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Message started by Paladin on 03/05/05 at 09:31:00

Title: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Paladin on 03/05/05 at 09:31:00

The Vstar was too heavy, the Savage was savage. Is your wife still considering a two-wheeler? Maybe we can help -- there is a lot of experience on this forum.
How big/small is she, what sort of riding will the bike be used for? From what little we have I would be taking her to look at a Suzuki Bergman 400.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/05/05 at 09:48:00

Thanks for the suggestion. If you ask her the Vstar is the perfect bike for her. You may have another opinion if you watched her take a full minute to get going from a stop, or considered the fact that we bought the thing brand new last April and the bike now has 800 miles, 600 of which are mine trying to get it broken in. To me it has been pretty much a waste of money - I think she likes the idea of owning a bike but not actually riding it. My idea of obtaining a Savage was basically to sell the Vstar while its still worth money, but riding them back to back she wants the Star.
Now, she basically roles her eyes at the idea of selling it and says "do whatever you want with it." as this $6,000 bike sits gathering dust.
I'm probably gonna just put it in the paper this spring as I don't really think she cares that much, this was just an idea to develop a common interest. In truth, she would probably get much more use out of a little convertible, but we don't have the garage room.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Paladin on 03/05/05 at 12:56:58

Being married, I understand. A part of her wants to join you as a biker and share your passion, but if you set her on the bike she really cannot get into it. That's why they make cars! You can never really know if you will like/dislike something until you actually try it. With a marriage you occasionally run in to the situation where one party loves something and the other can't figure out why. All you can do is accept that you cannot do everything together and either come along on the pillion or say "be careful and hurry back."

My wife, Wendy, is toying with the idea of getting herself a bike. She's a bit large for the Savage, which is why I am following nightrain's footpeg saga. Can a large man be comfortable on a Savage, or will he need to stretch the frame?

We both enjoy dirt camping -- get away from people, pitch a tent and just relax doing nothing more than watching critters come up to explore what you brought them to eat/play with. We've talked about a pair of larger bikes, one towing a tent trailer and the other a cargo trailer. But until she actually gets on a bike and takes a few local trips on it to test whether or not she could enjoy riding, the 10,000 mile camping trip will remain a mere possibility rather than a plan.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Savage_Rob on 03/05/05 at 19:35:03

LOL, I love riding and camping too. My wife, on the other hand, likes filtered air and thinks roughing it means no cable TV. For us it's the "be careful and hurry back" deal.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by sluggo on 03/05/05 at 20:00:14

Paladin wrote:

two words..

SIDE CAR

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/05/05 at 20:39:00

The weather was nice today, so we went for a little ride - me on the Star and her on the Savage. She liked it ok, even though she still doesnt understand the whole motorcycle lean/turn thing yet. I think we will keep both for the time being, as I'm not in the mood to take a beating on a 800 mile 2003 vstar in showroom condition with $800 in accessories and I don't want to sell the Savage cause its cool. Maybe the best thing will be for her to learn on the Savage, get her darn mc endorsement with it and then maybe she will ride the Vstar and I will ride both Savage and Valk.
Sorry if I'm so indecisive with this issue - prior to buying the Savage i thought we would give it a go and if she didnt like it we would just sell it, but I REALLY like the Savage, which has been very unexpected.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Paladin on 03/05/05 at 20:53:33

Googled:
Attaching a sidecar to a Suzuki Savage (http://www.heise-workstations.de/ls650/Reviews/JamesReview2-e.html)

You ride a bike, you drive a hack. In California a hack does not require a motorcycle license.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Paladin on 03/05/05 at 21:12:43

erik wrote:

...Sorry if I'm so indecisive with this issue - prior to buying the Savage i thought we would give it a go and if she didnt like it we would just sell it, but I REALLY like the Savage, which has been very unexpected.

Yeah, like WE have never been indecisive. ;D The Savage is a seductive little bike.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/05/05 at 21:25:05

I've been installing satellite dishes since 1994 except for a 2 year hitch splicing cable any similarity with what you do Paladin?

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Paladin on 03/05/05 at 22:18:52

Trained as RadioRelayRepair by the Air Farce. 2879th GEEIA out of Athens, installing mux and microwave and tropo in Turkey. Discharged, hired by Pacific Telephone & Telegraph as a communications technician. Did N-carrier, TRCC, T-Carrier; moved into switching and took care of the Stepper in Gardena until '84 -- the last Step by Step machine in Metro L.A. to be shut down. Got into OCS in '86 and have spent the last 18 years installing and maintaining telephones, telephone systems, data systems, LANs, etc. that are used by Pacific Bell. Including residential service for Executive Support. You can click on the links on the left to my blog.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by RadarORiley on 03/06/05 at 17:17:15

Eric, maybe your wife wants it for "garage art", that's what my husband calls my bike. If she hasn't taken the MSRC send her to one-with out you. Husbands and wives hould never try to teach the other to ride/drive. I tried to teach my husband to ride in the 70's and almost had to find a new husband.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/06/05 at 18:03:47

Well, the wife dumped the Savage today. We went to the grocery store, me on the vstar and her on the savage, she was doing fine until she took a left into the grocery parking lot. She didnt make the turn and ran into the curb at about 10 mph thank god she was wearing a helmet and leather jacket and gloves, I saw the whole thing in shocked disbelief.
Anyway, I have decided that me and the kids need her around much more than she likes motorcycling and am selling the Vstar, she will become a passenger. :'(

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Ed_L. on 03/06/05 at 18:35:38

Why don't you ask your wife if she still wants to ride? I dumped my Savage the second time out and cracked three ribs, got back on it and rode it home. Then I signed up for the MRSC and figured out what I did wrong. Could be the course would make both of you more confident in her riding ability. Glad to hear that she was wearing safety gear and didn't get too hurt. If I hadn't been wearing a helmet when I dumped it I probably would of cracked my skull, landed head first. Luck on you decision.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by sluggo on 03/06/05 at 21:12:01

first off, glad to hear she's ok.

i concur with ed.
look at it this way. she got here "been down/going down" incident out of the way early.
now it'll be years before it happens again.

in my 30 plus years of riding i've been down 5 times. each time i've evaluated what happened and decided that riding will still be part of my life..

good luck

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/06/05 at 22:59:55

This is the 3rd person Erik's wife. I was very happy on my Vstar - granted it was taking longer than my husband was patient for as far as me learning, but i took my time and was happy with my progress. My Husband decided that since i hadn't put enough miles on the vstar that we needed to buy the savage. I was detirmined to make that work and over stepped my comfort zone. I learned how to ride on the vstar and was comfortable on it. I took a completely different bike and went out in traffic with it before it was comforatable to me. let me ask you - am i just kidding my self that the bike i learned on was a good fit - is it really not possible that the change in weight, foot positioning and overall performance may have added to my unfortunate event today? i'm not comfortable driving other people's cars and feel that if i had puttered around on the savage before going "out in public" that things might have been different - i rode 200 miles on the vstar and had no mishaps or incling of mishaps - i take full responsiblilty for what happened today either way - any thoughts?

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/06/05 at 23:11:52

let me add that i have wanted to take the class from the get go - we were trying to work it out so it wasn't necessary. and i concur with the person that posted regarding husband and wives teaching each other - it can be too close to home and hard to take either way ;)
Please - if you have taken the class provide feedback - where did it help - if it didn't help how - that kind of information. Thank you!! Deborah

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by diesel on 03/06/05 at 23:14:09

ever considered a small trike? suzuki volusia or 750 shadow, NOT a motorcycle any more, BUT, can be loads of fun.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/06/05 at 23:20:14

To be honest i have a very vauge dream of a side car for my beloved dog Smokey ;) - i don't know how that measures up with a trike ::)

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Ed_L. on 03/07/05 at 05:38:27

If you are still serious about riding you should see if the state you live in provides the motorcycle riders saftey course. Here in Pennsylvania it is given to any licenced driver for free. It's well worth the time and effort, I learned a lot when I took it. Glad to here you didn't get hurt and hope you will stay in the wind. Ride Safe

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Paladin on 03/07/05 at 06:11:59

Hi Deborah! Any change is upsetting. If you are not comfortable on the bike you will be concerned about that and not fully concentrating on where you are going.

My first bike was a brand new 1964 Honda Sport 50 (http://100megsfree4.com/honda/h0050/sport.htm). In '74 I bought a Yamaha DT175 Enduro (http://www.650choppers.com/bikes21503.html) which I rode dirt and street until '86 when I got married and sold it. I am not a newbie.

Back in '74 I went to the DMV on a Sunday when it was closed and tried the test course. Failed. Never bothered to get my motorcycle endorsement. This time, after 18 years not riding, I took the MSF course so as to waive the DMV road test. First day riding I learned what I was doing wrong and why I was unable to pass the DMV test 30 years prior.

I thought it interesting that about 2/3rds of the class were old codgers who decided to get back on bikes after 10-20 year layoffs. I feel that I got my $200 worth. The 1/3 of the class that had never ridden before also all passed.

The advantage of the MSF course is that all the basics will be covered -- there will not be a "oops! forgot to mention" as you lay in a crumpled heap. Also with the class you are with others of similar experience levels and see for yourself that what they are telling you works.

One of the stressed points is that you go where you are looking. If you want to go left, you look left. If you want to go right, you look right. And if you look at the curb as you turn into the parking lot you will run into the curb.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Diane on 03/09/05 at 00:55:30

Hi Deborah. TAKE THE CLASS!! Learn from profesional teachers. That's what they get paid to do, day after day, through hundreds if not thousands of idiots before us. For instance.... my boyfriend doesn't "know" about counter stearing even though he does it. You will learn many things in the class that your husband will just never think to teach you. Added benefit you only have to take the written test to get the motorcycle endorsement on your drivers license. I can't stress enough...... Learn from profesionals.

As to dumping the bike... I agree with you. You were on a strange bike and everything feels different, responds different. I took the MSF class on a GZ250 (hated it) then bought the Savage. My first ride, 1/2 block from the house, 1st turn and headed straight for the esplanade. I had done everything wrong, knew it and couldnt undo it except one thing that went through my head..... Teacher said if you know your gonna crash "do something". So I locked down on the brakes and stopped/fell about 3 inches short of the curb. One scraped elbow and a brused knee, very minor damage to the bike. I got up and got right back on but what I know now is that the rake of the forks and the higher handle bars changes how a bike handles in curves/turns, thats why I dumped it, it just didn't handle like the GZ250. I read somewhere that most accidents happen within the 1st 6 months of owning a bike. Not just your first bike but any bike no matter how many years of riding experience.

So in closing let me just say one more time... take the class. When/if you pass you will know if you really want to ride or not and you will ride with confidence. Hope this helps.

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Savage_Rob on 03/09/05 at 05:48:11

I have to agree on taking the MSF course. I took it as a refresher after not riding for about 14 years. It was a lot of fun and good for my skills. I plan to take the advanced course at about 2 year intervals just for the refresher (and some insurance companies offer a discount for folks who pass an MSF course).

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by cphilip on 03/09/05 at 10:25:40

I still got this mint Virago 250 sitting here!

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by erik on 03/09/05 at 13:18:01

Thank you all for your advice and support - I'm planning on taking the course and Erik has agreed to let that dictate the next step. I'll keep you posted :) Deborah

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by Ed_L. on 03/09/05 at 13:30:21

That's great, enjoy the class. It will make you a safer rider ;)

Title: Re: A bike for Eric's Wife
Post by RadarORiley on 03/09/05 at 13:37:26

Mrs. Eric, Take the class & then tell him what he's doing wrong. I had a V-Star and loved it, perfect balance, I'm just not tall enough to reach the brake. That made for scary riding. The transition to the Savage was hard, it doesn't seem to balance quite as well, but when I do dump it, I can pick it up easily.
I have been on & off bikes for 45 years & am going to take the MRSC this weekend with one of my daughters just for fun.