Motorcycle riding can be addictive and even chronic unless you know when to quit. But you might ask: at what age should I stop riding a motorcycle?
There is no specific age to stop riding a motorcycle. While the risks of crashing, injuries, and slow recoveries are higher at old age, especially 60-85 years, your physical and mental health and reasons for riding determine when to stop.
Instead of looking at the age, look for signs that physically, mentally, or visually impair your judgment on the road, and the reason that got you into motorcycle riding in the first place.
The chances of not riding well are more at old age. The older you get, the slower your reflexes, and the more you lose your eye sharpness.
Let’s dig deeper!
At What Age Should I Stop Riding a Motorcycle?
Most riders stop riding motorcycles when they get to 60-85 years. But even within the 15-year gap, several factors really determine when to quit.
Remember, we are talking about old age here, which is a time when severe medical and non-medical conditions start to set in as you no longer have your youthful vitality.
Your physical and mental health are the ones to determine when it’s time to quit riding and not just your age. Plus, you must consider why you are a rider in the first place.
Factors Determining When to Stop Riding a Motorcycle
Generally, these three factors dictate when to stop riding a motorcycle and not just because you have reached old age.
a. Physical Health
You must be physically healthy to ride a motorcycle. You shouldn’t have a physical condition like a seizure that affects your posture and control. You should also not suffer from chronic pain, have a missing limb, or suffer from visual impairment.
If your eyes can see well and all limbs function well, you can continue riding. But if it’s the opposite, then you should quit.
b. Mental Health
It calls for a clear head to make better judgments on the road when riding a motorcycle. Chronic conditions like depression, anxiety disorder, or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) indicate it’s no longer safe for you to ride a motorbike.
In such cases, you should talk to a therapist to start your treatment before you consider riding a motorbike again.
c. Reason for Riding
People ride motorcycles for different reasons. While most do it for fun and adventure, some do it because of their jobs, like the case of the police, while others do it for commuting.
Once you no longer have to ride it for job reasons or commuting, then you can stop. That’s unless you are too passionate about it and would love to continue having fun.
How Old Is Too Old to Ride a Motorcycle?
There’s no denying that many physical and visual limitations come with old age. For example, your reflexes become slower, and your strength drops when you are 60-85 years.
At 60+, you are less likely to respond quickly to emergencies and easily maneuver the motorbike.
Your visual sharpness reduces as you age, and thus, you are more likely to miscalculate distances between your motorcycle and oncoming cars.
However, that doesn’t mean you should quit just because you are 60-85 years old. No! You should only do it if you suffer the issues we’ve mentioned.
You know your body well and know when it cannot take any more. So, it’s best to quit when your physical, mental, or visual capability is compromised.
Let’s look at the signs to watch out for, which indicate you are too old to ride a motorcycle.
How Do I Know When I Should Stop Riding A Motorcycle? – The Signs
While old age is one sign you should stop riding a motorcycle, it’s never conclusive. Watch out for other indications as listed below.
a. Serious Medical Condition
Some medical conditions make it almost impossible to ride a motorcycle. Such conditions include legal blindness, hypertension, high blood sugar, syncope, or neuromuscular conditions. Also, watch out for other psychological disorders that impair your judgment.
b. Loss of a Limb
It’s harder to ride a motorcycle when missing a limb, no matter how skilled you are. That’s a sign you should stop riding, especially after an accident.
c. Frailty
Once you get old, your body becomes weaker, and the older you get, the frailer you become. The risk of crashing is higher when your body becomes frail.
You can know if you are frail if:
- You cannot pick up the motorcycle anymore
- You cannot get your leg over the motorcycle seat
- You cannot remember most routes or find your way back
- You cannot correctly read road signs and analyze traffic signals
- You are too scared to reach some speed limit
- Your family fears for your safety when you pick a motorcycle
What Are The Risks Of Riding A Motorcycle At An Old Age?
Motorcycle riding at old age comes with the following risks.
a. Crashing
Your body is frail when you are old, and your vision is likely to be blurry when you get to 70. The risk of crashing becomes higher.
b. Personal Injury
Research by Consumer Reports shows that the risks of suffering personal injuries are higher at old age than when you are young. Your bones are more fragile, thus more prone to fractures as your muscles yield to tearing.
c. Slow Recovery
Motorcycle crashing and personal injuries are not the only dreadful things. Since your bones and muscles are frail, it takes much longer for you to recover.
How Can I Ride A Motorcycle Safely At Old Age?
While riding a motorcycle at old age is risky, you can minimize the risks through the measures below.
1. Taking A Motorcycle Safety Course
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| Image Credit: MSF |
The motorcycle safety course by the MSF equips you with essential skills for safely riding a motorcycle. It enables you to avoid regrettable mistakes and become more responsible on the road.
2. Gearing Up
It’s essential to wear the right motorcycle gear before hitting the road. Be sure to wear a motorcycle jacket, chest armor, riding pants, gloves, boots, and helmet.
These gear will protect you when you crash.
3. Going Slow
No matter how fast you want to get to a specific destination or how speedy your motorcycle is, you shouldn’t go fast. You need to slow down to reduce the risk of crashing.
4. Picking Safer Spots
It’s best to avoid steeper, rocky, softer, muddy, and snowy roads as they can be hazardous. Instead, pick paved roads, cycling paths, and beaten trails as they are motorbike friendly. Here’s not where to pick the road less traveled by!
5. Getting Fit
Regular exercising can help strengthen your bones and muscles and boost your general strength. It also helps with circulation, which keeps heart diseases and other chronic conditions at bay. It enables you to continue riding even at old age.
Should I Get A Less Advanced Motorcycle As I Get Older?
You can’t expect to ride at the same speed you rode in your 20s and 30s when you are 50 or 60. We wouldn’t recommend it, even if the model is better or has the same horsepower and acceleration.
Remember, the older you get, the frailer and slower you become. You may not be physically capable of handling a powerful and speedier motorcycle.
You should get a less advanced motorcycle when you get older. Just ensure you get a quality, safer, and reliable motorbike.
Here are some notable senior-friendly motorcycles:
Is It Safer For Older People To Ride Motorcycles?
With research showing that older people are more likely to suffer an injury in a motorcycle crash than younger people, safety is always a concern when you are older.
What’s even more dreadful is that older people recover slightly slower than younger guys, owing to their frail bones and weaker bodies, which take time to re-strengthen.
Generally, your safety while riding amotorbike depends on:
- Physical strength
- Body flexibility
- Vision
- Body balance
- Flexes
- Quality of the riding surface
- State of your bike. (Your bike shouldn’t be too old and un-roadworthy)
- The activities of other road users, from motorists to pedestrians to cyclists.
- Mental clarity
You must be physically strong, have good vision, reflexes, body balance, and mental clarity, and should be flexible to ride a motorcycle safely.
If any of these factors is compromised, which is probable at old age, so will your safety.
But still, your overall safety depends on how careful you are on the road and the safety gear you wear. Even if you are old, you can improve your safety by being extra cautious and wearing the right gear.
Motorcycle riding safety also means picking your spots correctly. Some areas are more dangerous for seniors than others and should be avoided. They include:
- Snowy surfaces
- Muddy roads
- Dunes
- Windy areas
- Rocky grounds
- Steep slopes
- Mountains
The following areas are safer for older adult bikers:
- Cycling parks
- Sandy roads (shallow sand)
- Beaten paths
- Paved roads
I guess I’ll stop riding at 60, then! Right?
It takes considerations like physical strength, mental clarity, and good vision to start or continue riding a motorcycle. If any of them is compromised, which is likely to happen when you are 60-85 years old, you should stop riding motorbikes.
People Also Ask
While most people know when to start riding a motorcycle, not many know when to stop riding. As a result, so many questions arise, and here are the top ones.
What Is The Average Age For Motorcycle Riders?
According to studies, the average age for motorcycle riders in the US is 48 years, which shows the existence of more senior bikers in the US than younger ones.
Is 55 Too Old To Learn To Ride A Motorcycle?
At 55 years old, you may not be as strong and agile as a 20- or 30-year-old. But as long as you don’t have a physical disability or physical impairment, you are not too old to learn to ride a motorbike.
Should A 70-Year-Old Ride A Motorcycle?
Not many 70-year-olds ride motorcycles because the risks are much higher. Your vision is likely to be blurry, reflexes slower, and posture less straight.
All these signs show you shouldn’t ride a motorcycle. However, if you don’t have such signs, which may happen, then you can ride a motorbike even at 70.
Is 30 Too Old to Ride a Motorcycle?
30 is a youthful number, which means you are likely to be physically strong and have good reflexes.
So, no, you are not too old to ride a motorbike at 30 years unless you have a severe physical or visual disability that prevents you from taking charge of a motorbike.
