Much ink has been spilled on the mental benefits of motorcycling, with many riders citing the well-known “flow state” and mood improvements. The classic “throttle therapy” quip that points to the age-old saying of “you never see a motorcycle parked outside a psychiatrist’s office” applies here, and, while I can only speak for myself, a decent canyon run does tend to calm raw nerves. It’s a subject that many a scribe has opined about, though one that certainly came into focus while reviewing the 2027 Suzuki GSX-R1000R at an endurance race-style media event dubbed the Suzuki 6 Hours.

Before we dive into heady mental health issues that my humanities degrees avoided entirely, let’s set the stage for those who haven’t indulged in my review of Suzuki‘s updated superbike in this issue.

Press events, big or small, follow a tried-and-true formula: assemble journalists in one location, let them ride around for about a day or two, get photos and video, and send them packing as quickly as possible. That wasn’t the case this time around. Instead, we found ourselves testing a new bike on ad hoc teams of riders who may or may not have ever met before.

Okay, so that’s the first layer, albeit an interesting one. The second is that endurance racing typically requires extended sessions that are far, far longer than your average track day session.

For example, professional riders spinning laps at the legendary Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race in Japan will do at least one-hour stints, pitting for fuel or tires as needed. It also isn’t unheard of for riders to push well beyond 60 minutes, depending on their overall race strategy. For readers who might not be aware, the Suzuka race is held during the dog days of Japan’s incredibly hot and humid summers. Worse yet, imagine doing that at the two 24-hour races (the 24 Heures Motos and Bol d’Or) on the FIM Endurance World Championship calendar. Yeesh.

The third layer is that yours truly had never participated in an endurance race. As a card-carrying club racer, I’ve done my fair share of sprint races, and those live up to the name quite well. Typically, a club race lasts between 6 and 10 laps, depending on the track, class, and other factors, and takes about 15 or 20 minutes. The average track day session is 20 minutes, and media events follow the same format.

Flipping back to the Suzuki GSX-R1000R and our happy little endurance event, we’d all have two 20-minute warm-up sessions, followed by four 30-minute sessions once the flag dropped. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Hey, that’s only 10 more minutes than what you usually do on track at a track day or work event.”

That’s true.

However, if you’re almost programmed to ride for a specific length of time and then suddenly that duration changes, the whole thing feels alien. Well, if you’re me, anyway. Knowing that cold reality of my sometimes weirdly regimented behavior, I walked into that event reminded of the flow state so many of us hunt for while riding. We’ve all felt it before, whether on two wheels, at work, or engaged in another task that occupies our attention. It’s that moment when the task at hand is the only thing on your mind.

There’s science behind it, too. Back in 2019, Harley-Davidson funded a neurological study by UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. Veteran riders in good health had their electrical brain activity, heart rate, adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol levels monitored during a predetermined 22-mile ride using an EEG (electroencephalogram). The results were fascinating. Subjects showed increased sensory focus, alertness, and resistance to distraction.

Said subjects also showed interesting readings: their adrenaline and heart rate increased slightly, while cortisol levels decreased. If you haven’t been subjected to any litany of pharmaceutical or fitness ads selling you on stress remedies, then just know that cortisol is a hormone released by your body in response to stress factors.

So, what does it tell us? Taken lightly, we could (probably unsuccessfully) argue that our silly hobby/lifestyle is beneficial to us. On a more serious front, an activity like motorcycling, which demands our full attention to do safely, has some positive mental effects on us.

Well, then, that’d play a part in my own personal race strategy. They say, “Time flies when you’re having fun.” So, I figured it would be best to find ways to settle into a rhythm and ignore the clock instead of staring at it. To that end, it meant getting comfortable quickly.

First order of business: find reference points. Now, we all look for brake markers, turn-in references, acceleration points, and unique aspects of the track to spot while pushing for a lap time.

In this situation, the list grew longer to compensate for the extra time on the bike. This time around, I’d make sure to count the beats until it was time to tuck in and rest my muscles, sit down the front straight, or take in the short respites Circuito Monteblanco offers.

Although the flow state didn’t turn on like a light switch, it felt far more consistent. That came in handy when my muscles started aching, and focus was at a premium. Leaning on those repeated techniques, things started to become automatic, which certainly made me forget about fatigue, sunburn, and, unfortunately, chapped lips (honestly, that was probably the worst bit).

Getting there mentally is the hard part, yet I’d wager it’s something that many of us rely on when we’re hitting canyons, exploring trails, hitting the racetrack, or doing whatever tickles our fancies. And, hey, Science tells us that we should be riding motorcycles. How about that, eh?