A new study shows that motorcyclists are less stressed and more fulfilled than people who drive cars. Tell us something we don't know!

Bikers are better people: official!

It's not as if we needed telling, but motorcyclists are less stressed and more fulfilled than car drivers, a new study has concluded.

The Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behaviour (INHB) was set up on the premise that when we ride we are constantly in fear of being involved in an accident. It didn't need a rocket scientist to know that the opposite actually proved to be true. To be honest, all they had to do was ask one biker and they would have saved themselves a lot of time and trouble.

Apparently, there is a hormone called cortisol that the brain releases when we re anxious and motorcyclists have up to 28% less than drivers when riding over the same course the drivers drive over.

50 car drivers and the same number of bike riders rode around a closed course for 20 minutes and heart rates, adrenaline and cortisol levels were measured as well as brain activity.

The results showed that the riders experienced increased sensory focus and less tendency to be distracted. Heart rates and adrenaline levels increased to same levels as if the participant had performed a light exercise. Cortisol levels were reduced.

These results back up the findings of another study that showed riding a bike burned between 100 and 600 calories. Who needs to go to gym?

Of course, this will come as no surprise to all of us who ride and it seems that the experiment missed one crucial factor, and that is choice.

We ride because we choose to ride and, having chosen to ride, we are likely to a) enjoy it more and b) want to do it as well as we can. Because we enjoy it there is less stress and anxiety. If anything, if we are stressed in another part of our life, then riding often relieves that stress.

As for worrying that we will have an accident every time we set out onto the road, well that can only be the opinion of someone who has never ridden. Yes, we are more vulnerable but as for that being our overriding thought or feeling, well, that's just nonsense.

So, as if you didn't already know it (although it is nice to have it independently confirmed) riding a motorcycle is good for you in every possible way.

Now, if I can just get rid of the need to work then I could ride all day, every day and be the most chilled out person on the planet! Who's with me?