Motorcyclists happier commuters and more productive, survey suggests

Research suggests motorcyclists enjoy the daily commute

If you regularly ride your bike to work, then the results of a survey by motorcycle insurance firm Bennetts, which revealed bikers are happier commuters than others, will come as little surprise.

There is no doubt that for most people the journey into to work is a battle that has to be endured, rather than a pleasant experience to be savoured.

Whatever mode of transport you take to get to your job – with the possible exception of walking – will probably include delays, disruption and stress as just part of the bargain.

Study highlights joy of riding

However, the survey shows that motorbike owners who travel to work on their beloved machines are, by contrast, a happy bunch.

According to the survey, some 87.9 per cent of motorcycle and scooter commuters believe they are happier than their fellow colleagues. Of course, this wasn’t a scientific study and didn’t compare endorphin levels of bikers versus non-bikers, but the confidence with which they declare their happiness is impressive none the less.

Some 1,000 people were questioned for the survey.

Are motorbike owners’ better employees?

Not content with suggesting bikers have a better journey to work, the survey also hinted that they may make more productive employees.

The majority of those who took part (67.8 per cent) said they believed commuting to work had a positive effect on their enthusiasm and ability to tackle work.

Sue Brown, a PhD student at the University of Bolton, said: “I have been intrigued by some of the lifestyle choices made by men who motorcycle and encountered several commuters among my case studies. Bennetts’ findings echo what the majority of them concluded; that motorcycling to work makes people feel calmer and therefore more productive.”

Ms Brown said that the principle benefit noted by participants was that biking made them happier, “which in turn had a beneficial effect on their general well-being”.

Why the high?

Bennetts quoted surgeon Dr Daniel van Gijn who owns and regularly commutes to work on his BMW 1200GS, who explained the reason why motorcycling is so addictive, particularly for the stressed commuter.

“Motorcycling gives you a freedom which you simply can’t enjoy with any other transport. It’s usually the highlight of your day being able to skip past the stagnant traffic and acknowledge fellow riders on the road,” he said.

No doubt the knowledge that you’re saving money in comparison to your train or car travelling counterparts helps put a smile on your face too.

ONS study backs up Bennetts survey

A report published in February this year by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) backed up the findings revealed by Bennetts.

It revealed that commuters do – perhaps unsurprisingly – have lower levels of happiness and higher levels of anxiety than their non-commuting counterparts.

People who travelled to work by bus or coach were less satisfied with their lot than those who travelled in a private vehicle.

The study also found those who took the train to work displayed higher anxiety levels than people who had their own mode of transport.

Perhaps surprisingly, commuters who walked to work reported having lower life satisfaction than those who went in their own vehicle.

So, it’s arguably not just the fact that you can navigate traffic, but that you are in charge of your journey in a way that perhaps you are not when you are at the whim of external forces. For instance, leaves on the line are not going to stop a motorbike, but they are notorious for throwing train timetables into complete disarray.

Don’t forget the open road

While these studies concentrate on the relative calm of a motorbike commute, the ONS research highlights the very real stress that every commuter has to contend with. So, it’s worth remembering that that sense of freedom is magnified when you get to take your beloved bike out on the open road. So don’t forget to take it out of the garage at the weekend or dust it down for holiday and get the real sense of freedom that two wheels affords. 

Motorcyclists happier commuters and more productive, survey suggests