Let’s get something out there from the start. I love beer and just about any other alcohol I can pour down to my long-suffering liver to sort out. I also love motorcycling and have ridden anything from postie bikes to a Harleys and enjoy ‘em all. The thing is that the two loves often go together. We all know that riding under the influence is just dumb but riding out to a local watering hole, having some lunch (usually carbs), and wash it down with a cold one or two is one of life’s simple pleasures. Alternatively, nothing beats sitting down with mates exaggerating stories of the day, meeting locals with a beer or six after a long day in the saddle. Alcohol and Motorbikes often go hand in hand.
The thing is many of us are not as young as we think we are and our battered bodies don’t process the stuff we throw down our throats with as much gusto as they used to.
Could it be that the scenario played out above with a high carb meal and a few beers (staying under the .05 of course) has something to do with serious motorcycle accidents??? I don’t want to believe it so I did some investigating.
Motorcyclists aged 40-65 make up nearly 50% of serious motorcycle accidents (requiring hospitalization). Of these most are single-vehicle accidents occurring mid to late afternoons on weekends. Mmmfood for thought. Could it be that what we do OFF the bike is contributing to what happens ON the bike?
Armed with these new found facts and in the interests of science and because I am a team player I have been forgoing the beer over lunch and eating a much lighter meal than my fellow fuck it 40s and 50s (you can thank me later!).
What I have found is that
- I don’t miss that beer that much- no one raises a grey eyebrow when I get a water or soft drink at lunch.
- There are heaps of alternatives to the hamburger and high carb options at most destinations.
- I don’t get hungry on the way home.
- It could be just me but I think I am clearer when riding and enjoy the ride back far more. (Now this is relative and some would say I am starting from a low base when it comes to my abilities to think.)
- I am not as tired when I get off the bike which means I can do the other thing I love with my missus better and more often but we will keep this PG for now.
As I said at the start, I love beer but maybe there is benefit in missing one or two and thinking about our ability to process large amounts of carbs, the impact on our thinking and whether a few small changes off the bike could result in generally having more fun on the bike.
Read More : ITALIAN OBSESSION
