Watch Now. Although a very westernized city, scooter culture was so very different there! That’s why motorcycles are designed based on every attribute that motorcyclists find desirable. Of course, there are many more examples of motorcycles starring on the big screen! MOTORCYCLES.ORG. You can truly leave all your baggage behind. Whether you’re riding, working on bikes, or having a really good conversation with fellow riders about bikes, you’re still tapping into that attention + intrinsic reward structure, which makes these experiences so much more meaningful. Some riders enjoy the excitement of fine-tuning their skills with speed, and track days are a perfect way for motorcyclists to do so. Let’s find out seven reasons why you should ride a motorcycle. I agree, riding is amazing self-care. For the Thrill of It. “flow” is a great way to explain it. According to Csikszentmihalyi, flow activities have specific qualities, and it’s no surprise that these qualities are inherent to riding motorcycles. Subscribe for more videos: http://bit.ly/crikexsub Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNeLUngb-Xg Some cities even offer free parking for two-wheelers. Everybody is a scofflaw to some extent and the real genuine outlaws are in the penitentiary, not dressed up for Halloween on a motorcycle. Motorcycles are a lot of fun, they're sexy, beautiful and when you get on a bike, the feeling is unmatched to anything that you've ever felt before. Now I understand why I’ve been so obsessed with this deceptively simple question. One of the most distinct things about riding is that nothing feels quite like a … With Jim Adams, Ernie Alexander, Kenny Alexander, Jay Allen. And I asked myself. Some ride for the freedom, for some it's recreation, and for many it's about the pure joy of hauling ass on two wheels... but what motorcycle riding means to each rider is different. Recently we asked motorcycle riders a simple question; “Why Do You Ride?” The following are quotes from the passionate riders who helped support this year’s Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Ride in Springfield Missouri. Flow is a violinist pouring their heart into performing a complex piece. As Krystal Hess said to me few weeks ago: “Motorcycles are an amazing tool for all sorts of things.”. Why We Ride, Ian Chadwick's essay on motorcycling Ian Chadwick's essay on why we ride motorcycles When my mood gets too hot and I find myself wandering beyond control I pull out my motor-bike and hurl it top-speed through these unfit roads for hour after hour. But our answers are different because we each use that tool in our own way. Why we ride motorbikes. You feel the air temperatures change, you smell the world around you, you move with the turns – all these things would be missed if you were in a car, bus, train, plane or other mode of transportation. Required fields are marked *. But when I took that first beginner class five years ago, I felt something in me light up — a kind of exuberant freedom I’d never felt before. There are many schools and organizations that riders can register with to do a track day. To find one near you, click here. Passion. Motorcycles are physical vehicles, yes. My sudden change of heart took me by surprise. Death Valley is one such place, where you can take in beautiful scenery on paved roads, then have some off-road fun on Titus Canyon Road, Racetrack Playa and more. After my last Nissan Sentra, blessed appliance-mobile that it was, I just didn’t buy another one. Here are a few that come to mind:The Dark Knight, The Matrix Reloaded, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Terminator 2.I still don’t really know what makes a motorcycle so appealing to me, or countless others. The reason we give such similar answers to “why do you ride?” is because we’re all working with the same tool. As I learned to ride and fell more in love with motorcycles, I grew curious. And below are the reasons why we ride a motorcycle. We don’t need any of it, because riding a bike is about as pure an exercise in “present moment living” as you can have. Share this post. I remember ever moment riding all the turns of the road. Fastrack Riders and Yamaha Champions Riding School are a couple options to look into if you are interested in a track day. There’s a good chance that if someone has to ask you why you ride a motorcycle, they’ll never really understand. Many riders tell us that their rides move them – not just physically, but in a much deeper way. Riding certainly does require attention and focus, you are in the moment. Why do we ride? Warmest regards from Wales, UK. When we ride well, there is little … But they are also metaphysical vehicles, helping us navigate the path from who we are now to who we want to be. Planning group rides with friends is always fun. Why, in fact, do we ride? Two wheels can make the commute itself more enjoyable. This vid is getting old now but it's still fun! I love how you looked at things in more detail. Lee (owner of Tourataff.com). 8) “It wasn’t until I went to college and I got my first motorcycle that I understood the thrill of speed.” … Whereas in other countries, motorcycles/scooters are simply the cheapest/easiest/most accessible or even only way they have to get around. Getting on two wheels opens you up to whole other worlds of fun, adventure and possibilities. Home / Products / This Is Why We Ride - Motorcycle Keychain. Why We Ride Motorcycles “Season of the Bike” by Dave Karlotski “ There is cold, and there is cold on a motorcycle. Why We Ride. Before my first hit of two-wheeled adrenaline, I saw motorcycles as an unnecessary risk. Riders want in life is to travel around the world with their motorcycles. Not everyone who loves motorcycles is always the one up front. Rainbow Long Fur $29.99. For most of us, we ride because we can’t not ride. In other words, flow helps us find ourselves. Most of my friends ride, which means we always have something to talk about. Often, these schools or groups will have coaches to help riders learn the path they should ride, how to take corners faster, proper body position and other techniques. Grey $29.99. In his 1990 book, Csikzentmihalyi writes: People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any of us can come to being happy.”. Even more confounding, I realized my own reasons for riding were continually shifting. — James Walker, Producer of WHY WE RIDE & Co-Founder/CFO of MOTOvational, Inc. And I was determined to be the person who figured it out. For many riders who ride and own a motorcycle is not a need or a hobby, it is their passion. The answer, then, to “why we ride” isn’t a motivation at all, but the structure of the activity itself. Many riders also enjoy motorcycle camping. My answer to the question of why I ride would be a reality break, of sorts. Motorcycle rides for a passenger can be just as exhilarating, and for couples, there’s a special intimacy when riding together. Hope you’re doing well! I see this one all the time. According to Csikszentmihalyi, when we learn to find flow, we liberate ourselves from societal pressures, we find more enjoyment in our daily lives, and we gain better control over our minds. Traveling and living with the bare essentials can be a fun challenge and a very freeing feeling. So I asked the question, again and again. There are two kinds of motorcyclists: those of us who have always known we wanted to ride, and those who found our passion later. Asking why I don’t currently own a car is a question I get often. When traveling by motorcycle, you engage all your senses. But really, I was just captivated by the question. Well done Loryn! Policeman $29.99. Especially at 65 mph. We all ride for different reasons, and sometimes for all the reasons: fun, adventure, to bond with friends, to save fuel, to relax, as a moving meditation, to make the commute more interesting, to get through traffic easier, to accomplish goals. You’re actively engaged in the ride and moving with your bike. Something a little different this week as I share an important lesson about riding a motorcycle that I learned from my kids. , Your email address will not be published. If you’re taking a passenger for the first time, check out this tip sheet from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Guidelines for Riding With a Passenger. Directed by Bryan H. Carroll. Seriously. I asked the realm of personal experience, I asked whatever research I could find. Such folk, if asked why they ride, may simply reply ‘to survive’. You’re asking about that person — who they are, what matters to them. Women Motorcycle Riders - Why We Ride Yet, I often wonder if other women ride their own motorcycle for the same reasons that I do. Flow is peak athletic performance, a craftsman engaged in their trade, a motorcyclist effortlessly carving corners on a canyon road. One of the best ways to families to start riding together is to take a family class in DirtBike School. At Ransin Injury Law we are passionate about motorcycle … It can turn an ordinary weekend into a mini-vacation as you plan on where and what time to meet, where you’ll go, the routes you’ll take, stops for coffee and meal breaks and, if it’s overnight, where you’ll stop for the evening and unwind. You, like every other … To them, motorcycles are simply a mode of transport, a lifeline to medicine and even to food and water. Many others ride because they have no choice. Some love to ride for the speed, others the camaraderie, and others say they love the freedom of the open road. And techniques you learn on the dirt can be used on paved roads, too. It’s who we are. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally “Why We Ride is a story about the passion of motorcycle riders,” says Carroll. Cold on a motorcycle is like being beaten with cold hammers while being kicked with cold boots, a bone bruising cold. I didn’t get to touch on it much, but those external inputs are such an important part of the flow experience — they help create the challenge of the activity and the situations to respond to, but also they give us an opportunity to transcend the self and, for a moment, quiet our internal dialogue where many of those daily stresses fester. Tracy. Join Us. One of the best ways to bond with family and friends is to share in a day of riding. For me riding is excellent self care! The track is a closed course, and many safety precautions are taken, including having flaggers monitor each turn and having medics and ambulances at the ready. There are faster motorcycles and more useful motorcycles, but this motorcycle is an escape moves my soul and nothing else really compares because nothing makes me feel like this. https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-best-motorcycle-trips-in-the-us. Not all track days are on paved roads. Cruisers and Harleys vs dirt bikes, adventure bikes and trials bikes? When you ask another rider “Why do you ride?” you’re not asking about motorcycles. Your email address will not be published. When you are absorbed by a task, effortlessly rising to meet its challenges, seamlessly reacting to changes, that’s flow. What they find meaningful, and who they hope to be. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I’ve made lifelong friends, felt the spirit of adventure, and soothed my anxiety. But one of the most important elements of flow is intrinsic motivation. Motorcycles and scooters are also easy to park as they take up very little space. This Is Why We Ride - Motorcycle Keychain. Dirt bikes can be a great way for families and their kids, ages 6 and up, to explore and share in new experiences. Why Are Motorcycles So Cool? The tricky (and almost infuriating) part about asking riders why they ride is that their answers share similar themes, but are each unique and heartfelt. The passion of the riders and the soul of their machines. I’m always surprised by how much depth there is to this topic Thanks for being willing to engage in some moto-philosophy with me! Motorcycling is an activity that takes movement and focus from a rider. Good to hear from you, John, and so glad you liked the article! Clown $29.99. The best flow activities have infinitely increasing challenges — there is always room to learn more and grow. Motorcycles don't make us cool. But for all that has been written about flow, most people overlook the reason Csikszentmihalyi studied flow in the first place. (In fact, we dare you not to cry when reading Joyce Maynard’s  On Love, Motorcycles and the Art of Being a Passenger). It changes your relationship with the road, with your commute, with your travels. Many motorcycles and scooters get great fuel efficiency, from 45 miles per gallon to 60 miles per gallon or more. I asked any fellow rider who would answer. I asked articles, I asked books. Add to Cart. I wish I had the education to pursue the answers but I don’t so will keep asking the questions Ed Kretz was so tough and … To Csikszentmihalyi, flow isn’t just an enjoyable state of being. Proper gear must be worn, and all bikes go through a tech and safety inspection before they are allowed on the track. In retrospect, it was a bit of an audacious thought. Flow activities are done “not with the expectation of some future benefit, but simply because the doing itself is the reward,” says Csikszentmihalyi. Keep riding and questioning! It seemed to me that, because of these overlapping themes, there might be one answer, the answer, a comprehensive, basic, human need that would explain why so many motorcyclists love what they do. Flow activities require attention and focus. Motorcycles don't make us outlaws. We Ride to Feel Young. The reasons are infinite. Motorcyclists will tell you how much fun it is to recount a day of riding with their riding partners, and how, although everyone may be riding the same route, everyone’s experience is different. I find every answer fascinating, and I look forward to a lifetime of asking it, again and again. Riding is also a great way for parents to introduce their kids to safety and responsibility, because riding is serious fun. Bluetooth communicators allow for easy conversation, but many also enjoy communicating without talking. Your First Bike Is Going to be a Rocket. It’s not a passive activity, so learning proper riding techniques and ensuring safety is a priority is important. Chicken $29.99. Our bodies and minds meld with the motorcycle, the controls an extension of our thoughts. Why I ride a motorcycle every day, despite the motorcycle risks. Anything that makes your blood racing probably makes your heart fluttering and it is worth doing. 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