Old motorcycle riders never die, they just speed off on their Harley. Of course, before that happens, there is a lot of opportunity for riding. Whether it’s a trip to the Sturgis motorcycle rally every summer, cruising down Route 66, or just a leisurely ride up the coast, there’s no reason you can’t continue to ride your motorcycle, even when you get up there in years. As long as you’re able to physically handle the bike and your motorcycle insurance agent agrees to continue to cover you, ride on.

That’s what Kenny Dreer does. Dreer is 62 years old, and just recently signed up for Social Security. According to a spotlight article in Cycle World, Dreer has decided to go back to his drag-racing roots.

That’s right. He’s 62, and he’s drag racing. The weekend before the article was written, he raced his big-block Kawasaki at 168.8 miles per hour.

According to Dreer, he’s addicted to drag racing. Using a motorcycle equipped with nitrous, he’s a serious competitor. The motorcycle he rides operates on a Larry Cook Racing 1425cc Suzuki GS-based powerplant. It produces 220 horsepower, even before you add in the nitrous.

Dreer says that, if you want to drag race motorcycles, it requires concentration and focus. He talks about the exhilaration of going that fast on a motorcycle, and the rush that it brings when you’re on the track.

More and more, the motorcycle population is aging. While motorcycle riding was once considered a youthful thing, more and more the mean age of motorcycle riders is increasing. Today, the average motorcycle rider is in her mid-30s. There are many riders in their 60s and 70s, although most of them aren’t drag racing like Dreer.

The keys to riding as you get older are to accurately assess your skills and to keep up with motorcycle safety. Taking a riding class every couple of years will help you to keep on top of your game, and help give you an idea of whether or not you’re still in good enough shape to continue to ride.