Motorcycling provides Physical and Mental Benefits

SWest wrote:

I recognize that trunk... I bought the same one for my Rebel. It's cheap plastic Chinese crap but it looks really cool and does the job well. I modified mine though... I insulated it and water proofed it better than how it came from the factory.

Anyway., to contribute to the thread... I got into riding motorcycles because I was suicidal, but too much of a wuss to off myself directly, and bought into the whole "if you ride a motorcycle, you're going to die" thinking of cagers. After I started riding, my lifetime of crippling depression went away. I managed to clean myself up, get a job, and I ended up having my stress relieved so much that I was finally able to start thinking clearly enough to fix most of the situational causes of my depression, and I'm working on fixing the rest, with clear, actionable goals and steady progress.

It's nice to see empirical data confirming what Riders have long claimed. Hopefully, even Standard Citizens (aka the non-Ridin' public) will take note of this study IF ( and that's a big IF ) it's widely circulated by MSM.


Of course, there will always be those unfortunates who are detractors. Think the medical professionals who mindlessly parrot the old "We call them 'donorcycles' " rub. Try as we might, the "donorcycle"-types are unlikely to ever understand Ridin'. After all; there must be some predilection of acceptance to begin with, an open-minded desire to understanding what Ridin' might be like even though words alone cannot come close to expressing the experience of a good Ride. Indeed, how does one communicate this in words?:




Moving up the scale, there are the SO's who are non-Riders. They profess to care about their mates but, just don't understand the fascination or the attraction. Some are even threatened by the sway these inanimate objects have over their mates:




Even the simple pleasure of owning a nice bike has benefits; sometimes it doesn't even have to be ridden. We'd like to see a similar study of owners' reactions to having their bikes viewed approvingly by others. We predict that the findings of such a study will be similar to the H-D study:




Riders will talk of the pleasure of Ridin' in words and phrases that are vague and mysterious to Standard Citizens and cagers:
"No, Beatrice. A torque curve is not a dangerous corner. Really..."
" (heavy sigh) Mortimer, I assure you that Lawrence Welk is NOT a power band."



The effects that downtime has on Riders due to winter, personal obligations or mechanical issues, to name a few, are something that Riders know all too well. Cagers are unlikely to comprehend the deleterious effect when situations conspire to keep Riders from engaging with their chosen joy:




The study also suggests there are benefits derived from the physical exercise of Ridin'. Exercise is important. And, some muscles are more important than others. To wit:




Something we all know but is not spoken of much are the challenges of Ridin' that can diminish the pleasure derived from the Ridin' experience. There are a very few that Standard Citizens can even relate to - think brain-dead texting cagers and traffic jams. Then there are the discomforts unique to Ridin', borne willingly by dedicated Riders that no cager is ever likely to fully comprehend. Riders are aware of them and will often take heroic and expensive measures to mitigate them but, at the end of the day, a long day of Ridin', say, the joy of Ridin' outweighs the discomfort:




Ridin' is a brotherhood. Or sisterhood. We wave on the road because we know. When asked what exactly it is we know, for this writer at least, it's difficult to express in words. It's something shared but yet solitary and alone. How does one express that? No one else is at the controls except the Rider.

At least now there is some evidence in the scientific community that supports what we've been saying all along; that Ridin' has measurable benefits.

Our closing salutation has always been meant as a farewell wish for the Rider, not unlike the old Mariners' phrase "Fair winds and following seas". A hope that the Rider finds joy in that perfect curve, and realizes the positive effects described in the H-D study.

As always,
Good Ridin'
slmjim & Z1BEBE

slmjim+Z1BEBE wrote:

:woohoo: :whistle:

No doubt.

daveo wrote: :woohoo: :whistle: No doubt.

WOW, a right hand shift, all stock XLH 1000. Is that a 1972? That's a rare one. It prompted a few new laws to get passed. lol I've ridden them, a lot of people got hurt on them, when hopping off a left hand shift rice burner onto a right hand shift bike. I remember the outrage. Another "there ought to be a LAW!" :woohoo:

old_kaw wrote:

daveo wrote: :woohoo: :whistle: No doubt.

WOW, a right hand shift, all stock XLH 1000. Is that a 1972? That's a rare one. It prompted a few new laws to get passed. lol I've ridden them, a lot of people got hurt on them, when hopping off a left hand shift rice burner onto a right hand shift bike. I remember the outrage. Another "there ought to be a LAW!" :woohoo:

I had a 71 Sportster . I had good times on it . AMF bike , but mine ran just fine. I new better than to race jap bikes
6 over forks and all. Then I got my Kaw 750 triple, What a change that was.
Like I said earlier, I like all bikes
Dave

XLCH. 1972-1973

It was the last year with right-shift.

Street Fighter LTD wrote:

old_kaw wrote:

daveo wrote: :woohoo: :whistle: No doubt.

I had a 71 Sportster . I had good times on it . AMF bike , but mine ran just fine. I new better than to race jap bikes
6 over forks and all. Then I got my Kaw 750 triple, What a change that was.
Like I said earlier, I like all bikes
Dave

I am not trying to turn what started as a fun type thread into some harley bashing marathon, but apparently something is going south with my comments on that cobbled up sporty POS that I got sick of pushing and fixing.
I kept my 74 for many years after I was discharged from the military and fixed the rear jug. Quite the disappointment when I save up to buy the bike of my dreams and it turns out that AMF / HD can't put in a wrist pin keeper. I also had 6" overs, and drag pipes on it as it was the rage back in the day. And ended up buying another XLH after that one went down the road. I thought the sporty daveo posted looked extra clean and a nice example of how they looked stock, except for lacking the slip on mufflers.

I also had good times on my sporty too. What I was referring to on that yellow POS was the constant repairs from previous owners doing exactly what we try to discourage people from doing to their bikes here on KzR. Someone had converted the electronic ignition to points, totally cobbled up the wiring harness, the rear brake was a constant problem, since that was assembled with combine parts or something until I fixed it all,.. like the "custom" drain plug., that ugly ass seat, etc. etc . I just got sick of doing nothing but fixing it. All of the "rigging".. I sold it. They ain't much fun when they strand you constantly. Like I said earlier, it was a victim of PO rigging.. EVERYWHERE. I like all bikes, that RUN.

I test rode the 350 triple, I can't imagine riding the 750 triple, scary freaking fast. Yeah the Z1's just flew past me, but HEY! I had a harley! lol I always wanted a Kz1000, and now I have one (had 2, but sold the CSR 1000). It's the only bike I've ever told people that is not for sale.

. 89 evo. softail. Fun bike, loud as hell.

Yamaha, Kaw, HD:

I guess I got lucky with my AMF FLH. Maybe cause I'm 2nd owner since 1981. And I built it.
She's like a gun in the safe! There when you need it!
But definitely a head clearing thing! Physically, I can't ride. Only 10-15 minutes at a time.
But that works! Especially when you twist the throttle and wind out 1st & 2nd.

z1kzonly wrote: I guess I got lucky with my AMF FLH. Maybe cause I'm 2nd owner since 1981. And I built it.
She's like a gun in the safe! There when you need it!
But definitely a head clearing thing! Physically, I can't ride. Only 10-15 minutes at a time.
But that works! Especially when you twist the throttle and wind out 1st & 2nd.

I don't think the FLH motors had the same AMF group building the engines.
I like the "gun in the safe" quote. My bike is here, if my truck breaks and I need to go for parts. I went to start my truck Tuesday, I turn the key and nothing. Starter this time. I didn't get the bike out (heat wave.. 35*F), BUT it would have fired and taken me to the store if needed.

All I had to do was totally disassemble it, clean it up and reinstall it.
A permanent magnet gear reduction starter with no field windings.


I bought a small 250 watt electric heater and have that running 24/7 in the shed. I know my bike will start if I have to go get some truck parts. That little heater is making my workshop somewhat tolerable in this frigid cold.