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Old 01-28-2013, 09:18 AM   #1394
Let's get tropical
Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Northern VT
Oddometer: 1,317
Originally Posted by AntiHero View Post
A psychoanalyst named Spitz in the 40s studied the extremely high mortality rates among children in institutions and discovered that without touching, goochie-gooing, laughing or cuddling, children became sick, lost weight and died. His research led to the development of attachment theory and the realization that an infant “needs to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for mental, social and emotional development to occur normally.” (This, in turn, led to the seemingly obvious result: solid parental affection leads to emotional balance and a child that grows up feeling secure.) The child who grows up with intermittent affection – or is abused and neglected – will suffer from a life-long sense of insecurity, feelings of doom, lack of confidence and inadequacy (despite what he/she accomplishes) as well as a whole host of other possible behavioral, psychological and health issues. The part of our brain responsible for everything we consider human—love, tenderness, emotions, reciprocity—is called the limbic brain (vs. the reptilian one that controls our vitals and the neocortical brain that is responsible for thought and language).

For those who do suffer limbic deprivation when young (which can come from enforced isolation, neglect or abuse) life can be a living physiological hell: the desire for love and affection still exists (and is in a lot of cases even greater than in well-adjusted counterparts), but the capacity to actually FEEL loved is greatly diminished. Depression, anxiety, ennui, weariness, despair, aggression, etc. are the easy-to-recognize consequences, but there are others that are not typically seen as a result of the deprivation. Though healthy limbic systems can deal with emotional pain internally by releasing small amounts of opiates (there are more opiate receptors in the limbic brain than anywhere else) when needed; an undeveloped or damaged limbic system cannot. Drug and alcohol use, for instance, perform surrogate limbic regulation that modulate, suppress and compensate for what the limbic brain didn’t ‘learn’ in infancy and can lead to a chronic, lifelong separation-anxiety.

I haven’t not felt at peace on my bike ever. One more time: I haven’t NOT felt peace—at any time--while riding. I think clearer on the bike, the symptoms of post-brainiotomy are reduced and, aside from my hamstrings and glutes being cooked, I physically and emotionally feel far healthier on the bike than off. The anxieties and disappointments of ‘real life’ are diminished, I can think about problems without being affected by them and simply feel as if everything is going to be ok. It’s a mild euphoria—and I’m not talking about the excitement that comes from nailing an apex or spinning the back out of a turn without crashing. There’s a connection between man and machine unlike anything I’ve ever had with another non-living thing. We’ve all felt it, but in all the years I’ve been riding, I’ve never heard or read anyone go in depth as to why. It would be easy to assume it’s a psychological result of the freedom we feel on a bike—or perhaps it’s the exhilaration that comes from taking risks--and nothing more.

But if we examine the stereotypical motorcyclist (rebellious, recalcitrant, problems with the authorities, hard-drinking, self-sabotaging, dissatisfied, frustrated, empty, adrenaline-seeking, tattooed loners who-if they find their place in society-still will never feel like they belong) we witness textbook examples of what? Limbic malfunction. (If there ever was a poster child for this it'd be Leonard Smalls, who, not coincidentally is inked with a "Mama Didn't Love Me" tattoo.)

So why is it that so many people who have similar symptoms to those with limbic malfunction choose motorcycles? Why not scooters or RVs? My theory is this: Motorcycles function as limbic system regulators and those who have the most difficulty regulating their own internal states gravitate to a piece of machinery that do it for them.

A quick examination of mammalian limbic synchronicity reveals some striking parallels with characteristics of motorcycles. There are specific sensory inputs that function as stimulators and regulators of internal systems in mammals. For instance, warmth and smells cue activity and metabolic levels, tactile stimulation increases growth hormone levels, feeling the heart rate and rise and fall of another’s chest regulates heart rate, respiration and circadian cadences, and immune system strength increases or decreases based on sensory stimulation. And if you look at the external cues that influence positive internal changes in mammals, we see how motorcycles produce mammalian signals that we desire with human physical contact. An engine is a pulsing heartbeat we feel, rpms rise and fall like air in and out of lungs, the wind caresses our hair and face and bodies like a lover would (a reason why so many riders ride helmetless even though it makes no ‘sense’?), there’s warmth from the engine, the bike embraces our bodies (sportbikes put us in the a fetal position, a Harley spoons you from behind), and perhaps most important the bike reacts to our every input and responds to our inner states—if we’re restless it speeds up, if relaxed, it slows down.

And why is this topic so important to me you might be wondering? I wasn’t abused as a child, but as a newborn I spent 14 days isolated in an oxygen tent. It was an event I’ll never be able to remember, but the impact of those two weeks have persisted my whole life.

So now, for the first time in my life, it’s time for me to give her a name she deserves.

Sorry for the long quote - but damn man... I first read this post on Friday night, and have come back to it many times over this weekend. I think you absolutely nailed this. Without getting into my past, I feel many of the same emotions as you wrote about here, and, like you, I've never not felt at peace while on a bike.

It's funny, I have considerable anxiety sitting at my work desk, but holding open the throttle aboard a 80hp death machine calms me, and makes me content with life as it is at that moment. I've also found this while dirtbiking - time slows, and I can sense and feel the trees coming inches from my body at speed, but my heart rate is probably slower than it is currently as I'm typing this, and I don't feel as if I'm in any sort of danger.

You have an incredible gift. I think I speak for many of us when I say it would be a considerable waste of astounding talent if you don't persue professional writing. All the best, please ride safely. And thank you.
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