Average age of riders here

[mickyrr]

I'm 64 and have been riding since I was 12. I used to ride at night not be be caught. My first bike was a BSA Bantam bought on HP (Loan) for I think ?170 new. I commuted to school, college then commuted many years to London from the Home Counties. I lost a few friends (all due to cars pulling out of side roads). I ride 3-4 times a week and hope to do some trackdays next year ( I have been doing trackdays in Porsches over the years). I feel sorry for the younger guys who have had to go though the new style tests and whilst the bikes and kit have improved beyond belief biking has become expensive. The worst aspect is that when I used to commute back from London I used to time myself to see how quick it could be done - days before cameras, helicopters and camera vans. I banned my son from getting a bike but he took the tests secretly and biked for a year until he was knocked off. He was not hurt but I think it made him reconsider. I cycle most days as well (carbon bicycles are not cheap either) and drivers constantly are driving in a negligent way. I have been lucky that I have never broken anything so far but I had a big off in the 1970's in California on mountain roads due to a defective front wheel. I landed a few feet from a precipice. My textiles were ripped to shreds so had cuts and bruises. The worse part is that the medics put gauze on the wounds which then had to be ripped off as the scabs were forming! The pleasure of riding however for me still outweighs the risks and I recognise that it is an addiction

 

[LJS1K]

I'm 22 now and owned my 2010 s1k for 18 months. A lot of people whinge that 22 (21 at the time) is too young for bikes like these, but if your sensible I don't see the problem. Not to mention the bmw is smooth and so easy to ride.

 

[Steadynow]

33 but look 43. K4 GSXR600 first bike at 21 .....CBR second.....S1k Third time lucky!!! :chuncky:

 

[hellrider1981]

33...............ZXR 400 first bike then R6 then GsxR 750 then GsxR 1000 now s1000rr 2015 next year :love-struck:

 

[ekdg]

44- ringing since i was 20 from which ones i can remember........rgv250, fzr600, Early 893 fireblade, cbr400, 918cc fireblade, R1 track bike, 2005 fireblade track bike, another crb400 to commute, CCM R30 to dick around on, Ducti 748,gsxr 750 k8, 2009 repsol blade, gsxr ex susperstock race bike, 2011 S1000rr, Rvf400 for a run about, 2011 zx10r track bike, 2013 Hp4, another 2011 zx10r for a month, current garage stands at hp4, another rvf400 and a Cbr400 nc29 which is currently stripped.

What will 2015 bring????

 

[user 591]

49 passed my test back in 2011 after last having been on a bike when i was 16 / 17, Fizzy and DT 125 those were the days!!!! First bike after passing my test was an R6 which was great fun, but always wanted to try an 1000. Did a couple of years on the R6 then decided in december go for it. So now just waiting for the summer to arrive...It has been good reading through all the comments and did feel am i too old for the S1000rr.....don't think that now.

 

[JimmyMac]

46 - passed test at 21 whilst living in Cyprus, cost ?7. Never rode again until aged 40 but now totally addicted to any type of bike riding. Drove a Bedford lorry aged 15 and took a transit van to Spain aged 16 full of furniture and urn-bru on the way there and full of fags and vodka on the way back. Them were the days.

Still feel 21 at heart.

Maybe 16 in the head.

JimmyMac

 

[pof]

47 but act 27 unfortunatly feel 67

 

[Loupe]

Almost 42. Passed my test when I was 19 but couldn't afford a car and a bike.
Started riding again 6 years ago.

 

[Mick753]

46 and like most still think i am half that age :smile-new:

 

[MacRR]

Ugh 48, riding since I was 16, new GSXR1100M at 22 then a 7 year break in my late 20's due to lack of funds, had fast cars, prefer fast bikes and er.. with the on set of middle age touring!!

 

[DaveS1000RR]

29!

 

[mibridger]

55, started riding at 12 on the fields in Lincolnshire.

Been doing trackdays since 1998

 

[2002sportevo]

44, had my first bike at 10, raced schoolboy motocross (various bikes and classes) in SACU and ACU then into adult class until I was about 19. Then moved from bikes into car racing for a number of years. Had a 50cc Honda MT50 as soon as I was 16 so I could get out on the open road and then at 17 had an NS125 with a Stan Stephens big bore 175cc kit on it ! Got too involved in car racing and never sat my road bike test until 2009 and have been riding a CBR600RR from 2010 - 2015 when I bought the S1000RR

 

[stuartb]

52 mate....like a lot of guys on here ive been riding since i was 16...1979 TS50...ffs lol... but sadly your right... go to the Welly on a busy day... watch all the lids coming off and you rarely see anyone under 35 id say... most like me in their 40s 50s and 60s..

Quite concerning if you ask me

 

[DL84]

hope it's no that bad Stuartb, don't get me wrong there is a lot of you auld yins about :witless: , and you do see a lot of grey heads at the welly.... but me, my brother and mates all range from 28 to 31, 7 of us in total ,
I think it's harder to get into bikes now with the test and what not, but they do say age and experience count for a lot , and I have had my arse handed to me at knockhill buy a few old boys.....

 

[stuartb]

hope it's no that bad Stuartb, don't get me wrong there is a lot of you auld yins about :witless: , and you do see a lot of grey heads at the welly.... but me, my brother and mates all range from 28 to 31, 7 of us in total ,
I think it's harder to get into bikes now with the test and what not, but they do say age and experience count for a lot , and I have had my arse handed to me at knockhill buy a few old boys.....

DL we're aw fucked as they say!

But on a serious note, there's hardly any new boys on the scene... conversley I was speaking to John Reynolds (ex BSB) at one of those fucking wanky Ducati thing's that they put on up at the Green Welly in September there.... we were chatting away about bikes/sales and all that and I said to him to look about whats the biggest problem you see..... instant response.........age.... so it's a definite problem.

Anyhow, aye your right... about the age thing... some of the best riders I've seen are older guys, smooth fast and confident !.. way to do it.

 

[soofsayer]

Pity elderly road drivers aren't as capable as elderly bikers.

IMO I think the decline in younger riders is an indicator as to how society has become more risk adverse in general. Also there is economics - Nowadays credit is easy and cars are cheaper, so the economic natural choice of a motorbike over a car has diminished for those starting their motoring careers these days.

 

[stuartb]

Agree with you soofsayer regarding the access..affordability thing... your spot on...its easy to get into the car scene early doors..bikes were magical to me when i was young...a totally different world...Superbike and Motorcycle Mechanics...two strokes... micron pipes stan stephens tuning... classified ads selling stuff like oko puncture proof shit and V wipes for your visor...GS1000s Laverda Jotas...RD400 X7s think weve lost that special thing ...

Oh and as Ogri said petrol wuz two bob a gallon... bring back the good old days

 

[MacRR]

Pity elderly road drivers aren't as capable as elderly bikers.

IMO I think the decline in younger riders is an indicator as to how society has become more risk adverse in general. Also there is economics - Nowadays credit is easy and cars are cheaper, so the economic natural choice of a motorbike over a car has diminished for those starting their motoring careers these days.

You've hit the nail on the head, chuck in the cost of buying your first house nowadays and the attraction of the virtual reality world of PS4 / Xboxes for young people versus sitting in a cold garage / shed rebuilding a 2 stroke as many of us did and its easy to see why things are the way they are. My hope is that as traffic congestion gets even worse than it already is that there will be swing back towards bikes as everyday transport.