Hey folks! This video is for entertainment purposes only. Let us know in the comments section below why you think riding a motorcycle is so therapeutic! Join us on Patreon to unlock more features including Google maps showing where every route is located in the state, GPX files for each route, exclusive routes for each state as well as Alaska, Hawaii and Canada and exclusive videos! www.patreon.com/greatmotorcycleroads
On your opening lin yep, yep, and yes ser, but when I hop on my motorcycle and the wind hits my face all the problems in the world just blow away. Great video
I personally think, that riding is switching mind, totally focuses mind on riding. This brings relief. But it is just relief. More like smoking, surfing or talking to a friend, and it is not therapeutic. Because it does not solve problem, it does not help to find new adaptive mechanism or behaviour, it does not develop wider awareness. Relief is not bad, relief is good, but it is not therapy.
i ride a Yamaha. same bike for 15 years to work to ride everything. it remains the greatest purchase of anything I have made. should I say investment. 120k km and still that Yamaha won't die
Started to ride at the age of 49 with my hubby and it was the best thing I’ve ever done, to help me deal with the empty nest syndrome 😉 This year, at 56 years old, we went on a 32 days road trip, thru 17 states, visited 7 National Parks, 4 National monument, and rode over 8,000 miles on that trip alone. Can’t wait to do it again next year! 😊 I am addicted, and I’m proud of it. Ride for life ✊
@@fallinginthed33pif the city is safe enough to do that. Sadly some places arent like that, so the best compromise is riding at night at less traffic hours but not totally empty 😅
@@fallinginthed33p The most serene I've ever felt was being on the skyway 10-11pm. No other cars, decent stretch of skyway, and a '99 Twin Cam thundering all the way.
Been riding about the same amount of time (if you don't count my minibike & dirt bike days), and I've been riding Solo for most of that time. Now and then, me and some friends take a ride somewhere, like "The Best of the Snake" on Hwy 421 from Midway TN, to Shady Valley TN, and then into Damascus VA for lunch! What a ride! 🥰
When my wife of 28 years told me to get the eff out for the 453rd time in 2 years I went for a ride, which became 34 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 22,000 miles of fun. Started my second life!
Last year I started (again) riding a bike at the age of 60. I had a brake of 25 years (Kids, work…). While living in a busy city in the center of Germany, I enjoy going for a just 2 hours ride after work into the countryside with its villages and farms, forests, fields and curvy roads. Coming home feels always like coming back from a different world. Always (!) while stopping somewhere, I meet people I don’t know and we start talking. My favorite destination is a hill about 35 minutes away, sitting on a bench and looking to the sunset. By the way: I also chose a yellow helmet. Firstly for safety reasons, secondly because it fits to my yellow BMW K1200s. Hans from Germany.
I have found in my 79 years of life that two wheeled travel is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. It clears the cobwebs and re-interrogates the soul. Having ridden since high school and gone through about 22 bikes including all the dirt bikes for myself and my two sons I can't imagine life without them. Motorized bicycles were invented before cars.
After 20 years of riding, I stopped after an accident some 6 years ago. This video pushed my buttons to reconsider riding again, farther than ever before....
I’m smiling as i walk up to the bike. Been riding for 53 yrs. Just bought a triumph Rocket 3 GT. Too much bike? No such thing. Smiles/ gal is unmatched.
What an awesome choice. The Rocket 3 is like something a kid would draw up and I mean that as a compliment. Just a brilliantly ludicrous motorcycle. Absolutely love those things.
“Take care of your bike, cuz it takes care of you.” Riding my bike fixes any and all stress in my life…. It’s amazing. I bought my first bike two weeks before my 50th birthday, then I learned how to ride it on my 50th birthday! Best thing I ever did for myself.
Good topic, one more thing I would like add, biker always live in excitement, always think about bike stuff, riding cleaning, talk about bike stuff, oh it's great therapy. Thanks man great topic
100% agree with you... what you said about long distance riding, when you arrive late at the hotel and leave early in the morning, and spend the entire day nothing but riding, only stopping for gas and food, I cannot explain that feelings to my non-rider friends but they won't understand anyways... and yes, once you are back home after a long trip, that satisfaction feeling is priceless..
Love the video! My favorite line of yours is "I would rather look like a dork, be seen, get home alive, and live to ride another day." Well said, my friend. I feel the same. I noticed that "looking cool" wasn't one of your reasons for riding a motorcycle. I ride for all of the other benefits...so if I sacrifice the "looking cool" so that I live to ride another day....I am good with that.
@@peterston4039 Exactly...High Visibility is my re-interpretation of "Dress for the slide, not the ride"...if I give people no excuse to not see me, then I'm a lot less likely to go for a slide. Ain't nobody looking out for me but me.
I’m a psychologist in Brazil… I’ve been riding since I was 16… We’re definitely on the same page! There’s nothing so good as a motorcycle to be calming and alert at the same time; to get less anxious and more vigilant; to stay relaxed and feeling a great amount of energy!
Hello sir, My name is Alejandro and I'm 36, I never rode a motorcycle before (or a car, sadly) but now I can afford one, do you have any recommendations or advisenfor a beginner like me from your long experience? Thank you.
@@alejandro4300 Start with a good training course ,get your motorcycle license and evaluation by a good instructor......The "want too" does not mean you are a safe long term rider.......Some are naturals, others belong in cages ( cars ) not bikes......every ride for the rest of your life is a new experience. Enjoy the freedom !
I came back to riding a motorcycle after a 40-year break. I had resigned myself to just having a car, thinking I was too old for a bike. When I did get back on for that first trip along the country lanes I'd last swooped down 40 years previously, I found myself amazed that I had forgotten the simple, sheer joy of it all. Sheer joy I had missed for 40 years and that serendipity had helped me rediscover. It blows the cobwebs from and charges the batteries of my soul. Winter's here, now, and the spring cannot come soon enough. However, I now enjoy the modern marvel that is watching GoPro footage of my rides from the past year, and that helps me through the damp, grim, grey English winter. This, in turn, encouraged me to start a TH-cam channel about riding, life, and the countryside I enjoy and know so well. All because I bought an old motorcycle to carry these old bones again. So, yes.
Started to ride motorcycle in the age of 18, now I’m 57. Sport tourer and adv bikes are my favorite and are parked in my garage. Riding a motorcycle is the best therapy for me and is important part of my life.
It really is therapeutic somehow I can't put my finger on why but I feel like a new man after a good ride and maybe a prayer and a burrito Cheers from Oregon
I’ve been riding since I was 8 yrs old, am 23 now and I freaking love it. I traveled for the first time with my bike through europe and it was amazing.
I couldn't agree more! I have been riding off and on for over 50 years, and my motorcycles have always been my therapy (and fun, of course). A solo Harley 10,666-mile North America trip over 9 weeks in 2022 got rid of 40 years of career stress, and made me a new person. I always rode like everyone was out to kill me, and it took until this summer to have a car take me down, but fortunately no medical attention was required (altho 2.5 months later and we are still waiting on parts - aaarrrggggghhhhh).
Thank GOD that you weren't hurt too badly! 15 months ago, my oldest son (48 y.o.) was on his way to work on his HD Electra-Glide, and a young girl who thought that her texting was more important than my son's life, pulled right out in front of him, and he broadsided her driver's door and planted his face in her driver's door window, and ended up on the other side of her car laying on the road. He broke his jaw in 3 places, broke his right wrist, and smashed his pelvis & left hip! The doctors in the Trauma Center did almost 12 hours in surgery on his pelvis & hip and used a dozen screws & straps to hold everything together! 9 days ago, he just had a total hip replacement surgery. He's still "Recuperating" but he already bought another HD Electra-Glid and he's already ridden it a few times (before the hip replacement), and now he has to heal up from the latest surgery! But I'm betting that by February or March he'll be back on his motorcycle. His life has been forever changed because of that girl. But because he already knew what WIND THERAPY does for the mind, soul & spirit, he knows how to deal with life's changes!
@@zachredner8 Really sorry to hear about your son's accident! Sounds truly horrendous, and yet it also sounds like he is dealing well with it, and has a really good attitude about the ordeal and ongoing health effects. Thanks for telling me about what he went through. My compliments to him, and I am glad he didn't give up riding because of it. I have had close calls with potential T-bones in the past. And on the 2022 trip I mentioned, I had 4 incidents, 2 of which were completely life-threatening near head-ons caused by the other driver. For better or worse, it's a risk that we all accept as part of the riding experience, just as your son does. I wish him well in his future rides.
I bought my first motorcycle 3 years ago when I was 67 years old. Last year my partner died in tragic circumstances and I have to say, my motorcycle has kept me alive.
Great vid, couldn't agree more. When I was 17 a drunk driver doing over 90 in a 30 zone wiped me off the road while driving my car. Almost died three times. My brain is a mere shadow of it's former self, but the concentration and focus required to ride my bike brings me back to as close as it is possible to get to that former state. Also the open road, countryside, new places to visit and people to meet. Thrilling. Doing your own maintenance adds more depth and satisfaction.
As an owner of a 2024 Suzuki GSX-8S… that also being my first street bike. Most of my anxiety of riding comes from when I’m not even riding, once I’m on my bike my mind is free and solely focused on my safety and operating my bike. Although riding may not be for everyone, it has brought me more confidence, joy, and truly a whole new outlook on life
I don't have a motorcycle but a scooter but I completely agree with you. The serenity, clarity and feeling of being in a state of transience as we travel unlike a four wheeled vehicle, reminds us that life is not that bad, life is temporary and that life does let you be happy evey once in a while ❤ And all that especially when there's little to no traffic!
True true and true I got my license at 60 and I am 65 now. I wonder every year why I waited so long. My life has improved 10 fold. All I think of is riding even all winter.
I think the reason motorcycles are "more dangerous" is easily answered: wanna ride safely until you're an old dude? Then always ride like an old dude. Rather ride thousands of times slightly boring and enjoy the view than a few times stupid with a bad end.
I live in Canada and have been riding for the last 15 years. For me it is always a sad day when the season ends and I have to put my bike away for the winter. Today is that day. I agree that riding improves my mood and outlook on things. Even a routine ride is more fun that driving for me. I have never really pondered why that is. I am grateful for any day that I can ride, even if it is not sunny and warm. It is the memories of the seasons past and videos from channels like this that keep me going through the dark, depressing winters.
I live in Canada too. Every few days, I go in my garage to look at my two motorcycles. Juste à regarder mes motos, j'éprouve un certain plaisir. Spring 2024 is not so far... Ha ! Ha!...Keep riding and feel alive!
@@mikecarr1484 the problem maybe is not so much the coldness of the air, we can for sure layer up and use heated gear. The problem is ice and snow and salt on the road. That's what's stop me at least
I am an older man who finally bit the bullet and bought a motorcycle. I ride it to work when the weather allows (still have a permit). I 100% agree with you! My rides to and from work help me to clear my mind and soul. In spite of working in the medical field and working with patients who have been in horrifying motorcycle accidents, I will continue to ride as long as I can. No regerts!
I dropped from a 1100 cc bike down to a smaller Honda Shadow, so I could keep riding. The bigger bike just got too heavy for me to hold up easily.@@myrlwallace9012
Love this… restarted riding after 30 years & 4 kids… I am free again! Riding has reawakened me to a life of possibilities! PCH, Ozarks, Three Twisted Sisters, and Tail of The Dragon this past year… Alaska, the Rockies, Key West, and more are up for next year! Love the video, love your website, keep fueling my dreams!
Also valid in Europe!!! Buying and riding a motorcycle may not necessarily be cheaper as a therapy but it is definitely more fun and one gets to know interesting people.
I left mid-life behind years ago, and I've been riding bikes for over 50 years. Now I'm retired, my bikes are my main means of transport, and I only use my car when I have to. Although our winters are not really severe in the South East of England, there are a few months in the middle of winter when they are spreading salt on the roads, so my 1978 Triumph Bonneville stays in the garage. This was driving me mad when I was off the road, so 2 years ago I bought a second, cheaper bike to use all year round and save my sanity. With some decent cold weather gear, the only thing that keeps me inside is snow (which we don't see very often). Although we don't have the vast, open spaces that you have in the US, and my little corner of the UK, near London, is quite crowded, I only have to ride for 5 minutes to be in the countryside. Without the bikes, my life would definitely feel emptier.
I understand my wife is gone now I’ve been riding motorcycles since i was 17 now I am 86 now the only vehicle I own is my Harley Davidson 2021 road glide. I pull my trailer from New York state in the summer to Florida in the winter best of both worlds.
I've been riding motorcycles since I was 5yrs old ....for the last 54yrs . Never had a mental therapist ( had some physical therapist tho ) , but have seen several orthopedic surgeons over those yrs , and will soon be in need of more as my knees , hip , shoulder , and back are declining in their functional abilities
I like how many of the video clips were taken in my backyard over in Westport, MA.. 15 minutes from my house are some of the best scenic coastal roads on Cape Cod, Westport and Rhode Island. Riding always brings a smile to my face.
Like Hans, I stopped riding for about 25 years, (Kids and career), and now at 59, I enjoy a country ride after work and the anticipation thereof, especially our Dad and Son tour once a year of 3 to 5 days, 5 years running. Clears the mind, gives great adventures and resets the tired-of-life clock to zero. And buying and selling 5 bikes in 5 years has brought me to my ultimate bike - the Suzuki V Strom 1000. What a bike! What a life! Awesome and Blessed. Peter from Cape Town
I've been riding since 25 and it has done wonders for my mental health and it's funny you brought up the convertible because that was my gateway into committing to getting my first sportsbike. It also in my opinion honestly is safer and faster in big cities.
After my wife left me I bought a motocycle and went on Iron butt ride that they call a 50cc coast to coast in under 50 hours. I road my 2003 honda st1300 from Jacksonville beach to sandiego. I felt like a new man after putting that 2400 mile each way ride. I have since done a ride from Tallahassee,fl to cold foot,alaska 5500 miles on my 2012 Vstrom 650 adventure bike. I did that one in 10 days. I guess im like forest Gump when he just kept running..
Its simple. There are only 3 major ways to gain peace for yourself. All the three enable you to live in the moment. 1. Mindfulness/Meditation. - Reducing thought density 2. Fasting - Reducing desires 3. Travelling to new places - A new place is devoid of past memories, its like you are like a new born child for whom eveything is new.- Motorcycling enables this
I am 56 years old,from Indonesia. I have a son with autism. Almost every week, we ride bikes about 100 km. And alhamdulillah my son has increase in communication, and controling his emotional. I agree with you....and thanks your share.
57 years old, bought an MT09SP Yamaha last month, today I rode 300 klms on freeways and packed city roads - totally exhausted, but I did whole trip focused on the ride/road with no TH-cam (unlike any car trip) - so glad i did it.
You are spot on mate. I am prone to anxiety and depression, but after a good ride I feel really refreshed and satisfied. Having the flu now and not being able to ride makes me feel very restless and grumpy.
Good video. I'm suffering on depression now for some years. Riding my bike was the only thing that brought me joy and some kind of inner balance during my bad phases. It still is the only time where I can completely be "in the moment". You just don't have the mental resources to think about random and negative stuff that comes to your mind, as you need to concentrate to so many things (traffic, road conditions, etc). Although it's exhausting to ride the whole day, it's also super relaxing :)
Hi, about the energy spent I always felt this way : Driving a car for a day can be comfortable if you travel with a partner and in the winter, but the physical exhaustion is inevitable. Riding a bike, if done for a whole day, gives so much pleasure and stimulation, that the mental recharge (despite concentrating to avoid dangers) actually overrides by far, the physical fatigue. If there's something archaic in us humans, close to being birds, riding a bike is something bringing us as close as possible to this element (as probably, I won't be grabbing a wingsuit for a basejump anytime soon lol).
Been offering fuel to the Gods of Speed since 1995. Although I don't do a lot of mileage (work, kids, etc.) I wouldn't want to be without it. Feeling the warm wind in my face on a sunny day, carving the corners of green twisty country roads, the building vibrations and staccato exhaust drone when I open those butterfly valves...it warms the soul.
Always dredding to go work, what gives me energy is that between home and dreadful, stressful work, I get to ride my cranky 2009 Yamaha scooter with crude sidecar. I LOVE IT
I have been riding motorcycles for over 45 years and every time is just like the first, I still get so excited when throwing my leg over my bike in anticipation of the day ahead. Tomorrow we ride from Fort Lauderdale to Key West.
I have been riding a motorcycle from my house to work since 2015, and now I find myself in need of regular massage therapy to alleviate the physical strain and tension from years of riding :)
Well, my sister committed suicide in 2012, January 25th, and after these tragic episode I got into static and depressed life and my mom started to have psychoactive outbursts and discount on me these incidents in my family. In 2019, I decided to ride a motorcycle and through it I could stand with my loneliness and depression. Now, I can assure if I didn't ride a motorcycle probably I would commit suicide like my sister.
This video is pure joy and everything this man says is so spot on. I turned 62 last month and did not have a mid life crisis but an end life crisis. I suffer with severe depression & anxiety and recently decided to get back on two wheels after selling my Harley Street Glide 17 years ago. I am also going to rescue my very first dog ever. I need to heal from severe trauma & PTSD and dogs & bikes have ALWAYS cheered me up. I clearly remember how much happiness I had every time I got home from Corp day job and jumped on my Harley. Nothing melted the stress away like getting on my bike with no destination in mind and just let the road take me wherever she wanted. A HUGE thanks to the person who made this absolutely inspiring video and I wish everyone reading this comment good health, happiness & safe travels. Have a wonderful life🙏
This video has reinforced my decision to buy a bike soon. I can imagine that how therapeutic it must be to ride a bike. It made my day as I saw it right after waking up. I not only liked the video but even subscribed to your channel.
I completely agree with that. Since I started biking three years ago at the age of 51, I have always talked about going to “meditate” and never about “going for a ride”. And it's not just a question of linguistic expression, but clearly shows an inner attitude towards biking. Stay healthy and practice accident-free "meditations". 😎
Another benefit, especially to those with social anxiety, is that it forces you to be heard and seen. I was afraid to come off as obnoxious riding a Harley, but that wasn't the case at all. It helps you be present both from your own perspective, and in a social context.
100% agreed, its just like that. When i am grumpy at home, i hear from my wife "you better go for a short ride". .... qnd it helps a lot, never saw a therapist 😂
I can sit in the garage looking at my bikes and remembering the amazing rides we’ve done and it almost brings tears to my eyes. Been riding 33 years now. Off and on road. Best feeling in the world. When something is wrong with one of my bikes, I get anxious, worried, I try to control it but it’s hard. The only way to make it ok; I tell myself that if I can’t fix it, I’ll just buy another bike to replace it. Calms me down. I cannot imagine myself living without a motorcycle. Cheers to all of you out there who can relate..! Stay safe and ride on!!
Absolutely true. When I am on a bike, I almost forgot everything, quite excited on the anticipated places to visit, focused on safety measures while driving, the adrenalin rush felt when I am on racing, sceneries seen, meeting new friends and a lot more unexpected scenes, fun and surprises.
I brought a new INTERCEPTOR and got my licence at 73yrs old.. No crisis just something i always wanted to do. Clocked up 19,000kms in 14mths so far and loving it!!!.
I am a 48 yo physician that had a burn out síndrome until last year when I started riding. I feel happy now, went off all medication and my relationship with my wife and kids had improved considerably. I am the living proof that riding is - not only therapeutic- the way to happiness
Gee. ! My mid life crisis occurred at a very young age. ! I've been riding for the last 45 years and intend to do so until I die. One day. And its true, therapist services are not part of my rides routine. Ride safely.
riding a 2 stroke motorcycle is a great stress reliver the smoke, the sound...... a 4 stroke inline 4 and the sheer power is like adrenaline rush and is a pure nirvana....
As a Licensed Marriage & Family THERAPIST, I ride my Yamaha XMAX to my therapy office (so you will see it outside of my office) AND I have a therapist AND I approve this video 😘 Everything in this video is absolutely true! My husband and I ride together (we each have a Yamaha XMAX) and it’s helped us grow closer and do fun adventures together. Riding is definitely therapeutic.
After forty years of riding two wheels, I sat on and grabbed my first scooter last year...loving it. I swapped it for a Maxi-Scooter (300cc) this year and can't believe it took me this long to experience the fun of scoot'n.
My bud called this morning & said the weather would be nice, did I want to go for a ride. At my old age, I didn't feel like gearing up & going, but said OK. Three hours later, I got back home wearing that unmistakable Malcom Smith "ear-to-ear grin".
Hey folks! This video is for entertainment purposes only. Let us know in the comments section below why you think riding a motorcycle is so therapeutic!
Join us on Patreon to unlock more features including Google maps showing where every route is located in the state, GPX files for each route, exclusive routes for each state as well as Alaska, Hawaii and Canada and exclusive videos!
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On your opening lin yep, yep, and yes ser, but when I hop on my motorcycle and the wind hits my face all the problems in the world just blow away. Great video
@@scottlofton2607 thanks!
I personally think, that riding is switching mind, totally focuses mind on riding. This brings relief. But it is just relief. More like smoking, surfing or talking to a friend, and it is not therapeutic. Because it does not solve problem, it does not help to find new adaptive mechanism or behaviour, it does not develop wider awareness. Relief is not bad, relief is good, but it is not therapy.
Great! Although I do ride my bike to the shrink. 😂
i ride a Yamaha. same bike for 15 years to work to ride everything. it remains the greatest purchase of anything I have made. should I say investment. 120k km and still that Yamaha won't die
When you pull the throttle and the machine pulls you... Best feeling ever
Exactly!
not on a sportster though
At 64, I find that riding keeps all the senses sharp. Been on two wheels since 1977 and riding into my 80s is my goal.
One of my motorcycles friends is 87 and has 2 BMWs he is still riding.
Hans from Germany
The focus required whilst riding allows you to forget about everything else. The sensory experience is what I love and also planning new routes 🍻
Exactly!
and this is why they must legalise wheelies. ; )
To a lesser degree bicycle ride does something similar. Always get good ideas when on the bike and helps to keep bad thoughts away.
Some say when you take a trip in a car its like watching a movie; On a bike you IN the Movie!!!
I like that!
Zen and the art of Motorcycle maintenance
"In a car you are a spectator. On a bike you are a participant." One of my favorite sayings... echos your comment to a T
Well Said
Putting this as my status
Wow
Started to ride at the age of 49 with my hubby and it was the best thing I’ve ever done, to help me deal with the empty nest syndrome 😉 This year, at 56 years old, we went on a 32 days road trip, thru 17 states, visited 7 National Parks, 4 National monument, and rode over 8,000 miles on that trip alone. Can’t wait to do it again next year! 😊 I am addicted, and I’m proud of it. Ride for life ✊
That is awesome, sounds like you’ve gotten some great riding in!
You’re an inspiration 👏
Get it ma!!!
Riding through national park is the best!
nice, thats how you make the most of the change in your life to your advantage.
Being out in nature on my motorcycle is the best. It clears my mind and makes me happy - City riding not so much.
Same here!
City riding late at night with the roads and highways empty... that's something else.
@@fallinginthed33pif the city is safe enough to do that. Sadly some places arent like that, so the best compromise is riding at night at less traffic hours but not totally empty 😅
@@fallinginthed33p The most serene I've ever felt was being on the skyway 10-11pm. No other cars, decent stretch of skyway, and a '99 Twin Cam thundering all the way.
In a straight tunnel at 5 a.m. going 100+ is relaxing.😊
A motorcycle is less expensive than a therapist too.
Don't know about that. I have 6. LOL.
Cheaper than ex wives too.
Six therapists, or six motorcycles?? LOL@@pureblood2020
I don't think so
@@jackchristodoulou197bikes are cheaper,unless u went and got a $50k bike.
Been riding for 55 yrs and as a confirmed loner I love the isolation.
I know what you mean!
Social Distancing for 55 yrs, .... gotta be a record
Stay Safe
I guess people look at you different when they see you ride in solo. Fine by me, the sense of being under a huge sky is intoxicating.
rite with ya my 52nd year ridin mostly solo
Been riding about the same amount of time (if you don't count my minibike & dirt bike days), and I've been riding Solo for most of that time. Now and then, me and some friends take a ride somewhere, like "The Best of the Snake" on Hwy 421 from Midway TN, to Shady Valley TN, and then into Damascus VA for lunch! What a ride! 🥰
When my wife of 28 years told me to get the eff out for the 453rd time in 2 years I went for a ride, which became 34 states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 22,000 miles of fun. Started my second life!
That's awesome and courageous. But have you also reflected and saw some of her sides that are valid?
@@notaspectator No validity in alcohol-induced dementia.
Well done 👍
Dr Honda has been my therapist for the last 20 years. We had our arguments but...she is the best I know.
Absolutely!
Which model
@@Kaisen671Monkey ;)
I am with Dr Triumph, she is amazing too :D
@@Kaisen671 CB 400
I think riding a bike is like what an artist or surfer calls being in flow as time disappears
Everytime i feel a little low about life i get on my motorcycle and i take another look.
Absolutely!
I work in psychiatry, and I approve this message lol.
Do you have the bike in your parking lot? 👍👍
😂😂😂 I loved this
My voices told me to buy a MC with a sidecar, so they can ride along. 😆😅😃😎
That’s awesome lol
😂 thats awesome!
Last year I started (again) riding a bike at the age of 60. I had a brake of 25 years (Kids, work…). While living in a busy city in the center of Germany, I enjoy going for a just 2 hours ride after work into the countryside with its villages and farms, forests, fields and curvy roads. Coming home feels always like coming back from a different world. Always (!) while stopping somewhere, I meet people I don’t know and we start talking. My favorite destination is a hill about 35 minutes away, sitting on a bench and looking to the sunset.
By the way: I also chose a yellow helmet. Firstly for safety reasons, secondly because it fits to my yellow BMW K1200s.
Hans from Germany.
Thanks for the comment! Would love to ride out there in Germany sometime!
Gruß aus California!!!
Please share some experience riding in Autobahn 😊
Great conversation Hans. 👌
I feel you, same here, I stopped for 25 years or so, now I started riding again, and at 62 I am feeling like in my 30's again.
4 Wheels Moves Your Body, 2 Wheels Moves Your SOUL 🙏🙏🙏
Absolutely!
To heaven
And another four wheels takes you to the hospital when two wheels weren't quite enough. So, you really need ten wheels for the whole experience :)
🤙@@GreatMotorcycleRoads
Yes.. This is an international statement. Probably motorcyclists all over the world know it.
I have found in my 79 years of life that two wheeled travel is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. It clears the cobwebs and re-interrogates the soul. Having ridden since high school and gone through about 22 bikes including all the dirt bikes for myself and my two sons I can't imagine life without them. Motorized bicycles were invented before cars.
I'm another licensed clinician who supports this message!
Right on, thanks for the feedback!
After 20 years of riding, I stopped after an accident some 6 years ago. This video pushed my buttons to reconsider riding again, farther than ever before....
Right on!
I’m smiling as i walk up to the bike. Been riding for 53 yrs. Just bought a triumph Rocket 3 GT. Too much bike? No such thing. Smiles/ gal is unmatched.
Right on!
What an awesome choice. The Rocket 3 is like something a kid would draw up and I mean that as a compliment. Just a brilliantly ludicrous motorcycle. Absolutely love those things.
“Take care of your bike, cuz it takes care of you.”
Riding my bike fixes any and all stress in my life…. It’s amazing.
I bought my first bike two weeks before my 50th birthday, then I learned how to ride it on my 50th birthday! Best thing I ever did for myself.
Throttle Therapy is the greatest. I ride motocross, and it is genuinely the best way to meditate. I try to sell it to everyone I meet. ❤
Best medicine EVER !!! Hello from Australia !!!!
Indeed!
Good topic, one more thing I would like add, biker always live in excitement, always think about bike stuff, riding cleaning, talk about bike stuff, oh it's great therapy.
Thanks man great topic
Great point, thanks!
100% agree with you... what you said about long distance riding, when you arrive late at the hotel and leave early in the morning, and spend the entire day nothing but riding, only stopping for gas and food, I cannot explain that feelings to my non-rider friends but they won't understand anyways... and yes, once you are back home after a long trip, that satisfaction feeling is priceless..
Absolutely, thanks for your feedback!
Love the video! My favorite line of yours is "I would rather look like a dork, be seen, get home alive, and live to ride another day." Well said, my friend. I feel the same. I noticed that "looking cool" wasn't one of your reasons for riding a motorcycle. I ride for all of the other benefits...so if I sacrifice the "looking cool" so that I live to ride another day....I am good with that.
thanks for the feedback!
yes sir! Live to ride another day
@@peterston4039 Exactly...High Visibility is my re-interpretation of "Dress for the slide, not the ride"...if I give people no excuse to not see me, then I'm a lot less likely to go for a slide. Ain't nobody looking out for me but me.
I wear a white helmet for this reason. Plus it stays cooler than black, which I tell me friends with black helmets …
I’m a psychologist in Brazil… I’ve been riding since I was 16… We’re definitely on the same page! There’s nothing so good as a motorcycle to be calming and alert at the same time; to get less anxious and more vigilant; to stay relaxed and feeling a great amount of energy!
Exactly!
Beleza
60 years riding now.......love affair with bikes never goes away.......77 years young.....
Right on, thanks for the comment!
Hello sir, My name is Alejandro and I'm 36, I never rode a motorcycle before (or a car, sadly) but now I can afford one, do you have any recommendations or advisenfor a beginner like me from your long experience? Thank you.
@@alejandro4300 Start with a good training course ,get your motorcycle license and evaluation by a good
instructor......The "want too" does not mean you are a safe long term rider.......Some are naturals,
others belong in cages ( cars ) not bikes......every ride for the rest of your life is a new experience.
Enjoy the freedom !
@@tomjordan5832 Thank you!.
I'm close behind you bro and isn't that the truth. Happy cruising!
I came back to riding a motorcycle after a 40-year break. I had resigned myself to just having a car, thinking I was too old for a bike.
When I did get back on for that first trip along the country lanes I'd last swooped down 40 years previously, I found myself amazed that I had forgotten the simple, sheer joy of it all. Sheer joy I had missed for 40 years and that serendipity had helped me rediscover. It blows the cobwebs from and charges the batteries of my soul.
Winter's here, now, and the spring cannot come soon enough. However, I now enjoy the modern marvel that is watching GoPro footage of my rides from the past year, and that helps me through the damp, grim, grey English winter. This, in turn, encouraged me to start a TH-cam channel about riding, life, and the countryside I enjoy and know so well. All because I bought an old motorcycle to carry these old bones again. So, yes.
Right on, thanks for your comment!
That’s wonderful, what model did you get? I am curious as I am planning to get my first motorcycle, something that is low maintenance and fun to ride.
Nice, how do I find your TH-cam channel.
Been riding all my life, so many plus factors to riding. Live to ride !
Imagine having the freedom of bird's, it's as close to that without actually flying, that's the feeling.
Exactly
You can even fly for a bit on an mx track
True.
Great video! I've been riding motorcycles for over 58 years and still it enjoy today as much as I did as a teenager.
That's awesome!
I'm 66 been riding for 53years and working on motorcycles professionally for 48 years, I fully agree with this video!!
Started to ride motorcycle in the age of 18, now I’m 57.
Sport tourer and adv bikes are my favorite and are parked in my garage.
Riding a motorcycle is the best therapy for me and is important part of my life.
Right on, same here!
I love my KTM 390 Adventure
It really is therapeutic somehow I can't put my finger on why but I feel like a new man after a good ride and maybe a prayer and a burrito Cheers from Oregon
Same here!
I’ve been riding since I was 8 yrs old, am 23 now and I freaking love it. I traveled for the first time with my bike through europe and it was amazing.
That's awesome Europe has some great motorcycle roads!
true, riding a motorcycle gives you the closest thing to true freedom
Absolutely!
I couldn't agree more! I have been riding off and on for over 50 years, and my motorcycles have always been my therapy (and fun, of course). A solo Harley 10,666-mile North America trip over 9 weeks in 2022 got rid of 40 years of career stress, and made me a new person. I always rode like everyone was out to kill me, and it took until this summer to have a car take me down, but fortunately no medical attention was required (altho 2.5 months later and we are still waiting on parts - aaarrrggggghhhhh).
Hope you get the bike fixed soon, and get back on the road.
glad you're all right!
Thank GOD that you weren't hurt too badly! 15 months ago, my oldest son (48 y.o.) was on his way to work on his HD Electra-Glide, and a young girl who thought that her texting was more important than my son's life, pulled right out in front of him, and he broadsided her driver's door and planted his face in her driver's door window, and ended up on the other side of her car laying on the road. He broke his jaw in 3 places, broke his right wrist, and smashed his pelvis & left hip! The doctors in the Trauma Center did almost 12 hours in surgery on his pelvis & hip and used a dozen screws & straps to hold everything together! 9 days ago, he just had a total hip replacement surgery. He's still "Recuperating" but he already bought another HD Electra-Glid and he's already ridden it a few times (before the hip replacement), and now he has to heal up from the latest surgery! But I'm betting that by February or March he'll be back on his motorcycle. His life has been forever changed because of that girl. But because he already knew what WIND THERAPY does for the mind, soul & spirit, he knows how to deal with life's changes!
@@zachredner8 Really sorry to hear about your son's accident! Sounds truly horrendous, and yet it also sounds like he is dealing well with it, and has a really good attitude about the ordeal and ongoing health effects. Thanks for telling me about what he went through. My compliments to him, and I am glad he didn't give up riding because of it. I have had close calls with potential T-bones in the past. And on the 2022 trip I mentioned, I had 4 incidents, 2 of which were completely life-threatening near head-ons caused by the other driver. For better or worse, it's a risk that we all accept as part of the riding experience, just as your son does. I wish him well in his future rides.
Dreamt of owning a bike as a child, now I'm on bike number 4 ,best way to get around ANYWHERE....
Riding soothes the baby soul in all of us. When we're riding, we're glad to be alive and when we're done riding, we're glad to be alive!
You got it sir!
I bought my first motorcycle 3 years ago when I was 67 years old. Last year my partner died in tragic circumstances and I have to say, my motorcycle has kept me alive.
Great vid, couldn't agree more. When I was 17 a drunk driver doing over 90 in a 30 zone wiped me off the road while driving my car. Almost died three times. My brain is a mere shadow of it's former self, but the concentration and focus required to ride my bike brings me back to as close as it is possible to get to that former state. Also the open road, countryside, new places to visit and people to meet. Thrilling. Doing your own maintenance adds more depth and satisfaction.
Right on, glad you made it!
I’ve been self-therapizing for 48 years…works a charm! Get out and ride!! 🏍️🇿🇦💪
Right on!
Only 13 thousand views? This video should already have 13 million views!
Let’s do it! Lol
As an owner of a 2024 Suzuki GSX-8S… that also being my first street bike. Most of my anxiety of riding comes from when I’m not even riding, once I’m on my bike my mind is free and solely focused on my safety and operating my bike. Although riding may not be for everyone, it has brought me more confidence, joy, and truly a whole new outlook on life
Great video. Riding in the rural areas definitely helps me decompress
I don't have a motorcycle but a scooter but I completely agree with you. The serenity, clarity and feeling of being in a state of transience as we travel unlike a four wheeled vehicle, reminds us that life is not that bad, life is temporary and that life does let you be happy evey once in a while ❤ And all that especially when there's little to no traffic!
Thanks for the comment!
@beemrdon52 May I ask what Bikes you're rolling with? I personally prefer Japanese bikes but I'm interested to know how the Germans make it ✌️
True true and true I got my license at 60 and I am 65 now. I wonder every year why I waited so long. My life has improved 10 fold. All I think of is riding even all winter.
Right on, thanks for the comment!
When I feel a bit under the weather and I ride I always feel better afterwards, it always helps
I think the reason motorcycles are "more dangerous" is easily answered: wanna ride safely until you're an old dude? Then always ride like an old dude. Rather ride thousands of times slightly boring and enjoy the view than a few times stupid with a bad end.
I couldn’t agree with you more!
thanks for the comment!
I live in Canada and have been riding for the last 15 years. For me it is always a sad day when the season ends and I have to put my bike away for the winter. Today is that day. I agree that riding improves my mood and outlook on things. Even a routine ride is more fun that driving for me. I have never really pondered why that is. I am grateful for any day that I can ride, even if it is not sunny and warm. It is the memories of the seasons past and videos from channels like this that keep me going through the dark, depressing winters.
absolutely, I know the feeling well!
I live in Canada too. Every few days, I go in my garage to look at my two motorcycles. Juste à regarder mes motos, j'éprouve un certain plaisir. Spring 2024 is not so far... Ha ! Ha!...Keep riding and feel alive!
There is no reason to stop riding. I ride in zero degrees Fahrenheit. Just watch for ice
Still riding now. Rode last night 18 degrees getting colder but it’s never too cold to ride. Stop being a baby.
@@mikecarr1484 the problem maybe is not so much the coldness of the air, we can for sure layer up and use heated gear. The problem is ice and snow and salt on the road. That's what's stop me at least
I am an older man who finally bit the bullet and bought a motorcycle. I ride it to work when the weather allows (still have a permit). I 100% agree with you! My rides to and from work help me to clear my mind and soul. In spite of working in the medical field and working with patients who have been in horrifying motorcycle accidents, I will continue to ride as long as I can. No regerts!
Age 78 and still on two wheels. I just stay on two lane roads and ride fairly slow. The wind in my face is the best therapy I know of for me.
@@williamarinder8809 I got a Royal Enfield classic 350 precisely because it isn't powerful. It keeps me out of trouble and is a sweet ride.
I dropped from a 1100 cc bike down to a smaller Honda Shadow, so I could keep riding. The bigger bike just got too heavy for me to hold up easily.@@myrlwallace9012
right on, same here!
yes sir, safe riding!
Love this… restarted riding after 30 years & 4 kids… I am free again! Riding has reawakened me to a life of possibilities! PCH, Ozarks, Three Twisted Sisters, and Tail of The Dragon this past year… Alaska, the Rockies, Key West, and more are up for next year! Love the video, love your website, keep fueling my dreams!
Sounds like you’ve got some great motorcycle rides in!
Also valid in Europe!!! Buying and riding a motorcycle may not necessarily be cheaper as a therapy but it is definitely more fun and one gets to know interesting people.
Exactly. Thanks for the comment!
I left mid-life behind years ago, and I've been riding bikes for over 50 years. Now I'm retired, my bikes are my main means of transport, and I only use my car when I have to.
Although our winters are not really severe in the South East of England, there are a few months in the middle of winter when they are spreading salt on the roads, so my 1978 Triumph Bonneville stays in the garage.
This was driving me mad when I was off the road, so 2 years ago I bought a second, cheaper bike to use all year round and save my sanity. With some decent cold weather gear, the only thing that keeps me inside is snow (which we don't see very often).
Although we don't have the vast, open spaces that you have in the US, and my little corner of the UK, near London, is quite crowded, I only have to ride for 5 minutes to be in the countryside.
Without the bikes, my life would definitely feel emptier.
Right on! My wife is from London. Every time I went to see her in the winter I was impressed with all the bikers on the road!
I understand my wife is gone now I’ve been riding motorcycles since i was 17 now I am 86 now the only vehicle I own is my Harley Davidson 2021 road glide. I pull my trailer from New York state in the summer to Florida in the winter best of both worlds.
I've been riding motorcycles since I was 5yrs old ....for the last 54yrs . Never had a mental therapist ( had some physical therapist tho ) , but have seen several orthopedic surgeons over those yrs , and will soon be in need of more as my knees , hip , shoulder , and back are declining in their functional abilities
Thanks for the comment, sounds like you’ve gotten a lot of riding in!
Cant believe i watched the entire video!! 😅
Great work!! 👍
Thanks for the comment!
GREETINGS FROM THE PPRC GREAT VIDEO,SO TRUE I RIDE A GL 1800 F6B and call IT THE THERAPIST 🇺🇸🇺🇸🏍️
Thanks for watching!
I like how many of the video clips were taken in my backyard over in Westport, MA.. 15 minutes from my house are some of the best scenic coastal roads on Cape Cod, Westport and Rhode Island. Riding always brings a smile to my face.
Yes sir, love Westport!
Like Hans, I stopped riding for about 25 years, (Kids and career), and now at 59, I enjoy a country ride after work and the anticipation thereof, especially our Dad and Son tour once a year of 3 to 5 days, 5 years running. Clears the mind, gives great adventures and resets the tired-of-life clock to zero. And buying and selling 5 bikes in 5 years has brought me to my ultimate bike - the Suzuki V Strom 1000. What a bike! What a life! Awesome and Blessed.
Peter from Cape Town
Right on thanks for commenting!
I've been riding since 25 and it has done wonders for my mental health and it's funny you brought up the convertible because that was my gateway into committing to getting my first sportsbike. It also in my opinion honestly is safer and faster in big cities.
Sold my Triumph in "71 so i could buy my wife's engagement ring, great move. 42 years later WE started riding again. Blessed Life.
That is awesome!
True..exhilarating and freedom in real time.
Exactly
After my wife left me I bought a motocycle and went on Iron butt ride that they call a 50cc coast to coast in under 50 hours. I road my 2003 honda st1300 from Jacksonville beach to sandiego. I felt like a new man after putting that 2400 mile each way ride. I have since done a ride from Tallahassee,fl to cold foot,alaska 5500 miles on my 2012 Vstrom 650 adventure bike. I did that one in 10 days. I guess im like forest Gump when he just kept running..
Well done!
Right on!
My therapeutic sessions are Monday to Friday, to and from work. 😊
Exactly!
Its simple. There are only 3 major ways to gain peace for yourself. All the three enable you to live in the moment.
1. Mindfulness/Meditation. - Reducing thought density
2. Fasting - Reducing desires
3. Travelling to new places - A new place is devoid of past memories, its like you are like a new born child for whom eveything is new.- Motorcycling enables this
Makes my day every time I get on the bike
Absolutely, same here!
I am 56 years old,from Indonesia. I have a son with autism. Almost every week, we ride bikes about 100 km. And alhamdulillah my son has increase in communication, and controling his emotional. I agree with you....and thanks your share.
That’s awesome thanks for the comment!
you had me with choice of bike to stand next to, "with excelent tast like that the clearly knows what he's talking about"!
Thanks!
57 years old, bought an MT09SP Yamaha last month, today I rode 300 klms on freeways and packed city roads - totally exhausted, but I did whole trip focused on the ride/road with no TH-cam (unlike any car trip) - so glad i did it.
Right on!
You are spot on mate. I am prone to anxiety and depression, but after a good ride I feel really refreshed and satisfied.
Having the flu now and not being able to ride makes me feel very restless and grumpy.
Right on!
Good video. I'm suffering on depression now for some years.
Riding my bike was the only thing that brought me joy and some kind of inner balance during my bad phases.
It still is the only time where I can completely be "in the moment". You just don't have the mental resources to think about random and negative stuff that comes to your mind, as you need to concentrate to so many things (traffic, road conditions, etc).
Although it's exhausting to ride the whole day, it's also super relaxing :)
Exactly!
Hi, about the energy spent I always felt this way :
Driving a car for a day can be comfortable if you travel with a partner and in the winter, but the physical exhaustion is inevitable. Riding a bike, if done for a whole day, gives so much pleasure and stimulation, that the mental recharge (despite concentrating to avoid dangers) actually overrides by far, the physical fatigue. If there's something archaic in us humans, close to being birds, riding a bike is something bringing us as close as possible to this element (as probably, I won't be grabbing a wingsuit for a basejump anytime soon lol).
Been offering fuel to the Gods of Speed since 1995. Although I don't do a lot of mileage (work, kids, etc.) I wouldn't want to be without it. Feeling the warm wind in my face on a sunny day, carving the corners of green twisty country roads, the building vibrations and staccato exhaust drone when I open those butterfly valves...it warms the soul.
Spot on! You + Road + Motorcycle = Feeling Good!
Yes! Thank you!
Always dredding to go work, what gives me energy is that between home and dreadful, stressful work, I get to ride my cranky 2009 Yamaha scooter with crude sidecar. I LOVE IT
I have been riding motorcycles for over 45 years and every time is just like the first, I still get so excited when throwing my leg over my bike in anticipation of the day ahead. Tomorrow we ride from Fort Lauderdale to Key West.
Same here!
That is Avery great ride
I have been riding a motorcycle from my house to work since 2015, and now I find myself in need of regular massage therapy to alleviate the physical strain and tension from years of riding :)
Well, my sister committed suicide in 2012, January 25th, and after these tragic episode I got into static and depressed life and my mom started to have psychoactive outbursts and discount on me these incidents in my family. In 2019, I decided to ride a motorcycle and through it I could stand with my loneliness and depression. Now, I can assure if I didn't ride a motorcycle probably I would commit suicide like my sister.
Right on, hope you get some peace brother
@@GreatMotorcycleRoads Thanks for ur real video about life and the benefits on riding a motorcycle that can bring to our humanity many benefits.
This video is pure joy and everything this man says is so spot on. I turned 62 last month and did not have a mid life crisis but an end life crisis. I suffer with severe depression & anxiety and recently decided to get back on two wheels after selling my Harley Street Glide 17 years ago. I am also going to rescue my very first dog ever. I need to heal from severe trauma & PTSD and dogs & bikes have ALWAYS cheered me up. I clearly remember how much happiness I had every time I got home from Corp day job and jumped on my Harley. Nothing melted the stress away like getting on my bike with no destination in mind and just let the road take me wherever she wanted.
A HUGE thanks to the person who made this absolutely inspiring video and I wish everyone reading this comment good health, happiness & safe travels. Have a wonderful life🙏
@@director2bob you’re the man thanks for the comment! 👊🏼🏍️
@@director2bob you’re the man thanks for the comment! 👊🏼🏍️
This video has reinforced my decision to buy a bike soon. I can imagine that how therapeutic it must be to ride a bike. It made my day as I saw it right after waking up. I not only liked the video but even subscribed to your channel.
Thank you for watching!
Didn’t finish watching the whole video but I had to make a comment real quick. I thought I was the only one God bless you.
Right on, thanks for the comment!
I completely agree with that. Since I started biking three years ago at the age of 51, I have always talked about going to “meditate” and never about “going for a ride”.
And it's not just a question of linguistic expression, but clearly shows an inner attitude towards biking.
Stay healthy and practice accident-free "meditations". 😎
Absolutely!
Brings all your faculties into high alert, exhilarating and satisfying as well as getting from A to B economically!
Yeah, totally agree with the opinions in the vid. Can't think much about my troubles while riding, especially, in the city traffic.
Right on!
Another benefit, especially to those with social anxiety, is that it forces you to be heard and seen. I was afraid to come off as obnoxious riding a Harley, but that wasn't the case at all. It helps you be present both from your own perspective, and in a social context.
100% agreed, its just like that. When i am grumpy at home, i hear from my wife "you better go for a short ride". .... qnd it helps a lot, never saw a therapist 😂
You’ve got a smart wife there!
I can sit in the garage looking at my bikes and remembering the amazing rides we’ve done and it almost brings tears to my eyes.
Been riding 33 years now. Off and on road.
Best feeling in the world.
When something is wrong with one of my bikes, I get anxious, worried, I try to control it but it’s hard. The only way to make it ok; I tell myself that if I can’t fix it, I’ll just buy another bike to replace it. Calms me down.
I cannot imagine myself living without a motorcycle.
Cheers to all of you out there who can relate..!
Stay safe and ride on!!
Right on, thanks for the comment!
I've been riding since I was a kid on dirt bikes, not to say I don't need therapy !!🤣😂 But bikes definitely bring peace to my soul!!
Absolutely, thanks for watching!
Absolutely true. When I am on a bike, I almost forgot everything, quite excited on the anticipated places to visit, focused on safety measures while driving, the adrenalin rush felt when I am on racing, sceneries seen, meeting new friends and a lot more unexpected scenes, fun and surprises.
Its true.. I do rides every everyday.. It quickly elevate my mood.. I need to take a ride be it happy or sad
Exactly!
I brought a new INTERCEPTOR and got my licence at 73yrs old.. No crisis just something i always wanted to do. Clocked up 19,000kms in 14mths so far and loving it!!!.
Thanks for sharing! It's Friday here in SG. Time to ride 50 km. I am retired. Thanks!
Awesome safe ride!
Motorcycling is like meditation.
Edit: It's a form of meditation.
It's mechanical horse, riding is one of the primal urges.
I enjoy riding and learn to get better at riding. Counter steering, shifting smoothly, trail braking, clutch control and many more.
Thank You 🎉
You’re welcome thanks for watching!
I am a 48 yo physician that had a burn out síndrome until last year when I started riding. I feel happy now, went off all medication and my relationship with my wife and kids had improved considerably. I am the living proof that riding is - not only therapeutic- the way to happiness
Gee. ! My mid life crisis occurred at a very young age. ! I've been riding for the last 45 years and intend to do so until I die. One day. And its true, therapist services are not part of my rides routine. Ride safely.
Awesome, same here!
riding a 2 stroke motorcycle is a great stress reliver the smoke, the sound...... a 4 stroke inline 4 and the sheer power is like adrenaline rush and is a pure nirvana....
As a Licensed Marriage & Family THERAPIST, I ride my Yamaha XMAX to my therapy office (so you will see it outside of my office) AND I have a therapist AND I approve this video 😘 Everything in this video is absolutely true! My husband and I ride together (we each have a Yamaha XMAX) and it’s helped us grow closer and do fun adventures together. Riding is definitely therapeutic.
That’s awesome, thanks for the feedback!
no better way to forget about your life problems then getting on a VMAX.
Yamaha memex
After forty years of riding two wheels, I sat on and grabbed my first scooter last year...loving it. I swapped it for a Maxi-Scooter (300cc) this year and can't believe it took me this long to experience the fun of scoot'n.
IMO, a manual transmission motorcycle is more satisfying than an automatic one for leisure ride or long journey.
My bud called this morning & said the weather would be nice, did I want to go for a ride.
At my old age, I didn't feel like gearing up & going, but said OK.
Three hours later, I got back home wearing that unmistakable Malcom Smith "ear-to-ear grin".
Right on!