Motorcycle Riding vs Surfing
So here’s a little story. I have a friend who’s a surfer. He’s never ridden a motorcycle in his entire life (although he claims he did it successfully once when he was 10, and it was a piece of cake for him). I am obviously a motorcycle rider. Never surfed. The other day he sucked me into this argument about what’s easier to learn - to surf or to ride a motorcycle. I personally think that it’d be easier to be a beginner in surfing than in motorcycling. He of course thinks otherwise.
My reasoning is that motorcycling involves more things to be taken into account as an activity than surfing. Also the situation could change way faster in riding than in surfing. At least beginner surfer has almost zero chance of hurting himself, so that makes it easier. Generally you should progress faster if there’s less fear of getting hurt.
What my friend and a few of his backers were saying that you could teach someone how to ride a bike during a weekend course. And the same could not be done for surfing. Therefore it’s easier to pick up motorcycling.
While we could not find a true measure of complicity or ease of either of the sports we decided on the following. He’ll post this question on a surfer forum he’s a member of to get the feedback from surfers who ride. I on the other hand will do the same on a motorcycle forum to see if there are riders on here that surf who could share their opinions and experience with both sports/hobbies.
Of course we are not talking about professional and/or competitive levels in either of the sports. We both agree that pretty much any sport has virtually the same level of difficulty the closer you get to the top.
So there you have it. Please feel free to voice your opinion. I am not opposed to be proven wrong. It’s just so far I am not too keen on admitting that only because a couple of my friends told me so. They also tell me I am a douche because I ride a motorcycle to begin with, i.e. they can’t be trusted. 
February 27th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Surfing is easier to learn because when you fall off, it don’t hurt.
February 27th, 2010 at 6:20 pm
This is a trick question. The mechanics of motorcycling are easier to learn. But learning how to motorcycle safely is very difficult and obviously some people don’t live long enough to finish their “lessons.”
I started writing my random motorcycling tips as a way to help some of the newer riders I’ve met think about motorcycling versus “riding a motorcycle.”
Doing DMV-level, USA license-style requirements on a motorcycle is easy. Becoming a motorcyclist is a lot more difficult.
March 21st, 2010 at 8:27 pm
I think motorcycling is easier to learn. You’ve got the balance thing down if you can ride a bike, and once you master the throttle/clutch thing then you’re off like a shot.
However… Surviving learning to surf is probably easier. Nobody ever ended up dead or in the hospital for target-fixating on a wave.
April 22nd, 2010 at 8:35 am
I’ve done both for years and I’ve got to say I think surfing is harder to learn.
You mention “motorcycling involves more things to be taken into account as an activity than surfing” I’m affraid this is simply not true. Sure you can turn up at the beach and see a wave and try and surf the white water, but to properly surf you have to take into account swell direction, swell size, wind strength, wind direction, what the tide is doing, where the rips are, whats under the water, how does the wave peel, where is the take off spot etc.
After all that you’ve got to decide the route you will paddle out. When you eventually get out (this involves several different skills on it’s own) you’ve got to paddle into a moving wave, catch it then jump up and stand on a board that is being pushed along by the wave and then steer and trim to remain in the right place. All this takes a lot of skill, fitness and judgement and takes years to learn properly.
I remember my first go on a motorcycle involved me sitting on it and pulling a throttle then when it got too fast hitting the brakes. In contrast my first surf involved me spending most of the time underwater
They are my two favourite activities, give surfing a try and you will see what I mean.
June 11th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
I am gonna try surfing tomorrow, and i’ll fill ya in!