It's not about motorcycling. The same thing happens to me when I'm out hiking a rough trail,or sailing into a squall, or riding my bicycle into the teeth of the wind, etc. It's the need for, and the call of, adventure. Every now and then, we have a need to escape the hum-drum monotony of our inside, heated, air-conditioned, wife-nagged, girl-friend-whined, protected existence, and GET OUT THERE, and just LIVE. (For our female members, just change the pronouns to the male equivalents, and its all the same.) We get into that mind-set, and want the adventure to continue even in the face of horrendous weather, great discomfort, and (some) pain. It is the same mindset that lead Byrd, Scott, Amundsen, Shackleton, Earhart, Columbus, et all, to leave the comfort of their homes, and go see what's out there.