Fear of motorcycles developed in adolescent age: How to get rid of it

My phobia kept me away from these magnificent machines for many years but now I want to start riding.

BHPian priyeshkolte recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hello everyone!

I live in Thane and I am a huge fan of automobile engineering. However, due to some nasty experiences in my adolescent years, I developed a kind of phobia for 2-wheelers. Because of this, I kept myself away from these magnificent machines for quite a lot of years.

However, things are really stirring up after seeing Indian automakers making sweet parallel twin engines with a refinement that beats some of the best Japanese bikemakers.

In recent times, I have had a lot of personal issues both emotional and physical for which my counsellor suggested to do a few things which might reduce the stress and allow me to loosen up a bit.

I would like to get help from the community:

• Help me understand which kind of motorcycles I should consider. I am a big fan of the extremely tractable motors which allow you to be relaxed and enjoy everything else around you except the ride.
• Can anyone from Thane help me get rid of this phobia by giving me riding sessions for a few hours?

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

You aren't alone:

• 45% of BHPians consider riding to be "high risk", while another ~50% consider riding in India to be "medium risk". Only 6.47% of enthusiasts think that motorcycling is "low risk" - link to poll & discussion.
• I L-O-V-E motorcycles and I love to ride. However, our roads are terrible, there is no traffic sense and one idiot driving a rickshaw on the wrong side or taking a u-turn in the middle of nowhere is enough to send you to the ICU for 6 months (or your grave). I love my life too much to leave it in the hands of ill-trained drivers or poor infrastructure.
• If you have a phobia, so be it. Have more fun in cars. As much as I love motorcycles, I don't miss riding at all, because I'm having way too much fun with cars.
• And those times that I really need a fix, I go for a short ride on borrowed motorcycles.

Am not a rider by choice & have absolutely no regrets.

Here's what BHPian shancz had to say about the matter:

While I am nowhere near Thane so can't help you put it directly but I can only suggest trying the Interceptor purely based on what you mentioned.

While the Interceptor is just a start, I would also suggest waiting for the Himalayan 450, and XPulse 400 expected by the end of this year.

What kind of bike? Test ride all you can think of and get what connects with you the best. Once you have a shortlist and can't pick one, come back to us, you're always welcome.

Would also suggest checking out the MotorInc channel and linking a video here which you might find interesting, ignore if you don't.

Credits to Providers

You're on a good heading, good luck and welcome back to motorcycling.

Here's what BHPian masterChief007 had to say about the matter:

This is sort of a red flag, sorry but I need to air caution here. Motorcycling needs 100% of emotional and 100% physical balance. When riding you must not let any emotions other than those which you are feeling related to the riding, also you need to be in decent fitness to not get irritated due to some pain or the other.

In case you are going through some tough situation in life, both emotionally and physically then please make sure they don't be the pillion on your rides. It's very easy to twist the throttle along with some negative thoughts.

Ok, now that I am done lecturing, start with a relaxed tourer for now which is hassle-free (Honda Highness?), wake up early in the morning 5.00 am and make rounds near your house, once you start making some miles your phobia will also vanish. Maybe catch up with fellow BHPians in your city for some breakfast rides?

Here's what BHPian aargee had to say about the matter:

The best way to overcome a fear is to have a cup of coffee with the fear; in that aspect, yes, your ride to overcome your fear of riding, which is right in a way.

However, the foundational prerequisite to ride a motorcycle {or a scooter} requires immense concentration in the mind & good fitness in the body. If you have a phobia, then that's trouble hindering you from riding right at the mind, which, in my humble opinion, has to be addressed first before anything else.

Since we don't know & not morally, or ethically & obligated to know your personal life issues, I think they've to be taken care of second. And this should automatically take care of your stress & loosen more than you can think {just remember, <50 lives a billionaire & he has stress too}, hence RIDING is not the ONLY solution for bursting stress, there're other options, especially when there's a phobia around it.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.