Scientific study: motorcycles make you smarter
The scientist who invented "Brain Age," a popular mental training game for the Nintendo DS, has discovered that riding motorcycles can improve cognitive function. Ryuta Kawashima partnered with Yamaha Japan and Tohoku University to study the effects of motorcycle riding on middle-aged men, finding, "In a convenient and easy environment, the human mind and body get used to setting the hurdle low. Our final conclusion is that riding motorcycles can lead to smart ageing."22 men in their 40s and 50s who had motorcycle licenses but had not ridden for at least a decade were used for the study. Half were made to ride a motorcycle everyday for two months, while the other half were forbidden to. The two groups were given a series of tests before and after that period. "The group that rode motorbikes posted higher marks in cognitive function tests," Kawashima said.
One test had the group attempt to remember a set of numbers in reverse order. The motorcyclists improved their scores by more than 50% after the two months while the non-riders' scores decreased marginally. The motorcyclists also reported making fewer mistakes at work and generally feeling "happier."
Because riding a motorcycle requires a high level of alertness and rapid problem solving, Kawashima found, "the driver's brain gets activated by riding motorbikes." He went on to conclude, "Mental care is a very big issue in modern society. I think we made an interesting stir here as data showed you can improve your mental condition simply by using motorbikes to commute."
via Yahoo! News
Wes Siler. March 04, 2009 — Permalink
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but grinding your reproductive organs off with a drag bike removes you from the gene pool. so it all evens out i guess.
And I just though riding bikes all my life was for pullin in the skirt. Unintended bonus.
It's not that I wouldn't believe the results but... this study smells funny. The Brain Age guy is sponsored by Yamaha, but whatever. The real problem is that the "control" group commuted in cars AND BICYCLES. Anyone who commutes on a human-powered cycle can attest to the required cage-dodging concentration. Plus, regular exercise has been shown time and again to help keep the brain healthy (along with the rest of you).
But then, how are you going to attract the most fertile and successful women when you're on an archaic pedal bike?
Wasn't this pretty well covered by the "you don't stop riding because you get old, you get old because you stop riding"?
live to ride, ride to live...smarter!
smarter or dead-er. i'd rather read a dictionary.
Could someone give me the details on the twin engined bike in the post? It looks amazing.
Yukio posted that on So-So's. I don't know where it's from though.
I just read the article that a friend posted, well i gotta say it definitely makes you wonder thats for sure, but if its true which would be awesome, that is just a cool thing to know, another reason to want to get into motorcycle riding haha. But hey would it then (if this is true) help with memory like short term or long term, just curious. Any info can be good info.
It's true! Since I started riding motorcycles I no longer feel the urge to watch nascar and wrestling!
I most defiantly get to work with a clear mind, a relaxed feeling and less stress due to the lack of traffic!
but what is a dictionary going to do for you "cognitive function", you probably should pick up that dictionary mate!
Riding a motorcycle make the brain works more than driving a car. Here are the reasons:
1. Balance- While rinding a motorcycle you constantly need to balance yourself whereby on four wheels you don’t, your brain make a lot of analysis how you should balance your bike and body.
2. More sensitive to sight and sound - while riding a motorcycle you are more alert of your surrounding, makes the brains more alert than sitting in a four-wheeled box.
3. More motor function- It has been said driving a car especially automatic transmission is easy, but when comes to riding a motorcycle your need to use all of your body functions- both legs, both hands, to control the bike.
Whatever
It's a relatively famous twin-engined Triumph drag bike, Parasite.
http://nostalgiaonwheels.blogspot.com/2008/02/triumph-twin-engine-drag-bikes.html