OP
@bob_copeland avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3805
Location: Minneapolis USA
 
Ossessionato
@bob_copeland avatar
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3805
Location: Minneapolis USA
UTC quote
Vintagescoot,

Hey, you went for the moment even with all the bangs and busts.
You are a strong spirit. Yes, we can't take the hits and bounce
back like we use to. Ride on amigo. Best to you.

Bob C
Ride on as long as we can.
Ride on as long as we can.
@fudmucker avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2021 GTS 300 HPE +2013 GTS 294 Polini
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2122
Location: Pretoria, South Africa
 
Ossessionato
@fudmucker avatar
2021 GTS 300 HPE +2013 GTS 294 Polini
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2122
Location: Pretoria, South Africa
UTC quote
Bob, drop the diet soda, buddy.
Drink sparkling mineral water / club soda instead with a little lemon juice.
Sweeten with a little stevia extract or xylitol if you must.

You can research what that "diet" stuff (aspartame) does to your metabolism.
OP
@bob_copeland avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3805
Location: Minneapolis USA
 
Ossessionato
@bob_copeland avatar
2013 Vespa 300 Super, 2022 Kymco AK 550
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3805
Location: Minneapolis USA
UTC quote
Fud,

I agree the diet coke stuff has a bad reputation. So, I
have been drinking more orange juice. I just like
Diet coke.

Bob C
@mcruss avatar
UTC

Hooked
'20 GTS300 Touring, '10 GTS300 Super (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 139
Location: Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
 
Hooked
@mcruss avatar
'20 GTS300 Touring, '10 GTS300 Super (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 139
Location: Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
UTC quote
Bob Copeland wrote:
WLeuthold,

Dave, I take a couple ibuprofen in the morning on day rides.
Then two more for the ride after lunch. Works super for
back pain while riding. No back pain.

Otherwise, I do not take it at all. Works wonders for me.
The old farts like me do the same and ask each other if
they forgot theirs.

Bob Copeland
My BMW riding buddies and I called it Vitamin I in the old days. Now my bone doc has me on 600mg Nyproxen (Aleve) to combat my A.G.E. related pains.
UTC

Molto Verboso
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1159
 
Molto Verboso
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1159
UTC quote
nope
⚠️ Last edited by skids on UTC; edited 1 time
@waspmike avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
LXV 150 3v ie. Midnight Blue (Sold) Now Honda Zoomer X
Joined: UTC
Posts: 4130
Location: Kingdom of Lanna
 
Ossessionato
@waspmike avatar
LXV 150 3v ie. Midnight Blue (Sold) Now Honda Zoomer X
Joined: UTC
Posts: 4130
Location: Kingdom of Lanna
UTC quote
Mike Holland wrote:
Still riding almost every day (depends on the weather) at 84.

I keep telling myself I should walk more, but I do Scottish country dancing twice a week.
Stop eating those curries, Mike.
UTC

Ossessionato
2018 Vespa GTS 300 ABS- Bianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2208
Location: E. KY
 
Ossessionato
2018 Vespa GTS 300 ABS- Bianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2208
Location: E. KY
UTC quote
Age 79, I find riding my scoot to be far from challenging compared to other bodily tasks such as deep kneeling and asking of my worn out back to lift much or at angles. Aging is progressive of course and every month I seem to need a new test or procedure inspite of proper weight and healthy lifestyle.
Walking- a short list of my main hobbies would include hiking, too bad it's not so doable for me unless mostly level ground. Recent test called Brachial ankle ratio measures the blood flow to lower extremities and mines in a safe range (I'm not diabetic) so the legs sort of work unless talking ladders & steps with a load. I went from late Novemebr 2022 having climbed ladders all day long every day building a remote log cabin solo style, to after the holidays I could no longer carry groceries up the steps or climb a ladder. The next tests (wait, wait) is to measure my nerves pathways from lumber (very messed up for years) to my feet and knee doc says that could inhibit strength of climbing.
It's weird indeed, to say the least. I do have chronic heart disease and have a great cardiologist who says I'm still OK for regular activities as I can perform. It's sure not muscle tone as I had a bevy of ladders all over my build site and up and down, up and down all summer!
Yesterday was towards the end of my prostate adventure which was the biopsy day. Little to no pain today, noting at all like a vasectomy I had in 1980 which has you hurting a few days. Doc said there was no blood in my glands before he began nor are they abnormal in size. The next trick is to hear if and what types of cancers are there. Based on lesion size & PSA scores they choose to do the biopsy thing. We'll see.
If your using NSAIDS it's imperative that you get regular renal panels. Once upon a time in 1999 & 2000 when I had my CTS release surgeries that hand surgeon had me on huge doses of Celebrex (one pill = 8 OTC Aleves) and I had enhanced intervals opf blood monitoring all based on bad nerves from shoulders to left hand. That has evolved to some nerve damage that persisit but hand still works-well sort of.
As we age one must "pick their parties", for now ridings a very mild physical form of relaxation style activity still yet.
Me thinks I'm a long ways from choosing not to ride where ever I like. Walking, much less than I'd prefer. Bicycles are still easy for me if not grunting out a steep hill.
Many people either ignore or choose to not bother-whatever fits their mentality to do the testing that gives you information to maintain your lifestyle. Many will not allow knife work such as the hips, shoulder, hands I enjoy using. Medicare rules have me on knee steroid shots now numbering in the high teens each side and they do OK for ~ 2 months or so.
My latest magic Rx id Jardiance pill. The one you see on obnoxious TV ads as a Type 2 diabetes pill, note that at the end of that ad they mention the cardio benefits. It's extremely expensive and mine comers to me free via a foundation-man does it jumpstart your heart function. I think I've heard that Viagra does something similar for cardio but never been there, done that one.
UTC

Ossessionato
2018 Vespa GTS 300 ABS- Bianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2208
Location: E. KY
 
Ossessionato
2018 Vespa GTS 300 ABS- Bianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2208
Location: E. KY
UTC quote
VintageScooterDude wrote:
Most of the male members in my family lived well into their 80s. But, they all had medical issues from a much younger age. So far at 64 I seem to be following that pattern. I have severe orthopedic issues. All my joints are pretty much destroyed, I have connective tissue damage, and I have fairly severe arthritis. I can walk maybe a block, but only when using a cane. I got into scooters because of the problems I was having getting my leg over a motorcycle seat. Some of this is hereditary, but a lot of it is my own fault. From very early in life, I did stupid things. I started out climbing trees and falling out of them. Then I started crashing bicycles attempting to copy Evil Knievel. Then I started racing MX as a teenager, and constantly getting injured. By the time I was 18 I had already done considerable damage to myself. I did very physically demanding work for decades, well past the point where I should have found something easier. You have to realize that after a certain age, you can no longer do the things you did when you were younger, and if you do, you are going to permanently damage yourself. Yes I know that 80 year olds run in marathons, but that is VERY rare.
I was recently off the hospital elevator and talking with a mid-50's age MX rider who gone back to riding with a new knee and tore it up, got repaired then an infection and now been w/o any knee waiting to kill infection and now getting yet another new knee. I told him about the hip doc patient I talked with who got a new hip then went back to senior weight lifting comp[etions and had to do it all again also with infections. As we know a few humans are gluttons for punishment.
My joints are either replaced or suffer from osteo which if one is lucky enough to live very long you'll get it. It either gets cut out entirely or keeps making you pop Ibuprofens or as in my case 3 month intervals of both shoulders and knee shots. Apparently my grinding knee joints don't yet meet the Medicare rules. I'm lucky as no canes or walkers, very mobile still.
Keep on keeping on!
@mcruss avatar
UTC

Hooked
'20 GTS300 Touring, '10 GTS300 Super (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 139
Location: Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
 
Hooked
@mcruss avatar
'20 GTS300 Touring, '10 GTS300 Super (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 139
Location: Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
UTC quote
KANTUCKID said:

"The next tests (wait, wait) is to measure my nerves pathways from lumber (very messed up for years) to my feet and knee doc says that could inhibit strength of climbing."

Yep, I had back surgery when I was 30 something and now it has affected my feet to where I have very little feeling in them. Keeps me from walking as much as I should or from standing long periods but not from riding! Having a good bone doc on retainer is a must as we battle A.G.E.

I also took Celebrex (generic) for a while and though it was great for pain, it caused my blood pressure to go up too high. Had to quit.
UTC

Ossessionato
2018 Vespa GTS 300 ABS- Bianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2208
Location: E. KY
 
Ossessionato
2018 Vespa GTS 300 ABS- Bianco
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2208
Location: E. KY
UTC quote
McRuss wrote:
KANTUCKID said:

"The next tests (wait, wait) is to measure my nerves pathways from lumber (very messed up for years) to my feet and knee doc says that could inhibit strength of climbing."

Yep, I had back surgery when I was 30 something and now it has affected my feet to where I have very little feeling in them. Keeps me from walking as much as I should or from standing long periods but not from riding! Having a good bone doc on retainer is a must as we battle A.G.E.

I also took Celebrex (generic) for a while and though it was great for pain, it caused my blood pressure to go up too high. Had to quit.
My Celebrex adventure was only for a year or so. As we age we need good kidney function to take advantage of things that help aged bodies. My latest e.g. is Jardiance taken for cardio. I told my joint doc that I'm gonna start lying about my activity level to enhance my chances of a back fix. Mine called for being left alone or a fusion per my 4th back doc visit, the 5th was insulative and a waste of time.
UTC

Banned
2006 LX150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 66
Location: Sechelt, B.C. Canada
 
Banned
2006 LX150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 66
Location: Sechelt, B.C. Canada
UTC quote
I'm 74 with my first scoot. I have had motorcycles off and on and rebuilt a bunch of them since age 20. I just got a derelict Yamaha BWS running for a friend of my son and that got me thinking. I love my little Vespa, I can't stop waxing it and taking things apart.

My arthritis person said "we do not manage arthritis we manage pain." That gave me a good head's up. After breaking my collar bone in 2 places (mountain biking) I started taking Tylenol for Arthritis and a bomber 400 mg Ibuprofen instead of narcotics and I found that combination so effective that before I do anything where I'm vertical for a while, like playing golf and volunteering, I take one of each. I'm waiting (this is Canada, we wait a long time) for a knee replacement.

One of our friends famously went to the doc for something and after that was dealt with, she was asked if there was anything else? She replied, "I'm having a lot of trouble with ARS." The doc left the room and after 10 minutes he came back and said he was sorry, he asked his colleagues and went online but he had no idea what ARS was. She said "age-related shit."
@caschnd1 avatar
UTC

Grumpy Biker
1980 Vespa P200e (sold), 2002 Vespa ET4 (sold), 1949 Harley-Davidson FL
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5573
Location: Sparks, Nevada, USA
 
Grumpy Biker
@caschnd1 avatar
1980 Vespa P200e (sold), 2002 Vespa ET4 (sold), 1949 Harley-Davidson FL
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5573
Location: Sparks, Nevada, USA
UTC quote
On the subject of continuing to ride as we age/over-come injury, I passed a small hurdle to get me back on the road to riding this spring. After my knee injury in February, I wasn't sure how this was going to impact my ability to ride once it warmed up a bit. Well, we hit 70F+ in Reno this weekend. So I changed oil and put fresh plugs and gasoline in the old motorcycle. I rolled it out of the garage and spent a few minutes figuring out how I was going to be able to kickstart it with a left knee that is 4 weeks post reconstruction. I made a few adjustments in my technique and it started within 5 or 6 kicks. I'm super happy that I won't be missing the riding season on top of missing the 2nd half of the ski season.

@californiacruising avatar
UTC

Addicted
2015 Sprint 150, 2018 GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 894
Location: SoCal
 
Addicted
@californiacruising avatar
2015 Sprint 150, 2018 GTS 300
Joined: UTC
Posts: 894
Location: SoCal
UTC quote
caschnd1 wrote:
On the subject of continuing to ride as we age/over-come injury, I passed a small hurdle to get me back on the road to riding this spring. After my knee injury in February, I wasn't sure how this was going to impact my ability to ride once it warmed up a bit. Well, we hit 70F+ in Reno this weekend. So I changed oil and put fresh plugs and gasoline in the old motorcycle. I rolled it out of the garage and spent a few minutes figuring out how I was going to be able to kickstart it with a left knee that is 4 weeks post reconstruction. I made a few adjustments in my technique and it started within 5 or 6 kicks. I'm super happy that I won't be missing the riding season on top of missing the 2nd half of the ski season.

Sounds really good 🎶
@silver_streak avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 Vespa LX 190, 2011 LXV150ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8758
Location: Annapolis, MD, USA
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@silver_streak avatar
2007 Vespa LX 190, 2011 LXV150ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8758
Location: Annapolis, MD, USA
UTC quote
75 here, and riding a bit less than I used to. Not so much because of any decline in abilities, but because the deterioration of my hearing creates great inconvenience. I am now totally deaf in my left ear and down to about 40% in the right. I now have a cochlear implant for my left ear and wear a high-powered hearing aid in the right ear.

It is the hardware that is the problem. My old hearing aids were compact enough that they didn't cause significant problems when worn under my helmet. The new hardware -- the ear-hung CI processor and magnetic headpiece, as well as the newer hearing aid -- are much more massive, and wearing them under any helmet I have yet found is extremely uncomfortable if not outright impossible.

So, I now ride without hearing assistance. If I'm riding with my wife, communication with her is possible only with sign language. I'm pretty much unable to hear sirens and car horns. This makes me feel unsafe. If I need to converse with someone at a stop, I need to fish my hearing aid -- at least -- out of my pocket and insert it... a pain in the ass.

So... I've been riding less because it's less fun and spontaneous. A year and a half ago, my wife and I bought each other a shiny red Mazda Miata roadster for our anniversary. We both had owned Miatas back in the '90s and remembered them fondly. With the top down (which it nearly aways is), it provides much of the open-air thrills of the Vespas, but with the obvious shortcomings of being a car instead of a scooter.

I guess I'll have to make do with appreciating the advantages of both! Razz emoticon
@swidlow avatar
UTC

Member
2020 GTS 300 Super, LX150 2008 (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11
Location: Sarasota FL
 
Member
@swidlow avatar
2020 GTS 300 Super, LX150 2008 (sold)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 11
Location: Sarasota FL
UTC quote
Here in South Florida our population has an older average age. I feel this is reflected in our Vespa club. There are two of us that are 75 years old, we recently celebrated another member's 86th birthday party with a ride, and we met with a 82 y.o. man last week who owns a GTS and is interested in joining us. I do not know how long I will be able to ride, but it sure helps me feel younger than my age.
@wleuthold avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2006 Vespa GT (Rocket): 2007 Vespa GT (Vanessa): 2009 Yamaha Zuma 125: 2018 Yamaha Xmax (Big Ugly), 2023 Vespa GTS300 (Ghost)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5305
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@wleuthold avatar
2006 Vespa GT (Rocket): 2007 Vespa GT (Vanessa): 2009 Yamaha Zuma 125: 2018 Yamaha Xmax (Big Ugly), 2023 Vespa GTS300 (Ghost)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 5305
Location: Jacksonville, Florida
UTC quote
The average age of active riders in the 7 Bridges Scooter Club is now over 70.

We had a regular rider who was over 80 until his passing a few years ago.

He stopped riding when he kept getting lost on rides.

Bill
@fledermaus avatar
UTC

Veni, Vidi, Posti
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 12424
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
 
Veni, Vidi, Posti
@fledermaus avatar
2007 LX150 2015 GTS (running like a charm!) 2017 BV 350
Joined: UTC
Posts: 12424
Location: Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
UTC quote
WLeuthold wrote:
He stopped riding when he kept getting lost on rides.
If that's ever my case, how will we know? Razz emoticon
( sort of an inside joke as I believe I've treated Bill et.al. to a couple of detours).
We've had a couple of octagenarians on Wisconscoot, and our own Russ Bees will be back this year in his mid-80s.

The dementia thing is pretty sad, really Had a patient (in his later 70s tell me he'd intended to visit Chicago but made a wrong turn and wound up halfway to another city heading west instead of south. Seemed odd, but it happens. The next time I saw him, he left, then returned saying he couldn't find his car. A local police officer asked what the problem was, and volunteered to drive him around to look for it. I never saw him again.
⬆️    About 6 months elapsed    ⬇️
@sledge avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
GTS 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2342
Location: Adelaide
 
Ossessionato
@sledge avatar
GTS 300 HPE
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2342
Location: Adelaide
UTC quote
A group of Vespa friends, all aged about 40, discussed where to meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant, because the wait staff there was attractive.
Ten years later, at age 50, the friends again discussed where to meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant, because the food was good and the wine selection excellent.
Ten years later, at age 60, the friends again discussed where to meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant, because they could dine in peace and quiet with a beautiful view of the ocean.
Ten years later, at age 70, the friends again discussed where to meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant, because it was wheel chair accessible and had an elevator.
Ten years later, at age 80, the friends again discussed where to meet for lunch. Finally it was agreed to meet at the Ocean View restaurant, because they had never been there before.
UTC

Member
Sei Giorni (2022)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 37
Location: Northern California
 
Member
Sei Giorni (2022)
Joined: UTC
Posts: 37
Location: Northern California
UTC quote
72, rode bikes for 50 years, switched to a scooter last year. Hopefully I will keep riding for many more years, but I don't plan to ignore reality and delude myself. While the chances of my being killed outright are low, the chances of a survivable accident putting me into a wheelchair for the rest of my life have increased substantially. I don't see as well, my neck won't turn as well, (at least something still gets stiff) and my balance has deteriorated. So I keep going to the gym, stay in reasonably good shape, and putter around like any normal old man ought to. It's a time of life to appreciate, rather than fight, slowing down.
@abrugge avatar
UTC

Enthusiast
2016 Sprint 50
Joined: UTC
Posts: 88
Location: Langley
 
Enthusiast
@abrugge avatar
2016 Sprint 50
Joined: UTC
Posts: 88
Location: Langley
UTC quote
Bob Copeland wrote:
If you don't have the long living genetic make up, you can live
health, but you are simply a dead man walking. I don't mean to
be insensitive, but if no male member of either side of your family
lived past 40 there may be nothing you can do.

My observation is for everyone else.

The one common element in the oldsters around me that continue
to have good mobility (stay scootering) is walking a mile a day.

You give me hope:
1) everyone male and female in my family have been between 87-95.
2) Last week I went for a 5 hour group ride and my Pixel Watch counted it for half of my weekly cardio goals. Going to do more now .
#scootforcardio lol
@mike_holland avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
GTS300 Super 2023 Beige
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3435
Location: Sydney, Australia
 
Ossessionato
@mike_holland avatar
GTS300 Super 2023 Beige
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3435
Location: Sydney, Australia
UTC quote
I've just turned 85, and I've been riding Vespas since 1959. Have just bought a new beige 2023 GTS300 HPE, my tenth Vespa, and loving it. So I plan to continue riding for many years yet.

For exercise I do Scottish Country Dancing twice a week. Keep telling myself I should walk more!
UTC

Hooked
2007 Vespa 250 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 464
Location: Nashville, Tn
 
Hooked
2007 Vespa 250 GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 464
Location: Nashville, Tn
UTC quote
We would like to see some videos of this Scottish Country Dancing!
Who knows, maybe I could pick up some new moves.
I have been 2 stepping for the last 40 years!
@kz1000st avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
Dongfang 170cc, CF Moto Fashion 250
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1900
Location: Hyde Park, New York
 
Molto Verboso
@kz1000st avatar
Dongfang 170cc, CF Moto Fashion 250
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1900
Location: Hyde Park, New York
UTC quote
If genetics count I may be okay. Dad rode his 750 Kawasaki until he was 89 and passed almost four years later. I'm 71.

I have a 750 bike, a 250 bike, a 250 scooter and a 168cc scooter. All stepping stones down if necessary. The 750 feels a little intimidating at the moment so it may not be around much longer. Of course there are smaller, lighter bikes out there that do interstate speeds easily so a 450 or 500 might enter the garage.

I also have a herd of doctors watching me so I hear my weaknesses all the time and have pills to counter them.
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