Do you want your gf/wife/life partner to ride?

My wife/life sentence, used to ride, but lost interest. Her first vehicle was a 125 Yamaha which she rode to college. She drove all of my bikes up the the RZ350, but since I got back into it, she just doesn't care about riding. She doesn't care if I ride, or own 50 bazillion bikes, so it's cool.

She rode on the back of my RD250 once in 1975, before we even dated, and won't get on the back with me again......

Was it the 85mph in a 35 zone, or the two COPs that pulled us over? I don't know. It's just as well; I don't like having a passenger, but especially one that outweighs me! (sigh)

Lane

 

I thought I was going to teach my wife to ride (she ask to learn) years ago.So I pulled out the bike of choice for the main event, a 1973 honda 50-three speed baby. I gave her all the necessary pointers-read brakes- and put it in 2nd gear and off she went and went and went one speed. After she nearly hit the neighbors house,which is not close, she turned slowly back toward me and my brand new Mustang GT. When she made it back to our yard, 5 mins later, she rode straight toward me. Now like the rest of you, I realized she forgot the necessary pointer-brakes, and was riding to me to stop her. I had to decide, under pressure, who or what do I love more, my wife or my brand new not a scratch never driven in the rain Mustang. She noticed me thinking,at least I thought she did, that very thought and at that moment I reached my verdict-I'm taking her out. I was going to dive over the top tackle her off the bike roll over in mid air and land on my back with her on top, all the while kicking the bike over with my leg. Yeah, I new I had little chance of it working and a good chance of(you like your car more so you sleep with it) divorce. IT seemed worth it so I took off, and it scared her and she jerked the bike left. I caught her from behind and stopped her. My advice- no way- keep the gf, because under pressure you will chose divorce, at least I did, she just didn't know it.

 

I think I may have told this story before here, but perhaps not. When I started shopping for a bike again back in October after 20 years of not riding I was planning to get a Honda ST1300. I figured my wife would be happy riding on the back all the time. We were coming back from carpet shopping when I suggested we stop at the dealership to look at bikes. She knew I was getting the urge to get a bike again since my oldest son had picked up a Ninja 600 which I had been riding quite a bit during the summer.

So when we got to the dealership I went to look at the ST1300 and was oogling around it and I popped the question, "so honey why don't you jump up on the back and see how it feels up there", she replies back "why?" and I say "because I want you to ride with me" and then she said "I'm not riding up there I want my own"....so a short walk to the sportbike section of the dealership and I ended up with my VFR, it was what I really wanted anyway and the deal was that she would get one of her own when the spring came around. Well I surpised her at Christmas with a 2007 Ninja 250. I"ve had her out on it several times. She's already laid it down twice, twice getting it going while she was learning the clutch. She has her permit and she's scheduled for the March MSF course (Pa Version). She's been out riding in parking lots around a few big school complexes we have around here and she is getting much better and more confident. Getting her to get the clutch down was easy compared to her understanding how to turn the bike and how to steer the bike with her body movements as much as the handle bars. But she's gotten it down.

Now how do I feel about this. I'm very much looking forward to the time when I can go riding with her on the road, but it makes me more crazy watching her ride then it does watching my 22 year old in front of me on his Ninja. The fact that you have absolutely no control to help her when you are following on a bike is very difficult for me to take. At least in the car you can coach as you go, or help her realize that she needs to take it easy around the next corner if you know the road and she doesn't. On the bike you can't do that. You can somewhat control her speed by keeping her behind you, but I am worried how well she will take to riding on the road when she gets out there for real.

She is a tentative driver, but she is an alert one. So I do think this will help her on the bike. But we all know you do need to have some level of confidence on the bike for things to go well and most importantly for you to be smooth which is so important. Herky jerky motion that comes with a lack of confidence is not good and that is what I'm most concerned about.

I do beleive the MSF course will help, and I am planning for her to take the Advanced MSF course on her own bike as well once she gets through the first course.

So, sorry about the long winded story, but Derstuka I think if I were you and you really want her to ride with you and she's interested, then I would suggest, like others have here, that you have her take the MSF course and see how it goes there. From there she can decide if she wants to take it further. But the main part of my story is for you to be prepared, since there is a big feeling of a lack of control, or lack of ability to help, that you will feel when riding behind or ahead of her when she does get out there. I get it with my 22 year old son when we ride and he is confident and a good rider. My wife and I have only rode together in large school campus parking lots with no traffic and I have already had that feeling of helplessness when she takes off in front of me. I'm cautiously looking forward to April when she finishes the MSF course and I see how much confidence she's picked up and how she reacts when we first go out on the road for real.

 

sometimes people are funny, you never know how things will turn out, while it is a diffcult subjuct to discuss it can only be brought up so meny times before its old and hurtful to talk about. i dont think she will ever ride even with me, however she supports me 100% as i do with her and if she ever wanted to ride its her choice and with seven kids when would we ever get time to get away together alone. heck it hard to do now !!!

 

katie loves riding

my wife started riding a short time ago she learned on a 07 ninja 250, i taught her the basics and let her go at it at her own pace, she absolutely fell in love with riding... last weekend she traded her 2 mos old ninja for a suzuki gs500f ,similar bike with a little more power (i actually feel shes safer on the 500 she can get out of the way a little better) we took a big loss on the trade but she felt very comfertable learning on the 250 and it was the one step at a time deal... i know she probably should be riding used bikes but she works hard and really deserved to get what she wanted... she understands my wants and is really easy going... i do admit to being nervous ... but shes a good driver and loves riding, btw she really is a girly girl..... we have a lot of fun riding together... she is signing up for some private instruction

 

After about 20 years with out a bike myself I finally decided to get another. About two months later my wife declared she wanted to learn, so around Christmass '06 I found a deal on a VF-500, and she took the MSF last April. She seldom goes on rides of her own so I didn't have many chances to stand at the end of drive way and wonder if she was going to make it back. (except for the one time I let her ride my VFR, but that's another story)
While I try not to let it show, riding with her can be quite stressfull. She is quite cautious and deliberate on the bike, and sometimes too much so. For the most part I try to plan our rides on the back roads with little traffic. problem on those roads is she will often let a rise get between us and I lose sight of her.
On the main roads my biggest problem is, imagine this, the cages. I keep trying to convince her that the ride would go better if she would take the lead and ride at speed she feels comfortable with and I would follow her and deal with the cars behind us. I'm afraid she's gonna get some jackass in an SUV riding her butt (and yes this does happen) and panic or do something else stupid. So most of the time when we're on the main roads I'm looking behind me most of the time. If a car won't leave her alone I just pull off to the side and let them pass. Thus far I've been able to resist getting to the opposite side of the lane from my wife and slamming the brakes on, mostly because I'm not sure how she'll react.
She has plans for both of us to take the ERC in the fall and at this point I'm hoping that she will stay with riding long enough to gain enough confidence that I won't need to stress so much.
But I didn't pay much for her bike, so if she decides that it's not for her, that's fine to.

 

If she is really interested, be sure she takes the MSF course. DO NOT try and teach her yourself. You may have a few bad habits you don't realize, plus, the instructor will be more patient than you! You know how couples can easily start an argument...

Mine started on a small dirt bike. The best way to learn for anyone! You learn the feeling of tires breaking lose in a turn and also when braking. And if you fall, its much less painful.

She currently rides a GS500. Yes, I was worried about her in traffic, etc., but we stay away from it and just cruise the less congested back roads.

 

OK - have to chime in on this. I'm a female rider, 52, and spent 20 years on dirt and street bikes. I started on dirt bikes,which to me was smart. Gave me the basics. I am an extremely competitive person and would probably give any guy a run for his money on a bike. I really think that if a woman is interested, has a bit of talent for driving a car, and you do have to be a paranoid driver on a bike!!, that she'll do well on the street.

I took a 15 year hiatius from biking. Back when I was riding, I never saw another gal on a street bike. My last bike was a 2-stroke Kawasaki 500. I'm back now, with a new to me 2002 VFR!! Red and oh so sexy looking!! Need to get my endorsement so can't ride yet, but I'm dying to get on it, get used to it, and hit the corners!

Riding a bike takes no more muscular control from a guy versus a gal. It's balance and reflexes. It's depends on what a woman wants. I WANT to ride! If other women really want to learn, start small and work up. Then you'll take the same chances of getting hurt as anyone else. Part fate, part skill.

Theresa

 

ugh. its terrible to hear of peoples ignorance coming to bite them, and the poor girls friends were SPREADING their ignorance to her. tragic.

My 0.02:
Biking is a HUGE first step towards motorcycling. I have been racing/riding mountainbikes and road bikes for going on 14 years (im 25) and it helped a TON when learning to ride the motorcycle. That and I learned to ride on my dads Harley (heritage softtail classic) and he would have stabbed me if I dropped it. So I would DEFINITELY let her get comfortable on a BIKE first. My girl says she thinks I am more stable and comfy on two wheels than two feet.
I have thought of whether my girl should try riding. She does like motorcycles. She LOVES riding on the back of mine, and I catch her looking at motorcycle sites often on the internet. But she is scared, mostly since they are heavy and everyone she has ever met has told her "OH NO DONT RIDE ONE YOU WILL DIE!!". I hate that crap. I think Kat (GF) will ride someday, at least for a fun kick, but right now she can barely ride a pedal-bike, so I am going to handle that first, then find a beat up low volume moto-bike for her to try out and take a MSF course.
I love seeing chicks out riding, LOVE IT. but I would be super scared for Kat or my sister or any girl in my life to do it. I know that is a double standard, but I also know that the only thing keeping me off the pavement a few times has been my familiarity with two wheels and ability to react fast. Kat loves knitting most these days, so she has several orders of magnitude in action sports to go before I would feel comfortable with her on a sport bike.

If your girl wants to ride, teach her the best you can, get her a nice easy bike, and go with her often to teach her the skills through experience, but you can never be positive she wont get hurt.

I imagine it is like having kids... they grow up so fast...

 

Yea, I forgot to mention that part. My elder daughter also wanted to ride after I got the VFR. I have given her a ride to school on the VFR a few times so she can show off.
Bought her a Suzuki DR-100 to putt around the back yard on, about half an acre. No doubt going to have to get my self a dirt bike soon to take her out on some of the trails around here. There is a pretty good chance she will ask for a street bike when she is old enough. She has already mentioned taking her mothers bike when her mother gets a newer one.

 

My wife always wanted to ride. I didn't know it when I met her but when I got my first sportster, she started riding with me. Then she let me know that she wanted to ride her own. It had been one of the goals she had set as a young girl. But she had never even driven a stick car. I know enough to not try to teach her myself because she would feel like I was criticizing her all the time. Sent her to MSF course and let them teach her. Best thing I ever did. First, she is a good driver. Also, I think it is cool to have her ride with me. She started on a 86 Rebel 450 that was given to us. She rode that for a while, and then I got her a sportster.
She had to have back surgery a while back and doesn't ride right now, but we are hoping that the surgery will enable her to ride again. My personal advice would be to let MSF teach her and if she can't do it, let them tell her. You telling her that she is a bad driver and can't handle it is a good way to end a relationship.

 

I think everyone, including all our gf's, should be encouraged to ride a motorcycle. Granted, the initial phases should be done in a controlled atmosphere that is forgiving. Looking back to my first years of riding, I was a hazard on the road; even though I had ridden snowmobiles, dirtbikes, and atv's since I was four.

The truth of it is, motorcycling improves our skills on two wheels and four. Putting an otherwise distracted driver a few feet from the asphalt, away from the radio, cell phone, ect. can really open their eyes to the huge risks they face every time they venture on the roadway. It's kinda like that old show, maybe a motorcycle will "scare them straight".

 

Thanks NeverlosT! I REALLY feel that drifting around corners on a mountain bike, losing and regaining the front end is washy corners, working the balance at slow speeds, all help one's MC skills. And on a road bike, losing traction on a skinny tire, watching the crazy antics of the cages to keep off their hoods, and learning how to corner with maximum efficiency in criterium races all helped my MC skills. Now don't get me wrong, there are BIG differences between bikes and MCs but there is a huge benefit to be had. (And there is a huge benefit to your bike skills from riding a dirt motorcycle too! It works both ways)
>>>Start the women on pedal power first then move them up. They'll figure out if they like two wheels.

 

My rule - never tell someone he/she should learn to ride. Riding isn't for everyone. My wife - who has never been on a motorcycle in her life - asked me whether riding on the back is fun. I said, "Some people like it, but I don't think it's any fun at all." That's the truth. If she asked, I would take her for a ride, but she never did. That's fine with me.

 

My wife is athletic, a good driver and has been riding since 1991. She does not ride motorcycles enough to be a good rider but she is competent. However, I never enjoyed riding with her, I spent the entire time worrying about her. I always lead and spent as much time watching her in the mirror as I did watching the road ahead of me. Especially when we went by someone who was ready to turn on the road we were riding on. I was always so afraid they would wait until I went by and then pull out into her.

That changed three years ago when she sold her Sportster and bought a Honda Silverwing 600cc scooter so she could commute to Seattle on the ferry. That thing is great; no clutch so starting out on hills is easy, just twist the throttle and go; no gear shifter so no worrying about being in the correct gear and linked brakes so all she has to do is grab at least one of the brake levers and the thing stops. It is comfortable and powerful enough to cruise two-up on the freeway, has good weather protection and lot’s of storage. She rides more aggressively on it and is more fun to ride with because she is more confidant on it. She has no desire to own another motorcycle, when ever she feels like riding something with a clutch (mostly so she won’t forget how) she cruised into town on my old Honda Scrambler 90.

I have read that riding a motorcycle takes more coordination than flying a airplane. In my not so humble opinion, the street is too dangerous a place to learn the coordination and skill set necessary to survive on a motorcycle. I firmly believe that anyone (especial adults) who want to learn to ride should start out on dirt bikes. If that is not possible then they should start out on a scooter. Honda, Suzuki and Aprilia all make really nice big scooters that are good looking and will cruise all day at 70mph.

Thanks for letting me get on my soap box.

 

+1 on that advice.