Question for deep thinkers.

[Mike52]

I went trail riding on Sunday and as I was going over the bars on a particularly nasty rocky down hill bit I thought to myself.
Police/construction workers / soldiers all risk their lives but they get paid for it , here I am doing it for fun.

So are we crazieeee or are we the last of the fairdinkum warriors, the syko thrill junkies ,  beserkers ?

Ps I saved the over the bars one and went on later to run off track in 5th/ full throttle ,cause I couldn't make the corner.
Never got hurt but what a buzz.

[Curly3]

I had 30 years away from bikes because of injury.
I ask myself the same questions pretty well every time I throw the leg, over a bike, but come up with the same answere every time.
You're in that box for a bloody long time.

[TooFastTim]

Warriors? Well that's stretching it a bit. But here's a thought. We are what is termed in the psychology/psychiatry world adrenaline junkies or risk takers. Now we are not popular with the greeneies because we're non-conformists. We don't seek out safety in the flock. But here's the kicker, if it wasn't for risk taking we'd still be living in caves and being eaten by small rodents. It's the risk takers that push the boundries just that little bit and show that there is another, possibly better, way.

[Trav Man]

I had 30 years away from bikes because of injury.
I ask myself the same questions pretty well every time I throw the leg, over a bike, but come up with the same answere every time.
You're in that box for a bloody long time.

I agree 100% 

[worms]

I would rather be pushing 50 downhill, than pushing 50 with daisy's. and I do it most weekends, been in a spinal ward once, just made me smarter when riding

worms

[Nathan S]

Amateur psychology time...

I reckon that blokes still have a bit of cave-man in them. You know, the part of out psyche that loves the dangerous crap our ancestors used to do to keep us (and our families/tribes) alive.
Living in modern western society mostly stifles that cave-man urge, but its still there. Riding/racing dirt bikes, playing footy, or getting full of grog and punching-on are all ways of releasing that urge - but some are more socially acceptable than others.
Obviously some blokes have more cave-amn than others, but I reckon its in all of us.

I've never had a huge risk-taking urge in me, but its grown since I've had kids. And sitting around doing nothing kills me way more now, than it ever used to.
My wife (predictably) went the opposite way after the offspring arrived - and also become far more interested in having people around. Again, that makes sense from a cave-woman point of view.

I wait to see how my very unblokey, non-risk-taking brother goes when he has kids.

[Curly3]

You never cease to amaze me Nathan.
My thrill seaking life actually STALLED when I had kid's.
I bet the deep thinkers reference really caught your attention.
And that is meant in jest.

[Nathan S]

I will admit to hesitating when I read the "deep thinkers" bit... 

[valleyam]

Motorcyling is a strange sport. Over the years i've had my share of injuries and recently suffered a heart attack while competing in an event. Hopefully tomorrow I get the all clear to ride again. Its a sport that offers so much in that it keeps you fit both physicaly and mentaly yet in an instant can show you how unfit you are. It can provide rewards but also punishes. It can keep you poor but can also make you rich with experiences. It can also provide all the social requirements you need to make you happy and yet so sad. So it pretty well meets all the requirements a person needs. No wonder its so popular.
Cheers Andy

[mainline]

Police/construction workers / soldiers all risk their lives but they get paid for it , here I am doing it for fun.

Don't know about the construction workers. I'm thinking that if you're risking your life in the Australian construction industry these days you're a bit of a dickhead.

As far as the general vibe of the question goes though, I think life's just too short to play tennis and watch TV.

[matcho mick]

 ???i happened to like playing tennis 

[KTMaico]

My take on this is.....

With todays life, mortgages, marriage, children, bills, financial worries, politics, crime, road rage and the list goes on. All attribute to STRESS, I think with all we put up with today and always putting yourself last kills us all a little. Riding the bike (when you can), and enjoying the mateship of similar minded people put's a little bit of life back into the tank. I don't see it as risk taking as much as I see it as a pressure release valve and a incentive to have some enjoyment of life amongs't all the bad stuff.

Kevin

[PEZBerq]

Don't know about the construction workers. I'm thinking that if you're risking your life in the Australian construction industry these days you're a bit of a dickhead.

Mainy I think I understand what your trying to say here. Construction workers who know what they are supposed to do but still cut corners and take risks are indeed dickheads. Its the young guys that learn from these dickheads that I worry about most  . I see it all the time and until the day comes when employers and workers both believe enough in workplace safety we will continue to have deaths.

Now taking risks on the race track is another matter....

[Iain Cameron]

valleyam I agree 100% with you (I had a quad bypass in 06 ) on your first ride back take it easy my heart was thumping like a british twin , I still ride and race just not as fast anymore . Be stuffed if Im going to take up golf , lawn bowls or the like . As you close the lid on my coffin  give me a ciggie and a copy of VMX




Iain

[crash n bern]

Hello my name is Crash n Bern and I am an adrenaline addict.

I used to ride on the street as well as the dirt and I rode like there was no tomorrow. I have done a lot of stupid stuff but I had the luck of the reckless and always came out unscathed.  Then one day I came unglued and ended up in surgery.  I spent the next five years riding with the fear of god in me.  One evening I thought I had become the living dead and it was all to do with the way I rode. To hell with it I thought, if your numbers up it's up, I'll go back to how I used to ride.  24 hours later I was in intensive care with the doctor telling me I might not make it through the night.  So much for that idea. Then came a broken back and getting T boned.  The writing was on the wall in ten foot letters.  So now I ride sedately, I don't like the sound of crunching metal, and I don't like the feel of big impacts that smash bones.

I still ride daily and still get cars trying to take me out on a weekly basis, I still ride dirt and I still crash and I am really starting to dislike it, but it doesn't stop me.  At 52 I find the landings are getting harder.