Modern Life. Prevents The Whimsical Bike Ride.

[Tinkicker]

While posting on the whatdidyoudotoyourbikethisweekend thread, I had a ponder.  Various notions slid across my frontal lobes at a snails pace then one stopped mid way across and started flashing.

These days it is quite a big deal getting the bike out, but why?

 

Back in the 80s and 90s I wore jeans permanantly My helmet with gloves tucked inside was kept on the kitchen table, my leather jacket was draped over the chair back and my moto x boots were by the back door.

So if I had a whim to have a quick half hour on the bike, it was jacket on, helmet on, thrust my feet into my boots.  Click click click, all the boot snaps were fastened and I was striding out of the back door in less than a a couple of minutes.

Unlock the garage door, sit on the bike, key in ignition and away in less than five minutes from whim to riding.

 

Now its a case of having a plan, wandering to the bike shed, key in hand and unlock the door.  Ooops.  Back into the house to switch the alarm system off.

Back to the shed and uncover the bike. Key in ignition.  Remove the locks and chains.  Roll bike out of shed and start it up.

Back into shed because it is a few weeks since I last rode it, return with tyre pressure gauge and check the pressures.  Back to shed for footpump, put a couple of psi in the front.

Return pump and gauge. Lock the shed up. Stop bike and return to house with the keys.

 

Upstairs, take helmet out of cupboard and bag.  Find boots. Find combat pants. Find jacket.  Find bum bag.  Get dressed.  Go back out to bike, unlock gate and push bike through onto the drive, lock gate and go back to the house.

Spend five minutes looking for the ignition key only to find it was behind the shed keys you put back in the key box all along.

 

Helmet on, go out the front door, lock it and start up the bike.  Open the gates to the road.  And awaaay.

 

40 minutes of continuous action from deciding to go for a ride to actually leaving.  Requires dedication these days.  The number of times I have had the inclination to go for a ride, then thought sod it, I can't be arsed is huge.

 

Modern society has had all fun and spontaneity removed.

 

God I miss the carefree days of the 80s.

[Bianco2564]

I don't very often go for a ride for the hell of it, family life doesn't really fit it with that.

I do though ride everyday to work and clock up almost 250 miles in 4 days. It is more of a faff than going in the car but once you get in a routine of getting the bike out the garage and my kit on, its worth the effort. Having a decent route to work also helps motivate me to use it, going down a boring motorway or dual carriageway would be less fun.

[S-Westerly]

Can't say that applies to me. My gear lives in the cupboard under the stairs. 5 minutes to put it on and walk out to the bike where it takes a minute to  get the lock off and another minute to back it down so I can ride off and I'm away. 

[Bungleaio]

When people who dont ride say to me "I bet it saves loads of time by having a bike ", my response is always the same. The time on the bike is a lot quicker than the car but the faff of getting dressed and undressed at either end means the car is probably quicker. 

[MikeHorton]

2 hours ago, Bianco2564 said:

I don't very often go for a ride for the hell of it, family life doesn't really fit it with that.

I do though ride everyday to work and clock up almost 250 miles in 4 days. It is more of a faff than going in the car but once you get in a routine of getting the bike out the garage and my kit on, its worth the effort. Having a decent route to work also helps motivate me to use it, going down a boring motorway or dual carriageway would be less fun.

I rarely use the bike for commuting since change of role and location. I miss the ride to and from work a good destress and unwind. I work Birmingham City centre now half the commute is misery and trying not to get wiped out so prefer to use the train or bus which is a big shame 

[techniques]

I'd hazard a guess and say in the 80s & 90s you were riding all the time, and these days its far and few between. 

 

When you do something all the time, everyday, you find quicker and more efficient ways to do it. 

 

I remember the early days of forgetting the key, putting on gear, needing to pee, taking off gear, forgetting helmet, forgetting pinlock visor, f**k sake. Walking back and forth like a mad man.

 

Now I'm going into year 3 riding riding at least 4 days a week when it's good weather, the act of getting on the bike is streamlined and effortless. I even built a shelving unit next to the bike to keep all my bike paraphanelia organised. I'm ATGATT 

Edited March 19, 2023 by techniques

[Pie man]

When I was commuting, I had getting ready off to a T, all within 5 mins, now I just cant be arsed riding for pleasure. 

Edited March 19, 2023 by Pie man

[Ronnie]

I always remember my pal in the middle of Scottish winters in the seventies stressing just how important correct layering was. Pair of Y fronts, a string vest, a pair of long johns, thin thermal socks then long woollen ones, a long sleeved thermal jumper topped by an ex-naval woollen polo neck, a pair of leather breeks and a zip up leather jacket all encased in a full Belstaff top and bottom ensemble. Knee length leather boots, various scarfs, merino wool balaclavas and at least two layers of gloves finished him off.

But it was the look in his eyes as he was waddling out the door when he announced " Oh Jesus !  I'm needing a jobby !"

[bonio]

I miss commuting. Dang covid killed that too.

[onesea]

I think the big trick is NOTHING should be obstruct the bike leaving its parking.  

Your bike gear should be near the door or stored by the bike.

 

Bikes need to be allowed to be put away dirty, maybe a spray to wash the salt of. 

 

The best thing I did with my first bike was fall off. Dinting tank and scratching the fairing 

 

Instead of being pristine and making time cleaning it after each ride, it made little difference to the value.

 

I rode longer and in all weathers, it changed my mind set.  Bikes are made for riding.

 

"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"

Hunter S. Thompson, The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman, 1955-1967

 

My bikes join me in this journey...
 

[Trooper74]

The process of getting the bike uncovered, unlocked, manoeuvred through 90 deg, to face the road. Move car from end of path. Followed by overtrousers, boots, jacket, glasses, wallet, phone. Then out to the bike, ride to road ... back in to get helmet, ear plugs, neck wrap, gloves.

Out to bike, start .. ear plugs and neck wrap  applied, helmet on , gloves on ...... ride .........

Absolute minimum 20 mins ... usually 30 .....

But I'm worth it ..........

[Guest]

10 hours ago, bonio said:

I miss commuting. Dang covid killed that too.

You can still commute. Get up an hour early and do a one hour circular route back home. 

[bonio]

1 hour ago, goat said:

You can still commute. Get up an hour early and do a one hour circular route back home. 

Aggg. And now I have to put up with pestilent logical people...

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, bonio said:

Aggg. And now I have to put up with pestilent logical people...

Just like work.

[Steve_M]

19 hours ago, S-Westerly said:

Can't say that applies to me. My gear lives in the cupboard under the stairs. 5 minutes to put it on and walk out to the bike where it takes a minute to  get the lock off and another minute to back it down so I can ride off and I'm away. 

Similar here. Kit in cupboard in the utility room, adjacent to the alarmed barn which holds the bike. Roll the bike backwards out of the barn and away. 

[Fiddlesticks]

Must admit it takes me a while to get ready.  Usually a number of trips back upstairs for gloves / waterproofs etc.  I've stopped putting my helmet on before my earplugs though, so there is hope.

Next house will have a double garage with an automatically closing door.  Prefereably heated, so I can leave the gear in there without it getting damp.

Well, I can dream.

 

[Nute]

I recently fitted a diesel heater to my garage, it’s bloody brilliant. I can putz about in there in the warm now and even have warm kit to put on if I fire it up 15 mins before a ride. Still have to come back to get my ear plugs 50% of the time tho. 

[geofferz]

20 hours ago, Bungleaio said:

When people who dont ride say to me "I bet it saves loads of time by having a bike ", my response is always the same. The time on the bike is a lot quicker than the car but the faff of getting dressed and undressed at either end means the car is probably quicker. 

I can get suited up in 3 minutes

[Trooper74]

I want an Aerostitch Aerocrafter one piece suit  .... or similar one piece suit (anybody know of one ) ...

 

Dressed in 90 seconds ..   then move the bike, boots , helmet ...etc etc ....... 20 minutes ....

Edited March 20, 2023 by Trooper74

[Breezin]

I am the Frank Spencer of motorcycle ride preparation.  If it can go wrong, it will. And the more layers there are, the wronger it gets!

 

So I have to have a really serious think about going out on the bike just for fun. Still, I'd prefer the bike to the hell that is driving a car in a city these days.

[Stu]

10 minutes and I can be out! 

 

Not much messing for me to be honest 

[bonio]

Just 3 minutes in summer, as long as I don't have to pump the tyres. 

Longer in winter - more layers to apply.

Longer for the DRZ, too, as it needs oil regularly, and being a dry sump, it takes a while to top up.

[jedibiker]

On 19/03/2023 at 16:02, Tinkicker said:

While posting on the whatdidyoudotoyourbikethisweekend thread, I had a ponder.  Various notions slid across my frontal lobes at a snails pace then one stopped mid way across and started flashing.

These days it is quite a big deal getting the bike out, but why?

 

Back in the 80s and 90s I wore jeans permanantly My helmet with gloves tucked inside was kept on the kitchen table, my leather jacket was draped over the chair back and my moto x boots were by the back door.

So if I had a whim to have a quick half hour on the bike, it was jacket on, helmet on, thrust my feet into my boots.  Click click click, all the boot snaps were fastened and I was striding out of the back door in less than a a couple of minutes.

Unlock the garage door, sit on the bike, key in ignition and away in less than five minutes from whim to riding.

 

Now its a case of having a plan, wandering to the bike shed, key in hand and unlock the door.  Ooops.  Back into the house to switch the alarm system off.

Back to the shed and uncover the bike. Key in ignition.  Remove the locks and chains.  Roll bike out of shed and start it up.

Back into shed because it is a few weeks since I last rode it, return with tyre pressure gauge and check the pressures.  Back to shed for footpump, put a couple of psi in the front.

Return pump and gauge. Lock the shed up. Stop bike and return to house with the keys.

 

Upstairs, take helmet out of cupboard and bag.  Find boots. Find combat pants. Find jacket.  Find bum bag.  Get dressed.  Go back out to bike, unlock gate and push bike through onto the drive, lock gate and go back to the house.

Spend five minutes looking for the ignition key only to find it was behind the shed keys you put back in the key box all along.

 

Helmet on, go out the front door, lock it and start up the bike.  Open the gates to the road.  And awaaay.

 

40 minutes of continuous action from deciding to go for a ride to actually leaving.  Requires dedication these days.  The number of times I have had the inclination to go for a ride, then thought sod it, I can't be arsed is huge.

 

Modern society has had all fun and spontaneity removed.

 

God I miss the carefree days of the 80s.

This is so true.

I check tyres weekly too, check comms are ok, get all gear ready, unlock one back, get the other out the house. Unlock the gate to get to the front of house, then unfold mirrors.

Cameras for helmets on and set up. total ball ache but worth it for good rides out. on hot days im melting before we even set off.

 

when i was 20 id ride in what i was wearing and be out in 5 mins.

[Tinkicker]

On 20/03/2023 at 12:34, Fiddlesticks said:

Must admit it takes me a while to get ready.  Usually a number of trips back upstairs for gloves / waterproofs etc.  I've stopped putting my helmet on before my earplugs though, so there is hope.

Next house will have a double garage with an automatically closing door.  Prefereably heated, so I can leave the gear in there without it getting damp.

Well, I can dream.

 

 

 

I dream of something along the lines of....    From a vague inclination to burning up the road in three minutes.

 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Tinkicker