Anyone who rides a motorcycle will know that getting out on the road can immediately lift their mood, but what they may not realise is that there is a scientific reason why.
There can be a lot of reasons why people like going for a ride, but at Harley-Davidson we wanted to know a little more about why, so in 2019 we asked UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behaviour to find out.
It found that motorcycle riding reduced hormonal stress biomarkers by 28 percent. This is thanks to bike riders experiencing increased levels of the neurotransmitter chemical serotonin, which is naturally produced in the brain and is known to improve happiness while also sharpening awareness.
This finding has been backed up by other research papers, including a 2021 report in Brain Research which found that riding brought on numerous beneficial outcomes in the brain, including a reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.
So, when someone says that riding a motorcycle makes them feel happier and more alert, it’s not just a feeling – it’s a fact.
But there are more benefits that come from riding than just the mood lift that riders get from their time on their bikes.
Over the last century motorcycle riding has become the focal point for entire communities, and around the world today there are more than a million people who have joined a Harley Owners Group (HOG).
While they might be brought together by their shared loved of Harleys and riding, these groups have also become a space for people to discuss their own mental health journeys.
We have a long history of supporting mental health, and we know that being on two wheels does that naturally. I know myself that when I’m on a bike the alertness and attention that is essential for riding safely pushes a lot of other stress out of the way, and I’m often a lot happier once I get off the bike than I was before I got on it.
Not every problem in the world can be solved by getting on a motorcycle, but it’s amazing how many problems cease to feel like problems once you open the throttle.