Motorcycle addiction is definitely a thing.

Motorcycles are highly addictive – as addictive as any drug.

But this kind of addiction won’t destroy your life.
It won’t turn you into a criminal.
It won’t even get you arrested (unless you ride very fast –  but you already know that).

Motorcycles could actually be the last healthy addiction.
Because they make your life much better, not worse.

They make you feel good on so many levels, and for so many reasons.

Of course you want more.

Motorcycle addiction is pretty easy to diagnose.

You’re probably addicted to motorcycles if you:

• Wake up and go to sleep thinking about your motorcycle
• Go riding every single chance you get, in all weathers, on the flimsiest excuse
• Talk about motorcycles so much that your friends tell you to shut up
• Bring your motorcycle in the house to spend more time together, and
• See motorcycle parts and accessories as being as essential as the weekly groceries.

So what do you think?
Could you be addicted to motorcycles?

It’s so easy to get addicted to motorcycles – because the feel-good factor always leaves you wanting more.
From the challenge of taking a good line through a tight corner, to the overwhelming sense of freedom the open road gives you, this is an addiction that actually improves your life.

Now, motorcycle addiction can creep up on you.
It happens little by little.
You went riding on Saturday, and before you know it, you’re ITCHING for your next ride.

You’re going through a sense of physical withdrawal by Wednesday.
How will you ever wait until the coming weekend to go riding?

Yep, you’re hooked alright.

 

So what’s happening here?
Why is it so easy to get addicted to motorcycles?

Well, let’s talk about it!

Why Motorcycles Are So Addictive: 10 Good Reasons

 1.  Motorcycles push fun to a new level.

Riding a motorcycle is easily the most fun thing you can do.
Roaring through the world with a warm wind on your face and the motor throbbing underneath you feels so good, it’s hard to believe.

And when you have a mountain of Life Stuff to deal with, something THIS fun is hugely appealing.

By Friday night, you might have: put in 40 hours at work this week, picked up the dry cleaning, visited your uncle in hospital, mowed the lawn, cooked a week’s worth of dinners, cleaned the toilet and washed the dog.

Life’s starting to look super boring.
You’re well overdue for some fun.

And motorcycles deliver.
In fact, they OVER deliver.

Riding a motorcycle is so much fun that it cancels out all the chores and obligations.
That’s how you end up hundreds of miles from home on a Saturday afternoon.

It’s the weekend.
You’re out on your motorcycle.
Suddenly your life is fun again.

 

2.  The Feel-Good Factor lingers.

Yes, roaring along the highway on a motorcycle is a mind-altering full body rush.
But this natural high doesn’t end when you turn off the motor.

At the end of a ride, you feel so much better than you did before.
The feeling of relaxation and exhilaration continues.

And sure, the positive effects wear off after a while.
But that grin will persist.

And you can re-live an awesome ride by looking at the photos you took while you were out, and talking over the details with fellow motorcycle addicts who share your passion.

Re-living these vivid experiences can really help when you’re stuck at work as well…

 

3.  Motorcycles offer a thrilling challenge.

Muscling a metal beast with a mind of its own around corners, and through crazy traffic takes skill.
Avoiding a homicidal car driver who’s trying to outrun you (heads up, Einstein, you won’t win this race) is a challenge.
Taking a tight corner, and pulling out of it perfectly, is really rewarding.

And triumphing over the many obstacles and dangers you find on a motorcycle road is thrilling.

It makes you feel capable and powerful.
It demonstrates you have unique, very cool skills.

This is another way that motorcycles put a smile on your face.

 

4.  Motorcycles celebrate your freedom.

It’s too easy to feel hemmed in by all the obligations of life.
We all have to make compromises every single day – at work, and at home.

You have to:

• be at work on time
• finish the deathly monthly reports
• sit through meetings without going nuts, and
• pay armfuls of bills.

There are a million rules and regulations we need to follow just to get through the week.
That’s just part of being a grown-up, right?

Riding a motorcycle is the perfect antidote to feeling obligated.
It’s the official end of the To Do List.

After you’ve been a good boy or girl all week, it’s time to cut loose.
And nothing makes you feel more free than a motorcycle.

Just you, the wind, moving through the scenery on a motorcycle that’s purring as happily as you are.
Yep, that feeling of freedom is totally addictive.

 

5.  Motorcycles can be a reflection of your identity.

Most bikers have a preferred type or brand of motorcycle.

You have your dedicated Harley riders.
Your lifetime Kawasaki fans.
And the old-school vintage-only motorcycle riders.

In our household, it’s all about Triumphs.
And that’s pretty obvious.

We have Triumph signs, Triumph posters, Triumph books, Triumph t-shirts – and a garage full of Triumph motorcycles of course.

You become so attached to your favorite kind of motorcycle, that it naturally becomes an expression of who you are.

 

6.  Motorcycles invite mechanical obsession.

The mechanical side of motorcycle riding leads directly to obsessive behaviour.
It’s inevitable and unavoidable.

For example:

• How can you get better performance out of the motor?
• Does the suspension need to be upgraded?
• Should you get heated hand grips?
• What kind of luggage is available?

Getting to know your motorcycle involves spending hours in the garage tinkering, and going over her carefully and lovingly.

It’s a specialist, technical process, and the more you focus on the mechanical details, the more obsessed with them you become.

 

7.  Motorcycles elevate your state of mind.

When you’re out on a motorcycle, something shifts in your brain.
It’s partly the adrenaline of riding fast, of course.

No, no, officer, I’m sure I wasn’t speeding…

But it’s also part of being one with the machine.

It’s to do with being a moving part of the landscape around you.

It’s the vivid smells and the bursts of warm and cold air that remind you that:
DAMN! It’s good to be alive!

Feel-good chemicals are being released in your brain as you roar along.
The world looks different.
Your problems seem smaller.
Your grin is wider.

You suddenly feel a whole lot better about every aspect of your life.
Yep, that endorphin-driven feeling of well-being is pretty addictive.

 

8.  Motorcycles are achingly beautiful.

It’s easy to appreciate the beauty of a motorcycle.
When you see an incredible bike, your heart starts beating faster.

It might be this year’s model of your favorite marque.
You can hear it clearly, from outside the bike shop, calling your name from the showroom floor.

It might be your Old Faithful bike, just hanging out, waiting patiently for you in the garage.

Or it might be an iconic vintage motorcycle, like the Vincent we saw at a car show last week.
There it was, gleaming proudly on its own amongst all the high-end cars.
And yes, all those cars were head-turning in their own right.

But that restored black Vincent motorcycle drew an instant crowd.
It totally stole the show.

It’s not surprising.
Motorcycles are works of art.

The beautiful lines, the meticulous detailing, the gorgeous gas tanks with their jewel-like badges and decals – these are metal sculptures that make you openly drool.

Being around that kind of breathtaking beauty is addictive.
You want more of it, for sure.

 

9.  Motorcycles are more than just machines.

When you own and love a motorcycle, there’s a connection established between you.
It’s not like getting in your car and going out to pick up some milk.

Your motorcycle has a personality.
Her character and behaviour are compatible with yours.
You like her style, the way she sits on the road, the way she corners, or rides in the rain.

There’s an intense relationship experience happening here.

There’s a sense of recognition.
This is a partnership, as you ride through the world together.

It’s a little like bonding with a dragon.
It’s not for the fainthearted.
And hopefully your motorcycle won’t start breathing fire.

But the intensity of this human/machine bond is surprisingly addictive.

 

10.  A motorcycle is a constant in your life.

Your motorcycle is always there for you, no matter what else is happening in your life.

You may have an argument with the wife.
Your boss may insult you.
The kids might be teenagers.
A friend might let you down.

But your motorcycle is still sitting happily in the garage, waiting for you to come see her.
She’s ready for you wheel her out of the garage and begin another adventure any time you want to.

That’s so comforting and reassuring.
And so you come to rely on having her in your life.

 

Yep, Motorcycles Are Addictive

There’s no doubt about it.
A motorcycle ride makes you feel so good that naturally you want to repeat the experience every chance you get.

But this is not a destructive kind of addiction.

Motorcycle addiction is a celebration of being alive.
It offers a reward for hard work, or an escape from a tough week.
And it reminds you that, even when things are a little rough, there’s something truly awesome going on for you.

You own a motorcycle.

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