I'm not riding today

Yes, fanatical though I may be, there are days when I say no to motorcycling. I thought I'd put a list of the situations when I look at the motorcycle in the parking lot and wistfully keep the keys carabinered to the tank bag, and take the bus/cab/whatever.

Drinking out
No riding when you're planning a beer and bites with mates later. It eases your load in the bar (you should see how they look at you when you put your lid on the counter and order a fresh lime soda. Pity I cannot stand) and beer-soaked riding pants suck

Tired
Yes, there are a couple of days in the month when I feel exhausted. So I don't ride. I find that on these days, my concentration wavers and that can be dangerous/fatal

Upset
When I was younger, I remember there were times when I went out for a ride when I was upset or angry with someone. For a while, it really helped. A couple of hours of breakneck speed riding clears up the perspective like nothing else. No longer though. I'm married now. And more to the point, that sort of riding should be reserved for track days. That too, ideally, when you have the entire track (gravel traps and all) to yourself

The first rains
Call me chicken, but when it rains for the first time after a long gap, I keep it parked. Last year I got caught in an off-season shower and it sucked. Three bikes went down in a four km trip around me, and I nearly crashed more than four times myself. That sort of odds aren't worth it. If I lived in London/New York, I'd be the first to do all the year round riding as a hobby. Really. But even there, I'd skip the first days of the wet. The water causes all the oil/grease/diesel to float up and can really mess up your day

After the races
I used to do this as well. Right after Rossi/Doohan won their respective races on the telly, I'd be out on my RD350, tearing up Delhi's Sunday afternoon emptiness with some fairly lurid riding. Hindsight has since kicked in. This is probably the most foolhardy way to release the pent up adrenaline

After motorcycle movies
A friend drove me home once, right after we'd both watched the classic French film Taxi (Dir Gerard Pires). My knuckles still go white remembering that drive. Going to watch a good motorcycle flick? Take a cab back

Going out in groups
If the rest of the group is in the cab, being on a bike looks cool. But trust me, sooner or later, some drunk buddy's gonna ask to taken for a spin. Or you'll have a shunt looking for their cab rather than watching traffic...

There's more, of course
But you get the drift... right?