Have you moved on from sport bikes as you get older?

[Arminius]

When I was in my 20s and 30s, and even early 40s, I didn't ever think I would not want to have a sport bike. Well, now that I'm in my 50s, crotch rockets are in my past. My last sport bike was a 2021 BMW S100RR M Package. Loved that bike but after having it for 2 years I realized it's not the kind of riding I want to do anymore. My biggest reason is it was hard for me to turn my head to look over my shoulder due to past injuries from car accidents. I've developed arthritis in my neck and no longer have full range of motion.

Since 2019 I've been into baggers and had a 2013 CVO Breakout that I really regret selling. I find the baggers have come a long way and don't feel like I'm giving up much performance anymore like I would have 20+ years ago. I enjoy longer scenic rides now but still want to carve through the canyons and mountains here in Colorado, when I'm in the mood to do so. I am now down to only two motorcycles, a blue chromed out 2006 Street Glide with a 96 cubic inch upgrade and a blacked out 2024 Road Glide that i've been stupidly spending a lot of money on to upgrade it to a performance bagger. I hope to make my first trip to Sturgis this year, work schedule permitting.

Just curious if anyone else has switched to a non-sport bike as they got older?

 

[budman]

I did.

The first was choice was not age … it was a lifestyle thing. GXSR race bike to a HD Softail Custom in ‘89.

I came back to sportbikes later and back to the track. Last real sport bike was an ‘02 998.

By ‘07 was motarding. Sport tourer in ‘09 and then a string of Multistradas starting in ‘12.

More upright. Still fast enough and nimble enough to make me smile. Great for getting the traveling mode on too.

 

[Tally Whacker]

No.

 

[Arminius]

If I get a third bike it's probably going to be an Africa Twin with the DCT. I never thought I'd like an auto transmission on a motorcycle but after riding my friend's Honda NC700 I changed my mind.

I had a 2013 Multistrada for a few years but traded it in because it wasn't good for anything more than 30 miles. It vibrated so bad it would make your right arm numb after 20 minutes.

Lemme see if I can post a couple pics of my Glides.

 

[bluegixxer600]

I’m turning 54 next month and still have my GSXR I bought new in 01. I still love a quick rip on it, but can only tolerate about 2 hours max including a few breaks to stretch my legs. I picked up a used FJR1300 last summer and have been enjoying it quite a bit.
My SV650 track bike is just about done and I plan on a couple of track days this year. C group for me, not out to impress anyone

 

[Arminius]

My Glides

 

[Arminius]

I’m turning 54 next month and still have my GSXR I bought new in 01. I still love a quick rip on it, but can only tolerate about 2 hours max including a few breaks to stretch my legs. I picked up a used FJR1300 last summer and have been enjoying it quite a bit.
My SV650 track bike is just about done and I plan on a couple of track days this year. C group for me, not out to impress anyone

I totaled my 2001 GSXR 1000, black and silver, at Laguna Seca, back in 2005. Man I still miss that bike. I’ve been searching on and off for years for another one like it but haven’t found one I want to buy. Too many of them became ‘Stunna” bikes or drag bikes with ridiculously long swing arms.

 

[Enchanter]

I'm over 60 and still have the the R1 I bought in 1998. My primary streetbiike is an S1000rr. I've been known to do 600mi days on it. I have an HD that most Harley riders have never heard of. It's got stock exhaust, and GP shifting.

Your post implies that age is a factor. I submit to you that it's your previous injuries. I'll ride a sportbike until I cannot swing a leg over a motorcycle.

 

[Arminius]

Your post implies that age is a factor. I submit to you that it's your previous injuries. I'll ride a sportbike until I cannot swing a leg over a motorcycle.

It's a combination of the two for me. I still love sport bikes and maybe one day I'll get another one, but for now I'm enjoying what I have.

That's awesome you kept your R1 and still ride it.

 

[Lonster]

Sport bikes don't have to have clip-ons.
I'm 64 and still ride sport bikes, upright nakeds, 125cc vintage road bikes and still have a lot of love for a well sorted SM.

 

[tuxumino]

02 ZX6R with helibars. It's ergos are kinder to aging knees.

 

[larry kahn]

My bikes all have Euro touring lowrise bars and are basically sporty standards. But the postings here bring to mind the last Harley I'd own and the switch to clip-on sport bike. Goes back to 1992, moved here from Jersey and wanted a touring bike for the wide open west. Was also road racing still and knew I'd best stay off bikes I'd get stupid on. So bought a clean FLH and always had the little voice in my head telling me "This is good, keeps you under 80 and out of trouble. This is good, repeat chant..." So I'm headed south on rt 25 running about 70/75, little voice chanting away, tighter curve coming up, got all the big control movements going on and got my rubber-mount wiggle on reeling it in for the corner and about to lean it in when about 5 sport bikes northbound come flying through ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM! Little voice INSTANTLY switched to "Fck this fat piece of shit!". Got home, sold it, and bought a new 1992 Ducati 900SS. Understood Dylan's line of "I was so much older then I'm younger than that now".

 

[Gary856]

I bought a ZX-10R at 46, sold it at 50. The most I did on it was 301 miles in a day, but most rides were only about 30-80 miles. I had several other bikes at the same time which I used for longer rides. I realized that the ZX-10R wasn't the best on the rough and technical roads I preferred, so what was the point of enduring the neck and back discomfort from the less than optimal riding position? In theory one could work on his flexibility to keep riding a sport bike as one ages, but realistically, past 50 I found it increasing hard to be motivated to stretch / workout.

Nevertheless, after owning a bunch of tall, long suspension bikes (ADV/dualsports) I rediscovered the joy of the flickability of shorter suspension naked bikes like the S1000R, not to mention the intoxicating raw power of liter-size I4s, so I get the attraction of full-on sport bikes, if one can handle the ergos.

Since 2019 I've been into baggers and had a 2013 CVO Breakout that I really regret selling. I find the baggers have come a long way and don't feel like I'm giving up much performance anymore like I would have 20+ years ago.

The CVO Breakout looks very interesting. I'd love to try it.

If I get a third bike it's probably going to be an Africa Twin with the DCT. I never thought I'd like an auto transmission on a motorcycle but after riding my friend's Honda NC700 I changed my mind.

I had a 2013 Multistrada for a few years but traded it in because it wasn't good for anything more than 30 miles. It vibrated so bad it would make your right arm numb after 20 minutes.

I rented an AT DCT and liked it a lot overall. But I disagree with you on the 2013 Multistrada which I currently own - the 2013 MTS is much smoother than the 2004 I had, and to me its vibration doesn't feel much worse than most other bikes.

 

[two wheel tramp]

i’ve never been into being bent over on a bike. i hurt my shoulders early in life and went straight to a ujm followed by an adventure-ish bike followed by dual sports.

 

[bmwbob51]

Way back when I would spin my handlebars down so I was in a sport bike crouch. As I got older I gradually spun the bars up till I'm pretty much upright

 

[greenmonster]

I have bar risers and love them

 

[GAJ]

Down to one bike; "light" sport tourer.

Even putting convertibars on my TL1000S didn't "fix" the fact that it was not appropriate for me on the roads around here.

 

[wilit]

Can't ride the sprotbiles due to my old back. An SV650 is about the sportiest thing I've ridden lately and it was uncomfortable after about an hour. The Indian and KTM are much more comfortable.

 

[cg_ops]

In my 20s, I knew I’d only ever want to ride sportbikes. I started on my roommate’s SV650S for about a year. He’d bought it after rolling his truck, and once it was fixed, he just stopped riding it. I picked it up from him for a crazy low price, then sold it to buy a 2003 R6—the day that refresh hit dealers in Jan/Feb 2003.

Not long after, I got in with a local street/track riding club and had the chance to try out a ton of different bikes—everything from Harleys to Goldwings to dirt bikes.

Supersports were my jam. Nothing else felt so connected—so much like an extension of my body. Where you look, they go. I remember the first time I rode a Harley (my mom’s Sportster), I almost crashed it. I hit a 90-degree turn, looked, leaned… and nothing happened. I ended up riding up a neighbor’s driveway before realizing, oh right, I actually had to counter-steer to make it turn.

Then I had my big crash at the ripe old age of... 25. Physically, I went from feeling like I was in my prime to feeling like I was in my 50s overnight. I didn’t ride for eight years. When I got back into it, I picked up a WR250, then a 701, followed by another (my 3rd) R6, an R3, and now my 890 Duke R.

And man—bikes have come a long way since 2001. The Duke is nearly as capable as the R6, but with vastly more comfortable ergos.

These days, just the thought of being cramped up on a sportbike makes me uncomfortable. I much prefer something upright and stretched out—something that allows me to tuck when I want, but doesn’t require it. Tracking/racing the R3 was basically an exercise in pain tolerance. I sort of dreaded it, honestly. My Duke? The complete opposite. It feels like a plush couch by comparison.

But unlike the actual moto couches (Harleys, Goldwings, big tourers), it can scoot with the best of them—and honestly, better than most.




From my peak ownership of 4 motos, when I concurrently owened; WR250X, R6, 701, and R3 (not in the garage). The (uncomfortable ) gixxer was my buddy's, who lives in SF and stored his bike in my garage

 

[bluegixxer600]

I totaled my 2001 GSXR 1000, black and silver, at Laguna Seca, back in 2005. Man I still miss that bike. I’ve been searching on and off for years for another one like it but haven’t found one I want to buy. Too many of them became ‘Stunna” bikes or drag bikes with ridiculously long swing arms.

Hold on to your wallet-

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