SuzukiSavage.com - Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?

hunnus2000

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #15 - 11/29/06 at 06:32:11

We’ve 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 couldn’t flat foot (she’s 5’1) and she also hurt her wrist when walking the bike out to the course (about ¼ mile).

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. I’m very proud of her!

Make sure she can flat-foot the bike and if she doesn’t 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 won’t 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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SeeAPierce

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #16 - 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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hunnus2000

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #17 - 11/29/06 at 08:31:07

SeeAPierce wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:

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?
...

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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Hashbrown

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #18 - 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. Tongue

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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What can brown do for you!

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sluggo

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #19 - 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 [glow=red,2,300]YOU ARE INVISIBLE PERIOD. [/glow]

all riders should be organ donors, are gift to the world. 8)

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SINGLES RULE, HARLEYS DROOL

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Stimpy - FSO

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #20 - 11/29/06 at 13:42:50

WOW!

18 replies in 24hrs, Thanx guys! Grin

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, I´ll check my local DMV (San Diego) for weekend courses. Actually I allready found one here www.begintoride.com that looks petty good.

I´ll also check in January craigslist.org for deals on a rebel or maybe another savage, but I don´t want a 50cc scooter, I see no point.

- What does she want? She´s not quite sure, she says she´s perfectly content as a passenger but I´m sure once she sits "behind the wheel" she´ll be hooked Grin

Also this is a good skill to have in any case.

Thanks again!

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Recently sold 97'savage (change of residence) - looking to buy another - just bought a temp, a great SR125 called 'methadone'

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Stimpy - FSO

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #21 - 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 Grin

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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Recently sold 97'savage (change of residence) - looking to buy another - just bought a temp, a great SR125 called 'methadone'

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azjay

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #22 - 11/29/06 at 18:32:58

Stimpy - FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:

I´ll check my local DMV (San Diego) for weekend courses.

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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Bikemom28

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #23 - 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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Paladin.

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #24 - 11/29/06 at 19:08:49

Stimpy - FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:11:

.....
So It's settled, MC Safety Course it is, I´ll check my local DMV (San Diego) for weekend courses. Actually I allready found one here www.begintoride.com that looks petty good.

That is not the MSF course.

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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azjay Serious Thumper Offline aridzona... its a dry heat Posts: 816 Gender:	Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Reply #25 - 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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praetorian Ex Member	Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Reply #26 - 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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Bulwark

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Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start?
Reply #27 - 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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justin_o_guy Ex Member	Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Reply #28 - 11/30/06 at 23:47:26 Heck, that makes it almost freee, Huhh?
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Bulwark Ex Member	Re: Want to teach Wife to ride. Where to start? Reply #29 - 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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