Calories burned riding a MOTORCYCLE...

Riders know. Others just can't understand if they haven't done it. I ride a 650 dual sport, old guy but dirt riding burns my energy. It's like explaining what it's like to be a guy to my wife. She might understand the words I am saying but it's like me saying I "get childbirth". No I don't. I understand it, work in healthcare and have helped with multiple births, but I can't "get it". It's OK. Riders get it.

Calories burned is a function of HR. The types of riding that induce a sustained increase in HR include off road and road racing so if you're doing those, I'd say that you're burning extra cals. Other than that, the calorie expenditure is buried in the noise with BMR.

I've lost weight once (12/10 to 7/11) and in that time, I did 4 rides that were 1000 miles in a day, and one ride of 1500 miles in a day.

The SPOT tracks of my rides are here:
1/1/11 http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=245b4d1bbb7a53262
3/20/11 http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=28004d83e022c538e
5/21/11 http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=2d164dd718c2051e1

6/21/11 http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=30964dff61be266f9
821/11 http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=367c4e4e87ed45c19

If you look at my diary (it's open) and at the details of my weight loss (http://cbeinfo.net/weight.htm) I don't think you'll see a marked impact on weight loss.

The ride on 8/21 was different than the others in that I ran a half marathon, grabbed a shower, and then did the 1000 mile ride through the deserts of CA and AZ and back to SoCal. I wore my HRM (Garmin Forerunner 305) during the ride and my HR was 62 BPM which is my standard resting HR.

The weight of the bike is not an issue because, at speed, motorcycles are turned by a slight shift in the body weight, perhaps, and by pushing on the handlebar in the direction you want to turn (it sounds weird but that's actually how it works). Even on my almost 900 pound Goldwing, there's very little effort involved.


Riding motorcycles has a lot of attractions but losing weight faster isn't one of them.

What exactly is it that burns the calories whilst sitting on the motorcycle?

If you have a naked bike, you have to deal with wind resistance. There's also the extra activity of controlling the bike as well as wearing a helmet (they're not light!).

All told, riding a road bike on a street requires very little exertion but it's more than sitting on the living room couch so some folks log it.

but you are not moving about are you.......

Look, for burn calories that will be of any use to aid in your fitness, weightloss etc etc you need to move about.

Sitting on a motorbike (I had one myself when I was 18 and my boyfriend at the time had one too), does not substitute the good old calories burns that are gained from walking, running, weights, swimming and all those things that people seem so desperate to get out of and will find many an excuse, namely "Riding my motorcycle burns several hundred calories" (oh goodie that means I don't have to bother with any actual physical workout).

most everyone here said they would not log it as an actual workout, so maybe that info will help get the panties out of a wad. I find it fascinating that the data is even out there, yet would never log it as an actual exercise.

Stick your hand out of the window of a car going down the interstate and try to hold it still. Yes, that's wind resistance, and yes, that takes physical exertion.

Now, ride a motorcycle down the interstate. You're pushing with your neck and lower back to stay upright as the wind hits you. You push/pull the handlebars to countersteer. You lean into and out of the turns. It is completely different than driving a car or sitting at a desk. Is it a strenuous workout? Not really. Does it burn more calories than you would be burning doing nothing? Yes.

I don't agree with this counting as a workout replacement, and no, I don't think a 30 minute commute to work on a motorcycle is worth logging, but if you do it for several hours at a time, it may be. For someone like me with an almost completely sedentary lifestyle and over 100lbs to lose, it's better than nothing.

Now, offroad/trail riding is a whole new ballgame, and it can be quite a workout.

Just to throw it out there.... I don't count the 60 cal per hour burned while sleeping.

If i'm riding, I don't count, if I'm driving, a longer than normal trip, I'd count it!

Just my opinion.

Thanks it sure helped me out!!

Riders know. Others just can't understand if they haven't done it. I ride a 650 dual sport, old guy but dirt riding burns my energy. It's like explaining what it's like to be a guy to my wife. She might understand the words I am saying but it's like me saying I "get childbirth". No I don't. I understand it, work in healthcare and have helped with multiple births, but I can't "get it". It's OK. Riders get it.

I ride a DR650 and I'm old also. I know for sure that I am burning calories at a decent rate. I know when I ride dirt that I am burning way more calories than my road rides. I will start tracking calories for riding now for sure.

I ride a '69 BSA. I could probably log some of my f'ing marathon kickstarting sessions, but the ride... probably not.

awesome!! and I thought riding was just wind therapy. oh and riding in the city traffic or crowded freeway will definitely get
your heart rate up..lol

good gawd. The denial is strong in this thread... How are people this clueless to actually believe this is exercise?

Motorcross... probably. Harley... no.

If it doesn't raise your heart rate (from exertion) and make you sweat, it doesn't count.

Why not? You burn calories sleeping.

Lighten up folks, sheesh.

Thanks for the info on this, i have been trying to find it.

I just started riding a little ninja 250. I didn't think it was a big deal until tonight at work I realized after three-four days of riding for a few hours to five or six each day (my first week ever riding) that I'm simply EXHAUSTED. I didn't think it would be that many calories and I haven't yet looked at my bodymedia fit spikes in depth to see how exactly they relate, but I know that there are a few spikes of vigorous activity while I was riding. Maybe it happened when I first hit the freeway for the first time? Maybe I got stuck in a few intersections for a shifting error... no idea. BUT I know as it fits into my week, I'm definitely burning MORE calories than before... my neck is killing me. My hands hurt from all the pressure of leaning and when I'm in town or stuck at a light because I couldn't get into first gear and I have to PUSH that thing forward to try to shift down because the bike is dumb... my legs are tired!

I love riding, I know I'm hooked for life. I'll probably pick a future bike thats normal and not quite so complicated when it comes to shifting back down to first. I don't think I'd burn as many calories, but I know that it works my body VERY differently than just walking and I know I am definitely going to view it as a great way to squeeze in a few hundred more calories into my day if I'd like.