I feel the need for speed! Are you an adrenaline junkie, a
thrill seeker enjoying the danger zone? At one extreme you
have the throttle junkie who dreams of doing a double
backflip on his Africa Twin, then there's Mr Safety. His
idea of risk taking is changing the brand of his radiator
fluid, but only after weeks of careful research.
Ever get worried about the risks you take? Are there
practical steps you can take to get your thrills, but do it
safer? Let's find out! What do the scientists reckon? The old
fashioned approach has been that adrenaline junkies
actually are junkies! For example, the faster you ride
the more adrenaline kicks in which releases a flood of
dopamine. serotonin. and endorphins. Some of these
feel-good chemicals are actually similar to opiates
such as heroin and morphine. And in a sense, we
can get addicted to risky riding to get this natural high. But
more recent research suggests there's more to it than just
the adrenaline rush.
This makes a lot of sense to me... we increasingly live in a
sanitized world dominated by workplace health and safety,
growing pale fat and lazy in front of our electronic
devices. Riding hard and fast on our motorbikes reminds us of
what it means to be alive again.... even if it's just for a
few hours on the weekend. For years, Psychologists have been
telling us we actually need a certain amount of risk taking
and thrill seeking for our mental health... and motorbike
riding can deliver this by the bucket load! But some of us
regularly finish a ride and realize we were taking too many
risks getting those thrills, and we can seem powerless to
control the urge. Obviously risk-taking favors the young...
No responsibilities, faster healing, less concerned about
consequences, but as we get into our 30s and beyond some of
us may need to start reassessing a level of risk
taking. So let's look at a few strategies to tame the inner
beast. Your comfort zone! A very useful concept from the guys at
Traction eRag. Bang in the middle, it's safe and not
tiring. There's plenty of time to smell the roses and take in
the scenery. It's easy to focus on good riding technique, but
possibly boring for the thrill seekers. On the edge of your
comfort zone? Hopefully you're getting your thrills but
without too much risk. If you're trying to become a better
rider, it allows uou to further your skills... but of
course you might wet yourself or leave skid marks in your pants.
Outside the comfort zone, much higher chance of crashing and
injury, a good chance you will tire fast, and your riding
technique will probably fly out the window. Massive fun of
course, but you will probably soil yourself and shake your
head afterwards promising to take it easier in the future.
The main idea is to always know how much risk you
are taking and how much you plan on taking each ride. This
simple concept does make it easier for some of us to get
the thrills versus risk balance right. What are some other
options for taming the inner beast? Get your thrills from
racing, then chill out for everyday riding. For example,
some road riders go crazy at track days, then ride more
sedately during the week. Choose your type of Motorsport! Many
of us stop road riding after too many close calls with the
big accident and bad drivers making it a form of Russian
roulette. Generally, the slower the sport, the safer it will
be. for example, trials riders can take big risks with
comparatively little chance of injury and my riding group has
chosen hard enduro for the same reason. You can get your thrills
and challenge, but with much slower riding. Choose your
Riding buddies! If you ride with a bunch of nutters that ain't
going to help, especially if they ride faster than you and
you are always playing catch up, On a similar note, resist peer
group pressure. If you hang with more experienced riders,
learn to say no when you know it's getting too risky and they
might say things like "come on you Wimp get into it!" as a joke,
but peer group pressure is a powerful thing... stand up for
yourself! Don't buy a motorbike that's too big for you, unless
you are very skilled. A lighter motorbike with less power will
usually suit you better. I know plenty of middle-aged guys are
buying two stroke two 200s or four stroke 250s because they
can slam that throttle and feel like they are Ricky Carmichael...
but stay in the comfort zone. Protective gear! Good gear can
reduce your chances of serious injury. The more you ride out
your comfort zone the better your gear needs to be, and you
should be checking out the full range of body armor
available. Know yourself,, are you often impulsive and don't think
about consequences? Do you struggle with anxiety or
depression and going nuts on a motorbike helps you
temporarily forget your inner demons? Examine why you like to
go hard and make sure you are making sensible decisions when
it comes to risk taking, Sometimes we might just choose
not to ride... an example, I rode enduro motorbikes as a teenager, but I
deliberately did not get a motorbike license until I was
in my 30s. I knew I would take too many risks as a road rider
in my 20s and potentially get killed. Even in my early 50s, I
stopped adventure riding for a while. I wasn't happy with the
risks I was taking.... after a 5 year break, I have finally
started slowing down and enjoying the scenery. Are you an
ultra safe rider or a thrill seeker? Hopefully we can all
find that perfect balance of thrill versus chill!