'Bikes take you to a better place': BSB stars on mental health benefits of riding

Multiple BSB riders have opened up on the mental benefits of riding motorcycles.

Motorcycles are obviously primarily a mode of transport, but in the case of these three BSB riders they’re also the way they express their sporting potential.

Of course, no one starts out being an elite racer, so there has to be a journey to get there, and a path that is enjoyable to take is more likely to be taken than one that leaves you feeling worse. Success is a part of the enjoyment, of course, but so is the process of achieving it – of which riding a motorcycle is an inescapably component in this case.

For Storm Stacey, whose awareness of mental health and whose desire to put positive energy into the world is symbolised by his famous top hat, motorcycles are unique in their ability to put the rider in a better mood.

“Motorcycles put you in a clear headspace,” Stacey told BSB insurance partner Carole Nash.

“They put me in such a better mood, you’re just enjoying riding the bike in the moment. It’s something that nothing else can give you.”

Multiple BSB and North West 200 race winner Glenn Irwin says there are multiple positive feelings to be gained from riding bikes.

“Freedom. Escapism. I think motorcycles take you to a better place,” he said.

“Whether you’re riding on the road or racing, all of your attention is on that moment. Motorcycles help you live in the moment.”

Joe Talbot is a BSB rookie in 2026, but the 22-year-old has plenty of experience at the front of British championship races, having finished runner-up in the 2024 National Superstock Championship and won a race in British Supersport last year.

For the Bimota rider, motorcycles are about clearing your mind.

“I feel free on a motorbike,” he said. “All the other things in life get stopped, get a pause.

“When you put your helmet on, you just think about riding the bike. You don’t think about the other stuff.”