When eyesight goes, it's time to sell

[Joliet Jim]

Well eyesight is worse this year than last and that trend will continue into the future. Therefore the Centauro is currently for sale in the swap meet and the 02 Stone may soon be listed. Nothing worse than having to give up something you've loved to do for 50 years, but my one ride this year convinced me that the eyes are not reliable enough to safely ride a motorcycle. The last couple of years proved that as much as I still wanted to ride to rallies and campouts, those days had passed.

[SemperVee]

  This conversation everyone has sooner or later.  Health and age reasons to decide when to stop riding. Something I have been doing as a major part of my life - my whole life.
 Either we make the decision or it gets made for us.  I feel ya pain.

[bad Chad]

That's a rough pill to swallow, I'm certain.   The only solace I can think of is we are all in the same boat, and all boats will have to beach, no getting around it.  That's not much though, I feel for you brother.

[jcctx]

Diminishing eye sight was the final straw for me also. The most aggravating thing was glare; the roof over the cage makes it possible to still manage a 4 wheeler?????

[guzzisteve]

If you want to go to a rally go in the cage Jim, plenty doing it these days.

[bad Chad]

If you want to go to a rally go in the cage Jim, plenty doing it these days.

Excellent advice!

[Perazzimx14]

When one door closes another will open. Riding is not everything, I'm sure you find another passion.

[faffi]

Sorry to hear about your degrading vision - always sad when the body set the limitations, not our (loss of) desires.

[Bulldog9]

Jim, sorry to hear, but glad to see wisdom overrides passion. Keep your favorite, you will benifit from having it in the stable, be able to wax, tinker, even fire it up on rare occasions. How blessed we are to have had such a passion for years. Many go through life without such a love.

[SIR REAL ED]

I agree with Bulldog9.  Keep your favorite bike.

Especially if it is one you can ride locally or just pull out of the garage once in a while and do a really cool burnout!!!

Rumor has it that pouring a little bleach on the road first is helpful.....

Maybe take off the mufflers once in a while and rev it up!

I know an older guy who owns a Harley and a Goldwing but rarely rides them.

But a couple times a week, he is scooting around town on his Honda Grom!

[Turin]

Maybe take off the mufflers once in a while and rev it up!

No need to remove a muffler with a bub exhaust system! best sounding exhaust ever, if a little loud.

[Joliet Jim]

Thanks for the thoughts and well wishes. All I can say is have your eye doctor check you eye pressures. Glaucoma sneaks up and the "poof" test just doesn't do a good enough job. I had probably been on drops for the last 20+ years and maintaining pressure in the high teens until it spiked to almost 60. Also learned that oral steroids (prednisone, etc.) are very bad for Glaucoma, unfortunately a couple years too late.

[Moparnut72]

I struggle with leg strength so I have been gravitating to lighter bikes. I lost some time this summer due to a broken ankle. I have wanted to more Moto camping while I still could but my loss is not like yours. I will be going again soon. Keep your chin up.
kk

[SIR REAL ED]

Thanks for the thoughts and well wishes. All I can say is have your eye doctor check you eye pressures. Glaucoma sneaks up and the "poof" test just doesn't do a good enough job. I had probably been on drops for the last 20+ years and maintaining pressure in the high teens until it spiked to almost 60. Also learned that oral steroids (prednisone, etc.) are very bad for Glaucoma, unfortunately a couple years too late.

Excellent advice.  My eye doctor has been monitoring my eye pressure for about 15 years now. I recently took some steroid eye drops for an injury and you are right, it causes eye pressure to increase.

If you are not seeing an eye doctor at least every year, you are a fool.

[Dave Swanson]

Sorry to hear about all of this Jim. 

[Tom]

Sorry to hear Jimmy.   

[fotoguzzi]

If you get a Tesla it can drive you anywhere.

[Joliet Jim]

Excellent advice.  My eye doctor has been monitoring my eye pressure for about 15 years now. I recently took some steroid eye drops for an injury and you are right, it causes eye pressure to increase.

If you are not seeing an eye doctor at least every year, you are a fool.

Yeah after the shunt in the right eye to relieve pressure surgery they gave me steroid drops which sent the pressure through the roof.
They do think it's hereditary and I know my great grandmother lost her sight. Definitely second the yearly checkups.

[Offcamber1]

Oh Jim, very sorry to hear this.  You seemed fine in April, was this a rather sudden degradation?

Kip

[Joliet Jim]

Oh Jim, very sorry to hear this.  You seemed fine in April, was this a rather sudden degradation?

Kip

No it was more like I got on the California for a ride and the hyper-attention of riding made me realize they just didn't have the capability anymore and it was way more stressful than fun and I couldn't wait to get off the bike. Didn't have that issue last year as far as I recall.

[twowheeladdict]

Diminishing eye sight was the final straw for me also. The most aggravating thing was glare; the roof over the cage makes it possible to still manage a 4 wheeler?????

Let me introduce you to the Modular Helmet with drop down sun visor.

[jcctx]

Let me introduce you to the Modular Helmet with drop down sun visor.

Tried several different helmets and dropdowns, etc.. No joy???

[John Ulrich]

Sorry to read your vision issue continues Jim.  All the best!

[Kiwi_Roy]

Up here in BC when you reach 80 they make you go for an eye test and the family Dr fills out a form
I went for my test today and I think I sailed through will be good until i'm 85.
I don't ride or drive as much as I used to and I already know what its like to have to travel on public transport. it's not the end of the world.

[blu guzz]

Sorry about your eye issue and thanks for sharing the story with the group. I will think about your words when I think about blowing off my eye dr. visit.

[Moparnut72]

My wife and I go in for annual exams. Our Dr has a machine that scans the retina which we do. It costs $35 extra which insurance won't pay for but we do it each visit.
kk

[Travlr]

Thanks for the thoughts and well wishes. All I can say is have your eye doctor check you eye pressures. Glaucoma sneaks up and the "poof" test just doesn't do a good enough job. I had probably been on drops for the last 20+ years and maintaining pressure in the high teens until it spiked to almost 60. Also learned that oral steroids (prednisone, etc.) are very bad for Glaucoma, unfortunately a couple years too late.

You should know your message may have kept me from further damage to my eyes.  I've been on drops for years and started taking prednisone in June.  I was unaware it could effect my pressures.  I immediately called my eye doc and I'm scheduled for a pressure check tomorrow.  Mike

[SIR REAL ED]

You should know your message may have kept me from further damage to my eyes.  I've been on drops for years and started taking prednisone in June.  I was unaware it could effect my pressures.  I immediately called my eye doc and I'm scheduled for a pressure check tomorrow.  Mike

Steroids will definitely increase eye pressure.

Even the steroids in eye drops.

[Joliet Jim]

You should know your message may have kept me from further damage to my eyes.  I've been on drops for years and started taking prednisone in June.  I was unaware it could effect my pressures.  I immediately called my eye doc and I'm scheduled for a pressure check tomorrow.  Mike

Glad I could help. I never knew until this last year when they were going to shoot my knee with cortizone and the PA asked "you don't have glaucoma do you?" I think some of my issues with temporary blindness may have been due to shots I was getting in my lower back.

[Joliet Jim]

Steroids will definitely increase eye pressure.

Even the steroids in eye drops.

Yeah I wish someone had clued me in earlier on that. Luckily a smart PA with my ortho knew. Right before all the recent issues started I had undergone multiple lower back shots due to a bad disc.