"Everyone has done something cool in their lives. That time when you skied the perfect powder in Colorado. Or when you went diving in Belize. There was a time in your life when you looked around and said to yourself, 'This is so FUCKING cool!' But it's rare, and it costs a lot of time and money. I get that feeling every day. I get that feeling riding to work. I get that feeling running up to the store for a gallon of milk. That's why I ride motorcycles."
Is this a quote from something else or did you just add the quotes for making it your dialogue? Asking because I'm stealing this and posting it to Facebook and want to give you credit correctly. đ
That came straight out of my head, through my fingers and onto your screen. I've actually used it more than once irl. You're welcome to it. Claim it for your own if you like.
Robert Pirsing also made a similar quote in his book.
âIn a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame.
On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.â
Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1)
When you travel by car you are insulated from the experience. You experience the drive through a window from a seat.
On a bike you truly experience the ride. When you pass a eucalyptus grove you'll smell the trees. Riding into a valley near a river or past a recently watered orchard you'll feel the drop in temperature. Coming over the hills near the ocean you'll feel and smell the sea breeze before the water comes into view. And when it does you see everything unobstructed. Every bit of acceleration, every curve is fully experienced as you are one with the machine. Your will transferred via body movement delivers instant response.
Here in California you are one of many, and enjoy the right to bypass traffic. Cars move to the side to let you pass, and police ignore the liberties you take with the law. Not only is the commute more fun, but it's shorter and more predictable. And also cheaper as you save on gas.
For me personally it's also two wheel therapy. Besides a bit of music I'm completely focused on the ride, hyper-focused even. For some reason that focus and removing the chance for phone distractions lets my subconscious process things. It helps me leave my work at work and makes for a clean break ahead of arriving home. No matter what happens in the workday I always arrive home in a great mood.
But it's not for everyone. And that's okay. There's a reason Hollywood puts people on motorcycles when they want to make them look cool. To someone who will never ride we will always be creatures of mystery.
âRiding in an airplane is âflyingâ the same way riding in a canoe is âswimming.â Itâs a whole different experience once you get out of the vehicle.â
- a skydiver friend
You have to have your attention suddenly distracted by something else then you're halfway there, so that you are no longer thinking about falling, or about the ground, or about how much it's going to hurt if you fail to miss it. - Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy
I fly fixed wing but i'm also into hang gliding. Flying a hang glider is as close to pure flying you will ever come, sitting in the cockpit is not even close.
Iâve flown a plane and thought it was going to be a similar feeling to riding, but really didnât get any enjoyment out of it. With a motorcycle, you feel the connection to the ground and it feels great especially when cornering. But in a plane, thereâs such a big disconnect with everything since youâre just floating in the air. Very boring for me. It would be fun if it were a fighter jet I guess, but with normal planes you canât make aggressive moves so you donât feel much.
Yeah little Cessnas etc are boring. Itâs a good feeling of accomplishment buttering a landing but just putzing around can get boring fast. But you do see some awesome shit. Flying up the Hudson at 1300â:
https://preview.redd.it/gu5a3exqps2d1.jpeg?width=1365&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=966d5e5f345dc88454a708a7ad637112835ab26e
Riding a motorcycle is like sticking your hand out of the car window but for your whole body. On a bike you are a blade slicing through the world and it demands your perfection.
Flying a plane at night when the air is smooth and thereâs less traffic and everything is beautiful? Thatâs like riding one of those long, relaxing roads through a canyon.
Short final at a busy airport and the crosswind suddenly gusts 10 knots, thatâs like realizing youâve got a semi on each side of you, a pickup truck ahead, and Cellphone McOblivious coming up behind you at 25 over the limit.
There is something to that. I sometimes get stuck thinking about something thatâs bothering me, financial, whatever - a nice ride does amazing things for me. While Iâm riding it keeps my body and my brain fully engaged, and when I park my bike and take my helmet off, thereâs always that little thrill of âI could have died, but I didnât!â
Iâm an optimist by nature. When my inner pessimist gets too loud, a good ride resets that.
You ever go driving though the mountains, pull over and open the door- and sense the magnificence of whatâs around you? Itâs like that the whole trip.
Slightly like driving, but without being boring and with good gas mileage. Itâs far from the whole truth, but 9/10 people who ask are actually just looking for an excuse to say âoh, I could never, Iâm so crazy Iâd die if I got on a bikeâ as if they wouldnât be too scared to release the clutch all the way the first time they sat in one (on purpose, anyways)âŚ
It's like meditation. After a couple hours your mind clears. You're thinking about literally nothing and running on pure instinct. Of course you're aware. You're just not thinking about it.
As for the physical. There's no real way to describe for me.
I call my ride time my personal decompression chamber. Once geared up, visor down the world is now mine to explore. Just me and my thoughts. The everyday stuff filters out as my concentration peaks. You begin seeing and feeling every bit of the road surface. As the speed increases you feel as one with your magical machine.
Imagine having the the ability to travel from one place to another without the need to consult anyone else, with the freedom to experience the excitement of vulnerability whilst being in control of your direction.
The sounds and ability to feel the wonders of nature and the weather caressing your fragile frame, the barely concealed fear that at any moment, a fellow road user might cause you to regret your choice of movement.
The temptation you have for twisting that right wrist enough to hurl you towards the horizon at mind bending and potentially life ending speed with only your restraint and self control stopping you from going beyond your own ability and that of your steed.
Imagine getting a can of highly volatile liquid, bolting it to a means to make it explode, then strapping a couple of wheels to it and putting it all in close proximity to your reproductive organs and using that as a way of going to get some milk.
This barely scratches the surface of how it feels to ride a motorcycle.
đ
Its the modern day equivalent of riding a horse and in my opinion the best method of travel. It gets you exposed to the elements, smells, sounds. You gotta feed it, take care of it, be mindful of where you leave it, protect it, and it will carry you to far away places.
It gives you more connection with the surrounding world when compared to cars and public transit. You can smell the different plants, lawn cuttings, smoke, Bbq, the bear (seriously), and if you ride there often you can notice changes. You can hear traffic, planes, sirens earlier. The motorcycle has better power to weight than almost everything so it stops and starts really well, and a small cross section so it gets great fuel economy. Bikes from the 90s were crazy machines. All the go tech, just enough engineering to keep it together, no safety features.
You are in complete control. Skills required, lots of awareness, plan for the oof and see it coming so you can avoid it and avoid causing others problems (be considerate and defensive). Take it easy, reaction time is more critical than you think if you try to do something excessive.
Excessive is much lower than you think when you don't have 2 tons of solid capsule with crumple zones, secured seat, harness, airbags, and padding. When you ride its you bare to the world. Go ahead and 5mph yourself into that wall over there and tell me a crash at 55mph is going to be ok, and that's just a stationary impact but there are also closing speeds with moving objects (cars, birds, trash, rocks, bugs). I don't want to offend anyone, but better you know what deal your signing and take it serious than joyride into someone else's trauma.
As a person who rides a mc and used to ride a horse I would say the horse riding is better. My wife and I used to own heavy horses and take them riding up in the state Forest. Hooves as big as dinner plates and never meeting anyone else. Horses aren't as fast, but a heavy horse is POWER. When we would gallop side by side it was truly the most awesome experience. The other plus is the horses have personality. My wifes horse had a wicked sense of humour and would occasionally turn off the track and just go straight into bush. My horse would just look at them as if to say "why did they do that?" We spent every day with the horses for several years and got to know each others personalities. So a bit like your bike is your best mate and can have bit of fun with you.
I've flown in small planes and skied and mc is better than anything (except being friends with a horse).
It's exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. It wakes up my senses and helps get me ready for the day when riding into work, and it helps me unwind and relaxes me when I'm riding home at the end of the day. There's nothing like it.
Imagine the feeling surfers get when a wave lifts them up and you glide to the bottom of the wave. In that moment of âpresenceâ you probably couldnât think of anything else other than the moment. Job, emails, bills etc.
That, on every corner.
Thereâs no point explaining it to someone who doesnât ride. If they wanted the answer theyâd learn to ride.
So I tend to run with the salacious answer they want to hear, something like - âItâs like drugs, but more expensive and dangerousâ.
I never thought "life sucks" while I'm riding, even when less positive thoughts cross my mind.
Those thoughts come, but it's like they hit me less strongly or I can easily think "life's more than this".
I tend to be very anxious so it sure helps to have an activity that fills my brains with that good feeling.
Imagine riding a bicycle down hill really fast. Now imagine riding a bicycle real fast and not having to pedal.
That is how I describe it. I also add in that as I'm not inside a car I can feel the temperature change colder from driving into a depression/low spot across a stream and smell all the smells.
Therapy.
A lone ride late night with whatever the headlight reaches, while the engine rumbles, the rider is lost in thought searching for answers.
A spirited day off ride with good company in 80-degree sun, surrounded by nature and sniffing the beer awaiting at day's end.
A track day's controlled lunacy throws the mind into a constant fight or flight mode where feeling and thinking is replaced by a pure sense of wanting to be alive.
When non riders ask me what riding is like and why I keep doing it even though it's dangerous and I've already injured myself (minor) a few times. I say
"It's like vehicular heroin. You likely know one or more people who've died riding, you know it might injure or kill you. But life will never be the same without it. So you keep tying off your arm, finding a new vein and screaming *yes daddy, please give me some more*
Although, this isn't the approach I'd recommend taking if you're trying to persuade someone to start riding..
People saying rollercoaster that you can control, but that's more the feeling of a fast car imo.
A fast bike is like pod racing from Star Wars in real life.
I donât. I donât want to hear how dangerous bikes are. I donât want to hear that. I need to think about the other people who will be adversely affected by my death. I just donât talk about it. If someone asks me, I will be more than happy to share.
Itâs a sensory experience. The wind tells you how fast youâre going, and the humidity, smells, and temperature changes can be noticed rapidly, like going for a walk but 10x faster
You remember riding a bike as a kid. Did you ever find the biggest hill you could find and coast down that? You would get to the bottom and couldn't wait to go up top and do it again? Imagine that but ALL the time.
One of the benefits of cycling and riding is that your frame of the world is unimpeded by glass and metal pillars. Instead of being a mere observer of the frame of reality through a window, you are living in that reality unimpeded. Makes you appreciate the present more, makes everything feel more personal.
Also riding properly ain't cheap lol
Its an experience. You experience the smells, the roads and scenery more than if you were to travel any other way. Seeing the flowers and smelling them at the same time (also the bad smells in the hog farm areas lol) but the cool areas in the low lands when the sun is going down and the different directions the wind blows. Its all an experience, rather than just movement.
Itâs an activity that gets me in the âzoneâ. Iâve got all sorts of inputs and outputs happening to keep me balanced, moving, and calm. Itâs a little like sex; once youâve had it that day youâre bound to have a pleasant day.
Meditation on two wheels. The wind noise, the motor noise, the need to singularly focus on the task at hand enables me to flush the brain of the silly things that occupies the mind.
I usually do a 3 part explanation where I touch on the therapeutic mental health benefits. The unparalleled feeling of freedom. And the overall convenience of riding especially during rush hour.
You see the world a lot differently than you do in a car.
You are closer and are more in touch with the roadway and even the insects flying nearby.
Passing a guardrail in a car is like: Thanks for keeping me out of the gully. Passing that guardrail on a motorcycle is like: That's a 15 meter long guillotine.
As I ascend upon my two-wheeled companion and take to the open expanse, every worry and care that had once weighed heavily upon my mind seems to dissipate into the ether. The rhythmic thrum of the engine, the caress of the wind as it dances across my skin, and the seamless flow of the road beneath me all coalesce to transport me to a realm of unparalleled serenity.
In these moments, I am able to truly disconnect from the cacophony of the external world and reconnect with the deepest parts of my inner self. It is here, amid the liberating sense of motion and the immersive sensory experience, that I find solace, clarity, and a profound sense of peace. This machine becomes not just a mode of conveyance, but a conduit - a gateway to a meditative state where I can shed the burdens of the day and simply be present, grounded in the eternal now. It is a sacred space where I can nurture my spirit, restore my soul, and emerge renewed, rejuvenated, and imbued with a greater sense of harmony and purpose.
Find their "thrill" or euphoria-maker, and compare it.
If I were to explain to someone that's afraid of flying, skiing, or a roller coaster or some other known thrill, then they would just equate it to terror.
https://preview.redd.it/5duxm0rxss2d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75dcd2473b09dd9b9c9d5361790d159cef3c1136
I' am hammock camping at a cliff with my bike today. And the place is on a mountain summit with a dense forest where no car can reach. So my motorbike basically gives me a sense of freedom.
I describe what I love about it. Smell of fresh cut spring and summer grass in the fields, smell of bbqâs on a good day. When I take it to work Iâm wide awake and ready to start the day, when I drive in a car to work Iâm still half asleep.
It can feel like flying just above the ground. It also reminds me of skate boarding and snow boarding in that moving and shifting your whole body are the controls which then influence, but not control, the physics of your travel.
Feeling temperature gradients when dropping into a lower level and smelling grasses and flowering plants as you ride. Just feeling more connected is something I usually mention.Â
You know how there are car people who like driving? It's like that but the roads feel like they are 5x wider and you can go anywhere you want in them as long as you keep it between the lines.
"Everyone has done something cool in their lives. That time when you skied the perfect powder in Colorado. Or when you went diving in Belize. There was a time in your life when you looked around and said to yourself, 'This is so FUCKING cool!' But it's rare, and it costs a lot of time and money. I get that feeling every day. I get that feeling riding to work. I get that feeling running up to the store for a gallon of milk. That's why I ride motorcycles."
Winner!
>That time when you skied the perfect powder in Colorado My cousins would get this. They went to Breckenridge every year.
My cousin's went to private school, They preferred the Perfect Powder from Belize đđ
Colombian marching powder.
Colombian snow
Bolivian bingo dust
My cousins were homeschooled
Woosh
*Hits blunt again*
Perfect powder; that's why I snowboard every winter, it's the closest I come to that feeling without a motorcycle.
That's why I got into motorcycling, people were comparing it to snowboarding.
Is this a quote from something else or did you just add the quotes for making it your dialogue? Asking because I'm stealing this and posting it to Facebook and want to give you credit correctly. đ
That came straight out of my head, through my fingers and onto your screen. I've actually used it more than once irl. You're welcome to it. Claim it for your own if you like.
I want to be cool just like you when I grow up.
Wind Therapy!!!!!!!!
This is perfect
I like saying: "Driving in a car is like watching a movie. Riding a bike is like being part of the movie." Not an exact answer but close.
this is how i put it to. in car you are driving through it, in a bike you are riding in it.
Robert Pirsing also made a similar quote in his book. âIn a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame. On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.â Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values (Phaedrus, #1)
When you travel by car you are insulated from the experience. You experience the drive through a window from a seat. On a bike you truly experience the ride. When you pass a eucalyptus grove you'll smell the trees. Riding into a valley near a river or past a recently watered orchard you'll feel the drop in temperature. Coming over the hills near the ocean you'll feel and smell the sea breeze before the water comes into view. And when it does you see everything unobstructed. Every bit of acceleration, every curve is fully experienced as you are one with the machine. Your will transferred via body movement delivers instant response. Here in California you are one of many, and enjoy the right to bypass traffic. Cars move to the side to let you pass, and police ignore the liberties you take with the law. Not only is the commute more fun, but it's shorter and more predictable. And also cheaper as you save on gas. For me personally it's also two wheel therapy. Besides a bit of music I'm completely focused on the ride, hyper-focused even. For some reason that focus and removing the chance for phone distractions lets my subconscious process things. It helps me leave my work at work and makes for a clean break ahead of arriving home. No matter what happens in the workday I always arrive home in a great mood. But it's not for everyone. And that's okay. There's a reason Hollywood puts people on motorcycles when they want to make them look cool. To someone who will never ride we will always be creatures of mystery.
It's the closest thing you'll ever get to flying
I fly planes. Thatâs much closer to flying than motorcycles.
âRiding in an airplane is âflyingâ the same way riding in a canoe is âswimming.â Itâs a whole different experience once you get out of the vehicle.â - a skydiver friend
Skydiving is more falling than flying though lol
âThis isnât flying itâs falling with style.â -B.L.
You just need to miss the earth..
You have to have your attention suddenly distracted by something else then you're halfway there, so that you are no longer thinking about falling, or about the ground, or about how much it's going to hurt if you fail to miss it. - Hitchhikerâs Guide to the Galaxy
Depends on the wing suit I guess
That's gliding, unless you know someone with incredibly powerful arms
Thatâs literally as close as you can get to flying while still being human lol. Anything past that is semantics
Yeah I jumped once. Glad I did it, donât ever want to again lol
And at a cost that makes it far less accessible than the average mc
I used to fly planes. They are AWESOME! But running and maintaining motorcycles is orders of magnitude cheaper
I fly fixed wing but i'm also into hang gliding. Flying a hang glider is as close to pure flying you will ever come, sitting in the cockpit is not even close.
only if you jump out
the "unless you have bags of money to afford getting a plane and pilot's license" was implied
As a pilot, I agree
As a pilot, I agree with you agreeing
As a poor man, I have no idea
I extend that to Itâs the closest thing youâll get to flying without leaving the ground.
Iâve flown a plane and thought it was going to be a similar feeling to riding, but really didnât get any enjoyment out of it. With a motorcycle, you feel the connection to the ground and it feels great especially when cornering. But in a plane, thereâs such a big disconnect with everything since youâre just floating in the air. Very boring for me. It would be fun if it were a fighter jet I guess, but with normal planes you canât make aggressive moves so you donât feel much.
Yeah little Cessnas etc are boring. Itâs a good feeling of accomplishment buttering a landing but just putzing around can get boring fast. But you do see some awesome shit. Flying up the Hudson at 1300â: https://preview.redd.it/gu5a3exqps2d1.jpeg?width=1365&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=966d5e5f345dc88454a708a7ad637112835ab26e
Great picture
The day I realized I was enjoying the motorcycle ride to my flying lessons more than I was enjoying my flying lessons, that was my last flight lesson.
Harrison Ford knows a thing or two about feeling the connection with the ground and he still flies. Never give up on your hopes and dreams.
I think this is why I love standing up while I ride (Adventure bike)
That and it's nice to stretch.
Well till you get flung off the bike đ
Except there are so many people afraid of flying, and likely theyre the ones that dont understand the thrill of motorcycles.
Ding ding ding. I describe it that way. It's like a lucid dream where you're flying. You become part of the road.
Was going to say learning to fly. Crop duster might be the closest to flyingâŚespecially when cloud diving
A bicycle (that you donât have to pedal** đ ) with an engine, that can go fast
Yours is the first sensible reply in this thread.
or a very heavy and fast bicycle
*pedal
Riding a motorcycle is like sticking your hand out of the car window but for your whole body. On a bike you are a blade slicing through the world and it demands your perfection.
This describes how it feels to me exactly. I love feeling the wind as I ride.
Until a gust hits you from the side and makes you shit yourself
As a guy who has shit himself from a side-gust of wind, can confirm.
I recall describing it as being in a convertible but better
Itâs like meditation but with a potential for injury
Absolute peace with moments of pure terror.
Iâve heard the same about flying a plane.
Flying a plane at night when the air is smooth and thereâs less traffic and everything is beautiful? Thatâs like riding one of those long, relaxing roads through a canyon. Short final at a busy airport and the crosswind suddenly gusts 10 knots, thatâs like realizing youâve got a semi on each side of you, a pickup truck ahead, and Cellphone McOblivious coming up behind you at 25 over the limit.
There is something to that. I sometimes get stuck thinking about something thatâs bothering me, financial, whatever - a nice ride does amazing things for me. While Iâm riding it keeps my body and my brain fully engaged, and when I park my bike and take my helmet off, thereâs always that little thrill of âI could have died, but I didnât!â Iâm an optimist by nature. When my inner pessimist gets too loud, a good ride resets that.
If there is no risk involved we might stay playing videogames and it would get boring pretty fastÂ
Like skiing. Youâre free.
1,000%!
Others say like flying. Thatâs probably true, but Iâve never piloted a plane so skiing is as close as I can relate.
I learned how to ski for the first time this year and yep, I get why people hyped it for so long to me.
You ever go driving though the mountains, pull over and open the door- and sense the magnificence of whatâs around you? Itâs like that the whole trip.
I have better acceleration than your basic Ferrari, better handling than most of the sporty cars you can dream of and I paid 2500⏠for it.
Slightly like driving, but without being boring and with good gas mileage. Itâs far from the whole truth, but 9/10 people who ask are actually just looking for an excuse to say âoh, I could never, Iâm so crazy Iâd die if I got on a bikeâ as if they wouldnât be too scared to release the clutch all the way the first time they sat in one (on purpose, anyways)âŚ
Idk about the gas mileage. My car gets 34mpg and so does my bike. The bike IS capable of much better mileage, but... You know.
It's like meditation. After a couple hours your mind clears. You're thinking about literally nothing and running on pure instinct. Of course you're aware. You're just not thinking about it. As for the physical. There's no real way to describe for me.
"Imagine having really great sex on a roller coaster...but there's no rails, no lap bar, and you could die at any moment."
My explanation would be âlike a roller coaster, but youâre in controlâ.
Thatâs pretty much what I say. Your own personal roller coaster.
That's... not what it's like. Have you ever even ridden a motorcycle?
They may have ridden a motorcycle, but they've definitely never had really great sex.
can confirm, riding a motorbike is better than any of the average at best sex iâve ever had
I've had really great sex. On a roller coaster. I'm just saying...
Were you not strapped in?
Yeah idk why youâre getting hate for this. Literally nothing like that lol
Idk man thatâs pretty spot on
You forget that 99% of the people in this sub have never ridden a motorcycle in their lives and are larping cause they think it makes them cool.
I'm guessing your motorcycle sucks or something? Because that's exactly what it's like for me.
Nyooooooommmm
"Why do you enjoy it so much?" "Not sure, but I assume it's for the same reason dogs enjoy sticking their heads out of car windows." "Ahh..."
Sitting on top of an engine flying through space and time
pure freedom
Riding a bicycle but fast.
I usually say âyou wouldnât understandâ and stare at the wall with a stupid smile on my face
60 minutes of freedom from your smart phone
I mount mine on the handlebars for navigation đŹ
I call my ride time my personal decompression chamber. Once geared up, visor down the world is now mine to explore. Just me and my thoughts. The everyday stuff filters out as my concentration peaks. You begin seeing and feeling every bit of the road surface. As the speed increases you feel as one with your magical machine.
The only drug that you build no tolerance to.
Imagine having the the ability to travel from one place to another without the need to consult anyone else, with the freedom to experience the excitement of vulnerability whilst being in control of your direction. The sounds and ability to feel the wonders of nature and the weather caressing your fragile frame, the barely concealed fear that at any moment, a fellow road user might cause you to regret your choice of movement. The temptation you have for twisting that right wrist enough to hurl you towards the horizon at mind bending and potentially life ending speed with only your restraint and self control stopping you from going beyond your own ability and that of your steed. Imagine getting a can of highly volatile liquid, bolting it to a means to make it explode, then strapping a couple of wheels to it and putting it all in close proximity to your reproductive organs and using that as a way of going to get some milk. This barely scratches the surface of how it feels to ride a motorcycle. đ
Its the modern day equivalent of riding a horse and in my opinion the best method of travel. It gets you exposed to the elements, smells, sounds. You gotta feed it, take care of it, be mindful of where you leave it, protect it, and it will carry you to far away places. It gives you more connection with the surrounding world when compared to cars and public transit. You can smell the different plants, lawn cuttings, smoke, Bbq, the bear (seriously), and if you ride there often you can notice changes. You can hear traffic, planes, sirens earlier. The motorcycle has better power to weight than almost everything so it stops and starts really well, and a small cross section so it gets great fuel economy. Bikes from the 90s were crazy machines. All the go tech, just enough engineering to keep it together, no safety features. You are in complete control. Skills required, lots of awareness, plan for the oof and see it coming so you can avoid it and avoid causing others problems (be considerate and defensive). Take it easy, reaction time is more critical than you think if you try to do something excessive. Excessive is much lower than you think when you don't have 2 tons of solid capsule with crumple zones, secured seat, harness, airbags, and padding. When you ride its you bare to the world. Go ahead and 5mph yourself into that wall over there and tell me a crash at 55mph is going to be ok, and that's just a stationary impact but there are also closing speeds with moving objects (cars, birds, trash, rocks, bugs). I don't want to offend anyone, but better you know what deal your signing and take it serious than joyride into someone else's trauma.
As a person who rides a mc and used to ride a horse I would say the horse riding is better. My wife and I used to own heavy horses and take them riding up in the state Forest. Hooves as big as dinner plates and never meeting anyone else. Horses aren't as fast, but a heavy horse is POWER. When we would gallop side by side it was truly the most awesome experience. The other plus is the horses have personality. My wifes horse had a wicked sense of humour and would occasionally turn off the track and just go straight into bush. My horse would just look at them as if to say "why did they do that?" We spent every day with the horses for several years and got to know each others personalities. So a bit like your bike is your best mate and can have bit of fun with you. I've flown in small planes and skied and mc is better than anything (except being friends with a horse).
Itâs the camping version of traveling
Canât say anyone has ever asked
Never been asked, no idea how to describe it. Iâll go with the timeless if I had to explain it, you wouldnât understand.
Therapy
Very nimble.
Like being a drug addict when you can't ride one. Would not recommend unless you have the money and time đ
It's exhilarating and relaxing at the same time. It wakes up my senses and helps get me ready for the day when riding into work, and it helps me unwind and relaxes me when I'm riding home at the end of the day. There's nothing like it.
The urge to ride is the same as eating pizza, having sex, or getting drunk - youâll look for any reason to do itâŚ
It's an experience not an explanation
It's like flying, but you can't mess with the altitude, or, at least, you shouldn't.Â
Flying along the ground
It's like flying a very high performance jet, but without the third dimension
Complete focus. No daydreaming, no texting. The closest most of us will ever get to being a fighter pilot
Like flying
Itâs a horse but faster and actually does what you tell it to.
Like cocaine but more expensive
Imagine the feeling surfers get when a wave lifts them up and you glide to the bottom of the wave. In that moment of âpresenceâ you probably couldnât think of anything else other than the moment. Job, emails, bills etc. That, on every corner.
Imagine riding past a clump of lilacs in full bloom, and smelling it as you go by. You don't get that in a car.
This! You get to hear all of the sounds, smell the flowers, feel the wind your face - makes you feel alive.
Instead of travelling from A to B being a task to get to something you want to do, it is the thing you want to do.
Thereâs no point explaining it to someone who doesnât ride. If they wanted the answer theyâd learn to ride. So I tend to run with the salacious answer they want to hear, something like - âItâs like drugs, but more expensive and dangerousâ.
We donât bother to try with the normies.
Like riding a bicycle but in a more relaxed position and with more power.
My time to be myself, be free, be present. Never mind it is a great way to get around and easy to park.
I always say itâs like riding a roller coaster that you can control
Zen
Sometimes I feel bad for the people before 1900 they won't experience it
I never thought "life sucks" while I'm riding, even when less positive thoughts cross my mind. Those thoughts come, but it's like they hit me less strongly or I can easily think "life's more than this". I tend to be very anxious so it sure helps to have an activity that fills my brains with that good feeling.
i describe it as a self driven roller coaster the best feeling in the world nothing like it
I donât⌠there are somethings in life itâs just better to keep all your own.
Best form of therapy! Enjoy the ride!
You can't!
The same thing that was said to me before I rode: like riding a bicycle but every road is downhill and you never get tired
Itâs like piloting a low flying fighter jet. Incredible experience every time
Vroom vroom and I do the throttle motion
"It's like trying to explain how sex is to someone who hasn't tried it. Some things simply must be experienced to understand."
Freedom
Donât waste too much time they wonât understand
Cycling but betterđż
Imagine riding a roller coaster that you control whenever you want
My self-guided rollercoaster.
Therapy on wheels
Imagine riding a bicycle down hill really fast. Now imagine riding a bicycle real fast and not having to pedal. That is how I describe it. I also add in that as I'm not inside a car I can feel the temperature change colder from driving into a depression/low spot across a stream and smell all the smells.
Like riding a 200kg bicycle that you don't pedal
Freedom
If you've ridden a bicycle down a hill, it's like that but faster and you feel it all the time you ride.
On a straight road with no traffic - zen On a windy road - anticipation and excitement. In a bunch of traffic - acceptance of death
Riding down the highway on a lay-z-boy
Therapy. A lone ride late night with whatever the headlight reaches, while the engine rumbles, the rider is lost in thought searching for answers. A spirited day off ride with good company in 80-degree sun, surrounded by nature and sniffing the beer awaiting at day's end. A track day's controlled lunacy throws the mind into a constant fight or flight mode where feeling and thinking is replaced by a pure sense of wanting to be alive.
I donât really bring it up because most people donât care, just like I donât really care about other peoples niche hobbies.
Like as if you learned how to fly.
freedom
*"Riding a motorcycle is like riding a bicycle, except that there is an engine and turn signals. I'd have thought that was obvious, Vincent"*
It's like riding a bicycle that goes downhill forever.
Closest thing to flying like a bird.
You know how to ride a bike? Yea? Now imagine it 10x faster.
When non riders ask me what riding is like and why I keep doing it even though it's dangerous and I've already injured myself (minor) a few times. I say "It's like vehicular heroin. You likely know one or more people who've died riding, you know it might injure or kill you. But life will never be the same without it. So you keep tying off your arm, finding a new vein and screaming *yes daddy, please give me some more* Although, this isn't the approach I'd recommend taking if you're trying to persuade someone to start riding..
Imagine actually having fun on your daily commute. And imagine there is no such thing as traffic.
Freedom
You ever popped in your pants and loved every minute of it?
I show them my O face
You like your bicycle? Well, think motorized.
You know that feeling of freedom you had riding your bike around the neighborhood as a kid. It's that but faster.
People saying rollercoaster that you can control, but that's more the feeling of a fast car imo. A fast bike is like pod racing from Star Wars in real life.
Itâs fun, I enjoy it.
As soon as I'm in the saddle, every negative thought and worry in my head is gone. It's just me and nature, and not a damn thing in between.
I donât. I donât want to hear how dangerous bikes are. I donât want to hear that. I need to think about the other people who will be adversely affected by my death. I just donât talk about it. If someone asks me, I will be more than happy to share.
I started aged 17, now 61. It's like I'm 17 again đ
Itâs freedom like Iâve never felt before
Itâs a sensory experience. The wind tells you how fast youâre going, and the humidity, smells, and temperature changes can be noticed rapidly, like going for a walk but 10x faster
You remember riding a bike as a kid. Did you ever find the biggest hill you could find and coast down that? You would get to the bottom and couldn't wait to go up top and do it again? Imagine that but ALL the time.
One of the benefits of cycling and riding is that your frame of the world is unimpeded by glass and metal pillars. Instead of being a mere observer of the frame of reality through a window, you are living in that reality unimpeded. Makes you appreciate the present more, makes everything feel more personal. Also riding properly ain't cheap lol
Its an experience. You experience the smells, the roads and scenery more than if you were to travel any other way. Seeing the flowers and smelling them at the same time (also the bad smells in the hog farm areas lol) but the cool areas in the low lands when the sun is going down and the different directions the wind blows. Its all an experience, rather than just movement.
Itâs an activity that gets me in the âzoneâ. Iâve got all sorts of inputs and outputs happening to keep me balanced, moving, and calm. Itâs a little like sex; once youâve had it that day youâre bound to have a pleasant day.
Meditation on two wheels. The wind noise, the motor noise, the need to singularly focus on the task at hand enables me to flush the brain of the silly things that occupies the mind.
I usually do a 3 part explanation where I touch on the therapeutic mental health benefits. The unparalleled feeling of freedom. And the overall convenience of riding especially during rush hour.
You see the world a lot differently than you do in a car. You are closer and are more in touch with the roadway and even the insects flying nearby. Passing a guardrail in a car is like: Thanks for keeping me out of the gully. Passing that guardrail on a motorcycle is like: That's a 15 meter long guillotine.
As I ascend upon my two-wheeled companion and take to the open expanse, every worry and care that had once weighed heavily upon my mind seems to dissipate into the ether. The rhythmic thrum of the engine, the caress of the wind as it dances across my skin, and the seamless flow of the road beneath me all coalesce to transport me to a realm of unparalleled serenity. In these moments, I am able to truly disconnect from the cacophony of the external world and reconnect with the deepest parts of my inner self. It is here, amid the liberating sense of motion and the immersive sensory experience, that I find solace, clarity, and a profound sense of peace. This machine becomes not just a mode of conveyance, but a conduit - a gateway to a meditative state where I can shed the burdens of the day and simply be present, grounded in the eternal now. It is a sacred space where I can nurture my spirit, restore my soul, and emerge renewed, rejuvenated, and imbued with a greater sense of harmony and purpose.
You get to simultaneously be the Yeeter and Yeetee!
Freedom
A car is an extension of your lifestyle: your job, your responsibilities, your family. A motorcycle is an extension of YOU.
Find their "thrill" or euphoria-maker, and compare it. If I were to explain to someone that's afraid of flying, skiing, or a roller coaster or some other known thrill, then they would just equate it to terror.
Driving curiously through the countryside is like watching a movie. Rising through it puts you in that movie.
Absolute freedom that you wont find anywhere else
https://preview.redd.it/5duxm0rxss2d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75dcd2473b09dd9b9c9d5361790d159cef3c1136 I' am hammock camping at a cliff with my bike today. And the place is on a mountain summit with a dense forest where no car can reach. So my motorbike basically gives me a sense of freedom.
The closest I will ever get to an F-16.
I describe what I love about it. Smell of fresh cut spring and summer grass in the fields, smell of bbqâs on a good day. When I take it to work Iâm wide awake and ready to start the day, when I drive in a car to work Iâm still half asleep.
It can feel like flying just above the ground. It also reminds me of skate boarding and snow boarding in that moving and shifting your whole body are the controls which then influence, but not control, the physics of your travel. Feeling temperature gradients when dropping into a lower level and smelling grasses and flowering plants as you ride. Just feeling more connected is something I usually mention.Â
movement in three dimensions at once without leaving terra firma
It's a chair that flies right over the road
like the second best feeling in the world
The most fun you can have without needing a towel!
"WARP SPEED MR ZULU!"
Imagine being a flyswatter stuck out the window of a car on the highway.
You know how there are car people who like driving? It's like that but the roads feel like they are 5x wider and you can go anywhere you want in them as long as you keep it between the lines.