Re: Motorcycles
That sounds like a good decision. I see lots of aging (overweight) boomers riding around on shiny bikes, so in 20 years there should be lots of used ones for sale cheap. I saw an odd one the other day, not a trike, but a boomer betty on a 2 wheeler with what looked like smaller training wheels bolted to either side of the normal sized back wheel. I don't know how well you could turn without leaning but it looked stable as it rolled by.
I recall that riding my bike was exhilarating. Over time you get a little numb to it, but as i recall there were death defying near misses almost every time out. It does require full attention and concentration. Intense concentration like that is mentally stimulating. Not only looking for other traffic, but typically inconsequential things like some sand or wet leaves on the road surface (or if you roll in MS sleeping dogs). Then there's the oil that comes up on the road surface after the first rain in a while (a good reason not to cruise the middle of the lane then). A car can lose grip on one wheel and you won't even notice. with a bike you notice.
re: carrying weight in a back pack, I once put a case of beer in my back pack, and the higher center of mass made unintentional wheelies easier :-( In general I would advise against doing that.
JR
