It is often said that you will never see a motorcycle parked outside a psychiatrist’s office. Unless, of course, the motorcycle belongs to the psychiatrist. How true is that? Well, you have to ride a motorcycle to find out. The obvious reason is because riding a motorcycle is considered therapeutic. It relieves your stress levels. When other people are doing cocaine, alcohol and other drugs to get high and forget their problems, there are those who are riding on a motorcycle to feel alive. Except that a motorcycle is legal unlike cocaine and other hard drugs. Don’t get it wrong, riding a motorcycle is nothing compared to substance abuse and addiction. Riding a motorcycle is freedom and sometimes words can’t quite capture the feelings precisely. Whether you are an amateur or a veteran, you will agree there are certain things you can only experience on a motorcycle.
- You become hyper-sensitive- Driving a car is like watching a movie at the cinema but riding a motorcycle is like experiencing that movie in real life. Since you are in direct contact with the environment, all your senses are magnified whenever you are on two wheels. You feel every drop or increase in temperature, moisture and everything in between. You feel the wind like you have never felt before and you absolutely love it. Better yet, the sound of the wind, the engine and whatever you pass creates music to your ears that cannot be explained. Then it feels like your nose has been modified and suddenly you can smell every little thing around you. If you pass through an area with a lot of grass, you will smell the grass before you even get there. You can smell rain dust from miles away and know it is just a matter of time before the rain catches up with you. It is actually way much better than IMAX 3D experience.
- You trust your instincts – A motorcycle rider notices the smallest things that happen on the road that most drivers miss. Like the road being extra slippery the first few minutes after the rain hits or that blind spot that most people ignore. Sometimes it could be a driver who is texting while driving or a vehicle that seems to be driven without a care in the world. Regardless of the situation, your instinct will play a big part while riding a motorcycle. You will very likely not want to get close to that driver who is texting and driving. In fact, motorcycle riders don’t trust other drivers on the road to act rationally. Every single time you will be on the road, you will be constantly analyzing other driver’s agenda and predict your behavior based on your instincts.
- Complete concentration- Riding a motorcycle requires 100 percent complete concentration. You cannot ride a motorcycle while thinking about your ex or what is wrong at home. That is why when you are riding a motorcycle, you forget all your problems and focus on what is on the road at that moment. Unlike a car, riding a motorcycle is mostly about your body movement especially your hands and feet. For instance, when you approach a sharp bend on a road moving at a high speed, you are supposed to slow down, lean at the right angle and maintain balance. Anything less than your complete concentration would be an accident in waiting.
- Adrenaline rush- For those who have rode their motorcycle at a speed between 70mph to 150mph, they can tell you the adrenaline rush that comes with it is out of this world. Everything past 120mph starts to blur and the wind starts to get overwhelming. Although it is dangerous, the thought that if you make a mistake traveling at very high speed you will probably end up dead is what pumps up the adrenaline. Most riders will tell you that time freezes when you’re making a curve on a motorcycle while traveling at an average speed of 200kph. That moment when the body is hanging on one side of the bike with the knee almost touching the ground before getting back up after the curve is complete. You might take that curve for 2 seconds but in your mind, it will feel like you’re moving in slow motion. There is literally no room for error. Any miscalculation on your part will lead to a devastating accident. Such maneuver is dreaded even by professional riders and if you’re an amateur and not familiar with your motorcycle’s capabilities, don’t even think about it.
- The brotherhood among riders- There is unspoken brotherhood unity and respect among motorcycle riders that most people don’t understand. It goes beyond acknowledging each other on the road but stepping up to giving a helping hand to a biker in need. You can’t say the same about car drivers who barely recognize each other.
- Convenience- Maintaining a motorcycle is way cheaper than a car. The fuel efficiency is unbelievable when you compare it to a car. It is quite easy to find a motorcycle that covers 70 miles on a gallon and that is not even the best offer. The insurance is relatively cheap just like the depreciation value of a motorcycle is low. Do you know how parking a car can take forever especially at restaurants and malls? You never have to worry about a parking headache with a motorcycle.
A motorcycle does not come with a roof or an enclosed body like a car but it is never dull riding a motorcycle. Even though driving a car is widely considered safer than a motorcycle, most people admit that riding a motorcycle is way more fun than driving a car by a large margin. So go forth and get yourself on a motorcycle!
Permit.Bike is singularly devoted to the purpose of providing an easy-to-learn and simple approach to the act of riding.