10 Great Reasons To Ride Motorcycles
There will always be those who just don’t get motorcycles, their arguments always centering around the danger factor or getting wet when it rains. But, to those who ride, it is not only means of transport, it is so much more than simply getting from A to B in the shortest possible time.
There are so many benefits to riding motorcycles, both for the rider and for everyone else around them, from saving money on running costs – gas, insurance, maintenance, tires and so on – to improved mental health for the rider. Riding a motorcycle also teaches you to be defensive on the road, skills which translate into being a better driver too. Here, in no particular order are the ten benefits to riding a motorcycle.
10 Riding A Motorcycle Saves Time
Triumph Speed Triple 1200RR cornering left to right
On a motorcycle and depending on the length of the journey, you could save hours in journey time every week. Even if your commute is twenty minutes either way, that could mean a saving of, for example, ten minutes each way over taking the car. That’s 100 minutes every week, which is 86 hours – or 3.6 days – a year. That is time that you could spend on the more important things, such as being with your family or messing about in your workshop, relaxing with a good book in a hammock in your garden, attending your kid’s sports games, cooking, or just being with friends.
9 Riding A Motorcycle Saves Money
BMW R1250RT riding in the country, right to left
There is almost no cheaper means of personal transport. Not only can motorcycles be a lot cheaper to buy than cars (and that’s before we even start talking about relative performance differences between a second hand, mundane family sedan and a brand new potent sport bike, both costing the same) but they are obviously a lot more frugal with gas. Choose a small displacement motorcycle for your daily commute, and you’ll think the gas tank is actually making its own gas rather than burning it. Then, of course, there is the relative cost of maintenance, insurance, license fees, tolls on highways, not to mention half the number of tires to replace. There is simply no financial argument against riding a motorcycle.
8 Riding Helps With Your Fitness
Yamaha R1 riding from left to right
In a car, you sit there like a blob and twirl a steering wheel. On a motorcycle, you are part of it – your actions directly influence how the bike behaves. Ride a motorcycle regularly and your core fitness will improve. Your grip, forearms, neck, torso, knees and thighs will all get a workout. Head to your local track and ride a few laps on whatever motorcycle you own, and you will be surprised how exhausted you are at the end, especially if you get an instructor to show you how to get the most out of your bike. Riding fitness is a very real thing, and it is an all-round fitness. It’s not just physical, either: your brain also gets a workout, which brings us neatly to the next point.
7 Beneficial To Your Mental Health
Harley Davidson Touring bike outside a motel
This is a really big one, and perhaps, the most important. Studies have found that people who ride motorcycles are less stressed, their reflexes are enhanced, and their brain power is actually increased. When you are happy, your brain releases endorphins, which improve your overall mood so going for a ride is not just about saving time, it could also be saving your life. A bit too dramatic? Think about it: remember the last time you jumped on your motorcycle when you were in a bad mood or were angry. Now think about when you got off your bike at the end of your ride: we’re willing to bet you were feeling a whole lot better and had almost forgotten why you were so grumpy in the first place. In today’s high pressure world, anything that helps you unwind has to be a good thing.
6 On A Motorcycle You’ll Meet People
BMw Motorrad Days parade
Think about it: when you last climbed out of your car at a gas station on your road trip, did the other car drivers come over and say ‘hi’, ask you how your day was going, ask you where you’ve come from and where you’re going? The short answer is ‘no’. Pull up on a bike, however, and it’s a fair bet that other bikers will stroll over and strike up a conversation. Or, if you walk over to talk to them, they’ll not look at you as if you’ve just come from outer space, and soon, you’ll be sharing stories of your journeys. You meet people on a motorcycle because you all realize that you are the same: you have chosen to ride a motorcycle and that sets you apart from the vast majority of the world who drive a car because that’s just what you do. You’ll never be alone on a motorcycle and the chances are you’ll make lifelong friends.
5 It Is Better For The Environment
Harley Davidson Fat Boy with rider walking towrds the bike
It makes sense: it takes about a twentieth of the material to build a motorcycle as it does a car. Straight away, that makes it better for the environment. Then, a motorcycle uses less gas than a car, less oil, less rubber, wears out roads less, takes up less space to park and emits less harmful pollution (in most cases). Riding a motorcycle is also better for your own environment: you’ve got more personal space in which to unwind and simply be with yourself.
4 Riding A Motorcycle Is A Big Thrill
KTM RC 8C cornering away from the camera
We keep coming back to the mental health aspect of riding a motorcycle and another factor is the excitement of riding: the thrill of taking on the road and coming out on top. There is no better thrill than riding a motorcycle, whether it is completing a thousand-mile day across country on your large touring bike or riding your favorite mountain pass or canyon road as fast as you can safely and getting every corner right. The feeling when you get to the end and the bike is ticking itself cool while you remember every close shave and perfect line, just cannot be described. You’re doing something that not everyone can do – whether they want to is another matter – and you know you’ll live more in a few miles of twisty road than most car drivers will in a lifetime.
3 Adventure Is Never Far Away
BMW R1250GS riding right to left in sand
There is no better feeling than riding along and seeing a dirt trail heading off into the hills. If you’re on an adventure bike, you can go anywhere the road takes you, and also, a lot of places where there are no roads! The opportunity for adventure is endless. But ‘adventure’ doesn’t just mean riding off-road. When you ride a motorcycle, every journey becomes an adventure, whether it is riding to work or setting off at the weekend on a two-day round trip or taking a couple of weeks to cross from New York to L.A. On a motorcycle, the adventure is the journey itself, not the destination. You also tend to stop more when you’re on a motorcycle and that forces you to look around and take notice of where you are.
2 It Makes You A Better Driver
BMW R1250GS wheelying in the dirt
When you ride a motorcycle, you have to always be aware of what’s going on around you: the other vehicles on the road, the road surface, the corners up ahead, potential hazards and so on. Your peripheral vision improves with practice, so you can concentrate on the road ahead while ‘seeing’ what’s next to you on either side. Your senses become more attuned to what’s around you, because you are so much more vulnerable. When you translate those skills into driving your car, you will be a much better driver because you automatically take more notice of what and who is around you, and you’ll naturally drive much more defensively.
1 Riding A Motorcycle Is Fun
Kawasaki MX Bike Riding In the Dirtl left to right
Maybe, at the end of the day, the most important reason to ride a motorcycle is because it is fun! Count how many times you smile when you are riding: you’ll be surprised. When was the last time you were riding with a buddy, and you stopped for a break, took off your helmets and saw your buddy smiling. Riding a motorcycle just does that: it makes you happy. Whether it’s throwing a dirt bike at the scenery, getting up a hill on an adventure bike, cruising along the highway, or scratching through a canyon: it’s the best fun, and even better, it’s legal!
FAQ
Q: Does riding a motorcycle strengthen your core?
Yes, riding a motorcycle requires good core strength so the more you ride, the stronger your core will get.
Q: What are the benefits of riding a motorcycle?
Riding a motorcycle is good for your physical and mental health, good for the environment and good for your wallet as they are much cheaper to run than cars
Q: Do motorcycle relieve stress?
Yes, riding motorcycles has been proven to reduce stress. Various medical bodies have undertaken research that shows that people who ride regularly have higher endorphin levels and reduced stress levels.