The wife wants to ride... but not on 2 wheels

[ride4now_imp]

My wife used to ride with me back in high school. I guess if she wanted to date me, she had too since I didn't own a car. Fast forward 40 years, and after getting used to cars... she's not interested in riding on 2 wheels other than the occasional ride on our bicycles. However, after talking about the possibility of a 'Rally Down Under' or a 'Rally Out West', she's interested in going if we can rent a CanAm or a Trike. Actually, she's even suggested that we sell one of our bikes, or boat, and buy a CanAm or Trike. So here's my question... actually questions. 1. Does anyone have a similar experience where the wife wouldn't ride with them on 2 wheels but would after they rented or bought a 3 wheeled machine? 2. Are CanAm's or Trikes available for rent? Here and/or Austrailia? I'm intrigued by her request... she wouldn't even put the top down on her convertible, but now might be open to riding at least on 3 wheels.

 

[Capo]

I would imagine Can Am dealers are likely to provide test rides. Check Eagle Rider as well for rental. I'd strongly suggest a Can Am over a rear wheel trike.

 

[emptysea]

Sidecar.

 

[4 Paws_imp]

Same situation. After college wife inherited a bike from a friend, a 125cc hot rod, lots of fun for a while but her interest waned. She rode pillion with me occasionally for a couple of decades. I bought a Triumph around 2003 and she saw, and bought, a BMW CS650 they had sitting there used. Took the MSF course and started riding again but never got comfortable on the bike and rarely rode it.
Couple of years later we were at a bike show and she saw a Can-Am. Checked it out, went to the dealership and spent some time there. Test drive or two -each- and bought one for her. Superb dealer, fair price. Took her seriously and dealt directly with her, answered all her questions. Taylorsville NC, not the closest to me but the kind of place I wanted to do business with.
Excellent machine.
She rides with me a lot these days, loves three wheels and the engineering on the Can-Am is far far ahead of some other trikes. I have ridden it but it honestly doesn't trip my trigger. I see a fair number on the road around here. A viable option.
I know you can rent them out west, in Austin TX and Las Vegas.
No regrets.
Me, I bought a sidecar rig.

 

[Offroad]

Met a guy on the BRP that was on his 2nd Spyder RT

http://can-am.brp.com/spyder/build-...d/454d5901-80b3-42b8-9d00-6463a3aea512/step/3

He said his cost $32000 with $5000 in accessories = $37,000....it was nice....he did have custom Corbin arm rest for the passenger I would say is a must. He had put 16,000 miles on his first one and bought another so he must like them.

He said it weighed 1000 lbs, had 110 hp and was nearly impossible to tip over due to low center of gravity and electronic that senses if one front wheel leaves the ground and kills the throttle and brakes to bring it back down.

If I had 38K to blow....I'd consider one.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

My wife used to ride with me back in high school. I guess if she wanted to date me, she had too since I didn't own a car. Fast forward 40 years, and after getting used to cars... she's not interested in riding on 2 wheels other than the occasional ride on our bicycles. However, after talking about the possibility of a 'Rally Down Under' or a 'Rally Out West', she's interested in going if we can rent a CanAm or a Trike. Actually, she's even suggested that we sell one of our bikes, or boat, and buy a CanAm or Trike. So here's my question... actually questions. 1. Does anyone have a similar experience where the wife wouldn't ride with them on 2 wheels but would after they rented or bought a 3 wheeled machine? 2. Are CanAm's or Trikes available for rent? Here and/or Austrailia? I'm intrigued by her request... she wouldn't even put the top down on her convertible, but now might be open to riding at least on 3 wheels.

Can't blame her. Women become timid about these things much sooner than do men, for good reasons. Much more prone to osteoporosis, for example. It's good intuition. Problem with trikes, all of the exposure of a motorcycle with none of the agility. As with anything it has to be her comfort level and decision.

 

[treytexag_imp]

Interesting topic. Same EXACT discussion has come up recently with my wife. She's made it clear that she doesn't want to ride 2 up, and isn't interested in riding her own 2-wheeler either. I do understand - while we have kids in college and high school, we do still have a 10 year old as well.

Not too long ago, we stopped by the Honda dealer out in Katy TX to pick up oil and filters and such, and she eyeballed the Can-Am's sitting there. Next time I stopped in for some other parts, she walked over and sat on the Can-Am's . . . it was a pretty day and a sales guy was there and he started talking to her about them. She liked what she heard and she liked how they felt when she tried them on (sat on them . . . LOL).

Long story short, she's communicated to me since then that if she had a Can-Am, she'd like to ride with me. Certainly not imminent purchase for us, BUT, I'm keeping her comments in the back of my head . . . . My guess is that we'll buy her a Can-Am at some point in the future - it'll be fun to ride together.

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

People get the idea these trikes are safer. They are not. One of the things women and we short riders have a problem with is a fear of dropping the bike. Bikes like to be going over 10 mph, they feel better once some stability is in the wheels. Most people feel pretty confident at normal road speeds but often shorter riders, especially women who don't have the physical strength, are fearful of every stop, every fillup, every coffeehouse. The trike seems to solve all this but in reality a reasonably skilled motoryclist is going to be better off. It is much easier to avoid trouble with the agility and small size.

 

[Inhouse Bob]

My lovely wife is happy to have me ride but wouldn't get near a bike, trike, sidecar or CanAm. She is a very bright person

 

[Rocky_imp]

My lovely wife is happy to have me ride but wouldn't get near a bike, trike, sidecar or CanAm. She is a very bright person

Same here.
My late wife (bless her) always wished me well when I set off on a ride or tour, but always said, "Have fun; be careful, but don't ever ask me to get on that thing!"

 

[LongRanger_imp]

We've considered it, but I don't have another stall in the garage to store it, and I don't like the idea of having three different tire tracks -- it makes it very hard to avoid potholes! Lots of low-mileage used ones available for sale around here, which tells me something too.

 

[emptysea]

My wife rides (when she has use of both legs) her own bike. Refuses to ride on my bike, but would consider riding with our friend Glen. I take slight umbrage at that last part, but the fact is that she really prefers to ride her own bike. We won't know until she can walk again if she's going to get back on that bike, if she's going to go for a different bike or a trike, or if she's going to follow in a chase car. I suspect that she'd go to a trike before a cage, but I won't know that for a couple of months. I agree with Ulvet and LongRanger that there are distinct disadvantages to the 3-wheeled option, but the upside is that she'd be able to travel with me in the most similar mode of transportation to my own.

What I was not sure about in the OP was whether he was contemplating getting a trike for 2-up riding or getting a trike for his wife and he would stay on 2 wheels. Personally, I would lobby for the latter, but as previously stated, it's not a an issue for me since my wife refuses to ride on a 2 or 3 wheeled vehicle when I am the pilot.

 

[redbirds_imp]

My wife has been riding for over 37 years starting on trail bikes. When we married she had a KZ650 then moved on to cruisers her last being a Vulcan 900LT. In 2007 she switched to a DL650 V-strom and now has a 2012 model. Only mods I've made to both Suzuki's for her comfort were crash bars and lowering one inch front and rear for a bit better touch down. She's 5'7" and adores the V-strom for it's comfortable ride and ease of handling.

 

[Papa Weeley_imp]

Very odd - my wife, who is scared wee-less by bikes and won't get anywhere near mine, even as passenger, has been making noise for the past few months about riding her own Can-Am. I'm flabbergasted. I think they're too much dough for her to get serious about taking the plunge and then possibly changing her mind, but I still don't even know what to make of the whole idea! :huh:

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I haven't ridden a Spyder yet but I'm curious about the upper body strength a woman might need to steer it, despite the power steering. Perhaps I shouldn't form any conclusions until I've ridden one!

 

[Chapomis_imp]

Good subject ! My wife has never ridden 2 wheels solo and has no desire (maybe a scooter...once). We have ridden 2up on various bikes, but never for more than a half day and never on the highway. 2 years ago I arranged a test drive on a Spyder. My wife was very skeptical, but within 2 minutes of riding she was giving me thumbs-up in the mirror (we also test drove an HD trike which was thumbs down for both of us). Long story short, 2 years later and we have had the best times together on the Spyder. Its my way of sharing with her what I love about being on a motorcycle and her being able to enjoy it. Oh, and she loves the Ferrett Cam I definitely recommend Spyders over convertibles.

I haven't ridden a Spyder yet but I'm curious about the upper body strength a woman might need to steer it, despite the power steering. Perhaps I shouldn't form any conclusions until I've ridden one!

She would be fine at speed limit

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

My wife has been riding for over 37 years starting on trail bikes. When we married she had a KZ650 then moved on to cruisers her last being a Vulcan 900LT. In 2007 she switched to a DL650 V-strom and now has a 2012 model. Only mods I've made to both Suzuki's for her comfort were crash bars and lowering one inch front and rear for a bit better touch down. She's 5'7" and adores the V-strom for it's comfortable ride and ease of handling.

+1
Lowered F700GS is also brilliant.

 

[ride4now_imp]

I was waiting for Chaponis to chime in because I thought I remembered reading about his new CanAm. To answer a few questions, it would not be for her to ride by herself, but for her to ride 'with' me. I often feel guilty about going out for a ride, taking a day to be by myself and while she never really gives me a hard time, it weighs on me since I still work...and work ALOT. Having a way for her to join me on a ride would be fun. I rode a CanAm at Daytona a few years ago and liked it. While I wouldn't trade any of my 2 wheelers in for a CanAm to ride exclusively, I might consider it as a way for her to join in on the fun. And if it'll fit on my utility trailer, it might even join us on vacations too. That would be extra fun!

 

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Very odd - my wife, who is scared wee-less by bikes and won't get anywhere near mine, even as passenger, has been making noise for the past few months about riding her own Can-Am. I'm flabbergasted. I think they're too much dough for her to get serious about taking the plunge and then possibly changing her mind, but I still don't even know what to make of the whole idea! :huh:

I never understood a bucket list. In fact I never heard the term until someone invented it for a movie (same goes for "back in the day", did any of y'all who are around 60 say "back in the day" back in the day? Never heard anyone say that until the song came out and it was used in a movie).

Anyway, point is, why wait until retirement or something to then go out and buy a motorcycle, or skydive, or do all these risky things that are better done when young? Do it when you are young, and relive the memories when older.

Taking up high-risk activities late in life is really asking for trouble but that is what people do, they get the idea they are running out of time and just throw caution to the wind, or wherever they throw it.

I would not recommend motorcycle riding to ANYBODY, ever, no matter what their age. And I don't need to, because those who want to ride, WILL RIDE regardless, and those who are timid should be talked out of it.

Speaking of that we are all trying, on the ZX-10R forum, to talk some 19-year-old kid out of buying a new ZX-10R for his first bike. Pretty long thread, he really has come up with some very interesting rationalization for why he will take it easy, and then won't get tired of a small bike and lose money trading up in six months.

I KNOW some of you are laughing now...:hello:

My wife rides (when she has use of both legs) her own bike. Refuses to ride on my bike, but would consider riding with our friend Glen. I take slight umbrage at that last part, but the fact is that she really prefers to ride her own bike. We won't know until she can walk again if she's going to get back on that bike, if she's going to go for a different bike or a trike, or if she's going to follow in a chase car. I suspect that she'd go to a trike before a cage, but I won't know that for a couple of months. I agree with Ulvet and LongRanger that there are distinct disadvantages to the 3-wheeled option, but the upside is that she'd be able to travel with me in the most similar mode of transportation to my own.

What I was not sure about in the OP was whether he was contemplating getting a trike for 2-up riding or getting a trike for his wife and he would stay on 2 wheels. Personally, I would lobby for the latter, but as previously stated, it's not a an issue for me since my wife refuses to ride on a 2 or 3 wheeled vehicle when I am the pilot.

Nice alliteration, +1:hello:

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I'm not laughing. A ZX10R as a first bike for anybody, regardless of age, seems a bit excessive in my book. Of course, I bought a new CB750F the day I turned 18 (and lived to tell about it), but that was different, right?