The wife is currently away on holiday and speaking to her on the phone today, she asked how I was feeling, knowing that I had ridden in an 8hr reliability trial on Saturday. I responded by telling her that I was a bit sore, with the normal aches that you have after such an event, plus had a very sore head and left thigh from having crashed during one of the special stage at night.
Anyway, this brings me to the subject of the post. She then went on a bit about how she thinks I must be having some kind of mid-life crisis, as I have not ridden competitively for many years (the last full season was in 1993 when I rode a sidecar in the VIC observed trials championship), and all of a sudden (too her) this year I have entered the DLRA speed trials at Lake Gairdiner and decided to ride the SA reliability trial series. She asked if this was all because I turn 50 in December and want to show everyone that I am not getting too old to race?
Unfortunately, the answer too her question is both yes and no.
YES, a part of it is because I will hit the big “50” later this year. However, too me, it is not that sudden. I have wanted to run one of my SR500’s at Lake Gairdiner for quite a while but never had the chance to build the bike I kept planning. It is a similar thing with the reliability trials. I have wanted to ride the 24 hour trial, which to me, is the premier off-road motorcycle event here in SA for more than 25 years, but have never had a suitable bike or have had other commitments when it was on, and after I joined the Navy in ’87 there was not much of an opportunity until I returned to civilian life in 2003.
Since then, I had slowly built a SR500 to run at the lake and it is more of a coincidence than good planning that I had it read for this year’s event (pity the salt was too damp for the event too go ahead). It is a similar thing with the reliability trials. I had been collecting bits to build a 1976 XT500C, for about 10 years (just because I wanted one), and finally got a chance to get the bike together in January. After riding it around for a while I though it might give the 24hr a try in the pre ’84 class. Talking to some of the younger (and not so young) competition riders in my local bike club, they encouraged me to ride a few events prior to the 24hr too get a feel for it. So I have ridden two events so far too get a feel for it (masochistic self abuse) and a 32 year old XT500 is not a suitable bike for modern reliability trials but it is all I have and so it will have to do!
And the NO!
Well I don’t think I need to show people that I am not too old to be riding competition. I know for a fact that I am too bloody old, and it is self evident to all those who have seen me arrive at the finish of the two events so far, that I am too old! It is not a matter of the years, it is more a case of my beat-up unfit body not being up to the task anymore.
Did I tell the other half any of the above? Not on your life!
I told her that my mid life crisis happened in 2003, as that is when I bough my little red 1965 HONDA S600 sports cars, and everyone know that when your hair starts to grey (or has fallen out, as the case maybe), the only way to get that young blonde thing into your car is for it too be a red sports car! It’s a pity the only young blonde to get in mine has been my daughter!
So, from some of the comments in some posts, it seems that there are quite a few members of a certain age who frequent this forum. Do any of you have wives, partners, significant others or mothers who thing you are having a mid life crisis because of you desire to buy, build, modify and ride 20 to 30 year old motorcycles?
CJ
