THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND MOTORCYCLING
Ask 100 different riders the question “Why do you ride” and you’ll get 100 different answers. There are no right answers. There are no wrong ones. Furthermore, the answers you’ll get from a newcomer to this two-wheeled pursuit will vary greatly from those offered up by someone who has been riding for the better part of a lifetime.
As one of those “old timers” I can attest that my reasons for riding have changed as time ticked on by. What started as a whim…something that looked cool and fun…turned into a lifelong passion. This feature will highlight just a few of the reasons that I’ve ardently pursued this calling for nearly four decades.
The Usual Answers
More than enough has already been written about the benefits of motorcycle transportation. Great fuel economy, small carbon footprint, less environmental impact, reduced traffic congestion, ease of parking…blah, blah, blah. Likewise we’ve all been admonished to look upon bikers; not as rebellious outlaws, but as magnanimous individuals who regularly participate in organized, charitable events.
You’re not going to read any of that altruistic drivel here. Get your propaganda elsewhere. We’re going to discuss some of the deep-rooted psychological reasons why relatively sane individuals elect to participate in a potentially dangerous activity. Not reluctantly. Passionately.
Autonomy
Autonomy is at the head of my list of “Why do you ride”. I like calling my own shots. I spent the better part of 40 years as the owner/operator of my own business. For better or for worse that made me personally responsible for my own successes and failures. Autonomous behavior is in our DNA. We all want to do what we want to do. When we want to do it. In whatever fashion we choose.
Most people never really get to exercise that type of behavior in their lives. People are accustomed to sacrificing their personal freedoms in the pursuit of safety and security. If you want to have more stimulating experiences in your life you have to accept a greater level of responsibility and vulnerability. Enter the motorcycle.
The Challenge
Motorcycles are a far cry from today’s four-wheeled conveyances. Automobile drivers and passengers are shielded in a climate controlled “cage” surrounded by collision avoidance systems, air bags and electronic wizardry to keep the occupants safely entertained while they motor inattentively down the highway. Motorcycles? Not so much.
In my book Road Work: Images and Insights of a Modern Day Explorer I stated “Motorcycling might be the ultimate collaboration between man and machine. Safe motorcycling requires 110% of your concentration. Give it any less and you’re intentionally putting yourself in harm’s way. It is this very concentration that removes you from the petty worries of the world you leave behind.”
When riding, you are constantly monitoring your circumstances. Speed, road conditions, your traffic lane position, other vehicles, potential road hazards, weather, etc. We learn to cope with incalculable difficulties. Things that are a mere nuisance to automobiles can be deadly to motorcyclists. Over time one develops and practices a large set of skills and techniques that serve to keep you safe.
Risk -vs- Reward
So when someone asks me “Why do you ride” I cite the challenges and hardships. If it were easy everyone would be doing it. Accomplishing any genuinely difficult task brings forth a level of personal pride and satisfaction that only comes from knowing you conquered something that the average person wouldn’t even consider attempting.
Some riders assert that motorcycling is their escape from reality. I look at it differently. Successful and safe riding requires an acute awareness of everything that is going on around you. As opposed to an escape, I consider it a total immersion into life. That’s not to say that it doesn’t carry with it some therapeutic benefits. I never find myself worrying about politics, or thinking about last night’s episode of Yellowstone, when I’m carving through the curves on some twisty mountain roads.
The Fear Factor
Any motorcyclist that says they don’t have fears relating to the pursuit is lying. We all know it is an activity that is inherently dangerous. We accept those dangers as simply part of the game. We express our fearlessness with the decision to move forward despite our fears.
Am I an adrenaline junkie? No. At least I don’t think so. There are a whole lot of other dangerous activities out there that I would never voluntarily pursue. Not for the adrenaline rush anyway.
Dopamine? Now that’s another story. That neurotransmitter that your body makes plays a huge role in why we, as human beings, feel pleasure. It helps us aim, strive, focus and achieve. Our bodies are renewed by experiencing elevated states of awareness. I’ll take as much of that stuff that my brain will serve up. The dopamine ‘hits’ motorcyclists get are like 100% safe and natural, legal drugs! Anything that can make you feel that good can’t be all bad.
Camaraderie
When asked “Why do you ride” many motorcyclists will cite the friendships they’ve made through riding. Face it. It’s much easier to develop relationships with people who share a common bond. I’d be hard pressed to maintain a conversation for more than a minute or two if the subject-of-the-day was ecogastronomy. (Google it. Or don’t Google it. I think you get the idea.) But, put a dozen bikers in a room together and they’ll be chatting until the cows come home.
I can’t begin to try to tell you about all of the wonderful people I have met in my lifetime that never would have been on my radar if it weren’t for riding. Some are casual acquaintances that I’ve met briefly. Some I only know virtually through the miracle of the internet. A choice few I’ve had the privilege of sharing exciting adventures with on the road. All of them are cherished. Some of them are truly priceless and have touched my life forever.
Better For The Experience
Yes…I truly believe that long distance motorcycle touring has made me a better person. Certainly a stronger-willed one. Long-distance riding can be quite a demanding ordeal…physically and mentally. It demands careful planning, good judgment, well-developed skills, stamina, discipline, persistence and patience. I had none of those attributes 30 years ago. I’m still working on a few of them today.
It demands that you dig deeper into your own resolve. You discover strength, courage, confidence and abilities you never knew you had. Even when a journey is less demanding than it might potentially have been, you still gain something that you wouldn’t have if you had elected to stay at home.
I’m Getting Too Old For This S#!T
At this point in my life some folks are replacing the “Why do you ride” question with “When are you going to stop”? I’ve got to admit…I’ve asked myself that question on more than one occasion lately. Usually after I’ve conquered some punishing long distance ride through dreadful weather conditions. It’s at these times that I find my self muttering the “I’m getting too old for this” words. Those thoughts go away the minute I get home. My mind immediately starts plotting out the next adventure.
I retired the last of my Harley-Davidson “Grandpa Glides” 5 years ago. My days of doing 750+ mile interstate burns are over. I am no longer bound by the time constraints of a work schedule that necessitated that kind of endurance riding. These days I lay down most of my miles on scenic, secondary back roads. Sure, I occasionally miss the comfort of the big touring bike. But once I’d carved up some legendary motorcycling roads in the saddle of a high performance sport touring bike I never looked back. I could never return to riding an oversized, underpowered motorcycle again.
Like any other physical activity, long distance motorcycle touring doesn’t get any easier as you get older. I’d argue that it keeps you young. Young at heart anyway. I’ve met riders 10 years my senior while doing cross country road trips. They are my inspiration. I want to keep riding as long as I am physically and mentally able to do so. I’m not ready to give up this passion of mine just quite yet.
Time Traveler
The last answer I’ll give to the “Why do you ride” question is this. My motorcycle is my own personal time machine. It allows me to return to places I’ve visited in the past and reconnect with people that have earned special spots in my heart. Even when I’m headed off in a different direction and meeting new people; the memories of something once experienced, long ago, seem to be ever more deeply rooted in my heart and mind because of the motorcycle. Because of the adventure. Because of the enchantment that is only understood by those who travel on two wheels. If you know, you know.
My own personal “Time Machine”
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I ride because it’s FUN. No other reason. When it stops being fun, I stop riding. When it gets to the point where it’s never fun, I’ll stop riding completely. There are times when I think that it would be more fun to take my Mini, and I do. But I still get a kick out of exploring new roads and executing a smooth totally under control but still quick corner. While the sports car is fun too, it’s not quite at the level of a bike.
I am going to steal a quote from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance…I ride because I am part of the scenery, not looking at it. It seems no matter if it is a short ride to bike night to meet the gang or a solo three week trip, I am totally immersed in what I am doing. I’m 67 and this past season I rode the most I ever did. Retirement helps that a lot. Plans are already being made for the 2023 season. Can’t wait. Your article was so spot on. Thanks.
Thanks for commenting, Jeffrey. Have a great 2023 season. Ride safe!
As an avid rider for the last 56 years, I believe the best description of why I ride–and how many of us view the sport–was written by Zach Bowman for an article in Road & Track way back in 2015, when he had just become a new father and was weighing his enjoyment of riding motorcycles against the risk inherent to the sport. I still take time once a year to re-read his words. A short quote:
“The bike is a warm glow beneath me. I leave it in fifth and let the motor’s wide range do the heavy lifting. We’re clipping along quicker than we should be, but it feels too good to quit. At 90 mph, there’s so very little between you and oblivion that there might as well be nothing there at all. You feel your mortality humming like a plucked thread somewhere behind your ribs, and somehow, it’s worth it.
A bike demands an ante. The wager is the rest of your life. All of it. Every dreary Monday, every willowy summer dusk. Every word you might utter, the whispers of unknown lovers, smiles and tears, and chest-bursting pride. The crunch of snow under your boot and the first saltwater kiss of the sea. You put it all up every time you twist the throttle and go reaching for some crooked stitch of unknown asphalt. ”
https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a27399/motorcycles-are-dangerous-so-why-the-hell-do-i-keep-riding/?fbclid=IwAR0acAZwBZlNMZKkFY48fI89n6GtiQZ4OMYBTtGlMrzHfXk4cfCC9S9m1z8
Thank you for the great comment, William. And thank you so much for providing the link to the quoted article. I’m sure many of the Roadcraft USA readers will appreciate it as well. Ride safe!
Not my quote but it fits how I feel. “Traveling is like watching an adventure movie. Traveling by motorcycle is like staring in the movie.
I am 74 been riding on and off for years now on a cruiser due to comfort sharpens all the senses and hope to keep upright for more years ahead of me nothing like riding a motorcycle to feel alive also have a off road trail bike which also test your capabilites to see what you are made off not for all but suits be fine,Shiny Side Up.
Why do I ride? I struggled before my first moto trip bc the world has a lot of negativity in it and I’m over sensitive to it. After my first two wheel excursion along unknown roads in far away places I quickly discovered that motorcycles were not ridden by pessimists. I learned that if I wanted to sit around a fire instead of a TV and hear jokes and travel stories instead of programmed media that motorcyclists were the ones to stick with. I never believed in marriage until I saw moto couples of all ages, backgrounds and incomes camp together. I’ve been engaged at a rally, married on a motorcycle and hardly have 3 friends in this world that aren’t motorcyclists. I’ll ride the world in confidence knowing that all I’ll ever need for anything at all is another rider nearby. It sucks that crotch rocket and cruiser outlaws steal the show and give us all a bad name but that’s just usa. Evwrywhere else we are one tribe of optimists.
Thanks for commenting, Faisal. Pretty much agree with everything but the statement that “crotch rocket and cruiser outlaws steal the show”. They’re actually quite commonplace. I’ve found what attracts the most attention is a license plate from 2,500 miles away.
On May 25, 2012, my best friend was killed while riding his motorcycle. One moment he was riding in front of me and the next I was sitting on the ground with him, knowing he was gone forever. Thank God he did not suffer. Each day since that morning I’ve felt this terrible loss caused by a young driver not paying attention. His carelessness is unforgivable, but he was just a kid.
Writing this has brought back some of the best memories of my life, along with the worst and the sadness that followed. Many times as I sit to write this, tears flow thinking of my friend who no longer rides along side me looking for a good meal and a laugh. I wonder if the memories of his death will ever slip away and be replaced with memories of happier times. I can’t fathom the pain his family has endured as mine has been almost unbearable.
Occasionally, I go back to where the accident happened. There is a concrete pad on the east side of the road that I sit on, reliving the events of that morning and sometimes happier memories from better mornings. I’m thankful to be alive but would have traded places with Keith in a heart beat. Why it was his time to go and not mine is a question without answer.
I’ve found little ways over years to pay tribute to my friend. I’ve placed a piece of his bike on the trophy tree at Deals Gap, a place we visited many times. I’ve been back to the tree, placed my hand on the piece of his Honda and remember all the good times we had together. I’d give anything to be making new memories.
Keith’s initials have also made it onto all the literature that my new company uses as well as on the binder of our catalog. Nobody there knows who KT is, but I do, I remember!
After the accident, I didn’t ride for awhile. I couldn’t, I just didn’t have the heart for it. I mourned my friend and our shared passion. I missed him too much. I still do. I’m told with time these wounds will heal. The wounds have changed, but I don’t think they will ever heal.
In time, I did begin to ride again. I don’t know that I enjoyed it, but I missed whatever it was/is that drew Keith, Roger, Bill and I to riding. It didn’t happen right away but slowly, the joy of motorcycling returned. Today, riding is a big part of my life again.
My riding has caused problems. There is a great deal of pressure both personally and professionally to give it up. I’m asked how I could ever ride again after that day? I don’t have a good answer other than it brings me great joy and peace. I understand the dangers of motorcycling more than most, I also know there is no way to mitigate all the risks.
I find myself riding with a new group of people, but mostly prefer to ride alone. Never again do I want to witness the end of a friends life on two wheels.
So why do I ride?
I don’t ride to rebel or stand out.
I don’t ride to make those who love me worry.
I don’t ride to make a fashion statement or to save the environment.
I don’t ride because I have a death wish.
I don’t ride from bar to bar and those that do are foolish.
I ride to relax and clear my mind of life’s worries.
I ride to find peace.
I ride for the adrenaline and sense of adventure.
I ride to find perfection that will never come.
I’ve lived a wonderful life, full of adventure, a bit of adrenaline and as I get older a bit of relaxation. Whatever my future holds, I am determined to live my life well and continue to ride. My friends are seldom following along behind, but they will always be there in my heart.
Wonderful thoughts, Dave. Thank you for taking the time and opening your heart to the Roadcraft community. We are all so sorry for your loss. Ride safe, Brother
I remember as a child the Dun Brothers road into town boots, police-style pants, Harley hats, white shirts, and string neckties. My brother when to the military when I was 10 so I would take his 650 Triumph out in the field and ride. When I was 12 my parents caught me on the highway coming from the neighboring town. I got punished I think? At 19 I ordered my new bike from the PX while stationed in Korea which was in 1978. Since then I have won and lost the hearts of women. Traveled on 5 of the 7 continents on two wheels. My dream was to have someone hire me to ride motorcycles all over the world. I have paid my way for that dream and hope to in the very near future Ride on the Continent of Africa. I don’t think I will ever ride to Antarctica. So after Africa, my mission will be completed. I love to ride because it took a little country boy from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and gave him the key to go and tame the world and live his dreams on his motorcycle.
Wonderful comment, Bruce. Wishing you all the best as you take on the African continent on two wheels.
Let me go. On a road that never ends. Towards a place that I will never get to. The unexpected mishaps, the extraordinary people I meet and the magnificent horizons along the way are the few of many reasons I ride. There is adventure, laughter, frustration, grief, and even loss along the way. Some people say, is it worth the risk? I do not think I will ever be able to answer that question properly. Is there risk when there is no perceived danger? It is not because I’m ignorant or choose to be blinded, it is because I get lost in my elation. Some might say that I am selfish, that I only think of myself. That is partially true, but only to the point of my return. I ride for self care, letting go of all my negativity, fears and pain. I leave all of it to the wind, hoping every time that I come back a better person. I cannot explain how or why, it just is. I know it is a lot to accept, even more to understand. I am sorry for the worry I cause, I’m sorry if I may be imposing when it comes to my motorcycling love, and I’m sorry if at times my irrational decisions do not come with reasonable explanations. I ride to live, I ride to love. There will always be that certain destination I look forward to, the arms of those I love, the ones I hold dearly in my heart on every ride. So on my journey home, let me go.