# My Mid-Life Crisis Came Early **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 22, 2020, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mid-life-crisis-came-early/921215 "2020-09-22T06:15:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 23
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2020, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mid-life-crisis-came-early/921215/23 "2020-09-23T12:15:02Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Take care, be cognizant of the risks, try to ameliorate the ones you can, and have fun. There is a lot that can be done to reduce the risks of motorcycling. Getting training/practice, wearing good gear, not riding drunk, not being under 25 years old, and choosing when/where to ride are all things that can vastly improve your odds of walking through the door intact at the end of the day. OP sounds like they’re off to a good start on many of these points. I’ll repeat **[my new-rider advice from eight years ago](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/motorcyclists-fight-my-ignorance-please/623337/65)**, with emphasis on a couple of points: - Wear earplugs. I recommend **[these ones](https://www.amazon.com/Howard-Leight-MAX-1-plugs-Uncorded/dp/B0033Z1RBU)**, just about the best NRR you can get. You’ll be surprised just how much better you feel at the end of a long ride - and in a couple of decades, how well you can still hear. - Get more advanced training. the MSF beginner class is a good start, but it’s pretty basic. Attend a track school, where you can learn more about what your bike (and you) are capable of - not so you can go racing on public roads, but so you are better equipped to deal with the inevitable hazards that present themselves. > [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Am I nuts for giggling like a little kid riding down the road at 35 mph? It’s often said that motorcyclists are the only people who understand why dogs stick their heads out of car windows. Welcome to the club. 👍 --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mid-life-crisis-came-early/921215)._