Pregnancy and motorcycles – can you ride a motorbike pregnant?

Can you ride a motorcycle pregnant?

Pregnancy is a magical thing, but it is different for everyone. You need to really listen to your body and understand what risks you’re willing to take. In this article I’m going to be talking about riding motorcycles into pregnancy but before we start, I want to make it clear. I am NOT a medical professional and this is all based on a lot or research done myself and based off my own experience with my first pregnancy.

Who am I?

I’m Vanessa Ruck a professional motorcycle rider and racer, adventurer, content creator, motivational speaker and also rally car driver. At the time of writing this I am 22 weeks pregnant with my first baby at the age of 37. My physical history is a little of a roller coaster in a few areas, key elements related to pregnancy are:

History of ovarian cysts with 3 surgeries removing these, polycystic ovaries and endometriosis. My first cyst appeared and was removed within 24 hours of seeing the GP at the young age of 13 due to the excruciating pain. But thankfully over the years the medical professionals have been able to stabilise my female system, normalising my periods including the pain and making life a lot easier. But I was always warned that getting pregnant might be somewhat challenging. I’m grateful to say our first came quickly on trying.

We then have my hip. I had a road traffic accident while cycling in 2014 which led to 7 surgeries including 5 on my right hip. The hip pain is something I now manage on a daily basis and has since been a worry for childbearing and birthing. I found the additional pregnancy weight has put further strain on the hip. Plus my usual pain medications are something I have had to change and really try to limit the use of due to the pain medication traveling across the placenta [always speak to your doctor]. Pregnancy has made my pain management more challenging. Time will tell on how the birth goes. You can read more about my accident here.

In terms of fitness I would say I am in the top percentile in society despite managing my chronic hip pain. This January 2024, 3 months prior to conceiving I competed in one of the worlds toughest endurance races in the world, the Africa Eco Race – the original Dakar on my motorcycle . This is a gruelling 13-day 6,000+ km extreme desert off road race across multiple African countries on a motorcycle. Upon making it to the finish line I became the first British female to ever successfully finish the event.

The fitness involved for these sorts of races is a testament to the training, nutrition and activities I do to look after my body. I am fit! 6 pack, low body fat, strong cardiovascular fitness and a very healthy well-balanced diet. My lifestyle is active and adventurous.

When it comes to motorcycles I probably ride bikes on average 4 days a week, with some adventures being 2-3 weeks of daily 8+ hours riding. My body is very used to being on a motorcycle, including both on road, off road, adventure, enduro, trials, touring and even track. Skill wise I am a very confident rider both on and off road in a huge breadth of conditions.

I realise this is not vital information for your pregnancy but I wanted to ensure you understand my position. This article is going to share key things to consider in your decision process as to whether you want to ride a motorcycle into pregnancy, and so knowing my situation will help you evaluate.

If you prefer to watch than read, here is the two-part video series explaining things to consider for riding motorcycles while pregnant

Part 1 – Everything you need to consider for riding a motorcycle while pregnant

Part 2 – Vital tips for riding a motorcycle into pregnancy without complications

Motorcycles and pregnancy

The key thing I’ve been told and repeatedly read is that you should “keep doing what your body is used to” and “listen to your body”. Our bodies are incredibly capable of telling you if you should not be doing something. Take Norway 2 weeks ago, I decided to jump into a glacier melt lake…it was very cold. The moment I hit the water at 20 weeks pregnant my body went…. “No! No Vanessa, this isn’t where we should be, get out”. So I listened to it, I didn’t try to fight the inner voice saying no stay. I climbed out and dried off. Later on, in googling I realised that extreme shocks like cold water are best avoided but the wonderful thing is that we don’t always know these things, instead our bodies tell us. We are designed by nature to survive and so our natural instincts are powerful.

Always listen to your body

Always listen to your body! As your bump grows, you’ll start to realise that things are changing, you can’t move in quite the same way. My pelvis and hips and moving for example and this morning I just had this urge to sit on the floor, straight back and feet together, pulling the hips apart. I don’t remember ever sitting like this before. I’d not read it anywhere, but my body told me to do it. Later chatting to some girls at my new prenatal group I learned that it’s one of the most effective positions to support the strain as the pelvis moves. Again, my body, my own natural instincts told me what to do though the little voices inside.

Be kind to your body

You then need to be kind to your body. Pregnancy is a huge transformation on the female form. We grow a whole new organ with the placenta AND we grow a whole new human. The development, changes, growth of milk ducts, relaxation of joints, moving of the pelvis, adjustments in the brain for nurturing and the energy to do all this is colossal. I would describe the first 22 weeks as being totally out of control of my body for the first time ever. I’ve always been so attuned to it, so aware and knowledgeable of every feeling…and now I can’t even see my own female parts from the bump. My centre of balance has changed, my breasts have nearly doubled in size, I’m already 6kg heavier, my hair and skin is different [actually in a good way] but my body is changing so much. For more on my pregnancy journey please see my pregnancy articles here .

Being kind to your body means looking after it and realising that the energy we had pre pregnancy might be a long way off the pregnancy energy. The strength in your body might feel gone. I feel that I have maybe 60% of my normal strength now and same with my energy, which had plummeted to maybe 20% in the first trimester is now sat at around 50% of my normal energy. Everything feels harder, more strenuous and far more effort.

Pregnancy is not the time for new sports

This alone could be a strong factor in the activities you want to do while pregnant. So a key thing is to not throw even more new things at your body. Pregnancy is not the time to take on a new sport, strive to increase your fitness, lose weight or push your PB. Pregnancy is really a time to accept a changing body and try to stay active. There is numerous amounts of research showing that an active pregnancy helps both your health and the babies, but also can lead to a smoother less painful birth and recovery – huge bonus.

It’s proven that staying active in pregnancy is a good thing

Staying active in pregnancy is a really good option for both your mental and physical health, and that of your babies. So if you’re used to running, then go running. If you MTB, then go out there and ride. If you swim, play netball, or ride motorcycles, then keep doing it! Your body will tell you if you shouldn’t be doing it. If it hurts, stop. If it’s uncomfortable, don’t do it. If a little voice in your head makes you feel uneasy, then listen to it and stop, adapt and be kind to yourself.

While you are carrying on doing what you do, remember the previous point on being kind to yourself. Your body is doing a LOT growing a whole new little life, and so allow your expectations on yourself to adjust. This is something I am and have been really struggling with. Non pregnant Vanessa was far better at all this, far more energy, more strength, even more coordination [as the bump grows your centre of gravity changes]. My husband and family have really had to keep reassuring me that it’s ok to be a little slow and also a little more cautious. That’s my body slowing me down to divert the energy to the beautiful little creation happening inside.

Do we have to avoid impacts, bumps and vibrations while pregnant?

In short, yes, we do need to be more careful, but this does not mean a blanket ban to all things outdoors and bed rest!! In fact, it is far from it! As your pregnancy develops you do need to be more mindful of impacts and the risk of falls or hits to the bump. I raced my rally car at 10 weeks strapped into a 5-point harness and bucket seat. I realise many would say that was risky, but I know my body is used to being in a rally car.

There was no bump yet, so the harness had no pressure point to worry about on the bump and I was protected by a roll cage. It’s possible my driving was a fraction more cautious with my precious baby load but I felt comfortable in the car. I think my hormones were the most problematic with me close to tears and having to pretend all was fine as at 10 weeks no one knows you’re pregnant… There is very little discussion online about racing motorcars pregnant, but I felt comfortable that the risks involved were less than that in a car on the road. There is no accident caused by someone else in a rally car like on the road!

When I MTB from around 21 weeks I started to pick slightly different routes. Opting for the smoother fire track trails and less aggressive single-track routes. The bumps just feel a little too much for my body. If I do encounter some bumps, I simply slow down and pootle through them. Again, listen to your body.

Himalayan ADV motorcycle trip at 13 weeks pregnant

At 13 weeks I did a full-on off-road adventure motorbike ride for two weeks in the Indian Himalayas. I have to say this was one of the most extreme ADV trips or motorcycle adventures I have been on. We faced 10+ hour days out on the motorbikes, altitude of up to 19,000 feet, temperatures from -4 to 36 degrees and very basic accommodation with no showers or heating. Riding a motorcycle in pregnancy could unlikely be pushed much harder than this. So how was my body?

It was a tough trip, that I won’t deny. But it was also a tough trip for the two non-pregnant people I did the adventure with. Being pregnant certainly added to it but it didn’t make it impossible. There were 2 or 3 days where towards the end of the day on rocky off-road trails my body started to ache. My insides felt just a little too shaken and I felt ready to get off the bike. These days we eased off a little and balanced the time for stops verse making progress to the end destination. The tips to follow in this article will help you understand how I got through the trip and the pregnancy motorcycle learnings. You can watch the full Himalayan series here:

Adapting to pregnancy – mental health

As a very fit and active female, the transition to pregnancy has been a challenge. The day you see that positive test results doesn’t just mean BANG life as you knew it is over .There is a 9 month process, and across those months, what you can and can’t do will develop.

For me as an athlete my mental health is a huge consideration. For me to just stop doing all the thing that make me, me, the things I enjoy, the hobbies, outdoors and fitness, just stopping would have crushed me mentally. My way of coping with life’s pressures, stress, managing pain, clearing my mind, enjoyment and social interactions all come around active sports. If I simply stopped, then there would be huge mental health implications. Pregnancy has made me not feel like me on a pure physical level of my body changing so dramatically, so losing my lifestyle overnight would be a step too far mentally. It’s about finding the balance of doing verse not doing, managing the risks you’re prepared to take and doing what YOU feel fit and comfortable doing.

It is your pregnancy, not societies

Don’t let society norms and judgement from others, or even just others’ opinions on what they think is ‘right’ or ‘wrong’, impact you. Do your research, know your body, your risk appetite and do what feels right for you.

Only you know your body and your relationship with riding motorcycles

There are some key things to consider in your decision process to riding motorcycles so let’s run through them:

1. What motorcycle to ride in pregnancy
2. Who are you riding with
3. What terrain to ride in pregnancy
4. Know your skill
5. Gauge your own risk
6. What protective clothing can you wear

1. What motorcycle to ride in pregnancy

Not all bikes are equal. Consider what type of riding you are doing in terms of the risk, the body position and the impact. I was comfortable off road ADV motorcycle riding up to 13 weeks pregnant. Now at 22 weeks I would happily take my enduro motorbike down a gentle track, but it would be pretty pointless as it would feel rather tame. Instead opting for a road bike is far more suitable for later pregnancy. At 18-19 weeks pregnant I rode a 15-day motorcycle trip to Norway on a large Harley-Davidson cruiser. This is like a lovely big sofa with an engine. It was a group ride, with long ish days but lots of stops and it was perfectly comfortable. There were a few days where my energy struggled but the tips below will help that.

A leant over sports bike with a bump is going to be far less comfortable. A trials bike or hard enduro is going to be high risk [depending on your skill] but even these can be toned down to make them safer with a gentle green lane on known trails.

For me as pregnancy developed, I opted for more comfortable and more upright road bikes. Lower risk, lover impact, more comfortable and less stress on the body.

2. Who are you riding with

This is more important than you might think. Being with people you trust, who know you and can help you recognise when you’re pushing yourself too far can be really helpful. Plus, we all know those small ego people who can make riding a little more dangerous or maybe even bring out the more competitive nature in you. A relaxed riding buddy with no worries on pace if you’re feeling a little higher self-preservation or caution as you ride, someone happy to have a few more breaks and stops for that frequent pregnancy toilet requirement will take a lot of pressure off, and thus risk.

3. What terrain to ride in pregnancy

This one is pretty obvious. Wern ddu Quarry , a hard enduro park, probably isn’t the best place for a baby bump. But some familiar roads or known trails are going to be far more appropriate. As mentioned, I did a pretty extreme off-road ADV trip in the Himalayas at 13 weeks , I stopped off-road riding at around the start of the 2nd trimester. But I continued with road. Most roads are smooth, flowing and enable you to ride at the pace that suits you. Avoiding big bumps and the risk of impact is key. As a road rider on a motorcycle we’re always going to want to avoid falling off

4. Know your skill

This one is a VERY honest conversation with yourself. You have to know your own risk. A world champion enduro rider or trials rider is probably going to be pretty safe from the risk of falling or having a little dabble on their bikes. A newbie would be a different story and so the risk of riding that motorcycle during pregnancy changes.

Do you fall off? Do you feel 100% in control 100% of the time? You are the only one that can answer this question.

This is where your own risk perception is vital. Take me and mountain bike riding. I can’t remember the last time I feel off my MTB on my local trails. I ride 1-1.5 hours on my eMTB regularly. My fitness is good, I am confident in my skills for control and I know the trails well. This means I am happy to keep riding right into pregnancy. Many online sites say no cycling after 3 months because of the risk of falling. I personally don’t see a risk of falling as I am a competent rider. If you’re experienced at something the risk is totally different to the risk of falling for someone less skilled. You have to gauge your own risk. MTB I am comfortable with.

Take enduro ride, I am a very competent rider, I completed multiple extreme desert rallies but the risk off-road for me is too much now at 22 weeks. I’ve decided to stick to the road now until that becomes uncomfortable

5. Gauge your own risk

How much risk are you willing to take. I have a family friend who couldn’t even go up a 3-foot ladder in pregnancy for fear of falling. I don’t think I have ever fallen off a ladder so to my brain there is no risk involved. How does your body feel?

Remember to bear in mind that your body is changing. Your abs split and your core strength literally changes, a huge bump grows too, and all this is going to affect your ability to do things while pregnant, including riding motorcycles.

6. What protective clothing can you wear

This is obvious but your body is going to grow! Riding a motorcycle in the correct gear is always vital. Dress for the slide not the ride and with pregnancy your size is going to change. Do you have kit with enough flexibility / stretch to fit as your bump grows and hips widen? Can you buy some second hand kit to fit for the few months you’ll need it? What about borrowing a partners or larger friends kit?

When I left for Norway at 18 weeks I bought a pair of stretchy Oxford Product jeans two sizes bigger. I put them on and found a 4inch slack for growth. I knew that week’s 18-20 the baby can grow by 25% and so anticipated a bump acceleration. Two weeks later these trousers were snug and now at 22 weeks they are very tight! I am still able to wear my husband’s riding jeans and his jackets have enough slack for my bump.

Consider what kit you have and make sure you are always wearing the right protection on a motorcycle.

Pregnancy and motorcycles – a few more important things to consider

The foundation on extreme sport and pregnancy is covered. If your body is used to being on a bike and you’re happy with the risk then you can ride! I’ve gathered a few more detailed things to consider before you decide how far into pregnancy you’re willing to ride a motorcycle but remember that this is about YOU and YOUR body, and the opinions of others is 100% irrelevant! You do YOU!

1. It’s OK to be too tired to ride
2. Always, always, always have water with you
3. Don’t get too hot
4. Snacks on snacks!
5. Know where the bathrooms are
6. Bumps aren’t bad
7. Acceleration, deceleration and leaning
8. At some point, your gear or bike might not fit

1. It’s OK to be too tired to ride

Pregnancy is absolutely exhausting. I was well past the halfway point when I got the second-trimester energy boost everyone talks about… but the energy boost was not back to pre-pregnancy energy, just an improvement on trimester one. The first thing I learned is that I couldn’t ride as long or as often as I used to but due to work I didn’t have much choice. It wasn’t until 22 weeks that I reduced my calendar and cancelled some big trips like off road enduro riding in Iceland with Ride with Locals [see my last Iceland trip here . I found a long day ride really draining. I would get to the end absolutely shattered and I would not recommend this. Do try and plan to be kinder on yourself. If you have the energy for a full day, great — ride your heart out! But if you don’t, please don’t be hard on yourself. You’re growing a human.

2. Always, always have water with you

Staying hydrated is critical in maintaining a healthy level of amniotic fluid for the baby. I rarely ride without water anyway but with pregnancy this is essential. I’d suggest a tank bag or even easier backpack with bladder and straw. I also add SIS electrolytes to help hydration and made sure I always had plenty of water. If you can’t carry the water, then make sure you plan lots of stops to drink.

3. Don’t get too hot

Our pregnant bodies can easily run hot, and throughout pregnancy this is something to avoid. It’s the same reason saunas and hot tubs are not recommended. You want to avoid your core body temperature going over 101 degrees / 38 Celsius for a prolonged period. Heat like this can lead to neural tube defects. It’s important to stay cool and not get overheated. This can be tough in summer months. Depending where you live, be careful with heat, maybe rider earlier in the day or pick cooler routes by the coast or mountains. Take breaks, hydrate and try to cool down.

4. Snacks on snacks!

I’m generally always a snack fan but my goodness pregnancy has taken it to a new level! Although it’s a misconception that you’re eating for two, you’re not, but you do need to increase your calories by around 300 calorie-per-day. For me with the fatigue I found regular grazing and snacking a powerful way to maintain energy and definitely avoid letting yourself get to hangry [hungry-angry]. I found that if I didn’t eat about every 2 or 3 hours, I would feel nauseated and drained. Keeping protein bars, apricots, nuts and healthy crackers on hand was vital.

5. Plan toilet stops

Be warned you will be needing to pee! I didn’t realise this at first, but it’s not so much the pressure of the growing baby that makes you have to pee all the time, but the hormones. You’ll likely find that in the first trimester you’ll have to pee A LOT. Just let your riding buddies know you may need some frequent stops and it’s also helpful to plan out where bathrooms may be unless you’re comfortable with a gateway pee.

6. Bumps aren’t bad

I’ve mentioned bumps already but hitting a bump on the motorbike isn’t going to hurt the baby. According to my maternity team, going over small bumps is perfectly fine. The baby is protected by the amniotic fluid. During the first trimester and early in the second, your baby is very small and thus more protected. But I would say you really shouldn’t be going full send over speed bumps or larger bumps, especially off road, but those minor bumps in the road are okay. In the same sense, the vibrations of the bike are also safe. The key with the bumps is that your body will tell you if it’s too much. If you feel any discomfort don’t do it.

7. Acceleration, deceleration and leaning

I also worried about whether it’s OK to aggressively get on the throttle or brakes or to do quick transitions in tight corners. Look at it this way, you’re not supposed to ride a rollercoaster while pregnant. Why? Because the jarring motion can separate the placenta from the uterus and the placenta is the baby’s lifeline. Rapid/aggressive acceleration or deceleration or abrupt transitions leaning on and off the bike are similar. That’s what the research says, but I rode some incredible twisty, curvy roads in Norway, at a moderate to face pace while pregnant and my placenta remained perfectly healthy. I did try to make my transitions in terms of speed and lean angle as smooth as possible and not abrupt but that was more my body telling me to be smooth than anything else. Listen to your body!

8. At some point, your gear or bike might not fit

Depending on your bike, body and kit, when this happens will vary. You might find your bump to big to fit with your tank. Only you will know this one!

The motorcycle community & pregnancy

I assumed my pregnancy and motherhood wouldn’t be well-accepted or supported in the motorcycling community. I think I made that assumption because I see so few women motorcyclists share their pregnancy journeys, babies, or even the fact that they’re mums, on social media. There are some women I follow on social media who I would never even known were mums without having learnt about it on a personal level. This led me to perhaps think the industry isn’t supportive, but I’ve had a different experience than what I thought. The community and industry have been surprisingly supportive. Even on the sponsorship side, all bar one sponsor has stuck with me [one brand has left me behind very disappointingly, but I’ll leave you to figure out which one that is].

The wonderful thing about pregnancy is that it is probably the most relatable journey humans go through. Nearly all humans have contact with pregnancy, birth and children at some point.

I really hope this article helps you with your decision about riding motorcycles during pregnancy. My inbox is always open on Facebook and Instagram if you want to ask any questions, share your story or simply say hi.

Part three – Returning to sports post baby birth | Postpartum motorcycle riding advice

If you’re new to my page – it’s more than just dirt bike riding and racing, I’m on a mission to prove that nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough. See more about my story plus read about my life changing accident, which started it all.

You can find me Vanessa, The Girl On A Bike over on Threads, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and YouTube, and www.thegirlonabike.com.