Learning the wife to ride

Opinion poll:

Marginal to good idea to teach my wife who has never ridden a bike ever( don't even think she knows how to ride the mountain bike I bought her two yrs ago) on a 84' VF700

Completely terrible idea, look for something smaller & not so hard to find parts for.

 

Wow, I find myself in almost the exact situation. After I bought my VFR my wife decided she wanted to learn to ride, so I found her a '86 VF 500. Way back in the early days of our mariage I tried to help my wife with a trigonometry class she was taking. Damn near ended our mariage before it even got started! This spring I'm going to turn her loose on the MSF folks. I'll try to encorage her to keep practicing on the bike, but if she doesn't take to it I can always get back what I paid for the bike. The class will be some of the best $110 I'll ever spend.
At least for my wife I think the 750 would be to big.

 

This is a no brainier...unless she shows the drive and interest herself, don't bother, it'll only cost ya later, Been there done that.. She needs to want it bad enough to go the distance, it's her call, not yours, even thou you support her, push it along in a very loving tender way possible, it's still her call. Now if she bought a bike, tried it on her own before you met, then thats a different story, good luck..

 

I signed my wife up for a one-on-one rider coach who provided the bike. It was worth every freaking penny of the $450. She had her license before she ever rode the 89 Hawk GT I bought for her.

KC-10 FE out...
lane:

 

Hey, Skelton, easy with the language...I thought this was a family oriented forum! Just seeing that word makes my head hurt! :fear:

Seriously, I developed two problems when the wife started riding.

First, it's harder to go for a ride to get AWAY from her!

Second, now she's trying to chisel her way into my motorcycle toys fund!

 

Ferris, stop, yer KILLIN ME!!! LMAO, but I can see how both those would happen!

 

I have yet to cross that bridge. I feel taht unless my wife shows interest, I am not going to push it. I would feel terrible if she had an accident doing something just to make me happy. She is a little skidish on motorcycles anyway so I do not think it would be he cup of tea. I keep telling her that my next wife will ride - no she doesn't see the humor

 

Get her the MSF course: she will learn some good basics and won't have to take the riding part of the endorsement test (at least here in Wa that's the case).

 

I have to agree with MSF course, unless you're not worried about safety. She will learn from the pros, and then once she starts riding she can pick up her own bad habits:smile: Good Luck, but be safe

 

I have had many ladies ask me to teach them to ride. I have a few pre-requisites: you MUST know how to ride a bicycle - you must get a learner's permit and you must start reading Total Control by Lee Parks. I think the BRC is also a good start also - In NYC you get a road test waiver for your motorcycle license if you take the BRC - you also get a small insurance break (I would not add any woman to my insurance policy). Taking the BRC helps you get started, but if you have never rode a bike before you will need much more work. Also, I would NOT start a new rider on a VFR - The VFR is a great bike, but a bit twitchy for a new rider (maybe an old VFR 500 - yeah!). Anyway, I have an old Suzuki Intruder I would use to teach someone how to ride on and then let them decide if they want to go with a crusier or sportbike. The SV650, and the Ninja 500, are two recommendations I would suggest to a new lady rider who wants a sportsbike (a Buell Blast would be nice also for a lady). If it is to be a crusier then the M50, Honda Spirt/Shadow/Saber, Yamaha Star 650 are a few good crusiers that seem to work well for ladies. After at least one complete riding season I would then get her started with the VFR and get the lady to work with on cornering skills and throttle control (advanced riding techniques). Now it is time for more reading and practicing (Keith Code - Twist of the wrist - should be mandatory reading for new sportbike riders). Time to see if we are ready for a track day basic class and work from there. Now this will not happen in most cases with most wives because, women will never listen to their husbands (even though they do not know something they usually check anything you say with their girlfiends who may or may not know anyting either, but will THINK they are smarter and will come up with whatever). In the cases where there is good communication between husband and wife you can actually learn stuff yourself while teaching your wife to ride. I am not married and never have been married and I have no intentions of living with a woman on a full-time basis (I like my space, I like being happy and I like peace at my home). So I do not mean to make things sound easy - it is just I have no problems saying NO and finding another woman to be with, and not lose any money or property due to a busted up marriage. Ahhh the advantages of single life - you actually get to be happy!!!!!!

 

Well Guys....I have the exact OPPOSITE. i have been riding since 1986! When I met my husband he did not ride. Nor did he want to. So I rode all over with my men & lady friends. He never had any objections about it. Well....In May of last year, he decided to go to the MSF course here in NJ. Now we both ride. He has a F4i & I have a VFR...Nice huh??? We went to the MC show in NYC this past weekend. He finally wanted to go. I tell you, its a pleasure having your S/O riding with you. It sure was lonely. All those years I was always the odd number. Table for 3, or 5 or 9. Who knows, you guys may like it?? Unless of course....your are being "bad boys".

 

Now that is a great story!!!!! Luv it!!!

 

I have no problem in letting the wife ride, thats if she wanted too. I'd be more than glad to help out in any way I could. But in my case it wouldn't happen, takes all she has just to ride on back... I say kundos to those that are lucky enough to have a spouse that wants to really be a part of what you love, not a better way to stay in touch and share something in common.

 

Careful what you wish for, RVFR

....Honey, I think I'm going to take YOUR bike this week. (cue teeth grinding)

....Geee, Honey, YOU got new tires, so I want new tires. (cue more vigorous teeth grinding)

....Yes, Honey, I know my SV is perfect in every way, and that you have spent a ridiculous amount making it fit me perfectly, but I just can't stop thinking about the Monster I saw at the Ducati store. (cue hair spontaneously bursting into flames)

 

That's kinda what I'm shooting for, we have very few things in common & she always complains we never do anything together. I wanted to get her into snowmobiling first just so she could get the feel for things on something a little more stable. But......you need snow for that; with arguably one of the best trail systems in the states( Wisconsin rocks when it comes to trail systems@ least my part of the state) it should be easy....but then there's that no damn snow thing again. The Safety course is definetly a good idea, I'll sign her up & go thru it again myself for kicks & I'm wishing I still had a small dirt bike around that I could let her run around in a feild with but I got rid of them all. I'll still probably buy the 84' but I might shop around for a small Nighthawk or something on that order.

p.s. - The comment about the mountain bike I was kidding, she does know how to ride it but you could'nt prove it by the amount of dust that has settled on it.

 

I ride dirt bikes a lot and my wife wants to be a part of that so I am getting her a fourwheeler in the next couple of months. She has no interest in anything with 2 wheels but I am hoping some time on a 4x will provide a spark

 

I taught my fiance to ride, got her an old Suzuki 650 for not much and she took it up pretty good, she took the MSF course, which was a good idea, and it was great for a little while. The only problem is she's a little too cautious so now I can't stand riding with her. I hate going that slow, especially on a bike. Now its a bad circle, because I don't like to ride with her so she doesn't ride too often which makes her even more cautious, when she does go out. Sometimes its nice though, so I would say go for it, but don't break the bank on a bike.

 

The Riding Wife

T-Bone:

Everyone has some pretty good advice (Take MSF cpurse, smaller bike to learn on, etc.) But the best advice given is "Don't Force It"!

If your wife has no real desire, other than she looks at this as away to spend more time together. It may not be the best. My wife does not ride. She has zero interest at the moment. But she new when we got together motorcycles were a part of me, and they weren't going anywhere. I call her the lovely wife who has no interest, but she "understands"!

One of the worst things that can happen is when a spouse picks up the passion, love, additiction of their spouse, and for whatever reason suddly get turned off by the hobby. Once they don't like it, it can become a real bad divide.

If you want to give me change for my two cents, send me a penny LOL!

Good Luck!