Is 60 Too Old to Ride a Motorcycle? The Older Rider's Guide to Riding Smart

No, 60 is not too old to ride a motorcycle. Neither is 70. There is no upper age limit on a motorcycle license anywhere in the US, and the typical American motorcycle owner is already around 50 years old. What changes with age is not whether you can ride, it is how you ride: reaction time, eyesight, flexibility and bone strength all shift, so smart older riders adjust their bike, their gear and their habits. Do that, and the open road does not care what year is on your birth certificate. Below is the no-nonsense guide for riders over 50, 60 and beyond, plus a few shirts for the gray-bearded legends who plan to keep twisting the throttle until somebody pries the keys out of their hands.

How old is the average motorcycle rider today?

Older than your kids think. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the typical motorcycle owner in 2018 was 50 years old. Back in 1980, the typical owner was 27. The Motorcycle Industry Council's owner survey tells the same story: the median age of riders has climbed steadily for decades while the share of owners under 25 has shrunk.

Translation: if you are 60 and riding, you are not the oldest guy at the gas station. You are the demographic. The industry knows it, the rallies know it, and the parking lot at every bike night proves it.

What actually changes when you ride after 60?

Here is the honest part. Age does not make you a worse rider, but it does change the math. The IIHS reports that riders 50 and older made up 31% of motorcyclist deaths in 2024, compared with just 3% in 1975. Some of that is simply because far more older folks ride now. But older bodies also tend to take longer to recover from the same crash. So the goal is simple: ride more like a veteran and less like a 22-year-old with something to prove.

What changes with age	What it means on the bike	The smart fix
Reaction time slows a bit	Less margin when a car pulls out	Bigger following distance, ABS brakes, cover the brake in traffic
Night and glare vision fades	Dusk rides get sketchy fast	Annual eye exam, clear visor at night, upgraded LED lighting
Knees, hips and back complain	Low-speed tipovers and sore stops	Lower seat height, better ergonomics, more rest breaks
Heavier bikes feel heavier	Parking lot drops, not highway crashes	Reverse assist, lighter cruiser, or a trike conversion
Heat and cold hit harder	Fatigue sneaks up on long days	Hydrate, layer up, cut the day at 300 miles instead of 500

What is the best motorcycle for older riders?

The best bike for a rider over 60 is the one you can pick up, back up and flat-foot at a stoplight without a prayer. That usually means:

• A seat height you can flat-foot. Both boots down, knees slightly bent. If you are tiptoeing, you are one gravel patch away from a tipover.
• ABS and, if you can get it, cornering ABS and traction control. Modern electronics are the best thing that ever happened to aging reflexes.
• Manageable weight. A 900-pound touring rig is glorious on the interstate and miserable in a sloped driveway. Be honest about which one you do more.
• Reverse gear or a trike. There is zero shame in three wheels. Plenty of lifelong riders switch to a trike and add another decade of riding. That is a win, not a surrender.

How can older riders stay safe without giving up the fun?

You did not survive this long by being reckless, so none of this is news. But these are the habits that separate the 75-year-old still riding from the 62-year-old who sold his bike after one bad day:

1. Take a refresher course. An experienced or advanced rider course is a few hours well spent, especially if you are coming back after years off. Returning riders on a brand-new, far more powerful bike is a classic recipe for trouble.
2. Get your eyes checked every year. If you cannot read the road sign, you cannot read the pickup truck drifting into your lane.
3. Wear real gear. Armored jacket, gloves, boots and a good helmet. Your bones are not what they were at 25, so let the armor do the work.
4. Ride your own ride. Group rides are great until someone sets a pace you are not comfortable with. Wave them on. Nobody wins a trophy for keeping up.
5. Know your meds. Plenty of common prescriptions cause drowsiness. Read the label and ask your doctor before a long day in the saddle.
6. Shorten the days, not the season. More stops, more coffee, more pie. That is not getting old. That is getting wise.

Is it too late to start riding a motorcycle at 50 or 60?

Not even close. Plenty of riders finally buy the bike once the kids are gone, the mortgage is shrinking and retirement shows up with a whole lot of free weekdays. The key for brand-new older riders is to start with a basic rider training course, pick a lighter, lower bike than your ego wants, and put real miles on quiet roads before you tackle traffic or a group ride. Learn the fundamentals first. The chrome and the bigger engine will still be there next season.

If you are a returning rider who has not been on two wheels since the 80s, treat yourself like a beginner. Brakes, electronics, power and traffic have all changed a lot since then. Your muscle memory is useful. It is also outdated.

When should an older rider think about hanging up the keys?

There is no magic number, and nobody else gets to pick it for you. But be honest with yourself if you notice a pattern: repeated low-speed drops, close calls you did not see coming, getting lost on familiar routes, or feeling wiped out after an hour in the saddle. Those are signals to change something, whether that is a lighter bike, a trike, shorter rides, or a conversation with your doctor. Switching setups is not quitting. It is how the old-timers you admire kept riding into their 80s.

Frequently asked questions about riding a motorcycle when you are older

Is there a maximum age for a motorcycle license?

No US state sets a maximum age for a motorcycle endorsement. Some states require more frequent license renewals or vision tests for older drivers, so check your state DMV rules when you renew.

What is the average age of a motorcycle rider in the US?

The IIHS reports the typical motorcycle owner was 50 years old in 2018, up from 27 in 1980. Industry surveys show the rider population has kept getting older since.

Are trikes a good option for older riders?

Yes. Trikes remove the balance and tipover problem at low speeds, which is where a lot of older riders struggle. They handle differently than two-wheelers, so take a trike-specific course before your first long ride.

Should I take a riding course if I have been riding for 40 years?

Yes. Experienced and advanced rider courses cover emergency braking and swerving with modern bikes and electronics. Most longtime riders say they learned something, and many insurers offer discounts for completing one.

How do I get back into riding after a long break?

Start with a refresher course, choose a lighter bike than you think you need, and practice slow-speed control in an empty lot before you hit traffic. Build up to longer rides over a few weeks.

The bottom line for riders over 60

Age is a number. Seat height, eyesight and gear are the variables you actually control. Ride smart, ride often, and wear something that tells the world you are not slowing down. Browse the full lineup of I'm Not Old, I'm A Classic and the rest of our old biker attitude tees, all printed in the USA by Skull Society.

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Fatality Facts 2024: Motorcycles and ATVs; Motorcycle Industry Council owner survey. This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about any health concerns that could affect your riding.