Psychology of People Who Ride Motorcycles (Despite the Warnings)

Comments · 1.5K

• RE

  @repscluesrep5400 · 5 months ago (edited) · pinned

  Had my kids young, got married as a teen and choose the safest, most responsible path through to my 40s. Then my kids grew up, my wife had a 2 year battle with cancer (she won) and i found myself in deep reflection. Who was I? Without my kids and my family, before life became about everyone else.. who was I? In searching this new path of self discovery I started going to the gym to get in better shape...but for what? Besides general health what's the point of being so physically fit at my age? It is so much work and seemed like a waste just working an IT job then driving home. That's when a random encounter with a young motorcyclist changed my life. I said hey nice bike, "i always wanted to ride but that is so dangerous and seems uncomfertable". He said yup, brushing off my warning. I said "well be careful man it's dangerous" and he looked me dead in the eyes and said "i can't explain why if you've never rode but it's worth it". I really sat on those words for weeks. What did he me he can't explain why but he knows it's worth it? I have to figure this out, so i said i will just take a class, see for myself what this kid is talking about. Day one of the msf course i hated every minute and was going to quit. Almost didn't go back to day two. Day two when we started actually moving at 35mph around a big circle pretending to be entering and exiting a highway.. that was it... i understood. I wanted this, this was me. I since have sold my car, bought 3 bikes, and ride daily all year long. The path to finding myself I have found, was always intended to be on 2 wheels.

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• JC

  @JCF69700-- · 5 months ago

  With all other vehicles, you travel by looking at the scenery; on a motorcycle, you travel IN the scenery.

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• JO

  @johnherian781 · 5 months ago

  Best 2 times of the day, when I ride to work and when I ride home.

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• BD

  @Bdub1952 · 5 months ago (edited)

  I&apos;m 74 and have been riding since I was a teenager. When I turned 50 in 2002, I bought myself a brand-new Suzuki V-Strom 1000 as a gift to myself. I&apos;ve always considered a helmet, gloves, jacket and boots a necessity and a year after I bought the V-Strom I hit a deer on a rural highway at 65 mph. Went right over the handlebars and slid on my stomach for almost 200 feet listening to the chin bar of my helmet grinding away on the pavement. <br>I picked myself up and stretched my limbs and to my surprise nothing felt broken. My jacket, gloves and helmet sacrificed themselves. They did their jobs. I looked around for the deer and found it in the ditch. I watched it take its last breath. Walked back to the bike and assessed the damage. It was significant. Clearly the bike was totaled. <br>Did I think to myself &quot;I&apos;ve got to stop riding motorcycles, I could have been killed.&quot;?<br>No, I thought, &quot;that bike just saved my life, I&apos;m going to get another one just like it.&quot; <br>Such is the mindset of a lifelong motorcyclist. <br>Long story short, I DID buy another 2002 V-Strom, the exact same color and it currently has around 64,500 miles on it. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<br>I&apos;ll stop riding when I feel I no longer have the mental clarity and/or physical ability to ride safely. <br>At the moment I don&apos;t see it coming any time soon.<br>The full-face helmet literally saved my life. Had I not been wearing it, I never would have met my grandchildren. Please keep my experience in mind next time you&apos;re selecting a new helmet.

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• TH

  @thommothommo1520 · 5 months ago

  Feeling like you&apos;re living rather than existing is so true. I call it therapy.

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• PA

  @PaintballShyguy · 5 months ago

  Live to ride, ride to live.

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• DA

  @davidmannukraine · 5 months ago

  I will be 77 in June and still riding; it keeps me young.

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• DO

  @donniebaynard8430 · 5 months ago

  I started at 42. 47 now. I regret not doing it sooner.

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• TO

  @tommcw5149 · 5 months ago

  It&apos;s my meditation. &nbsp;The smells, the wind , the rush. &nbsp;Wonderful

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• ST

  @stevecrump9046 · 5 months ago (edited)

  I was parking my bike a few days ago and I looked at a car &nbsp;in the parking spot next to me and there was a young fella no more than 13 or 14 sitting in the back giving me the signal to give it a bit of a rev so I naturally obliged<br>I then pointed at him and motioned for him &nbsp;to get out of the car &nbsp;which he did then told him to stand next to me whilst I finished parking the bike <br>I put the sidestand down and turned it off then told him to get on much to his surprise so much so I had to tell him twice then he got on and I showed him how to &nbsp;start it I then said now give it a bit of a rev <br>The look on his face of sheer pleasure was priceless then he got off and gave me a fist bump and many thanks<br>His mum/mom in the drivers seat was thanking me profusely &nbsp;to which I said thats ok ma&apos;am I was just planting a seed 😊<br>That sort of stuff makes my day

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• PH

  @phillipnnn · 5 months ago

  People making riding motorcycles wayyy worse than it is as long as you are mature and respect the motorcycle and the environment you’ll be safe

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• DR

  @drewwilson45 · 5 months ago

  there’s nothing comparable to the feeling i get when i ride 😊 it’s the only thing that truly puts a smile on my face

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