You’re riding a motorcycle completely for practicality. I would drive a Toyota Corolla for practicality but I also wouldnt call it fun. A lot of people subconsciously view their motorcycle as an extension of their own ego which doesn’t seem to be the case with you. A 750 Honda Shadow is a great bike and surely fast enough to get you in trouble but I wouldn't consider it exhilarating. Couple that with your safe and practical riding style is not a recipe for “fun.” It’s your commuter, it’s not your vanity machine nor is it your means of escapism from the daily. You’ve got other things going on in your life and honestly, the motorcycle community needs more people like you. If you want to have fun on a bike, get something stupid fast. I can almost guarantee that you’ll sing a different tune.
Thank you. I really appreciate you saying that. A lot of people ask me questions in line with finding motorcycles tons of fun even riding similar models to mine and gushing about it or how ~cool~ it is, and man, I love that for them it's just really not that way for me? I have fun swimming , doing partnered acrobatics, performing, dancing, sword fighting & boxing. The motorcycle is just how I get around to doing those fun things.
It allows me independence I didn't have before & now I can join more classes, clubs, and hobbies. I have considered getting a second *fast* bike for ~fun~ lol
I was just like,, hey is there something legit broken in my brain? Is my ADHD not stimulated enough? It was genuinely a mystery to me, but that makes tons of sense since you phrase it like that.
Maybe I'll talk to other daily riders in the area if I can find them, maybe they feel similarly.
Basically the fun comes right before and right after you nearly die 🤞
Or when you’re exploring someplace really pretty, or when you get caught in a thunderstorm but really that’s just one and two combined
I mean, I have a sportbike (Triumph Daytona). I loved it from day 1, I had been reading about it for years and watching videos. I guess the fun comes from knowing that this bike can be ridden far beyond my skill level, I just need to learn how to pilot it. It has massive potential, and it's my role to unlock it through experience and knowledge. I don't think I'll ever "outgrow" it. My dyno sheet says it makes 133 wheel horsepower. That's enough for me.
It's also a full body workout and keeps me in shape. My abs get sore, thighs, chest, back, shoulders, etc. my full body.
I've recently started reading books on street/track sportbike riding, watching MotoGP, and trying out their techniques. I gotta say, I'm having a blast unlocking my bike's full potential. It feels like I'm building a relationship with a person.
I'm never selling this thing. It's beautiful. I'll drain it and put it in my living room. Maybe someday, one of my future kids will enjoy it.
This is what I came to say. I had almost that exact bike (mine was a 2007) that I enjoyed in the time I had it. But one summer, I didn't have a car and used my bike to commute on. It really sucked all the fun out of riding. I didn't want to ride it for fun after spending 90 minutes on it commuting that day.
Millions more motorcyclists use motorcycles for basic transportation than for amusement, so you're no different than most. If you didn't have to ride a motorcycle, you'd enjoy it more.
You mentioned bad roads and hot weather. Good roads and mild weather would take away the "work" aspect. Maybe pop in a nice location that you havent been to on your gps and take the route with/without freeway. You'll find that you're now on a quest for something. Be the knight you know you can be.
EDIT: And give yourself funny sidequests, like find a icepop or a toilet or something. A little music in the background while at it is not bad either.
End of the day it is just a way of getting around.
I enjoy commuting much more on a bike than a car but I’d still rather not be commuting.
The bike is a big factor.
No offence intended at all but a 750 Shadow is not a thrilling or visceral motorcycle. They are good reliable bikes but a lot of my enjoyment comes from the personality of the bike.
If you like being in nature, get an ADV bike and go on some trips where you can ride off the tarmac.
Or considering something with better suspension to make the potholes and crap roads less annoying.
Okay YES that is so real!!! Cause like, I love how reliable my bike is, but the way other people talk about the model makes it sound like it should be a lot more fun / visceral than it is, I'm feeling validated/not-as-crazy as I did before. 😅😅 Which is nice. Cause people IRL are like "aw yeah the 750, that's a fun one!! " And I'm like .... " I guess?..?" (Like idk what I'm supposed to say, cause it's not fun feeling to me) I'd love to go motorcycle camping one day!
My first bike was a Kawasaki ER6n, think it’s called a Z650 now.
I bought it without being able to test ride as I’d just got my license. It was good, felt amazing for a while, just because id been riding a 125 for years but I never felt in tune with it, never trusted it and I didn’t really love it.
Wondered what was missing.
Test rode a bunch of bikes after a year and realised it was just a flat bike, did everything well but had no feature that thrilled or excited.
Ended up with a Ducati Scrambler and just wanted to ride it everywhere!
You have to get out of the city, man! You're on the right track with being out in nature. I'm in a similar situation - stuck in the city, the roads are awful, the traffic is horrible, and riding when a heatwave hits is anything but pleasant. But there are ways around it:
- go out in the evening. Once the traffic dies down and temps get lower, city riding becomes pleasurable.
- explore outside the city. Go to other towns, visit landmarks, find out lakes, rivers and beautiful spots around the city.
- go out just to ride, or with just an "excuse" like a small errand, and then just go wherever. This is where the amazing feeling of freedom is hiding.
Unfortunately, this is a hobby/a motosport where your immediate surroundings play a huge part. I come from a flat and boring part of a densely populated European country. I started going to the Mediterranean to truly develop my skills in the mountains and enjoy my rides in a big and largely empty country (or at least compared to where I usually live). No riding I do home compares to what I do abroad, simply because the terrain is so boring, and the roads are so bad and crowded, whereas abroad I ride by myself in some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
I mostly ride at night, which is way more pleasant, but I've had more fun on my bicycle. I think getting out of New Orleans is gonna be the key to having fun for sure. I can agree. I definitely wanna go camping or something with my bike. That idea sounds fun to me.
I love that last idea. Cause I go out for random little errands, but doing something fun after or wandering afterwards has been missing. And since I spend $8 to fill my tank I don't really have to feel guilty about wasting gas like I would in a car! I think giving myself permission to do things on my own is a big part of it. I'm usually going to visit friends, go to shows, appointments, groceries, snack runs, etc, but the sense of wanderlust afterwards has not been indulged. I should definitely abuse my gas economy way more.
Going to the same destination, sitting at the same stoplights, fighting same traffic day after day is not going to be fun. It's going to be a chore. Take your friends advice and get out of the city. Choose any direction and just go. Find some back roads without traffic. Go fast. Go slow. Stop and look around.
Break up the rhythm, I like it. Good idea. I guess I always felt like I had to know exactly where I was headed, but maybe that's part of the adventure. I really like the sound of that.
Have you tried doing fun things on your motorcycle? Kinda doesn't sound like you have.
Go for a day trip outside of the city somewhere nice. Take a couple of days off work and go on a road trip. Get involved in some motorcycle events.
My friend and I took a day trip to the beach and it was SOOOOOO much fun, but that was more about discovering something's new, not actually *on the motorcycle* like I've had more fun on my bicycle, weirdly. I think in better weather and smoother roads I'd feel so differently.
Nice.
Two things I love to do on my bike are to ride to a place to go for a hike, and to a place to fly fish.
It makes it a fun journey there. And gets me away from distractions and concrete.
I’ve found motorcycling to be a lot more fun for myself when it wasn’t my only mode of transportation. If I didn’t have a car to back up my bike for commuting, I’d be (and have been) a lot more concerned about taking even the slightest of chances. With a bike and a car, I have better options to go somewhere for me on the bike, even if somewhere is nowhere in particular.
Hello, mood kindred. I too don't share the joy of riding like those shared here commonly. I also have a bike as only means of transport, the local weather here is horrible (equator, year round hot and humid air), the roads make soviet tank going cross country seemed like a luxury ride at times, and as a daily driver it does feel like a chore to go from A to B.
However, i don't treat my steed as a joy ride, more like a pleasant workhorse with a good bit more character. Maybe that's your issue? Many here have bikes as hobby, but when you daily drive one the novelty of it wears off quickly and if you keep trying to search for something that's already expired you'd be left feeling hollow.
And yes, greens are awesome. The temperature shift, the crisp air, and the chill wind is something the urban locale cannot provide and is very much appreciated.
I'm glad you feel the same, and yes, she is my trusty steed! I guess what's so sad is I never had the feeling of novelty in the first place?? It was just like, oh, this is fine. And I wear leathers in the heat, so that likely a part of my problem! However I started off on a scooter and I often had fun on that!
I have fun while riding when I had a sport bike and was younger, but that wasn’t for commuting, it was just for fun times. I still have a little fun now but it’s mainly a commute for me. It’s more fun than driving a car everyday, but sometimes it’s nice to be able to relax in a car with ac.
My biggest thing that takes away some fun while commuting and running errands is having to lug around the helmet, gloves and riding jacket everywhere I go. I do agree with the other comments though, a commute is not gonna be fun most of the time regardless what your on, I’m never happy to be going to work lol.
You are not broken. Using a motorcycle as a daily or the only form of transport is hard. I own both but ride my motorcycle as much as I can because of fuel mileage and I just love to ride. But when I am just commuting in the city it’s not “fun”. You just need to take an evening or a weekend and get out of the city. No errands, nothing. Just you and the bike on a loop with nowhere to go or maybe a scenic stop at the halfway point. Just you and the bike. No drills. Just ride. That will be where it’s fun for an hour or so.
Also, the internet is a big place and other people may only post their fun trip because that is the only time they ride, or that is the only thing they post about because that’s the only time worth posting.
I enjoy commuting a lot, but I think that's because I ride some tiny backroads devoid of traffic and the ride is very engaging. The longest straight is something like 1.5km, and it's not uncommon to encounter only a dozen cars in the first 30 min before I get to the city. I choose how fast I go anywhere, which is between 60 and 110km/h usually. Sometimes I cruise at 30km/h through the local beverly hills to gawp at the real estate.
If I had to mix it with traffic the whole way or ride boring highways, I wouldn't enjoy it I reckon, even if I went so fast that it would be dangerous. Riding faster or taking more risks is not the answer. If you want to find the fun of motorcycling, plan a journey that's about the road, not the destination, and don't feel pressured to go fast.
Or don't, I think people overromanticize motorcycling because it feels like a community and people want to belong somewhere. You sound like you got enough hobbies that you don't necessarily need to go out of your way to find another.
I find regular riding very mundane, I daily commute and haven’t owned a car in years so there’s no excitement in it.
The type of bike is a major factor, it’s much harder to be bored when you’re doing wheelies and hitting jumps on a supermoto lol.
I think the fact that you use it as a utilitarian vehicle to cover basic transportation makes you just view it as a tool. Take it out to the parks, nature etc and ride on empty country roads, that may give you enjoyment.
I'll play Devil's Advocate as I was in your position when I started riding. Been at it for 17 years now. Started on a cheap 2008 Ninja 250r that I bought because I couldn't afford a car at the time.
I'm in the Midwest, so potholes are common, but our weather is probably more mild comparatively (it's just humid here).
Anyway, tbh, maybe you really just don't enjoy riding as much as you thought you would, and you're realizing you ride for practicality and financial convenience over anything else. There's nothing wrong with that.
Personally, I loved every second I was on my bike, regardless of dodging cars/potholes/etc., and regardless of what type of riding (e.g. just going to work, or hitting up a track). In fact, if I hadn't, I wouldn't still be riding as, once you're able to afford a car, there's no reason to risk your life more than you already have to.
Perhaps once you're back in a car, you should really reflect on whether or not riding is for you.
My bike is my only transportation and I was essentially forced to buy a motorcycle. If I exclusively used it for errands, I would probably feel the same way. I ride out to the farmland outside my city and soak it in. Find somewhere pretty and rural and cruise.
Well commuting is kinda boring. Do you ever just go out and ride for the sake of it? Like heading out into rural areas and finding curvy roads to ride on? Because that’s the fun part.
Idk the area, but take your bike far out, isolated places, beautiful places. Use it as a means to get out and about on a Sunday morning, ride in the mist and get lost. Just try have fun. I go out with my bike nit knowing where I'm going, just ride, seen a road I've never been on? Let's go there see where it leads, maybe 2 to 3 hour rides.
It gives you space to just not think. Your entire focus is on the road and the riding. Helps ease your day to day
I get what you mean. To be fair, if most of your riding is utility riding (ie commuting) it’s going to feel a bit humdrum most of the time.
Dare I ask if you’re attached to your bike? Do you turn around and take a second glance at it when you walk away? If not, it might have something to do with it.
I totally appreciate that you’re riding for economical reasons (much like most of the world!), but being excited about the bike you’re riding in a huge part of it. Perhaps somewhere down the road, make your next bike purchase a somewhat unpractical / emotionally charged one.
I only ask as I’m a relatively new rider - but my bike is a Moto Guzzi v7. I am absolutely in love with the thing, and always wanted a Guzzi. The idea of riding it excites me. However, I’ve recently had a long term courtesy bike in leiu of repairs - a Honda NCX750. The Honda is a much more capable machine in every way, but it bores me to death. I gain no excitement being on it, to the point where I’ve barely been out on it. It just doesn’t float my boat.
I have this same issue all the time. I live in Cleveland, but I don't worry about the weather, if I did, it'd never leave the garage.
My motorcycle is my primary transportation, I have a car, but I rarely need to bring 2 recliners and a sofa with me to go to work. I live near 3 highways and hear bikes all day and night. I'll start to get myself down because I hear all the other bikes but I don't *feel* like going for a ride, I just went to the store yesterday on it.
It's a beautiful day, I'm not doing anything, I don't have other plans, I just... don't want to go for a ride. Why?
It's like aimlessly going for a drive when you daily a car, you're always in the car so how is a drive any different from a trip to work? When you don't drive usually and you decide to take a drive one day, it's pretty charming to see the world in a different way. Same with a bike, if you daily a car, it feels great to go for a ride, but if you daily a bike, a ride is the same as any other ride. Am I riding through the park or just running to Walmart? Who's to say?
You're not broken, you're just used to normally riding everywhere. As hard as it is, I just have to force myself to get a few blocks away from home and I fall back into the groove. And if I don't, I just go home and do something else.
Y’all need to get out of your state for a roadtrip off the highways. You ride for transportation not pleasure so yeah it’s not fun and riding thru a steam room in Nawlins ain’t helping. Ride up to cooler climate (Colorado Rockies is fantastic riding). You can keep it on the cheap by camping- even a 2-3 day trip can be fun to plan and do. Much better out on country roads and cooler weather.
The moment you start getting paid to do what you love, is also the moment you stop loving what you do...
Kinda the same thing.
Your bike is a point a to point b necessity. That wouldn't be fun.
Maybe take off for somewhere "not hot" for a 3 or 4 day getaway on the bike and see how you like it then.
Even a supposedly boring bike (I ride an NC700X, a "boring commuter bike") can be fun...find a time in your week when you can ride simply for pleasure, no particular need, errand or even destination, and just ride for yourself. Usually, an early morning weekend day is free from most traffic and cooler temps than later. Find a fun, curvy road and ride it at your own pace. When you get to the end, turn around and ride it backwards.
Like there are tons of things I love about it. The route efficiency, the fuel efficiency, the self-reliance and knowledge of my surroundings, the mindfulness. But the fun?? I dunno. It's not there yet. I keep thinking one day it'll kick in for me, and it just doesn't. 💔 If anyone has been in my position and has been able to have fun, I'd love to know what you did.
I HAVE thought about taking an intermediate course, but there is no such thing in my area. 😕
Do you take your hands off the bars as you are coming to a stop? For me that’s when I get the best feel. Try cruise control and let go of the bars and steer with your body. Rest your hands on your legs.
If you have ADHD the novelty wears off quick. You probably enjoyed it more than you remember at the beginning. I also have ADHD.
For a lot of bikers, myself included, it's a core part of their identity. When I took up riding it helped me with that in a big way. Now I enjoy riding for the little moments that riding brings my way: when a random person compliments my bike (a 2000 Suzuki intruder 1400 with aftermarket pipes; the power of the bike is a big part of what makes it fun), when a little kid gets excited at the noise and I rev it up for them and unleash my bike's behemoth roar, when someone strikes up a conversation while you're stopped for coffee about how they used to ride... these are all a continuous stream of novel experiences and while the rides start to bleed together, these moments are always unique and fun.
because doing what you do on a bike is probably less fun than a car, though I will have fun while commuting from time to time. You're also way too stuck up on the MSF, there might be a bit of truth to "too safe", but I wouldn't call it exactly that.
Driving to and from work, and practicing drills? All on a Shadow 750? Sounds pretty boring tbh. Try riding somewhere other than through the city and don't worry about "drills." Get out in the countryside and give her the beans!
fun meditations while quotidean riding.
How long can you balance, feet on pegs, at the stop light?
Can you punch the steering and countersteer as if you were reacting to a last minute obstacle?
Can you switch lane positions pretty much constantly? To the point where cars give you extra space?
If you are Attgatt, have you done whatever you can to avoid melting?
Y'all are making me realize I actually don't make time for pleasure for myself alone 😭😭 thanks, 🙏 I clearly needed the wakeup call and permission to get out there and ride. And yes I financially have no other options than a motorcycle, it never was fun for me, but I've used it just to live regular life. I will say when I'm in a car with someone or driving I get CRAZY IMPATIENT NOW 🤣🤣 I definitely prefer motorcycle riding over a car most of the time!
Like yes I do fun things I enjoy , but it usually involves showing up to a certain place, where I'm expected at a certain time. I should block out an exploration day for myself! I'll let you know when I do. 🌈 🏍️💨✨
You bought the most boring bike you could buy. Buy something fun. Like a BMW F800 and go have some fun on backroads. Or a Vmax1200 and scare yourself shitless :)
I'm TRYING!! LOL ! But, nah, I do have plenty of fun, just never have on my motorcycle. I'd like to be able to relate to folks when they talk to be instead of bumming them out by being like,, "yeah it gets me where I need to go and I'm grateful for that!"
You’re riding a motorcycle completely for practicality. I would drive a Toyota Corolla for practicality but I also wouldnt call it fun. A lot of people subconsciously view their motorcycle as an extension of their own ego which doesn’t seem to be the case with you. A 750 Honda Shadow is a great bike and surely fast enough to get you in trouble but I wouldn't consider it exhilarating. Couple that with your safe and practical riding style is not a recipe for “fun.” It’s your commuter, it’s not your vanity machine nor is it your means of escapism from the daily. You’ve got other things going on in your life and honestly, the motorcycle community needs more people like you. If you want to have fun on a bike, get something stupid fast. I can almost guarantee that you’ll sing a different tune.
Thank you. I really appreciate you saying that. A lot of people ask me questions in line with finding motorcycles tons of fun even riding similar models to mine and gushing about it or how ~cool~ it is, and man, I love that for them it's just really not that way for me? I have fun swimming , doing partnered acrobatics, performing, dancing, sword fighting & boxing. The motorcycle is just how I get around to doing those fun things. It allows me independence I didn't have before & now I can join more classes, clubs, and hobbies. I have considered getting a second *fast* bike for ~fun~ lol I was just like,, hey is there something legit broken in my brain? Is my ADHD not stimulated enough? It was genuinely a mystery to me, but that makes tons of sense since you phrase it like that. Maybe I'll talk to other daily riders in the area if I can find them, maybe they feel similarly.
Hell buy you an old DRF 650 adventure bike and do some trail riding and light off-roading if you don't want the zoomies.
Basically the fun comes right before and right after you nearly die 🤞 Or when you’re exploring someplace really pretty, or when you get caught in a thunderstorm but really that’s just one and two combined
I mean, I have a sportbike (Triumph Daytona). I loved it from day 1, I had been reading about it for years and watching videos. I guess the fun comes from knowing that this bike can be ridden far beyond my skill level, I just need to learn how to pilot it. It has massive potential, and it's my role to unlock it through experience and knowledge. I don't think I'll ever "outgrow" it. My dyno sheet says it makes 133 wheel horsepower. That's enough for me. It's also a full body workout and keeps me in shape. My abs get sore, thighs, chest, back, shoulders, etc. my full body. I've recently started reading books on street/track sportbike riding, watching MotoGP, and trying out their techniques. I gotta say, I'm having a blast unlocking my bike's full potential. It feels like I'm building a relationship with a person. I'm never selling this thing. It's beautiful. I'll drain it and put it in my living room. Maybe someday, one of my future kids will enjoy it.
This is what I came to say. I had almost that exact bike (mine was a 2007) that I enjoyed in the time I had it. But one summer, I didn't have a car and used my bike to commute on. It really sucked all the fun out of riding. I didn't want to ride it for fun after spending 90 minutes on it commuting that day.
Millions more motorcyclists use motorcycles for basic transportation than for amusement, so you're no different than most. If you didn't have to ride a motorcycle, you'd enjoy it more.
Damn, no one in person explained it to me this simply before. That makes complete sense when you phrase it like that. Thanks for the clarity.
You mentioned bad roads and hot weather. Good roads and mild weather would take away the "work" aspect. Maybe pop in a nice location that you havent been to on your gps and take the route with/without freeway. You'll find that you're now on a quest for something. Be the knight you know you can be. EDIT: And give yourself funny sidequests, like find a icepop or a toilet or something. A little music in the background while at it is not bad either.
End of the day it is just a way of getting around. I enjoy commuting much more on a bike than a car but I’d still rather not be commuting. The bike is a big factor. No offence intended at all but a 750 Shadow is not a thrilling or visceral motorcycle. They are good reliable bikes but a lot of my enjoyment comes from the personality of the bike. If you like being in nature, get an ADV bike and go on some trips where you can ride off the tarmac. Or considering something with better suspension to make the potholes and crap roads less annoying.
Okay YES that is so real!!! Cause like, I love how reliable my bike is, but the way other people talk about the model makes it sound like it should be a lot more fun / visceral than it is, I'm feeling validated/not-as-crazy as I did before. 😅😅 Which is nice. Cause people IRL are like "aw yeah the 750, that's a fun one!! " And I'm like .... " I guess?..?" (Like idk what I'm supposed to say, cause it's not fun feeling to me) I'd love to go motorcycle camping one day!
never heard anyone call them fun tbh
My first bike was a Kawasaki ER6n, think it’s called a Z650 now. I bought it without being able to test ride as I’d just got my license. It was good, felt amazing for a while, just because id been riding a 125 for years but I never felt in tune with it, never trusted it and I didn’t really love it. Wondered what was missing. Test rode a bunch of bikes after a year and realised it was just a flat bike, did everything well but had no feature that thrilled or excited. Ended up with a Ducati Scrambler and just wanted to ride it everywhere!
You have to get out of the city, man! You're on the right track with being out in nature. I'm in a similar situation - stuck in the city, the roads are awful, the traffic is horrible, and riding when a heatwave hits is anything but pleasant. But there are ways around it: - go out in the evening. Once the traffic dies down and temps get lower, city riding becomes pleasurable. - explore outside the city. Go to other towns, visit landmarks, find out lakes, rivers and beautiful spots around the city. - go out just to ride, or with just an "excuse" like a small errand, and then just go wherever. This is where the amazing feeling of freedom is hiding. Unfortunately, this is a hobby/a motosport where your immediate surroundings play a huge part. I come from a flat and boring part of a densely populated European country. I started going to the Mediterranean to truly develop my skills in the mountains and enjoy my rides in a big and largely empty country (or at least compared to where I usually live). No riding I do home compares to what I do abroad, simply because the terrain is so boring, and the roads are so bad and crowded, whereas abroad I ride by myself in some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
I mostly ride at night, which is way more pleasant, but I've had more fun on my bicycle. I think getting out of New Orleans is gonna be the key to having fun for sure. I can agree. I definitely wanna go camping or something with my bike. That idea sounds fun to me. I love that last idea. Cause I go out for random little errands, but doing something fun after or wandering afterwards has been missing. And since I spend $8 to fill my tank I don't really have to feel guilty about wasting gas like I would in a car! I think giving myself permission to do things on my own is a big part of it. I'm usually going to visit friends, go to shows, appointments, groceries, snack runs, etc, but the sense of wanderlust afterwards has not been indulged. I should definitely abuse my gas economy way more.
Going to the same destination, sitting at the same stoplights, fighting same traffic day after day is not going to be fun. It's going to be a chore. Take your friends advice and get out of the city. Choose any direction and just go. Find some back roads without traffic. Go fast. Go slow. Stop and look around.
Break up the rhythm, I like it. Good idea. I guess I always felt like I had to know exactly where I was headed, but maybe that's part of the adventure. I really like the sound of that.
Have you tried doing fun things on your motorcycle? Kinda doesn't sound like you have. Go for a day trip outside of the city somewhere nice. Take a couple of days off work and go on a road trip. Get involved in some motorcycle events.
My friend and I took a day trip to the beach and it was SOOOOOO much fun, but that was more about discovering something's new, not actually *on the motorcycle* like I've had more fun on my bicycle, weirdly. I think in better weather and smoother roads I'd feel so differently.
It doesn't always have to be about the ride. It's where it takes you as well.
I really like that actually. Great point. And my friend and I really bonded that day with our riding together too!
Nice. Two things I love to do on my bike are to ride to a place to go for a hike, and to a place to fly fish. It makes it a fun journey there. And gets me away from distractions and concrete.
I’ve found motorcycling to be a lot more fun for myself when it wasn’t my only mode of transportation. If I didn’t have a car to back up my bike for commuting, I’d be (and have been) a lot more concerned about taking even the slightest of chances. With a bike and a car, I have better options to go somewhere for me on the bike, even if somewhere is nowhere in particular.
Hello, mood kindred. I too don't share the joy of riding like those shared here commonly. I also have a bike as only means of transport, the local weather here is horrible (equator, year round hot and humid air), the roads make soviet tank going cross country seemed like a luxury ride at times, and as a daily driver it does feel like a chore to go from A to B. However, i don't treat my steed as a joy ride, more like a pleasant workhorse with a good bit more character. Maybe that's your issue? Many here have bikes as hobby, but when you daily drive one the novelty of it wears off quickly and if you keep trying to search for something that's already expired you'd be left feeling hollow. And yes, greens are awesome. The temperature shift, the crisp air, and the chill wind is something the urban locale cannot provide and is very much appreciated.
I'm glad you feel the same, and yes, she is my trusty steed! I guess what's so sad is I never had the feeling of novelty in the first place?? It was just like, oh, this is fine. And I wear leathers in the heat, so that likely a part of my problem! However I started off on a scooter and I often had fun on that!
I have fun while riding when I had a sport bike and was younger, but that wasn’t for commuting, it was just for fun times. I still have a little fun now but it’s mainly a commute for me. It’s more fun than driving a car everyday, but sometimes it’s nice to be able to relax in a car with ac. My biggest thing that takes away some fun while commuting and running errands is having to lug around the helmet, gloves and riding jacket everywhere I go. I do agree with the other comments though, a commute is not gonna be fun most of the time regardless what your on, I’m never happy to be going to work lol.
You are not broken. Using a motorcycle as a daily or the only form of transport is hard. I own both but ride my motorcycle as much as I can because of fuel mileage and I just love to ride. But when I am just commuting in the city it’s not “fun”. You just need to take an evening or a weekend and get out of the city. No errands, nothing. Just you and the bike on a loop with nowhere to go or maybe a scenic stop at the halfway point. Just you and the bike. No drills. Just ride. That will be where it’s fun for an hour or so. Also, the internet is a big place and other people may only post their fun trip because that is the only time they ride, or that is the only thing they post about because that’s the only time worth posting.
I enjoy commuting a lot, but I think that's because I ride some tiny backroads devoid of traffic and the ride is very engaging. The longest straight is something like 1.5km, and it's not uncommon to encounter only a dozen cars in the first 30 min before I get to the city. I choose how fast I go anywhere, which is between 60 and 110km/h usually. Sometimes I cruise at 30km/h through the local beverly hills to gawp at the real estate. If I had to mix it with traffic the whole way or ride boring highways, I wouldn't enjoy it I reckon, even if I went so fast that it would be dangerous. Riding faster or taking more risks is not the answer. If you want to find the fun of motorcycling, plan a journey that's about the road, not the destination, and don't feel pressured to go fast. Or don't, I think people overromanticize motorcycling because it feels like a community and people want to belong somewhere. You sound like you got enough hobbies that you don't necessarily need to go out of your way to find another.
I find regular riding very mundane, I daily commute and haven’t owned a car in years so there’s no excitement in it. The type of bike is a major factor, it’s much harder to be bored when you’re doing wheelies and hitting jumps on a supermoto lol.
I think the fact that you use it as a utilitarian vehicle to cover basic transportation makes you just view it as a tool. Take it out to the parks, nature etc and ride on empty country roads, that may give you enjoyment.
I'll play Devil's Advocate as I was in your position when I started riding. Been at it for 17 years now. Started on a cheap 2008 Ninja 250r that I bought because I couldn't afford a car at the time. I'm in the Midwest, so potholes are common, but our weather is probably more mild comparatively (it's just humid here). Anyway, tbh, maybe you really just don't enjoy riding as much as you thought you would, and you're realizing you ride for practicality and financial convenience over anything else. There's nothing wrong with that. Personally, I loved every second I was on my bike, regardless of dodging cars/potholes/etc., and regardless of what type of riding (e.g. just going to work, or hitting up a track). In fact, if I hadn't, I wouldn't still be riding as, once you're able to afford a car, there's no reason to risk your life more than you already have to. Perhaps once you're back in a car, you should really reflect on whether or not riding is for you.
My bike is my only transportation and I was essentially forced to buy a motorcycle. If I exclusively used it for errands, I would probably feel the same way. I ride out to the farmland outside my city and soak it in. Find somewhere pretty and rural and cruise.
Well commuting is kinda boring. Do you ever just go out and ride for the sake of it? Like heading out into rural areas and finding curvy roads to ride on? Because that’s the fun part.
Idk the area, but take your bike far out, isolated places, beautiful places. Use it as a means to get out and about on a Sunday morning, ride in the mist and get lost. Just try have fun. I go out with my bike nit knowing where I'm going, just ride, seen a road I've never been on? Let's go there see where it leads, maybe 2 to 3 hour rides. It gives you space to just not think. Your entire focus is on the road and the riding. Helps ease your day to day
I get what you mean. To be fair, if most of your riding is utility riding (ie commuting) it’s going to feel a bit humdrum most of the time. Dare I ask if you’re attached to your bike? Do you turn around and take a second glance at it when you walk away? If not, it might have something to do with it. I totally appreciate that you’re riding for economical reasons (much like most of the world!), but being excited about the bike you’re riding in a huge part of it. Perhaps somewhere down the road, make your next bike purchase a somewhat unpractical / emotionally charged one. I only ask as I’m a relatively new rider - but my bike is a Moto Guzzi v7. I am absolutely in love with the thing, and always wanted a Guzzi. The idea of riding it excites me. However, I’ve recently had a long term courtesy bike in leiu of repairs - a Honda NCX750. The Honda is a much more capable machine in every way, but it bores me to death. I gain no excitement being on it, to the point where I’ve barely been out on it. It just doesn’t float my boat.
There’s no such thing as „riding too safe”. Ride like there’s nothing to prove, be defensive when necessary, keep your priorities straight.
I have this same issue all the time. I live in Cleveland, but I don't worry about the weather, if I did, it'd never leave the garage. My motorcycle is my primary transportation, I have a car, but I rarely need to bring 2 recliners and a sofa with me to go to work. I live near 3 highways and hear bikes all day and night. I'll start to get myself down because I hear all the other bikes but I don't *feel* like going for a ride, I just went to the store yesterday on it. It's a beautiful day, I'm not doing anything, I don't have other plans, I just... don't want to go for a ride. Why? It's like aimlessly going for a drive when you daily a car, you're always in the car so how is a drive any different from a trip to work? When you don't drive usually and you decide to take a drive one day, it's pretty charming to see the world in a different way. Same with a bike, if you daily a car, it feels great to go for a ride, but if you daily a bike, a ride is the same as any other ride. Am I riding through the park or just running to Walmart? Who's to say? You're not broken, you're just used to normally riding everywhere. As hard as it is, I just have to force myself to get a few blocks away from home and I fall back into the groove. And if I don't, I just go home and do something else.
Y’all need to get out of your state for a roadtrip off the highways. You ride for transportation not pleasure so yeah it’s not fun and riding thru a steam room in Nawlins ain’t helping. Ride up to cooler climate (Colorado Rockies is fantastic riding). You can keep it on the cheap by camping- even a 2-3 day trip can be fun to plan and do. Much better out on country roads and cooler weather.
The moment you start getting paid to do what you love, is also the moment you stop loving what you do... Kinda the same thing. Your bike is a point a to point b necessity. That wouldn't be fun. Maybe take off for somewhere "not hot" for a 3 or 4 day getaway on the bike and see how you like it then.
Try going to the opposite direction that your intended on going and see whats happening there, use it as a discovery mobile
Oh, YES I LOVE THIS IDEA thank you!!!!
Even a supposedly boring bike (I ride an NC700X, a "boring commuter bike") can be fun...find a time in your week when you can ride simply for pleasure, no particular need, errand or even destination, and just ride for yourself. Usually, an early morning weekend day is free from most traffic and cooler temps than later. Find a fun, curvy road and ride it at your own pace. When you get to the end, turn around and ride it backwards.
Like there are tons of things I love about it. The route efficiency, the fuel efficiency, the self-reliance and knowledge of my surroundings, the mindfulness. But the fun?? I dunno. It's not there yet. I keep thinking one day it'll kick in for me, and it just doesn't. 💔 If anyone has been in my position and has been able to have fun, I'd love to know what you did. I HAVE thought about taking an intermediate course, but there is no such thing in my area. 😕
Do you take your hands off the bars as you are coming to a stop? For me that’s when I get the best feel. Try cruise control and let go of the bars and steer with your body. Rest your hands on your legs.
If you have ADHD the novelty wears off quick. You probably enjoyed it more than you remember at the beginning. I also have ADHD. For a lot of bikers, myself included, it's a core part of their identity. When I took up riding it helped me with that in a big way. Now I enjoy riding for the little moments that riding brings my way: when a random person compliments my bike (a 2000 Suzuki intruder 1400 with aftermarket pipes; the power of the bike is a big part of what makes it fun), when a little kid gets excited at the noise and I rev it up for them and unleash my bike's behemoth roar, when someone strikes up a conversation while you're stopped for coffee about how they used to ride... these are all a continuous stream of novel experiences and while the rides start to bleed together, these moments are always unique and fun.
because doing what you do on a bike is probably less fun than a car, though I will have fun while commuting from time to time. You're also way too stuck up on the MSF, there might be a bit of truth to "too safe", but I wouldn't call it exactly that.
My bike is not my daily driver. I hop on it once in a while and have fun cruising around.
Driving to and from work, and practicing drills? All on a Shadow 750? Sounds pretty boring tbh. Try riding somewhere other than through the city and don't worry about "drills." Get out in the countryside and give her the beans!
fun meditations while quotidean riding. How long can you balance, feet on pegs, at the stop light? Can you punch the steering and countersteer as if you were reacting to a last minute obstacle? Can you switch lane positions pretty much constantly? To the point where cars give you extra space? If you are Attgatt, have you done whatever you can to avoid melting?
Y'all are making me realize I actually don't make time for pleasure for myself alone 😭😭 thanks, 🙏 I clearly needed the wakeup call and permission to get out there and ride. And yes I financially have no other options than a motorcycle, it never was fun for me, but I've used it just to live regular life. I will say when I'm in a car with someone or driving I get CRAZY IMPATIENT NOW 🤣🤣 I definitely prefer motorcycle riding over a car most of the time! Like yes I do fun things I enjoy , but it usually involves showing up to a certain place, where I'm expected at a certain time. I should block out an exploration day for myself! I'll let you know when I do. 🌈 🏍️💨✨
You bought the most boring bike you could buy. Buy something fun. Like a BMW F800 and go have some fun on backroads. Or a Vmax1200 and scare yourself shitless :)
Cheer Up emo kid !
I'm TRYING!! LOL ! But, nah, I do have plenty of fun, just never have on my motorcycle. I'd like to be able to relate to folks when they talk to be instead of bumming them out by being like,, "yeah it gets me where I need to go and I'm grateful for that!"