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.

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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

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.

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

I'm with the others who recommended the MSF course.  I'm trying to talk my wife into it one day too.

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.

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

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.

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.

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!