YOUR BRAIN ON A MOTORCYCLE
18
While a great body is always something to
appreciate, an active and healthy brain is
priceless.
When we drive a car, we sit in a sedentary
manner. Navigating a motorcycle requires
more work, physically and mentally, which
activates the prefrontal areas of the brain.
In lay terms, this means riding keeps your
brain functioning at its current prime and
helps establish higher levels of
concentration.
A study by Kawishima at the University of
Tokyo, titled "The relationship between
motorcycle riding and the human mind,"
tested male motorcyclists between 40 and
50. They evaluated two groups, regular
use cyclists and a non-rider control group.
Each individual was examined for brain
function and cognitive skills.
After two months on two wheels, research
results were able to conclude riders who
rode their motorcycles to the office daily
had increased cognitive functioning when
compared to those who did not. When they
analyzed the data produced by the men,
who were also asked to repeat a set of
numbers in reverse order, consistent
motorcycle riders' scores had increased
more than 50 percent, in contrast, the
control group's scores slightly decreased.
It was also found that these improvements
would be lost if regular use of motorcycle
ceases. In addition to keep your mind on
its best game, riding has been proven to
have a positive impact on mental health,
helping mood and reducing stress.