Had "the talk" again with my wife

[Gone in 60]

So, while my wife and I were on our week-long driving trip up and down California, along with a ton of rented motorhomes, we also saw couples on adventure bikes enjoying the twisty roads.

It's at this time that my wife will throw out the comment "Ya know, it does look fun. Maybe I wouldn't mind riding." She has always said that she'd rather learn to ride her own bike than ride on the back of one of mine. And, since she's been forced, on a very few occaisions, to move one of my bikes around in the garage to get to something, she finds my bikes huge and heavy. So, she'd want something small with a low center of gravity.

I got the sense that this time, she sounded more serious. My mind started swirling, and at our hotel stop that night, I started scouring Craig's for bikes like Rebels. Then, I backed up and thought about it.

I told her that the first thing we should probably do is teach her to drive my car, so she can get the feel of working a clutch on something that won't fall over if she gets nervous. Then, if she's comfortable with that, get her into a basic riding course, which will probably put her on a Rebel or something similar, to see how she does. Plus, she'd be able to get her M1 endorsement without a riding test (per CA regs)

Then, if she's still interested in moving forward with a bike for her. Who knows, maybe this time it will really happen. If she loses interest, It'd be nice to have a small bike parked at my Mom's place to tool around in her area.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Interesting indeed Gin60.

My spouse first rode (drove) a motorcycle 35 years ago - an '83 Honda CB650SC. She has only been a passenger since then.

Last weekend she wanted to ride (drive) again!

So I plopped her on a Honda scooter and she did quite well. The key for her was no clutch to manage and no "grabby" brakes of a larger motorcycle.

 

[peterbaron]

Hmm, seems to be a smart plan to buy a second bike for myself...pretending is for my wife.
Thanks for sharing

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I agree that knowing how to drive a manual shift car is a huge benefit to learning to ride a motorbike.

 

[Gone in 60]

Peter, the Bonneville is the second bike for pretending it's for my wife. However, she thinks it's huge and heavy.
So...

 

[Stichill]

I would think about her driving persona and how it might translate to a riding persona.

Mrs. Stichill is a somewhat over-cautious, tentative driver. She's that person who uses the accelerator lightly, drives at or below the speed limit, and taps the brakes in reaction to any external stimulus or change in conditions. The whole drive occurs at 0.75x the "normal" speed of execution. I think she would be simply too cautious and be unable to operate the bike as deliberately and/or aggressively as it needs to be in order to stay safe and in control of certain situations. On a bike, going slower or getting lightly on the brakes is not always the safer action. Would her abundance of observation and caution make her a safer rider? In some regards it would, but I think the ability to act decisively with determination is also a necessary trait to have for safe riding.

 

[the Ferret]

Like GO I would recommend something like a Honda 150 scooter.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Like GO I would recommend something like a Honda 150 scooter.

The later model Honda PCX150s are a crazy, stupid-fun and hugely economical scooter offering with incredible storage for its size. A strangely smooth single and quiet, 100 mpg (U.S.), 13.5 to 14.4 hp little beast (depends on model year). The most "hop 'n' go" a two-wheeled dino-burning vehicle is ever going to offer.

 

[Houtman_imp]

I would think about her driving persona and how it might translate to a riding persona.

Mrs. Stichill is a somewhat over-cautious, tentative driver. She's that person who uses the accelerator lightly, drives at or below the speed limit, and taps the brakes in reaction to any external stimulus or change in conditions. The whole drive occurs at 0.75x the "normal" speed of execution. I think she would be simply too cautious and be unable to operate the bike as deliberately and/or aggressively as it needs to be in order to stay safe and in control of certain situations. On a bike, going slower or getting lightly on the brakes is not always the safer action. Would her abundance of observation and caution make her a safer rider? In some regards it would, but I think the ability to act decisively with determination is also a necessary trait to have for safe riding.

Your wife sounds like my wife , could they be identical twins separated at birth ?

 

[misterprofessionality]

yessssssss create another one of us. do iiiiiiiit. it's your duty.

MSF is the right way to go...especially in California. Learning the concept of manual transmissions in a car is also a great start, but i submit to you another great tool to infect other humans with the parasitic mind worm known as motorcycling:

SCOOTS.

almost every major city in America offers daily or half day scooter rentals somewhere in town. Go rent 50cc scooters and toodle around town all day. get lunch. go see some sights. whatever. Scooters are slow, safe, ultralight, and have no pesky manual transmissions to complicate matters. If you can ride a bicycle you can ride a scooter even easier. But despite being so far from the real thing they have a unique quality that is only found in one other place: in the saddle of a motorcycle. They're liberating. fun. they lean, they have all the same physics as a bike with a fraction of the danger. What I have found is that every person i've met who was on the fence about riding motorcycles was 100% hooked and determined to see it through the moment they first rode a scooter. It's an irresistable pull. the scooter is the gateway drug.

GO said it too, but my assessment is not that a scooter is the end goal, but the best possible tool to bring her over the line towards get a fully fledged shifting snarling motorcycle. put that lady on a scooter NOW and she will not be able to stop herself from heading to the MSF.

 

[Tev62]

Like GO I would recommend something like a Honda 150 scooter.

Agree, I would skip the car stage and head straight for the two wheel experience with an automatic clutch.

 

[Gone in 60]

Scooter might be a good way to go. I'm sure we could rent her one near the beach around here someplace. One of the other reasons I think she is aiming toward an actual motorcycle is her Mom's neighbors. They are a couple about our age, and they both ride. He has a VTX 1300, she has a Rebel. They are in inland San Diego county, so they have lots of nice places to ride that aren't too traficky. When we're visiting Mom, my wife sees the neighbors coming and going on their bikes. We're visiting this Sunday, and I'm suggesting that if the opportunity arises, that we visit the neighbors and ask if she can sit on the Rebel to see what she thinks about the weight of getting it up off of the side stand, rolling it around a bit, and sitting on it.

We'll see how that goes. I agree that scooters can be fun. I ride a Ruckus at my company's events to get around.

 

[MrBob_imp]

Interesting indeed Gin60.

My spouse first rode (drove) a motorcycle 35 years ago - an '83 Honda CB650SC. She has only been a passenger since then.

Last weekend she wanted to ride (drive) again!

So I plopped her on a Honda scooter and she did quite well. The key for her was no clutch to manage and no "grabby" brakes of a larger motorcycle.

Vespa!

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Interesting indeed Gin60.

My spouse first rode (drove) a motorcycle 35 years ago - an '83 Honda CB650SC. She has only been a passenger since then.

Last weekend she wanted to ride (drive) again!

So I plopped her on a Honda scooter and she did quite well. The key for her was no clutch to manage and no "grabby" brakes of a larger motorcycle.

Vespa!

Vespa!
Vespas definitely win for class and fashion.

My neighbour collects and restores vintage Vespas. I have yet to see one that burns oil. The couple go urban touring on their Vespas.

Scooting an urban center is much more fun than other dino-burnin' vehicles. Conversely, scooter on a freeway almost ensures death.

 

[Gone in 60]

Scooter on freeway = Death is one of the reasons I'm not really leaning that way for my wife. Anywhere fun to ride for us would involve a freeway ride.

I work at the museum with a lady who rides a late-model Vespa, so occasionally we'll bump into each other in the motorycle parking area coming or going. Seems like she frequently has some sort of problem with it.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Scooter on freeway = Death is one of the reasons I'm not really leaning that way for my wife. Anywhere fun to ride for us would involve a freeway ride.

I work at the museum with a lady who rides a late-model Vespa, so occasionally we'll bump into each other in the motorycle parking area coming or going. Seems like she frequently has some sort of problem with it.

RE Vespa problem: Many times there is a price for fashion.

The Honda PCX150 is regarded by many critics as the world's most reliable, low cost of ownership and desired scooter. Its larger sibling, the Honda Forza 300 (about 25 hp) has its engine built in Italy - land of the scooter. The Forza is also a highly rated scoot in its class and is capable of sustaining freeway safety.

 

[2017EX_imp]

My better half made noises about riding at one time, then changed her mind. I would suggest enrolling her in a basic riding course first. She would get to use someone elses bike, and all she would need of her own would be helmet, gloves and they usually specify lace up boots if I remember correctly. She would then have the experience of riding, and learn the clutch, throttle shifting and braking mechanics. Since a standard in a car has different mechanics ( although some of the principles are the same ) hand eye coordination and muscle memory is different.

I did pick up a used Rebel for her before she changed her mind ( sold it shortly after ), and thought it was an uninspiring bike ( 250cc version ). I bought a Monkey a couple of years ago, and it is a hoot to ride by comparison. I it is east to handle, with enough power to zip around town. If she does like riding after learning, might want to consider a Monkey.

 

[Gone in 60]

We looked at the first available local MSF courses last night. They're in early September, which is usually triple-digit temps for us, not the nicest time to be in a parking lot for hours wearing a helmet while you're trying to learn something new. So, we're picking a date when it gets cooler later in the year. Hopefully, by then, the current weirdness with motorcycle prices will have cooled off as well. There's a guy trying to sell a low-mile, old-generation Rebel in my area for four grand right now. That's nuts.

So, we'll try the car some time soon. My Fiesta ST should be a little less imposing than the heavy-clutched Mustang track day car I tried to teach her on a few years ago.
Plus, it might give me a little freedom. If we're out somewhere in my car, I have to limit my imbibery since I know I'm the one who has to drive us home.

 

[rboe]

I'm with Stichill on this, personality type is huge and some people should never be on bikes. I'd like to see my wife ride but she panics way too easily, too cautious (in a car this can be good but on a bike one needs to ready to dial in a wee bit aggression.

Scooters. All the big names make 500-650cc scooters than you can tour on - on the freeway. But I'd take a look at the NC750 (and Honda seems to be adding dual clutch autos to more and more models. I can't keep up!

But a timid riders should stay very close to home. It can get you killed on the road just as easily as being overly aggressive.

 

[Charlie Bravo_imp]

I would think about her driving persona and how it might translate to a riding persona.

Mrs. Stichill is a somewhat over-cautious, tentative driver. She's that person who uses the accelerator lightly, drives at or below the speed limit, and taps the brakes in reaction to any external stimulus or change in conditions. The whole drive occurs at 0.75x the "normal" speed of execution. I think she would be simply too cautious and be unable to operate the bike as deliberately and/or aggressively as it needs to be in order to stay safe and in control of certain situations. On a bike, going slower or getting lightly on the brakes is not always the safer action. Would her abundance of observation and caution make her a safer rider? In some regards it would, but I think the ability to act decisively with determination is also a necessary trait to have for safe riding.

I agree one-thousand percent!!