Trying to get my wife to ride.

StuckinBaghdad · 08-13-2007, 1:23 PM

Has anyone gotten thier wife to start riding? I want her to get a bike but am having an issue with the right way to teach her to ride and get her past the "I can't do it" phase. She is content to sit on the back and hold on for dear life but she is really screwing with my HP to wieght ratio. I am thinking of putting her on an early 80's KZ1100 shaft drive. That way if she trashes it in the driveway or a parking lot I just have to worry about her. Anyway how have you gotten past the first few rides with your wife?

flblackbird · 08-13-2007, 2:00 PM

Good luck man, my wife just got tired of being on the back. Now she wants to go play w\me & the rest of the guys on her own bike.

StuckinBaghdad · 08-13-2007, 2:05 PM

what did you put her on?

flblackbird · 08-13-2007, 2:49 PM

We've had her on everything...sv650, gsxr6, cbr6rr, zx6, r6, fz6, 500ninja, etc. The one she really liked & was comfortable on was the gixxer 6, our local Suzi dealer is a friend & he's letting her borrow his until the 08's come in.

StuckinBaghdad · 08-13-2007, 2:59 PM

cool deal thanks FL.

flblackbird · 08-13-2007, 8:43 PM

No prob brotha, keep your head down if your still "over there".

redxxrdr · 08-13-2007, 9:21 PM

My wife has been riding for 30 + years, so it was easy to get her on my poor discarded Magna.

From what I have read, and seen with friends, it will be best to get her in a MSF class. Let her learn from someone else. Don't even be there to watch.

Some wifes don't want to ride at all. Some don't want to learn from the Man of the house. And some will eventually get better than you.

Most MSF classes supply small bikes for learning.
A friend of mine went to a MSF, passed top in class and purchased a used Intruder 800. After a year or more sitting in the garage, she is selling it.
" Not enough time", but I suspect the bike was too big, and she never really got comfortable.

My wife and I do a couple 3-4 k mile vacations a year on our bikes. She rode the Magna the 140 + miles round trip to work today. 60 mpg is better than 15 in the truck.

Let her decide, and you will both be happy.

smoothmotion · 08-14-2007, 4:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redxxrdr

My wife has been riding for 30 + years, so it was easy to get her on my poor discarded Magna.

From what I have read, and seen with friends, it will be best to get her in a MSF class. Let her learn from someone else. Don't even be there to watch.

Some wifes don't want to ride at all. Some don't want to learn from the Man of the house. And some will eventually get better than you.

Most MSF classes supply small bikes for learning.
A friend of mine went to a MSF, passed top in class and purchased a used Intruder 800. After a year or more sitting in the garage, she is selling it.
" Not enough time", but I suspect the bike was too big, and she never really got comfortable.

My wife and I do a couple 3-4 k mile vacations a year on our bikes. She rode the Magna the 140 + miles round trip to work today. 60 mpg is better than 15 in the truck.

Let her decide, and you will both be happy.

As a MSF instructor - I agree!

Most females want to feel comfortable, not too heavy, flat footed, the right color or they will not ride.
I suggest starting with a used (whatever she thinks she wants) then moving up in a couple of years if that suits.
Start small and work up, don't scare her or things will be over before they start.

Good luck and happy riding!

1100xxben · 08-14-2007, 2:09 PM

My wife actually was riding before I was, but now she rides a 2004 SV650S and absolutely loves it. She's only 5'7" so we lowered it a couple inches so she could be flat footed. I think the SV is a great beginners bike because it doesn't have so much power that you'd have to worry about her flippin' the thing over, but it's still got plenty of get up and go for when she's more comfortable and the bike is nice and light for when it comes to balancing the thing. I would definitely recommend something in the 600cc range and lower the thing if you have to.

ironmike · 08-14-2007, 4:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StuckinBaghdad

Has anyone gotten thier wife to start riding? I want her to get a bike but am having an issue with the right way to teach her to ride and get her past the "I can't do it" phase. She is content to sit on the back and hold on for dear life but she is really screwing with my HP to wieght ratio. I am thinking of putting her on an early 80's KZ1100 shaft drive. That way if she trashes it in the driveway or a parking lot I just have to worry about her. Anyway how have you gotten past the first few rides with your wife?

Forgive me if I belabor the obvious, but.... You say that you want her to get a bike... What does she want to do? I know you're hearing the "I can't do it" response, but that doesn't really answer the question... and I wonder if that's really the message she's trying to convey...

It is far more important that she take up operating a motorcycle because it is what she wants to do, rather than what you want her to do... Your real challenge is to support her - if - she expresses the desire. If you try to pressure her into something, you'll only succeed in her harboring a bit of resentment... notwithstanding whether or not she complies with your insistence. More likely than not, you'll be trying to sell whatever you bought for her to ride within two years - we've seen it happen all too often.

Allow me to propose a compromise solution... If she enjoys the passenger/pillion role, consider acquiring a late model touring bike (like a GL1800, etc.) for two-up duty... and keep your Bird for solo strafing missions. You'll both be happier.

bry641 · 08-14-2007, 4:31 PM

i tried to get my wife to ride as well. bought her a cbr 125 she rode it for couple of weeks. came home one day she had traded her car and bike for bmw that she wont let me drive.
hey stuckinbaghdad was in basra 03 for 8 months is it still warm and a dump

StuckinBaghdad · 08-15-2007, 1:08 AM

Well I decided to go with a "gift certificate" for a riding class at the local harley dealership. That way I can give it as a gift.

As for Basra I have never made it out there. This is my second trip to Iraq. My first was in 03 as well. I can say that Baghdad is a dump just like it wsa in OIF I but not as hot as 2003. I remember seeing it rain here in 03 and the drops evaporated before they hit the concrete. The highs are only in the High one-hundred-teens.

breakaleg82 · 08-15-2007, 3:45 AM

I think the best thing you could do is put her on a Kawasaki 250. It's small (lightweight), inexpensive, and the power is nothing to be scared of. The second thing you should do is enroll the both of you in a beginners riding course. That way the two of you can practice together. If this doesn't work and you still want her to learn - tell her if she does it for you, you'll do the dishes and the laundry for the rest of the year!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

StuckinBaghdad · 08-15-2007, 4:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by breakaleg82

I think the best thing you could do is put her on a Kawasaki 250. It's small (lightweight), inexpensive, and the power is nothing to be scared of. The second thing you should do is enroll the both of you in a beginners riding course. That way the two of you can practice together. If this doesn't work and you still want her to learn - tell her if she does it for you, you'll do the dishes and the laundry for the rest of the year!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

I think I'll take the route of just buying a cruiser. I hate dishes.

uvaldexx · 08-15-2007, 8:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmike

Allow me to propose a compromise solution... If she enjoys the passenger/pillion role, consider acquiring a late model touring bike (like a GL1800, etc.) for two-up duty... and keep your Bird for solo strafing missions. You'll both be happier.

Its what I did....

Then again your model may vary.

Rasputin · 08-15-2007, 6:15 PM

Got the XX in July last year. Wasn't long before my wife said "I think I'd like to try to ride". So we kicked it around all winter, she took the MSF course in June and we found an 04 naked SV650 for her after she got her "M" endorsement. She's short, 5'2" but it lowers plenty and she loves it. The EX250 fit her fine but i worried that it'd only be a few months before she'd outgrown it and they are just a bit underpowered for expressway/commute duty in this town.
The biggest thing is that was Her idea, not mine.

StuckinBaghdad · 08-16-2007, 9:20 PM

Well it is a mute point now. I just got my orders for my next assignment and I won't be home anyway. Maybe year after next.

redxxrdr · 08-16-2007, 9:53 PM

Sorry about the assignment. I hope it is out of the sand.
Thanks again for all you do.

StuckinBaghdad · 08-16-2007, 10:03 PM

It is tropical this time but still a dependant restricted tour. Either way it will be good for my career. I broke it to the wife over the phone tonight. She is keeping her chin up. This way she can finish her degree without having to transfer. All for the best I guess.

swazijmw · 08-17-2007, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ironmike

Forgive me if I belabor the obvious, but.... You say that you want her to get a bike... What does she want to do? I know you're hearing the "I can't do it" response, but that doesn't really answer the question... and I wonder if that's really the message she's trying to convey...

It is far more important that she take up operating a motorcycle because it is what she wants to do, rather than what you want her to do... Your real challenge is to support her - if - she expresses the desire. If you try to pressure her into something, you'll only succeed in her harboring a bit of resentment... notwithstanding whether or not she complies with your insistence. More likely than not, you'll be trying to sell whatever you bought for her to ride within two years - we've seen it happen all too often.

Allow me to propose a compromise solution... If she enjoys the passenger/pillion role, consider acquiring a late model touring bike (like a GL1800, etc.) for two-up duty... and keep your Bird for solo strafing missions. You'll both be happier.

Well said

. We want no harm to come to either of you .

JB4XX · 09-22-2007, 12:10 AM

I'm trying to get my wife to ride me!

CanadianBird · 09-22-2007, 12:17 AM

My wife loves riding, pony riding that is.