GF wants to start riding`

[AV8guy]

Well, the girlfriend has been talking about wanting a bike for a while now. She loves my 12s but that would be too much for her. Found a Blast for a great price in VA so I will be checking it out soon. Hopefully, we will have a new member to the community soon! [up]

 

[JohnnyD]

You're lucky [up] I've been trying to get my wife to ride for a while now. Thinks I'm trying to kill her. She has no desire to ride her own bike.

How much are they asking for the Blast? The local dealer has one for $3,500 OTD. I believe it only has 600 miles on it.

Has she ridden before? Or she new to the sport? Only reason I ask, is that she might grow out of that bike really fast.

Anyway, you're still lucky. Good luck in finding the right bike and post some pics when you do.

 

[Buell_Cru]

AV8Guy tell we wish her a premature welcome. Also make sure she keeps the NSFW thread alive..haha J/K

We really do hope she enjoys it.[up]

 

[agfish18]

I have been trying to get my fiance into the MSF course to see if she would really like riding her own bike. She has mentioned wanting to get her own bike, but I want to make sure it is something she will enjoy before I buy another 2 wheeled machine. I tried to teach her on my CBR when it was street legal, it was a bit too tall for her, and she wasnt comfortable not being able to flat foot while on it. I think she has it in her to enjoy it if she gets a bike she can handle. only time will tell.

AV8guy, has your girl ever ridden before? I would make sure she knows how to ride before biting the bullet on another bike, a lot of people realize they would rather be on the back than the one operating.

 

[upthemaiden]

Blast is cool if you can get it, but keep an eye out for a good ninja250 too. I put 14k miles on one when I started riding. Even though I would've loved a bigger bike it definitely has enough fun to hold you over for a while before you outgrow it, especially if you're short. The new ones look great too.

 

[RT Performance]

Blast is a great learner bike it for most is just a learner bike.. if you buy it right clean it up a little she will learn on it and move up and you will get your money back or even make some to put toward a bigger bike.
Nicest thing if you find one that been dropped if she drops it no big deal removes the fear of dropping it so she likely won't.
Good luck
RT

 

[nativeXb12Rbuell]

thats great that she wants to start riding and get into the sport. Blast & Ninja250 both would make a great first bike . I would take her to several bike shops and let her sit on some different bikes to see what fits her best and what she likes best. but first I would Highly sugest signing her up for a Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Riders Course. You may want to go to it & take the class with her to help her & support her (I bet she would like that)because for some girls any bike can be bit intimidating and some what scary! I took my GF to the MSF basic riders course when I got my Buell. She was a bit scared at first but the Instructors are great and will take the time to help and get her to learn what they need to know & show them how to get past any of their fears of the bike. And big bonus in taking it is msot Insurance companies will give you a small discount (usually5-10%) for taking the course, or other riders/drivers classes especially if it includes skills for defensive driving/riding!!! And most states will wave the driving test to get your motorcycle license endorsment, you just show the card and certifcate you get from the class to the DMV and take a written test, and get a new license with the motorcycle endorsment!

anyway here is links for it to look who and where in your state does the MSF courses.


.msf-usa.org RiderCourse where to find them at
MSF Rider Courses info
MSF.ORG Home

Also to help her get a head start on learning about some Motorcycle skills and what it takes to ride proper/legally and what you need to know to get a Motorcycle license in your state , look up your states website or your states DOT website and search for your states Motorcycle license (learner) handbook/manual, and print it up or get one at the DMV and have her read it several times, & quiz her with it to help her.
then when all that done and she has her motorcycle license take her back the dealers to sit on and test ride the bikes she likes so she really knows what she likes and wants and can handle safely within her new skills !! [up][up]

and last but not lest please dont forget the gear ATGATT !! . buy her ALL the proper gear ,not just because most girls look great in leather !!! but it will protect her ,& it also shows her that you do REALLY care about her!!

 

[AV8guy]

She has ridden (on the back) of bikes for a while and has been in a pretty serious wreck once. She still loves to ride and understands that it will take time to develop the skill to be a proficient rider. I taught her throttle/clutch control and shifting on my RM250. I think she will be able to handle her own. Its an 01 with like 14,xxx miles. Right down the street from my dads place in Va and I think I will be able to pick it up for around $900. I have seen it riding around when I go up there to visit so at least its road worthy. I will still go through it and check it out before I get it though. But if she drops a $900 bike, who cares? [smirk] Its funny though. She was ABSOLUTELY in love with Jap bikes till I showed up with my 12s and she is completely hooked now. Damn Buells!!!

 

[AV8guy]

And she already knows about the NSFW thread and seems to be cool with it. Ill start her off slowely

 

[Baal]

nativeXb12Rbuell's post should be made a sticky and the permanent reference link to the question "My GF/wife/SO wants to ride" question.

Not that it's worth anything, but here was my experience with SWMBO. We were dating, and at some point she said "I ain't riding on no motorcycle." I answered "That's fine, I'll call you when I get back." (The motorcycle was here first.) After coming back from rides with a permanent grin, and hooting about what a good time it was, she said "well, maybe I'd like to try that." So, I took her for a ride, and gradually, she came to enjoy it.

Fast forward. Married now, she had ridden on the back for many miles. I made no mention of a bike of her own, but did point out female riders that we saw and met. Some of them encouraged her to ride. So, she decided (on her own) to do the MSF course. At about the same time, we found a Nighthawk 250 at a good price. That was a bike that was easy to manage, hard to hurt when she fell over, and not so big that it would hurt her when she did. Plus, like all small bikes, it doesn't have enough power or strong enough brakes to bite a newbie.

So, that's how she got started.

Contrast: When she wanted to get a bigger bike, we sold the Nighthawk to a friend's wife (or the friend, as the case may be). It appears that her riding was his idea, not hers. Either way, the little Honda was for sale inside of six months.

Moral? It needs to be the other person's idea and desire to ride, and training is the right place to start. There's no shame in starting on a small bike. Plenty of time to move up to something bigger.

Probably more than my 0.02.

 

[fishgutz]

The Rider's Edge course is the best. Bigger bike and smaller classes than taking the MSF class at a community college.
The class in your area may offer an all women's class like the one down here is G'boro.
I'm still trying to get my wife to take the course.

 

[AV8guy]

Yeah, well the MSF is mandatory for me due to the Marine Corps, however, I didnt think of seeing about attending the one out in town with her. Thats a really good idea! About the gear, we both always wear gear. I was in an ATV accident on the street wearing nothing but shorts (stupid!) but her wreck she was wearing everything. She knows how it can save you and I wont ever make the same stupid decision. At least I got to live and learn

 

[fishgutz]

Riders Edge is a MSF course. Just taught using Buell Blast and a much smaller class. But if you can take a free class on base then I suppose "free" wins.