Here's a bit of a follow-up to a post I did back in April asking for input on how to make her first ride a positive experience. Thought I had her willing to go back in the spring but we had a terrible rash of bad bike accidents hitting the news just about every night it seemed, so, she had second thoughts and backed off. I decided it was better to not push it.

I tool a bike ride Saturday afternoon and was gone for about 5 hours...awesome ride...upper 70's, sunny, leaves changing, and I must have passed 1,000 bikes. When I made it back home and she asked how my ride was, I told her it was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable days I've had in a long time. Sunday afternoon I'm pulling my boots on and she asks where I'm riding to today. I say "Don't know, just going to cruise, why, wanna go?" She said "I guess so. I need to try it sometime I suppose."

Ok, so its game on. Taking the advice from the thread I posted previously, we go on a short, calm, straight-as-possible ride that takes about 30-35 minutes or so. No interstate, semis or stop and go traffic. Just a leisurely cruise through the country. When we return home, I said "Well?" Thinking she is going to say she hates the Breakout pillion (aka leather covered brick one of our lady riders called it) even though the one on the new cvo is much softer than my other bike. But, surprisingly, she says the seat was fine (she does have a small caboose), sissy bar pad fine, pipe noise fine (she wore ear plugs), speed fine, and turns/leans not fine, but ok. She did not like the full face helmet restricting her vision side-to-side or downward. But, her biggest complaint was she felt like she was doing the splits the whole time so it was making her inner thighs sore. She said she was pretty much pinned between me and the sissy bar and there was no room to move one way or another.

Now, to figure out if there's anything that can be done to help, although I think most of it is her just getting used to wearing a helmet period and not being afraid to squirm around to get a little more comfortable or just to change up her seating position.

So, a couple things that are not going to change. I'm not buying another bike (atleast for awhile), so no ultras yet...I'm flat out hooked on this softail so it's not going anywhere! And, this girl is never going to ride without a helmet, trust me, she's afraid of her own shadow and doesn't have a fearless bone in her body. Now, she might...might...try a 3/4 though.

Any thoughts or things we could try? I just don't know what else to do on this bike, maybe there's nothing. I did tell her there were a few things we could do to work those inner thigh muscles out a little more, but, I just got "the look" if you know what I mean.

 

Who is her?

 

Thought you could use this :>)

 

Take her out to find a helmet that she likes and is comfortable with (might look at a modular). Would guess that as she is able to relax the "splits" will stop being an issue.

 

That's awesome - good for you AND her! If her thighs were hurting, she just needs to practice spreading her legs a little more. But seriously, once she gets used to it and relaxes a bit, that shouldn't be an issue. If she'll do a 3/4 helmet, by all means, get her one. IMO, do whatever it takes to get her back on there & comfortable. If she's like other "scared" women I know, as long as you don't ride like an *******, it won't take long until she's loving it.

Congrats!

 

Wife of 26 years who was not happy at all when I brought either bike home but seems to be warming up a little...slowly.

 

Yep, that's what happened here basically. Miracles do happen.

I agree 100%. After 30 years together, they don't spread near as much as they used too.

 

The soreness will go away. Unless you've got the passenger pegs mounted on the outside of hardbags, it's just tension. She's just trying to hold on by squeezing.

Haven't got mine on the back yet. Maybe soon.

 

Might want to make a sacrifice and set up one of those bikes with a new seat with passenger comfort in mind.

Be worth it to have an eager passenger to ride with.

 

Stroker motor, high-lift cams, and a hardtail. The sweet spot is about 2700 RPM.