Isn't that cheating?

Gone in 60

Road warrior
Thread starter
This might be the year that I actually offer as Mrs. Gone's Christmas present, enrollment in a Basic Rider Course.

We've been watching the most recent season of Itchy Boots on YouTube. If you're not familiar with her, she's a Dutch woman who rides solo through different parts of the world. Her GoPro and drone footage editing skills, along with the in-depth look at the locations she visits makes her videos very engaging. She just wrapped up a six month trip through Africa.

My wife has made very casual comments about wanting to ride someday. But, she's been mentioning it more. Last week, when I came home from work on the Bonneville, I found her sitting on the CB in the garage, playing with the switches on the handlebars.

"Whatcha doin' there, hun?" "Oh, I just wanted to see how it felt to sit on your bike. It's pretty neat!" I showed her what all of the switches and controls are, and how to pull in the clutch and flip through the gears.

This past Saturday morning, we found ourselves near the big Orange County Cars and Coffee, in a part of town we're rarely in at that time. We stopped to look at everything, and she walked to the motorcycles, not the cars. She honed in on an Africa Twin, saying it looked a lot like the bike Itchy was riding. "You're right, hun, but this is much larger." (Itchy was riding a CRF 250) She was enthralled with the way it looked.

The owner walked up, and we chatted a bit. He had been on several touring trips with the bike, and mentioned how much he liked the DCT. My wife asked what that meant, and he pointed to the handlebar. "See, there's no clutch. You can shift it, but it's pretty much an automatic."

"Automatic?... Isn't that cheating?"
 
I am sure when searching I could find a thousand links to Itchy Boots, bt not the best link (and right nowI am on a device which cannot play youtube). Could you post the best link for starters?
 
Itchy boots is cool I followed her last year when I saw she toured on a Royal Enfield Himalayan. I am waiting for them to release the 650 version and then I may jump on one for an entry level adventure bike for myself. I live in NY at the moment so im usually on the highway for a few hours to New Hampshire or Maine to go moto camping with the CB. The smaller engine on the Himalayan right now just wouldn't do it for me on these NY roads haha but I love the bike and the price tag.


Super cool your wife has the bug!

2014 CB1100, 1981 KZ440 LTD, 1993 Yamaha XJ600 Seca, 1994 Yamaha XJ600 Seca
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
This might be the year that I actually offer as Mrs. Gone's Christmas present, enrollment in a Basic Rider Course.

We've been watching the most recent season of Itchy Boots on YouTube. If you're not familiar with her, she's a Dutch woman who rides solo through different parts of the world. Her GoPro and drone footage editing skills, along with the in-depth look at the locations she visits makes her videos very engaging. She just wrapped up a six month trip through Africa.

My wife has made very casual comments about wanting to ride someday. But, she's been mentioning it more. Last week, when I came home from work on the Bonneville, I found her sitting on the CB in the garage, playing with the switches on the handlebars.

"Whatcha doin' there, hun?" "Oh, I just wanted to see how it felt to sit on your bike. It's pretty neat!" I showed her what all of the switches and controls are, and how to pull in the clutch and flip through the gears.

This past Saturday morning, we found ourselves near the big Orange County Cars and Coffee, in a part of town we're rarely in at that time. We stopped to look at everything, and she walked to the motorcycles, not the cars. She honed in on an Africa Twin, saying it looked a lot like the bike Itchy was riding. "You're right, hun, but this is much larger." (Itchy was riding a CRF 250) She was enthralled with the way it looked.

The owner walked up, and we chatted a bit. He had been on several touring trips with the bike, and mentioned how much he liked the DCT. My wife asked what that meant, and he pointed to the handlebar. "See, there's no clutch. You can shift it, but it's pretty much an automatic."

"Automatic?... Isn't that cheating?"
Your pardner Gin60 has a really good eye (well two, of course).
 
Hey Gone...You may also check out "Got2GO" on you tube. Her new series starts Thrs,12/2. Review her vids from last year. Excellent quality and right up there with Itchy Boots.
 
LouA_imp said:
Hey Gone...You may also check out "Got2GO" on you tube. Her new series starts Thrs,12/2. Review her vids from last year. Excellent quality and right up there with Itchy Boots.
This is new to me. LouA :thumbsup:, I will check it out.
 
I have been following her, since Highside /Lowside interviewed her. She has her share of guts to do her travels . Good stuff.
 
Thread starter
Ha! I just noticed that she posted her first season six video. Could have guessed the bike, based on how much she liked the CRF250, and great to see that she's continuing the South America to Alaska trip. Mrs. Gone will be excited.

I've seen a few of Got2Go's videos as well, but we watch too much TV together in the evenings as it is, and don't need more couch time. So, I'll keep those for my break time viewing (when I should be working).

So, last night, I asked Mrs. Gone if she'd like a basic rider course as her Christmas present, and she said "Hmm, that's a very unique idea, let me think about that." That's her language for not completely dismissing one of my ideas, and giving it some serious thought, so we'll see where it goes.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Ha! I just noticed that she posted her first season six video. Could have guessed the bike, based on how much she liked the CRF250, and great to see that she's continuing the South America to Alaska trip. Mrs. Gone will be excited.

I've seen a few of Got2Go's videos as well, but we watch too much TV together in the evenings as it is, and don't need more couch time. So, I'll keep those for my break time viewing (when I should be working).

So, last night, I asked Mrs. Gone if she'd like a basic rider course as her Christmas present, and she said "Hmm, that's a very unique idea, let me think about that." That's her language for not completely dismissing one of my ideas, and giving it some serious thought, so we'll see where it goes.
Very nice. Encouraging.

Maybe she's expecting a bit more, ... maybe a free lifetime annual subscription to riding insurance, or sumthin' like that.
 
My wife decided she wanted to ride her own bike twice, once back in the 70s and I bought her a 73 CB 350F. She rode it a summer or two and decided she'd rather be a passenger again. I rode it for awhile after that but I thought it was doggy and ended up selling it.

Then around 2010 she got the bug again and I bought her a Yamaha 400 Majesty scooter. She rode it a summer or two and decided she'd rather be a passenger again and I ended up trading it in on a Honda quad with snow blade.
 
Thread starter
Ferret, if this endeavor bears any fruit, I will hedge my bets. If she takes the class, and if the bug seems to bite, and if we do any bike shopping for her, I would ensure that said bike would be something that I could also commute to work with.

I've bought my share of bikes that were the low-mileage result of "She just doesn't ride it enough". I would not mind a bike that I could use to keep daily mileage off of the CB1100. And, when she decides to ride with me, it would be ready for her as well.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Ferret, if this endeavor bears any fruit, I will hedge my bets. If she takes the class, and if the bug seems to bite, and if we do any bike shopping for her, I would ensure that said bike would be something that I could also commute to work with.

I've bought my share of bikes that were the low-mileage result of "She just doesn't ride it enough". I would not mind a bike that I could use to keep daily mileage off of the CB1100. And, when she decides to ride with me, it would be ready for her as well.
If I were ever able to get my wife there, and I won’t, I would be sure it was a smaller, lightweight, DCT, simple, reliable and a “pretty” colored bike to give her every chance to like it. But since that will never happen and that bike doesn’t exist, I am off the hook.
 
Thread starter
Yes, of course I'm already thinking ahead... must be light, not too tall, small footprint for the garage, and minimally freeway competent. Something like a CB300F. I'd hate to get something too small for highway use, like a small scooter. That would limit her to small streets if she became confident enough to ride with me on day trips, and would negate my ability to commute with it if she abandons riding. She won't care much what it looks like, if I tell her its a good choice for her.

If she cared about pretty, she wouldn't be driving a grey CRV.
 
Gone in 60_imp said:
Yes, of course I'm already thinking ahead... must be light, not too tall, small footprint for the garage, and minimally freeway competent. Something like a CB300F. I'd hate to get something too small for highway use, like a small scooter. That would limit her to small streets if she became confident enough to ride with me on day trips, and would negate my ability to commute with it if she abandons riding. She won't care much what it looks like, if I tell her its a good choice for her.

If she cared about pretty, she wouldn't be driving a grey CRV.
Honda Rebel 1100 DCT?

She might be leaving you behind often though.
 
GoldOxide_imp said:
Gone in 60_imp said:
Yes, of course I'm already thinking ahead... must be light, not too tall, small footprint for the garage, and minimally freeway competent. Something like a CB300F. I'd hate to get something too small for highway use, like a small scooter. That would limit her to small streets if she became confident enough to ride with me on day trips, and would negate my ability to commute with it if she abandons riding. She won't care much what it looks like, if I tell her its a good choice for her.

If she cared about pretty, she wouldn't be driving a grey CRV.
Honda Rebel 1100 DCT?

She might be leaving you behind often though.
Honda Rebel 1100 DCT?

She might be leaving you behind often though. Id personally go for the rebel 500 for a new rider especially a smaller female. Probably more than enough power to play with but not so much to make a bad mistake while they're learning.


I would love the 1100 for myself :)

2014 CB1100, 1981 KZ440 LTD, 1993 Yamaha XJ600 Seca, 1994 Yamaha XJ600 Seca
 
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