Motorcycle riding

mmildice

Hello,
I was wondering if anyone knows how many calories you burn when you are driving a motorcycle? I know it sounds silly but when I google it the interent says about 170/hr for someone weighing 150 pds. It definately would be an easy workout :laugh:

rileamoyer

Guess it must be from the high you get! LoL. What is that website again?

Fizzzz

I've looked this up before and the calorie burn seems to be consistent ie 170/hr for a 150lb person.. I also ride a motorcycle though I'm not sure I would call it an easy burn - depends how you ride I suppose....

smeyerdirk

I was curious about this also so I wore my bodymedia band while riding my harley and I burned 300 calories during an 1 hour ride.

mmildice

I'm thinking more of a fun burn. I love rididng a bike and get such a thrill out of it. I just got a motorcycle and am enjoying it very much.

mmildice

Wow!! that is awesome. I really need to get a HRM and check this out myself too. Did you log that in your activity and if so how did you list it?

kignacio

Opt for full leathers instead of mesh or textile jackets...should sweat them off faster .

rileamoyer

Just had great ride over the weekend to DevilsTower in WY. Maybe I will wear my HRM next time. Then I could compare the calories burned on the bike to calories burned sitting on the couch for the same amount of time for a true comparison. LoL.

snowbunnyak

What! I never knew you burned calories riding a motorcycle? Why?

sassylilmama

Wait til my hubby finds out this counts as a workout. I will never get him off his motorcycle.

SSampley

Ya know my husband just got a bike and I never even thought of that as burning extra calories....haha I will have to figure this out!

rileamoyer

Opt for full leathers instead of mesh or textile jackets...should sweat them off faster .

LMAO

TS65

Maybe that's for motorcross - which takes a lot more muscle control than just a regular ride.

kignacio

What! I never knew you burned calories riding a motorcycle? Why?

Yup. Your body is always burning calories. Even sitting at the computer reading this you are burning calories. As "easy" as it looks to ride a motorcycle you are actually engaging your entire body to move it when it comes to leaning.

Refisblind

I love riding my Harley too but I wouldn't log it. You are always burning calories and your activity level you selected on here takes that into account. So unless you are riding extra hard or motorcross I wouldn't log anything you don't need to. Might give you a sense of feeling you can eat more even though MFP already accounted for those calories. Just my 2 cents.

But enjoy the rides, I know I do.

Xaspar

Only thing I have ever seen noted was "an average of 174 cals/hour" riding. I say don't count them toward your daily totals. You burn calories driving a car, sitting at the desk, reading, etc. right?

rileamoyer

Only thing I have ever seen noted was "an average of 174 cals/hour" riding. I say don't count them toward your daily totals. You burn calories driving a car, sitting at the desk, reading, etc. right?

I agree (thus my previous comment as compared to sitting on my couch) ;-)

jennthebiker

I ride at the race track (roadrace not drag strip) a few times a month in a racing environment. in addition to the sweat of full leathers, my heart rate is definitely up when i come off of the track after a 15 minute session. AND... my muscles are always sore the day (or 2 or 3) following. i HAVE to be burning some calories out there! )

rileamoyer

That is different than just cruisin around enjoying the scenery, unless it is really windy (like it is here alot) then you have all that 'isometric/anaerobic' work. First of the season my hands get sore too (from clutching and braking) - the curse of arthritis. So guess I am back to the plan of wearing the HRM again. :laugh:

wildon883r

Riding even a Harley cruiser like mine can be a physical endeavor. Many times on windy days my arms are tired because i have to use strength and muscles riding you don't in a car per say. You have to tighten your stomach muscles to support yourself in winds if you ride like me NO WINDSHIELDS. Every time you stop you have to support the bike weight with your legs. Your alert level is way higher then in a car/truck. 170 cals an hour seems a fair amount. Also the thrill raises your heart rate in turn burning more calories. If its chilly out your body has to burn more calories to keep your body temperature up.

Sarahdangerfox

I ride, but I would not consider this a workout unless you are on the track or in the twisties and really working to muscle the bike around. I'm sure it depends on speed (therefore your wind resistance), engagement of the abdominal muscles as well as arms in turns, etc. but I think it's being pretty generous compared to a real workout.

AlSalzman

I'm glad I found this thread... I spent four hours on the bike yesterday, and it is certainly harder work than the same amount of time in the car. My wrists, shoulders, and back muscles are all sore like I'd been doing light weight training.

Anyone in central or southern IN that rides, feel free to message me. We'll burn calories together all summer.

BeeElMarvin

I doubt it... Maybe if you are off road riding / motocross etc., but I really don't believe I'm going through that while riding my hog.

AlSalzman

At risk of starting a Harley / sportbike rift in this thread... I'd agree you're probably not buring that many calories on the "Hog." Every cruiser I've ever been on has a very relaxed riding position and uses a high, wide bar with plenty of leverage for steering inputs... it's set up to maintain comfort over long distances and to steer gradually with little effort. You can hold the cruiser riding position all day without effort - try it in your chair in front of your computer.

Now try holding the sportbike riding position with just the edge of your butt on the edge of your desk chair. Then start shifting your weight from side to side like you're throwing your bike into the corners... how long before you start to feel it? Which one do you think burns more calories?

BeeElMarvin

At risk of starting a Harley / sportbike rift in this thread... I'd agree you're probably not buring that many calories on the "Hog." Every cruiser I've ever been on has a very relaxed riding position and uses a high, wide bar with plenty of leverage for steering inputs... it's set up to maintain comfort over long distances and to steer gradually with little effort. You can hold the cruiser riding position all day without effort - try it in your chair in front of your computer.

Now try holding the sportbike riding position with just the edge of your butt on the edge of your desk chair. Then start shifting your weight from side to side like you're throwing your bike into the corners... how long before you start to feel it? Which one do you think burns more calories?

No thanks, bud. I'm 51 years old - been there done that since before you were born, I'll stick with my hog now.:glasses:

rdnckbkr

Ok...a year later than the convo, but I was just looking up this very thing! I've spent 2 hours on my bike today 42 degrees for the high today. My thought is....It's just a bonus that I burn calories doing something that I love. I don't figure on extra calories for the day...I will say though, that I tone up and lose weight EVERY riding season without any effort. And I ALWAYS pack it back on in the winter. Changing my overall eating habits will hopefully stop that vicious cycle! :-)

CoderGal

Opt for full leathers instead of mesh or textile jackets...should sweat them off faster .

that way when you melt you can behappy that your not going to melt your pants off (I melted my textiles down when I went down on the highway)

AlSalzman

Ok...a year later than the convo, but I was just looking up this very thing! I've spent 2 hours on my bike today 42 degrees for the high today. My thought is....It's just a bonus that I burn calories doing something that I love. I don't figure on extra calories for the day...I will say though, that I tone up and lose weight EVERY riding season without any effort. And I ALWAYS pack it back on in the winter. Changing my overall eating habits will hopefully stop that vicious cycle! :-)

There are two MC riding exercise categories in the d-base... "relaxed pace" and "aggressive pace." Some people don't like to count it as exercise calories, some people do.

I log mine if it's anything more than an errand.

tamathi

I ride a Ninja and it is definitely a calorie burn. You are holding all your core muscles tensed for balance and steerage and that burns calories and builds your core up. I do claim those calories burned because it is not the same as sitting idly on the couch at all. Walking at a slow pace doesn't burn too much more. Light yoga burns about the same.

muppetsbear

I have an 01 Gold wing which weighs just under 900 lbs and a Harley sportster around 500 lbs put me on either add close to 300 more. it takes more muscle power on the gold wing especially on windy days so I can see it burning quite a few calories.

breezmist

We spent 13 hours riding the Smokey mts today. The constant curves, shifting, braking, and sheer strain of keeping control on some of the hardest roads in Tennessee has left me far more exhausted and physically sore then two hours workout on my Zumba (has NEVER left me so sore!) I assure you, I burned more calories riding these roads today then I've burned working out this week. Saying motorcycle riding takes no effort and burns few calories is an unrealistic and obviously unprofessional opinion.