Dirtbiking Sabatical... :(

Well, I've reached a disapointing decision this month, dirtibiking and I are parting ways for a few years. This is the result of several things.

1. Two of my buddies have sold their bike over the last year. One of whom was my usual riding partner, and my usual method to riding spots. He had the truck, I bought the gas. The other buddy sold his to help buy a newer car for college. My other good buddy still has his bike, but he recently got married, and lets just say his riding days are over. Why you would marry a chick thats openly against you doing anything you like, I don't know, but hey, his call, not mine. She's trying to pull him out of our fairly sucessful band as well, the witch. Grr, what do you do. Anyways, there goes my usual crew of riding folks.

2. No truck, no trailer. Can't go anywhere new.

3. Several tickets (all issued at once by a very bored small town cop) for riding down the road has restricted my capability to access local trails easily. Never been a problem till this summer. I don't dare run the risk of more tickets, this guy was on a mission to suck every penny out of me. Over $700 in fines. Maybe a little overkill for putting down the road in top gear at 20mph, but hey, the laws the law.

4. I just don't have the time... school, new business, future marraige, the time I can get to ride is maybe twice a month. I'd rather sell the bike and work on car mods, which me and the women can both enjoy. (Yea, she's a car chick! :yeehaw: )

I'm really sad to be leaving this hobby, because I really do love riding so much. Brakeslidding into a cornor, then a little clutch action out the other way, or flying off a jump, are things I will always love. But I guess right now I've got to consolodate. I will be back to the sport some day, I sincerely hope to get another bike maybe 5 years down the road. But right now, its a fairwell to knobbies. This websites been great too, I will miss this community. Its been awesome to watch this place grow, and pass down what I've learned to the noobies. I'll be back here someday too! Bikes in the F/S forum, hope it finds a good home. ***Sad music plays as atc34341 heads for the door...***

mtk said:

True, but this shouldn't be one of them.

When she met him, bikes were clearly an important part of his life.

Now that they're married, she's hell-bent on changing him into what she wants. Notice that she didn't issue these ultimatums while they were dating, probably because he'd have dropped her in response.

The idea is to accept the person as they are, not think of them as a work in progress or someone you can force to accept your position on something. I'm not talking about her training him to put the seat down when he's finished or to put his dirty clothes in the hamper (i.e. stop living like a single man), but trying to change the essence of who his is as a person to fit her personal agenda.

If he chooses, of his own free will, to get out of biking, that's one thing. An ultimatum from her is entirely another. I feel sorry for those poor sods who put their bike in the paper saying "wife forcing sale." What else have these guys had to give up to keep this woman happy? Where does it end?

I'd get rid of the wife before I got rid of the bikes. Why? Because bikes are an integral, and important, part of my life and if she's dropping ultimatums on this important (to me) topic, what else will she give me the "my way or the highway" treatment over?

I say keep the bike and find some new riding buddies.

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Well said, and I couldn't agree more. I wish somebody could get that through to him, I don't understand why you'd let yourself get lead around like a little puppy, but he appears content to do so. The sex can't be good enough to make him give up riding. He's in denial about it too, he thinks he'll be riding this summer. Well, he barely rode this year, because of her, and now their married. Furthermore, she's OPENLY against him riding or playing in the band. The other night we were talking, him and I, and she overheard me saying I might sell my bike. She like "Oh good, maybe then Dana will finally sell his too." She wasn't kidding around. He's talking about taking night classes this spring, and she's already sprouting crap like "Well if your grades slip, you're going to have to quit the band." I don't understand this, it drives me crazy. Watching my best friend just take all this crap, it's retarded. Oh well, what can you do.

As for me, the bike thing just isn't going to work for a while. I can't trailer it, or dual sport it. (Ever seen somebody try and dualsport a YZ125 in NY, I've never seen it done.) I guess I'm just at the point where its not good for me right now. There really are not any ANY bike people around here, accept for the few that just race on Sundays. Every single person I used to ride with, there were at least 10 regulars, has sold out on me. I'm the last man standing, so to speak, and I defintely don't like riding by myself. (Something about being KO'ed in the middle of nowhere with nobody around worries me.) Also, there's very limited trail access, etc etc. The sport is looked at so negatively, you have to fight so much opposition just to get to ride anywhere. I'd never buy a 4-wheel, but man, they really are accepted much better than bikes for some reason. Snowmobiles even more so, you can go almost ANYWHERE with those things in NY. Oh well, rant off! Like you guys have said, I will be back, it may be 5-10 years, but I love the sport, the roost, the wheelies, all the good stuff, but just can't make it practical for me right now.