pvillemasher

Right off the bat I'll say this is a silly post, but being that it's here in the 50+ I figured some may enjoy and even relate. Half tongue in cheek, half "This is why I ride", please don't take it too seriously.
(FYI - I have absolutely nothing against old guys driving expensive sports cars)

A few Saturdays ago I was riding back from a ~45-mile ride coming into my neighborhood from the country roads I ride. I was almost home and felt good so I thought I'd do a final push. I was standing and pushing, doing about 25 mph with the wind pushing at my back. Feeling really good, really strong, feeling like I was years younger. About that time a guy, probably a few years older than me, came up driving in a beautiful new Porsche convertible with his woman in the passenger’s seat. He would have passed, but there was a car in front of him making a left so for a couple of hundred feet we were side by side doing our 25 mph; him sitting in the driver's seat, me standing and hammering. I look at them, but neither he nor his woman look at me. I mean, I’m right there, looking right into their car, and they are stiff like statues just looking straight ahead obviously avoiding looking at me.

Why? Because with me hammering and working and looking like a freakin’ 20-year old (OK, maybe a 49-year old), that nice new Porsche that he was so proud of only moments before, suddenly, instantly became absolutely meaningless. In that split second, he realized that as nice as that Porsche motor is, it ain't HIS motor, and his motor can't even think of keeping up with my motor.

Can you say, “Reality Check?”

Bandera

Cool story Bro!

-Bandera

WarrenR

I have a bike, sport bike and a sports car, I enjoy them all.

Every second day the bicycle wins every time!

GlennR

True... I go to car shows where people bring their new Camaro, Challanger and Mustangs to and love to talk about them.

It not "their" motor, its someone else's motor, they just paid for it.

Here's my motor, because I built it.




Next time someone talks about his car, see if he has "girly" hands.

dmanders

I prefer to think in terms of and and not or. Bikes are great and so are Porsches. I am blessed to own and enjoy both at age 62.

DaveQ24 

Coming from Metro Detroit, I "should" love cars. Nope. I want comfortable reliable with current, but not necesarily, state of the art tech. And I'm brand-loyal. Chevy. Maybe a GMC if I can't find it in a Chevy, since many of their SUV and truck models are co-branded between the two nameplates.

I want it to start when I turn the key, especially in February when the air temp is -19 F. I want a reasonable chance of getting safely from A to B when the roads are terrible during a winter storm. I want the seat to be comfortable and heat and AC reasonably fast.

Otherwise ... meh. Just no appeal to me for an expensive flashy car.

Bikes are different to me. The tech intrigues me, but the potential I see in myself, or at least hope I do, is what inspires me about cycling. It's symbolic of my determination for a better life. A big part of that is at least maintaining, if not improving, my health. No auto can contribute to that - well, I guess I could put it in N in my driveway and muscle it back and forth pushing or pulling like the Prowler training sled at the gym.

nmichell

And here I thought this thread was going to be about bikes that cost as much as a Porsche. I'd still go for the bike :-)

caloso

I've always wanted to buy a Porsche. I'm just not sure I want to be the kind of guy who buys a Porsche.

f4rrest

People avoid eye contact in public.

I wouldn't read anything into it.

GlennR

There's the guy that buys a new 911 or Panamera because they have the money and its a status thing.

Then there's the guy that wants this Porsche:


Not your run of the mill 356. The lack of horn grills is a clue to what makes it special.

I like that guy.

gregf83 

Go ahead you won't regret it! Only car I've ever owned that didn't depreciate.

shelbyfv

All that's quite a stretch given the only reality is two strangers passing by didn't pay any attention to OP! Also an old Porsche lover and former owner of a 1966 912. Was always an adventure....

2manybikes

Tell me more about it.

Slick Madone

What kind of guy is that exactly?

roccobike

Me too, I prefer a Chevy over a Porch oh, excuse me, Porsche. Here's mine: And I'll bet you can't fit your road bike in that P car!

mackgoo

Maybe he was focussing on the car turning in front of him?

GlennR

4 Cam, with dual overhead camshafts and twin plugs. That engine beat Ferrari's in the late 50s.

GlennR

BTW... i can get a road bike in the back of my Beetle.

roccobike

Good one! Did you have to remove the seat to get it in? Is the rear wheel still on the bike? I've never seen someone get a bike in a Porsche, congrats on figuring it out.

ingo

I had my midlife crisis at 31, had the Porsche complete with blonde as co-pilot. Now it is just bikes.

Rollfast

My aunt had a 911 E Targa and took me on an arranged race with her friend at speeds of 130 mph before she had to break it off outside of town.


Now she later rolled it and nearly died.


Still my favorite relative, hands down and 77.

taz777

Similar to Ingo, I was lucky enough to buy a couple of Porsches in my early to mid-30s. Unfortunately in the UK, owning a nice car can be a liability due to the threat of vandalism and people who don't like you owning nice things. I remember when I had my Boxster a van driver spat into it when I had the roof down. My Cayman S often had a tyre puncture caused by a screw that I suspect was planted intentionally by a neighbour. At one time I had a puncture caused by a screw weekly for four consecutive weeks!

I loved the cars but the stress of ownership in the UK at least is considerable.

Over the last few years I've focused on fettling and buying bicycles. I love the endorphins rush that cycling creates.

donheff

I like sports cars, although I don't have one. But I have to admit, I like the image of a 60+ guy in great shape on a shiny carbon fiber racing machine in full kit standing on the cranks side by side with a younger, out of shape mid-life crisis case in a Porsche convertible with his gorgeous new 30 something girlfriend at his side. Of course, what is more likely is a big bellied old fart struggling up a hill followed by some gracefully aging, rich matinee idol in a Maserati. All is good.

GlennR

Firs off you said "And I'll bet you can't fit your road bike in that P car!", and now after the fact you're adding qualifications.

OK.. you said "Porsche" but didn't specify which model so here ya go:

You really can't get a complete bike in a car that is rear engine and doesn't have a hatch.

So here's a car, more like yours, it is front engine and has a giant hatch so it's easy to get the baby stroller in... like a minivan.

brianmcg123

More than likely he was just trying to remember if he took his Cialis or not.