10 Reasons Why You Should Get Off The Couch And On An Enduro Bike
I get many people that come up to me on a daily basis and say that they love what I do, but they don’t think they could ever ride an enduro bike themselves.
Riding a bike is not an impossible feat. It’s a skill that can be learnt with time and patience. And I cannot stress this enough ANYONE can learn how to ride an enduro bike, even if they’ve never even sat on a bike before!
So here’s 10 reasons why you should get off the couch and try out this amazing sport.
1. It’s easy
From afar, it looks like an impossible feat, but learning to ride an enduro bike is actually rather simple. The best way to do it is to look out for local instructors - so that you learn the right technique from the beginning - and they will get you riding in no time. And I’m sure that anyone can do it, because I’ve seen many people who had never ridden a motorbike before go on a full-on (easy) off-road ride within 40 minutes of basic training.
2. It’s great way to exercise
Although it may seem like you just sit on a motorbike and ride, enduro is actually a great cardio workout (especially if you slowly build up intensity) and can burn around 500 calories an hour*
*Always depending at what level you do this
3. It gives you an adrenaline rush
Being on an enduro motorbike, forcing your self to ride through the elements really does give you a rush that very few sports can do. Some describe it as the closest thing to flying (without actually flying - unless you are flying off a cliff) that you can get. Although it is quite safe, when you choose to do it safely wearing the appropriate protective gear, it will still provide you with a rush of sensational emotions as you ride through off-road terrain.
4. It’s a stress relief
Just like any sport, being on an enduro bike relieves you from the day-to-day stresses of your job. Before I took up enduro full-time, I used to find myself eager to escape into the mountain terrain and be at one with nature, just me and my bike with all stressful thoughts fizzling out with every engine rev.
5. It’s a social sport
And it has to be. For safety reasons it is always advisable to ride with at least one other person, so that you can keep an eye out on each other. However, there is nothing better when you grab a group of friends, who all enjoy riding together and just making a day out of it. Although an individual hobby, it is one best enjoyed with the company of others.
6. It’s relatively cheap to get into
If you want to get into enduro, the costs are not astronomical compared to other motorsports. All you have to do is just purchase the all the safety kit you need, and find a cheap but good second-hand motorbike and you are ready, Once you buy your kit and your bike the other expenses, like bike maintenance and tyre replacement, especially at a beginner level, are minimal. But even if you don’t to spend that much money at first, you can still go to your local enduro schools and they will provide everything for you.
7. It gets you out of your comfort zone
Riding a motorbike is not something our brains are wired to do, like running for example. It is something completely new for your mind and the experience of learning it day by day, through time is a great way to challenge yourself and your limits. Let me give you a simple example - when you see something really difficult to cross, your brain is wired to say SLOW DOWN but the way you get through it is by speeding up. This challenge to your comfort zone every time you sit on a bike is an amazing thing to experience.
8.It can also be done as a competitive hobby
If you wish to take it to the next step, with a bit of training you can enter local enduro races. Many countries host a variety of races, unfortunately at the moment we do not have that option, very often, in Cyprus but hopefully this will change soon. If you want to try taking it even further, you can even travel around the world and compete in a category that corresponds with your level and join other amateur riders just like you.
9. You discover a whole new world
Being on an enduro bike allows you to discover the nature around your country in an immensely beautiful way. You experience the terrain on a one-on-one basis, and witnessing the change of seasons, from summer to autumn, to winter and spring , just makes you feel even more connected to nature. Especially in Cyprus where you can practically ride the whole year round.
10. It’s a growing sport
Enduro has not been around for that long, but with the growing exposure of WESS and Enduro GP championships and many other international races, as well as coverage from Red Bull, the sport has garnered a loyal following from all around the world and you can easily become part of that community just by getting off the couch and on an enduro bike.
So there you have it.
10 reasons why you should get off the couch and on an enduro bike.
If you are interested in taking up this hobby, my advice is to research some local enduro schools and just give them a call.
They will get you riding in no time!
Ride hard
Nik