http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21350883

Personally my view is If you can get it off the stand you're good to go but as the story says over 60s are 3 times more likely to have a serious spill that 20 year olds. Is this because people are returning to biking after 30 or 40 years of car driving or is it that us old uns are past it.

flip - how many "over 60's" return to biking?   is it not a mid life crisis thing? or maybe "mid life" is now in your 60's - heres hoping   and as to "past it" i know guys with race licences in their 70's so WHO is past it in their 60's.                                                                                                                                                                             

In a way coming back to biking after several decades just driving cars has probably made me a little more careful now I'm back on two wheels [I still drive as well]. When I was younger I just went fast. Now I go fast and careful and probably notice and anticipate more. Mid life crisis? Who knows, I certainly think I'm a better rider now in my late fifties than when I was in my twenties. So far so good? As they say - as long as it all works........

As I understand what's said in the article, older motorcyclists are 3 times more likely to be admitted to hospital than younger riders if they have a spill....not that they're 3 times more likely to have a crash

That makes sense to me. You don't bounce quite so well when you're older. 

Emergency services and A&E departments are all more likely to err on the side of caution with an older riders and admit to hospital rather than take any chances                                                                                                                                                                             

  Well said Min   As the report says, it's mainly about "skill" levels   Age has little to do with it   I've ridden all my adult life   Nuff said                                                                                                                                                                               

  yep agree with minnie an kwak  if ya read it says more likely to have chest and rib injuries due to fat distribution being different when bit older and reduced bone strength plus other wonderful things like heart conditions, diabetes etc..... nowt to do wi not being able to ride... that was mentioned later...   what a positive inspiring read that was      and the point of the story was................ random stupid journalism....   feck em all do what makes ya soul smile                                                                                                                                                                               

Upper body fractures were more common in older adults while arm, shoulder and hand fractures were more likely in those that were younger.

  in the last few years i have had a plate in my wrist and a cable tie to replace my collar bone ligament. both hand and shoulder, i must be younger than i thought. wohooo. (and neither crash was my fault, or caused by my dotage)

Older riders ! ! ! Older ducking riders ! ! ! The cheeky bugger ! ! ! I've got a good mind to go down there and park my front wheel up the crack in his @rse Then I'll introduce his bottom to the toe of my boot , for a very deep and meaningful relationship . Mature riders are far superior to the snot nosed under fifties . The nerve o th man I DON'T BELIEVE IT .
Dusty x
p.s. Probably the same fool that started the idiotic rumour that mature people are grumpy . He should be horsewhipped .

P.ps , to avoid offence , please substitute .fifties' for a generation you find amusing .
Dusty x                                                                                                                                                                              

well said Dustin, I am 71 in a few short weeks and had my first bike in 1958. Yes I did have a break in the middle years but I have been retested about 12 years ago and needless to say passed. I ride every week in the UK, whatever the weather, often doing the morning or evening commute of 90 miles return with my son who also is a biker. Each year I go abroad on the bike, now traded down from a Pan european ST1100 to a Deauville, for  about a 3500 to 4000 mile trip [this year Scandinavia, any takers???].   So what is the point of  all of that twaddle well .........I am not the one doing 60 in a 30 limit or crossing solid double white lines to make a dangerous overtake or ''filtering'' through motorway traffic thats travelling at 80 mph but I am the one that still gets there in one piece and only a few moments after the ''young uns'' because I believe it is better to be late in this life than early in the next life.   So ride safely everyone...please !!!!!!                                                                                                                                                                             

@ R/R , spot on man .
there are 'old riders' and there are 'bold riders'
But very few 'old bold riders' . Lol

Dusty x
p.s. Youth is what's on the inside , not what's on the outside.
                                                                                                                                                                             

they say youth is wasted on the young.                                                                                                                                                                              

ya cant have an experienced older mind in a young body........   otherwise what the feck bonus would there be to getting older ... thankfully we get diff bonuses at diff times in life.........   makes the whole ride more worthwile                                                                                                                                                                              

I think as one of those who rode as a Yoof.... 17 - 25, and then taking a break before starting again at 50, I'm a more cautious and careful rider, experience has taught me a lot in those 25 years of NOT riding a Motorcycle.   Accidents when younger were definitely due to my own recklessness... now they are due to other car drivers....                                                                                                                                                                               

I suppose I am one of these old gits. Although I have been riding on and off since the early 60's, I only actually took my bike test 2 years ago. Not taking it earlier was one of my regrets in life. So I decided to prove that it is never too late and I am really glad I did. Of course the test had become somewhat more involved than in days gone by. In many ways I was glad that it was mor einvolved, because for me it was like retraining all my road skills for car and van driving. In so doing I feel my driving skills, awareness and ability has improved all around and has made me a better driver as well as a rider.   I can ride fast when needed but prefer to ride my one ride at a speed I am comfortable with, that in my opinion is the most important thing when it comes to self preservation.   Anyway I am one happy old git                                                                                                                                                                              

I have ridden since 1967,with 2 years off after my son was born(couldn't afford bike n car). Still runnin around  and lovin it!   My son passed his bike test 10 years ago,my eldest daughter passed hers 5 years ago. They both say "just remember you won't bounce now Dad",to which I reply "if I land on my belly look out for powerball bounce". Seriously tho I still travel fairly rapidly but a lot more circumspectly--experience does teach.                                                                                                                                                                              

I'm past it, but can still ride my bike ok .......ish lol                                                                                                                                                                             

Harley Rider I cant help but beg to ask the question..... "who have you come as"???                                                                                                                                                                               

I’m 53 and I’ve riden since I was 16! I’m definitely not past it! Those returning your biking are in machines that are just in a totally different league to what they rode in their youth! The power and torque on modern bikes are way beyond anything I was riding at 18 - and I had a Norton commando 850 interstate at that age!

I was young when this thread started.... but I'm old now you've resurrected it Tigress 😏