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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1164747210 Message started by Stimpy on 11/28/06 at 12:53:30 |
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Title: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Stimpy on 11/28/06 at 12:53:30 Basically I want my partner to learn to ride. We ride EVERYWHERE together but I always drive. Savage has lots of power for 2! ;) We even have matching Bell helms & jackets (and look like morons) and have a lot of fun ridding but, for example, in case of an emergency she could not ride the bike for me. And it also would be nice for her to start and maybe one day tour together or with a group. -------------------------------------------------------- She has driven Quads only and is not terribly good at it but I see good potential. IŽm also afraid sheŽll drop my never-before-dropped-bike and damage it (and/or hurt herself). I was thinking of finding a soft grassy field, removing mirrors & signals and duct-tapeing the bikeŽs voulnerable parts and teaching her there. But I think she could slip on the grass. Or maybe getting for a while a used "easy-to-ride" smaller bike, like a Yamaha TW200 or something and teach her the basics on that. Any ideas? Thanx in advance. Richard |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Bulwark on 11/28/06 at 13:17:18 Get her to take the MC saftey course. The best way to learn is correctly. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by justin_o_guy on 11/28/06 at 13:25:32 Let her take a Motorcycle Safety Course.That's how I will get my wife on one. She won't ride her own bike & will have a pro teaching her. They ride Honda Rebels & such. Look in the phone book, call informationj, go online, google motorcycle safety course. They're everywhere. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by vroom1776 on 11/28/06 at 13:38:04 yeah, MSF is a must. I understand you not wanting her to drop yr shiney bike, but taping it up and such could really hurt any confidence she may already have (on the other hand, you don't want her overconfident!). Grass is slipepry, esp if green. Can you afford a beater biek for her to learn on?) you could resell it, or chop it, or throw it away later... Before the MSF course, though, I, and I alone, probably, suggest letting her ride a little. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by sluggo on 11/28/06 at 13:47:54 have someone else other than you teach her. let her learn good riding, before developing bad riding habits. yeah we all have them, if ya say you don't, well your just b.s.'n yourself and others ;D |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Savage Librarian on 11/28/06 at 13:53:43 And here's one more vote for the MSF course. Professional teaching, and if the bike gets dropped, it's not a big deal. And she may not feel as nervous as she would if she knew you were watching, just waiting for her to drop your bike. That sort of thing can be a bit nervewracking for some people. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Savage_Rob on 11/28/06 at 13:55:55 I'm with the others who recommended the MSF course. I'm trying to talk my wife into it one day too. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by verslagen1 on 11/28/06 at 14:38:50 MSF course all the way. I did it a few months ago. I have lots of years with 20 lbs bikes under me, so bike handling wasn't an issue. Although now I have 350 lbs of bike under me, I'm getting more confidense every day. The MSF course will educate her on how to handle the bike and what to look out for, you know those rolling wrecking balls we share the road with. Plus, and a big plus it's not your bike she'll grind the gears on or drop! There's even an opportunity to try a few different styles to see what fits her. Check out the class, maybe there's one with a female coach. It'll give her alittle more confidence and understanding to be taught in her own language. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Steve530 on 11/28/06 at 15:24:36 Stimpy, I have to agree that the MSF Basic Rider Course is the way to get your partner started. As a matter of fact, if you have not yet taken the course, you should consider it, too. You will get a discount on your insurance. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by jotrac on 11/28/06 at 15:49:36 I agree with learning at the MSF course (free in PA) since I just took it and got my license this year. I had women instructors, too. Gutsy old ladies. :) Plan to get her her own used bike right away to practice because I might not have passed my test without the extra practice. I had never driven anything but a car before. Also I felt comfortable on my own bike (cheap and used) because I knew I would probably drop it and I did. It was sad but no catastrophe. So many women are learning to ride, you probably will not have any trouble finding (and selling, if you upgrade) a small used one. By the way, once she discovers how much more comfortable the driver's seat is than the rider's she may never ride on behind again! I hope you can keep up in the dust! ;D |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Paladin on 11/28/06 at 18:33:53 Stimpy wrote:
1. What does she want? Riding is, IMO, better than being pillion -- she may have a different opinion. There are advantages and disadvantages to dual riding versus riding double. Negative side -- costs are double, fuel mileage is chopped in half. Positive side, which for me is a selling point -- you are not stranded if something breaks: shove the broken bike to the side and ride double on the remaining bike. 2. Can she ride a bicycle? Riding a motorbike is not that much different than riding a bicycle, 'cept that it is heavier. She might feel easier starting on something small -- say a used $300 50cc scooter. How is her driving? Is she comfortable behind the wheel? Does she have years of incident free driving behind her? 3. If it is HER bike she will not be dropping YOUR bike. A bike falling down is completely normal. Bikes are a lot tougher than most people realize. Most damage is cosmetic -- only parts that commonly get damaged and need replacing are mirror, levers, and footpegs. If worried about dropping, find a rat bike -- you cannot hurt a rat. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by guitar52 on 11/28/06 at 20:27:55 saftey course, It will keep her alive and save her life. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by praetorian on 11/28/06 at 22:01:09 As others have said... MSF course is a must. I know a few guys who have tried to teach their wives to ride and have either come close to divorce, or have driven the wife to not want to learn any more. Not only are the MSF instructors professional teachers, but also she is paying them, which means that when they tell her she is doing something wrong, she can't get too mad at them. Then when she comes home you get to be the shoulder. On a side note, if you haen't taken the course, take it with her. The first day might be a little slow for you, but you will learn things too. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by mornhm on 11/29/06 at 05:15:07 +1 on the MSF basic course. Take it after she does, or if your relationship can stand it, with her. If you go in with an open mind and pay attention to the classroom stuff, you will learn a lot. However she takes the course, no comments from the peanut gallery until the course is complete (unless she specifically asks for your help). As far as the instructors being professional, the ones I have met are, and genuinely seemed to care about the students in their classes, but I have heard some negative comments about other instructors especially concerning female students, so if your partner is concenrned listen to her. http://www.vtwinmama.com/index.htm This seems to be a good site with lots of info. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by azjay on 11/29/06 at 06:01:13 debby was in about the same place, so i put her on my atc250r for a little practice with a clutch on a platform she was familiar with, (she has been riding her atc250sx for 20 yrs). that way, she wasn't trying to figure out the mechanics of operating the bike while learning to ride and listening to the MSF instructor too. she drives manual transmission cars also, so she understood a clutch and gear selection already. manual transmissions and MSF courses are not options in my house! i recommend the same to anyone. when she had completed the MSF course, her very own '96 savage awaited her, she has never wanted to ride 2up since. ditto: praetorians marital advice! ;) |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by hunnus2000 on 11/29/06 at 06:32:11 Weve been there! My wife was going to be a passenger but I was adamant that she take the class and learn also because there may be a situation where she may have to ride the bike. We both went to the MSF class but she had to quit midway because she was on a Nighthawk which was too high for her and she couldnt flat foot (shes 51) and she also hurt her wrist when walking the bike out to the course (about Πmile). But she did learn that she COULD ride a motorcycle so we got her a Rebel to start off with and after a week she was ready to ride the neighborhood streets. After a month, we upgraded her to the Boulevard S40 (Savage 650) and she took the MSF 2 weeks ago, passed and got her license. Im very proud of her! Make sure she can flat-foot the bike and if she doesnt take the MSF Class immediately, get her a small bike 125cc to 250cc. Teach her how to power walk AND how to accelerate and brake properly so she wont drop the bike. If she can slowly progress into shifting and turning in an empty parking lot, then she should be ready to take the class. BTW, the MSF class is geared towards a person who has never been on a bike but it can also be a very grueling class. There is a lot of slow speed turning, A LOT of clutching so she will be exhausted after each class but the course is invaluable. Good Luck! |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by SeeAPierce on 11/29/06 at 06:56:23 I agree with Paladin above - Is she chomping at the bit to drive? If she's into it, then the MSF course (without you around, IMHO) I've seen some couples do MSF...some do fine while others not so well...why chance it? I also agree a little scooter is a great confidence builder, and you can ride together until she's ready for her own Savage... My wife is 100% behind me on my bike (or was until I went to a single seat), but she has 0% interest in grabbing the handlebars... |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by hunnus2000 on 11/29/06 at 08:31:07 SeeAPierce wrote:
Yes this is a good suggestion. I was consistently worried about my wife while we were in the class together and it was nice that she had her own experience when she took it by herself. It is also a great sense of accomplishment knowing that she did everything on her own and also a true confidence builder! |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Hashbrown on 11/29/06 at 08:52:09 i spent $30 on a permit, practiced around my neighborhood away from main roads and on the actual skills test course at the DMV. Passed the test with a 100% and havent dropped my bike yet. 1 year riding with no prior experience. If she cant drive a manual car then opt for the safty course. If she has something between her ears which im sure she does, then im sure she can figure it out like I did. :P This is horrible advice by the way but its how i did it and im still alive. Maybe ill take the intermedate/advance riding class. p.s. You cant get a better bike to start on then the savage. 350lbs soaking wet with a 650 engine is the best of both worlds. That way she can learn on a comfortable bike and get the experience of a more powerfull engine. 250's in my opinion are dangerous. If you need that extra power to get out of a sticky situation you dont have to worry about downshifting to get your rpms up with the savage. She's got juice throughout the powerband. p.p.s. Twin savages would look bad a$$ in the garage. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by sluggo on 11/29/06 at 11:28:16 [quote author=Hashbrown link=board=RubberSideDown;num=1164747210;start=0#18 date=11/29/06 at 08:52:09]iPassed the test with a 100% and havent dropped my bike yet. 1 year riding with no prior experience. [quote] oh but you will. i am certain of that fact. i've been riding most of my life and i find this to be true, overconfidence is a killer. btw i've been "down" six times over the years, it's a fact of riding.. after carefull review they all have been my fault. riding to fast for conditions, inattention, mechinal failures that i should have spotted before embarking, and just doing stupid stuff. sure there have been other vehicles involved, and legally in the wrong. but it's still my responsiblity to ensure my safety. there is only one rule when riding YOU ARE INVISIBLE PERIOD. all riders should be organ donors, are gift to the world. 8) |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Stimpy on 11/29/06 at 13:42:50 WOW! 18 replies in 24hrs, Thanx guys! ;D I see this is a topic that a lot of people relate to in more that one way. I also see that all of you share the same opinion. So It's settled, MC Safety Course it is, IŽll check my local DMV (San Diego) for weekend courses. Actually I allready found one here www.begintoride.com that looks petty good. IŽll also check in January craigslist.org for deals on a rebel or maybe another savage, but I donŽt want a 50cc scooter, I see no point. - What does she want? SheŽs not quite sure, she says sheŽs perfectly content as a passenger but IŽm sure once she sits "behind the wheel" sheŽll be hooked ;D Also this is a good skill to have in any case. Thanks again! |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Stimpy on 11/29/06 at 13:52:05 "I Passed the test with a 100% and havent dropped my bike yet. 1 year riding with no prior experience. Sluggo...Oh, but you will" You guys are killing me ;D ;D ;D True, SO TRUE. Yeah, safety courses are great and all but at the end we are our own worse enemies, and overconfidence (or a squirrel in the middle of the road) will kill ya! |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by azjay on 11/29/06 at 18:32:58 Stimpy wrote:
what part of san diego? i was born and raised there, left in '81 and haven't looked back. grandfather, mother, aunt, brother, debby's parents, and various extended cousins etc. all still live in the area. we moved 160 miles east to yuma, dad retired 3yrs ago and moved out here too. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Bikemom28 on 11/29/06 at 18:41:26 I will say one thing I have only had my motorcyle permit for about a month and a half now and I ride my husbands 350lb bike, But I will say go with the course, I still have my permit and my husband did teach me how to dirve it on the grass you just have to be very careful it will teach you balance there. I am going to take the msf course myself it costs about $200-$300 but is well worth it. It teaches alot that you may not think of. But my motto that I have since I got my Permit was I'd rather be fully prepared than minm. perpared. With Drivers now a day's you have to be fully prepared especially on a motorcyle. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Paladin on 11/29/06 at 19:08:49 Stimpy wrote:
That one doesn't look too good to me. $90 for a 3-hour session, versus $235 for the CHP associated California Motorcycle Safety Program: http://www.ca-msp.org/ which is, IICR, about 8 hours classroom and 8 hours on the 'cycles. Not to mention that sucessful completion of the CMSP course waives the DMV riding test. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by azjay on 11/29/06 at 19:36:00 good catch paladin! the MSF course debby went through in phx was $235 also and 8hrs class + 8hrs riding skills which waivered az tests (coincidence? perhaps not). the course here in yuma is $250 and 16hrs of instruction, again successful completion waivers testing. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by praetorian on 11/29/06 at 22:14:37 Here in NC the MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) course is offered thru the community college system. It only costs $145 and is also 8 hours classroom and 8 hours rubber down time. Also, like elsewhere, it waives the DMV skills riding test. Whatever you do, make sure it is an MSF course she goes thru. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Bulwark on 11/30/06 at 06:43:09 Yeah, the MSF here in New Brunswick, Canada was 4 hrs classroom and 16 hrs on the bike. At the end of the weekend I had a sore clutch hand let me tell you but I learned alot. A friend of mine is looking to start riding as well. I told him Id help him learn a bit but he had to take the course. Its just to important to pass up. Plus I got a discount on insurance of $300 and $100 worth of gift certificates from a $400 course. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by justin_o_guy on 11/30/06 at 23:47:26 Heck, that makes it almost freee, Huhh? |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Bulwark on 12/01/06 at 08:31:16 Yeah,hehe I got my money back from the coarse in the first year of riding. |
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Title: :-/Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start Post by Stimpy on 12/01/06 at 12:11:30 O.K. IŽll try to answer everyone. - Basically, we are Germans living in BAJA: http://www.danzante.com/html/map.html for a while. - WeŽll be here on our "sabbatical" for maybe the next 2 years, after that weŽll fly home (Frankfurt area) and start cruising over there. IŽll let you guys know before my savage hits the market in case anyone is interested, IŽll deliver (last road trip, sniff :'()in CA or AZ. - So the closest "real" city for us is San Diego, 60 miles away. (We are almost neighbors Azjay! I also used to live in El Centro,CA about 10 years ago, love those desert back roads ;)). - So we donŽt care about DMV and such because we have International GERMAN MotorVehicle Licenses ($2000+ USD a pop, yes 2,000) so US tests & certifications do not apply to us. - Those 8 hours theory are kidsplay compared to the 48+ hours we each took to pass through the German DMV system, so basically: "she knows the theory, but lacks the balance". - So that little $89 course sounds pretty good, or at least good enough to learn the basics and build confidence from a "pro". Anyway, thanx for the input ;D |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Paladin on 12/01/06 at 13:36:38 In your case, the $89 course is a good deal. |
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Title: Re: :-/Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to Post by hunnus2000 on 12/01/06 at 15:41:52 Stimpy wrote:
My wife read something about overseas requirements and it's far more strict than here in the states. The fee is very expensive AND in some places, you are limited to the size of bike you can ride for a period of time and have to work and learn your way up to a bigger bike which could take years. WOW |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by azjay on 12/01/06 at 18:17:07 stimpy; i have a very good freind in oklahoma, he served in the u.s. air force in germany (during 80's), and has been married to his german wife aprox 20 years now. she has a '63 vw sun roof bug and a '48 ford tudor sedan, he has a harley and a '34 ford coupe. they have shared with me, the strict rules and enforcement policies involved with the driving privelages in germany, aqll i can say is "wow!" y'all certainly have an appreciation for something we take for granted here. as you know, we popped the cam chain on debby's bike the other night, please do let us know when you've got to go, my dad really likes the savage, and i'm thinking he's overdue for a gift. i was going to store debby's savage up at his place, after she moved to her road king, i'm certain he wouldn't let the battery die on it if i did, but there is not much point in it now. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by Stimpy on 12/02/06 at 02:17:25 We should start a new topic, we are way off here. - hunnus2000: YES itŽs ALL true, the requirements in Europe vary from country to country but basically to simply have a license means you went through hell and back to get it, plus it costs a small fortune to do it. But itŽs a one time thing, unless of course you abuse & lose it, then you must wait and do it all over again. (Many families start their kids a bank account at birth just for this, so by the time your 18, thereŽs enough in there for your permit, and maybe even your first car, crazy). Also YES, your license indicates what kind of vehicles you can drive with it (my German one says in the back I can drive tractors, scooters & small bikes, cars, vans and small trucks ;D) but I could not drive legaly anything with, letŽs say, 3 axles or a large trailer behind it, nor a large bike (like a savage), for a 650cc I would have to make an extra course and theorical & practical tests for that. ThatŽs why in Europe there are a bunch of REALLY BIG (adult size) bikes & quads running around everywhere with a micro-tiny-tiny 49cc engines in them, I was really puzzled about this at first, now I know why. And if I do drive a vehicle IŽm not qualified for, and something happens, insurance will NOT PAY for ANYTHING. Also bike insurance only covers you from, letŽs say, March the 1st to Oct the 31st (because of snow) so if you crash on November the 1st, even if it was a beautiful sunny day and was not your fault, you got it! YouŽre screvvd. Also if you are cought driving your bicycle while DRUNK, you could lose your driviers permit. :P Europe is weird. azjay: ;D I know, those crazy Germans. BTW in Europe, Germany-Holland&Belgium mostly, it seems that Savages are really IN nowadays, basically because not everyone can afford a Harley there, because everyone and their brother has a BMW or some Italian 200mph rocket and because, frankly, everyone is SICK of Shadows. |
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Title: Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Post by tgoss on 12/04/06 at 15:17:27 When I decided I wanted to learn how to ride myself my husband thought he could teach me. I never felt comfortable until I took the MSF course. The MSF course is a great way to learn. I took it a couple of years ago and the instructors teach you in a way that anyone can learn. I had never road a motorcycle of any kind and learned how by taking this course. I have a 2005 Suzuki S40 and I love riding. I have the best of both worlds - I can ride my own or ride with him. |
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