave. I recently hit the deck and as a result will be on crutches for a bit.

Back in '05ish Joe Oehlhof broke his neck and RacerX ran this full page to support him which I saved and read from time to time...
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My Dad (RIP) once asked me back when I injured my back in '07 when I was going to quit. I pulled out that article/ad that had George Singlar in it and showed him. George and my Dad were the same age. I told him that motorcycles and racing were my motivation for everything in my life. We didn't have money growing up, so I had to "learn and earn" to get a bike and go racing. The love of motorcycles and MX was the backbone to becoming a responsible, dedicated, loyal, honest person. I type this as I recover from cracked ribs and a broken clavicle/SC injury from 4+ weeks ago. I can't, no, I won't stop. I am MX, and MX is me. Been racing since 1978, and riding since 1974. My injury list isn't real extensive; broken clavicles, toes, fingers, hand, ribs, knee, sprains galore, and a concussion or two.
 
Bogus Kurt - didn't know you'd gone down -
Vintage or modern ?
I could have sworn I just saw you the results from Malvern a few week ago???
 
Don't blame this negative, injury post on me Hershey! haha

After being away from it for almost 7 years, and now getting back into it, everyone in the family is asking me why. My buddies....none have asked. Since getting a bike about 5 weeks ago, I have ridden every week, and I can feel the physical and the mental improvement. I've been sitting at my computer (for work) and doing crap around the house for the last 7 years. That has not helped my health at all since I'm coming up on 48 years old. Riding does help my health for the most part. I just don't have the motivation to do regular exercise or running to stay fit....I'd rather just ride...lol.

I came to the game pretty late in life, because we didn't grow up with much money either. I rode a trail bike from about 6-9 years old on our property, then started racing BMX from about 9-16 because I could pay for it myself with my paper route and mowing lawns. Got married and had kids early so was never able to afford anything competitive until I was around 30 years old. Rode (racing only a dozen times or so) from then until I was 39 and received these injuries:

Both ACL's reconstructed
Two torn meniscus surgeries (need another one now, but not from riding)
Broken collar bone
two dislocated shoulders
Torn rotator cuff (still needs fixed)
Broken finger and thumb
Broken big toe twice
Herniated lower discs in my back
Multiple stitches in my lower lip
Several Concussions
...and a stick in the head (got this riding in the woods. The stick went between my goggles and helmet, and stuck back in my temple area about 1" behind the skin. It was about a 3/4" diameter stick, so I received multiple stitches from that too).

I just love riding, the camaraderie, the exercise, the thrill of hitting a big jump. You can't replace that with just anything. Believe me, I just tried for 7 years.
 

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I've been asked the same question. People just don't seem to get it. I've had my fair share.
-Broken both collar bones
-separated both AC joints
-broken ankle
-bit my tongue half way off
-dislocated both shoulders (left twice)
-torn labrums in both shoulders
-pinched axillary nerve in right shoulder Feeling/posterior deltoid never returned
-spiral fracures in tibia and fibula requiring surgery and hardware
-handful of concussions
-miscellaneous fingers and toes

Motocross isn't the most forgiving sport but it's an addiction. My most recent labrum tear had me thinking. I haven't ridden since June. I couldn't afford to get hurt being in school and only working part time with no benefits.
 
I got a used MR50 for my birthday in 1975 and started racing 83.. also had more than my share of bad luck. I've been critically injured twice with internal injuries.. bruised heart and bilateral pulmonary contusions. A little more than 30 fractures in total but the compound fractures that required surgery are the ones worth mentioning.. left radius and ulna, right ulna with a dislocated radius, left clavicle broken into 3 separate pieces (thanks Leatt!). One knee surgery but that was just a scope.. also had surgery on my lower back but that had more to do with my poor lifting skills and old school heavy laser printers lol

I get the same questions about why keep doing it.. I usually tell them that it's not for everybody but this is who I am, and what I do. Riding is a feeling like no other, racing is a challenge like no other and I'll always be a motorcycle enthusiast.
 
Hmm well...

23 reportable concussions.... and multiple not mentioned lol
7 broken ribs
Broken both hands
Shattered left collar bone
Multiple broken right collar bone
Broke both "L&R" Talus and left Heel
Right Rotator cuff surgery
Flat lined twice "clinically dead for 2 minutes"
Crushed L5 vertebrae
and a few minor breaks and stitches......

But for me specially after the past two year of having big breaks and lay ups with shattering my collar bone and breaking my right hand then this past winter same track and almost two months to the day broke both Talus on both legs and left heal and left hand I started to debate is it all really worth it...Asked my wife who supports me 100% and never tells me to stop or to let up. Now she does listen when I talk about trying a section and she will say "well how do you feel" or "maybe not today" lol which I'll eye it up and 9 times out of 10 it works out lol lately its been the lower percent haha but for me its therapy and the felling to be free from the past and all present day worries. I remember sitting on the floor watching Mcgrath owning every supercross race and dreaming like Im sure we all did growing up. Doesnt matter if its at Malvern or Redbud we all still get that feeling when we are lined up behind those gates. Hopefully since Ive got two really shitty years behind me I can move forward and get somewhat back to were I was and stay healthy. Maybe stay away from indoors for a bit lol. But After all my long restless nights thinking should I give it up and just stick to my car passion well nope cant I keep telling my mom maybe Ill quit after Im 50 and race Lorretta's in the +50 class lol who knows but I wouldnt trade all the pain and aches through the years for anything because with out all that I wouldnt have all the good memories and friends I have met.
 
MarctheSharc said:
Bogus Kurt - didn't know you'd gone down -
Vintage or modern ?
I could have sworn I just saw you the results from Malvern a few week ago???
Click to expand...


I'm still racing....I raced that day I went down. The first thing I thought when I went down, "where's my bike?", then was "where am I in points?" I've been rolling pretty much everything, but still racing.
 
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ive been thankful not to have any major incidents in motocross. Maybe im just not going fast enough! on the other hand my brother has a pretty good list... :( but he always and always has come back stronger and maybe even faster then he was before.:cool:
 
In the pool at sandals at yesterday and this guy bombed off his ass swims up to me and goes what class do you race? And at first I was like what? And he goes yea your collarbones you race motocross, what class?

This guy was from Canada and it's funny how your injuries and scars let others know who ride that you ride too. So we kept talking and turns out we raced the same classes at mini Os in 2001.

Without those injuries I wouldn't of known a guy swimming in a pool at sandals was lined up next to me in Florida. That's why we are sick and demented. I'm more pissed off about not finishing and being off the bike for 2-5 months than I ever am about gettin hurt.

Ok that is all. Breakfast is being prepare at the table. And Kristi is murderous in the morning until she has her coffee.
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Injuries didn't used to bother me mostly because I didn't have to pay for them

Broken orbital (cheek) bone
Ribs
Ankles and wrists are junk
Collar bone 2x
ACL/Meniscus

Still paying for the $6k knee. Not too excited about riding anymore. Bummer.
 
Where you at GP? MoBay? Ochi? or Negril?

I met a good dude the same way.
In the pool in Jamaica. He saw my AC separation and I saw his.
Both of us had to ask. Been friends ever since.
He rides Southwick....
 
I get this question all the time. My stock response is, "I've been doing it since I was a kid, it's really just second nature and I still enjoy it." When asked about racing I reply, "They just keep making old guy classes for me so I just keep going."
 
I always just use the line... If you have to ask... You wouldn't understand!
Broken wrist(3screws)
Shattered clavicle(plate/6 screws/wire) half the bone was through my trap muscle.
3 fractured vertebrae
2 herniated discs(surgery)
Numerous broken ribs
2 broken knee caps
Separated shoulder
Dislocated wrist
Dislocated thumb
Been knocked out more times than I can remember. (Literally) That's the only one that really worries me. With all the New information about concussions, etc. Especially after what Dave Mira went through. Scary!

But, I wouldn't change any of it. I'll be 44in March and I couldn't stop if I wanted to! (Cuz I DONT want to!) Ha ha
 
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