Does Riding a Motorcycle Reduce Stress? The Answer is YES!
Does Riding a Motorcycle Reduce Stress? The Answer is YES!
Years of riding experience do make for knowledgeable riders with (generally) good judgement, but your reaction time and reflexes can decline over time. Not to mention safety standards and guidelines can change over the years. For aging motorcyclists who may have taken a break from riding for a few years and are looking to get back into it, safety and practice courses are a must. And even for all the long haulers that have been riding their bikes continuously, it really never hurts to periodically sign up for a basic MSF course or find a more advanced course offered by a local trainer.
Aonsri (2018) found that speed was the most significant factor in crashes, and attitude of the rider influenced likelihood to speed. Additionally, Elliott (2010) found that rider’s intentions to speed were directly related to affective attitudes and perceived controllability and indirectly related to self and social-identity and group norms. According to Jahn, Oehme, Krems, and Gelau (2005), response times to hazardous driving situations in a simulated driving task were impaired when the route was more demanding. In particular, Jahn and colleagues found that the detection of peripheral visual cues was decreased when the routes were more complex.
By continuing to use this website (his comment is here) you accept this and acknowledge that the actions you take when you are riding your motorcycle are your own. To read more about the study and review the method and disclaimer, you can visit /motorcycle and -davidson.com. Science and research has also proven that riding a motorcycle can be a great form of therapy. It can help lift your spirits and gain clarity when needed.
Just because you’re experiencing the physical effects of aging doesn’t mean you have to stop riding cold turkey. But it does mean that you may need to adjust your behaviors. You might decide to bring a buddy with you more often or to shorten the length of your rides. If you find yourself feeling particularly out of sorts one day, don’t be afraid to cancel plans to hit the pavement. Set yourself realistic expectations and you’re more likely to enjoy the riding experience than end up disappointed and exhausted.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, driving any motor vehicle while drowsy or fatigued will impair reaction times, judgment, and awareness. A rider who falls asleep at the handlebars or fails to brake in time may swerve out of control and cause a single-rider or multi-vehicle accident. A motorcyclist can’t relax very much while riding a vehicle that has two wheels and handlebars.
You are looking at these machines from a vantage point you have never experienced before. You lift your visor and can hear their muffled radios through the closed windows, feel the radiant heat from their hot waft from the engines surrounding you, and smell the acrid exhaust fumes from their tailpipes. You feel like a lithe panther, stalking through a pack of muscular buffalo, you are vulnerable to their bulky mass and size, but you are prepared, alert and ready.
Tim received his Juris Doctor from Duquesne University and is a member of the West Virginia State Bar and the Harrison County Bar Association. He has helped his clients win more than $20 million in personal injury verdicts and settlements and has further served the people of West Virginia by filling legislative roles in the state’s government since 2004. If you ever doubted the health value of owning and riding a motorcycle or had your friends and family doubt you, there is now research that you can point to that supports the need to own a bike. I have about half a year to prepare for the first excursion.
Motorcycles provide riders with a feeling of liberation and autonomy, allowing them to explore the world from a new perspective. The sensation of powering through curves and navigating winding roads creates an indescribable rush that can quickly become addicting. The combination of mental clarity and physical fitness makes motorcycling an activity that yields multiple rewards offering both psychological relaxation and physiological conditioning all at once. With this balance between mind and body exercises, it’s easy to understand why so many find riding motorcycles to be addictive and therapeutic. It provides physical benefits like improved muscle tone and circulation and promotes improved brain health by stimulating both body and brain. Motorcyclists have reported feeling higher levels of alertness after riding their bikes and an increased overall mood.
Whether you're riding with a group of friends or participating in a larger riding event, the camaraderie and shared experience can be incredibly rewarding. Not to mention, the support network that comes with being a part of a riding community can be invaluable in times of need, whether it's assistance with bike repairs or simply a listening ear. If I pay attention to how I feel, empirical evidence tells me that going for a walk in the woods makes me feel better, both mentally and physically. With COVID, there have been many studies and articles telling us how experiencing and being out in nature is good for us. An individual’s decision of which type of motorcycle to purchase is an important one.