Ok, I searched for this and found nothing so here is my question. How old is too old to continue to ride? When is the time to hang up the helmet and sell off the bike? I'm sure I will get answers from "when you continue to fall over at stop signs" to "when they pry my cold dead hands off the handlebars." So lets hear what you think.

 

I think I will give it up when I start feeling like my reflexes aren't what they used to be.

An example along those lines - My father recently purchased a boat in CT, and he will freely admit that the only reason he did was because he had me to tow it back for him, and that it made him feel more comfortable because he knew my reflexes were better. He has also admitted that the last several years he feels more comfortable with me or my brother driving because we are younger and he always relates it to reflexes.

 

Yep, I'd say pretty much the same thing. If you know you're too old to be riding, then give it a rest.
However, I know several guys who are old and still ride ok. One is in his mid sixties, one almost 70.
I know one guy who had a stroke and had no strength on one side of his body and couldn't hold his bike up. So... he got a trike...lol.
Then, he started regaining his strength, sold the trike, and got a Star Tourer. In his own words.. "I just HAD to get back on two wheels."

 

My bike club has a lot of older guy's (& girls) riding. I've mentioned before an old guy in his 70's with Parkinson's & his new VFR. Sure a lot of them don't go get nasty in the twisties anymore & enjoy the more leisurely speed on the highway, but they still love riding.
The idea of not being able to ride anymore? well recently I thought that my riding days where over, my back has been cactus since April (the month, not the girl). Had a bad back on & off for over 20 years, but this time it was really bad, to the point I could not even lift my bloody leg high enough to sit on the thing. But with the modern miracles of pain killers & physio, I'm getting better.
Someone mentioned reflexes, well sure, but I think that riding keeps them pretty well honed. I'd be more inclined to think about giving up for example, if your out riding & you suddenly think "Where the bloody hell am I?" & "Who the bloody hell am I?" & "Gee, this thing goes, is it a Norton?" or "I wonder who's bike this is?" or you start trying to find your parked bike, based on the logo on the key.

 

40 is obviously too old!............

 

Riding will keep you young , so ride as often and for as long as you can , especially as you get older!

BTW we're not old riders , we're just more mature

 

Well, it's all dependant on the person. My father-in-law is falling a book of feel like you're 50 until you're 80 plan, and he's very active at 50, we run at a 5k club once a week together. And then some people that don't take care of themselves should almost be in a home at 50...

-Chad

 

Been accused of hitting my midlife crisis since I got a CBR at 37. Guy in the BRC with me turns 70 later this year and just picked up 2 new bikes. Not sports bikes but still.

And the instructor was easily in his 50s with an VTX1800.

edit
After reviewing Classic's pic, the instructor was easily in his 60s. Of course the Greg Brady haircut could be distorting me age perceptionsn