Opinions/Advice requested
Road Captain
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 593
Likes: 0
From: Central IL
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
My wife loves to ride on mine 
. As we get older we find that we have fewer opportunities to be close. You have to on a bike.
I've been trying to get her to ride the 87 rebel that I have sitting in the garage. She won't. It makes me think that I really wouldn't want to force her to do anything she didn't want to do. Especially if it involves a car or motorcycle. I guess I worry about living with the guilt that would certainly exist if something went wrong.
Do you have a med. or taller height sissy bar? Even though my wife doesn't lean against it, it makes her more confident if I twist the throttle quicker than she wants me to. I don't think I'll ever get to see what my bike looks like with a solo seat. As a matter of fact, I recently installed a Boss Trunk Bag on the luggage rack that probably won't come off either.
. As we get older we find that we have fewer opportunities to be close. You have to on a bike. I've been trying to get her to ride the 87 rebel that I have sitting in the garage. She won't. It makes me think that I really wouldn't want to force her to do anything she didn't want to do. Especially if it involves a car or motorcycle. I guess I worry about living with the guilt that would certainly exist if something went wrong.
Do you have a med. or taller height sissy bar? Even though my wife doesn't lean against it, it makes her more confident if I twist the throttle quicker than she wants me to. I don't think I'll ever get to see what my bike looks like with a solo seat. As a matter of fact, I recently installed a Boss Trunk Bag on the luggage rack that probably won't come off either.
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
Dont force her to ride - therein lies the path of destruction - YOURS.
Find a group to ride with who do ride with their spouses and see if you can ease her in that way.
Find a group to ride with who do ride with their spouses and see if you can ease her in that way.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
Im lucky in that my wife will go whenever I want. She was very supportive about me buying it and everything.
She would never buy one of her own, and Im glad. She terrorizes me in the minivan...
She would never buy one of her own, and Im glad. She terrorizes me in the minivan...
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 754
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
IF you can get her on the bike.....make sure you have:
1. A comfy passenger seat
2. A backrest
3. A helmet that fits her properly.
4. Protective riding gear
If she is already nervous about riding with you and doesn't have a lot of experience on bikes, she will freak out without those things. She'll tell you the seat is too small or hard before you get around the block because she's used to the captains chair in the minivan.....and she'll freak because she'll feel she's going to fall of the back if you have no backrest.
Don't try to impress her, just take a nice easy, slow ride where there is minimal traffic.
If you're going on the hwy, a windshield will also help. (although if she has no experience on bikes, she'll tell you it's really windy even if you have a windshield and you're only going 20 mph) You have to remember she's used to riding in cars.
Those were my experiences with my wife who was extremely nervous since she'd never been on a bike and was/is extremely safety conscious.
That was in 2002. Since then we've been on 4 long trips and she's a pro. We did just under 3000 miles in 4 1/2 days on one trip to yellowstone.
Start slow and don't pressure her.
I think my wife enjoys the stops that we have and watching the scenery, so take a scenic route to her favorite restaurant or ice cream stop on her first ride. Something to associate the ride with things she likes, or ride with another couple (not some grease monkey that's YOUR bud) but someone SHE likes to hang with.
Hope this helps.
Ride safe.
(i just re-read this before I hit the "ok" button and realized it sounds like i'm trying to teach you how to train a dog.....ooops. Whatever works I guess)
1. A comfy passenger seat
2. A backrest
3. A helmet that fits her properly.
4. Protective riding gear
If she is already nervous about riding with you and doesn't have a lot of experience on bikes, she will freak out without those things. She'll tell you the seat is too small or hard before you get around the block because she's used to the captains chair in the minivan.....and she'll freak because she'll feel she's going to fall of the back if you have no backrest.
Don't try to impress her, just take a nice easy, slow ride where there is minimal traffic.
If you're going on the hwy, a windshield will also help. (although if she has no experience on bikes, she'll tell you it's really windy even if you have a windshield and you're only going 20 mph) You have to remember she's used to riding in cars.
Those were my experiences with my wife who was extremely nervous since she'd never been on a bike and was/is extremely safety conscious.
That was in 2002. Since then we've been on 4 long trips and she's a pro. We did just under 3000 miles in 4 1/2 days on one trip to yellowstone.
Start slow and don't pressure her.
I think my wife enjoys the stops that we have and watching the scenery, so take a scenic route to her favorite restaurant or ice cream stop on her first ride. Something to associate the ride with things she likes, or ride with another couple (not some grease monkey that's YOUR bud) but someone SHE likes to hang with.
Hope this helps.
Ride safe.
(i just re-read this before I hit the "ok" button and realized it sounds like i'm trying to teach you how to train a dog.....ooops. Whatever works I guess)
Novice
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
Hi All,
I'm pretty new to the forum and have been doing more reading than contributing. I've read quite a bit about the struggles to satisfy passengers (wives in many cases). Since I purchased my first Harley ('05 FXDI) in March of '05, I've been trying to get my wife to ride with me. She has refused. I've stepped up my efforts after selling the FXDI and buying a new '06 FXDLI. I just love it and want to share the ride with her. She still refuses. I won't push her to do something she doesn't want to do. My concern is...am I making a big mistake? It seems the more I read these forums, the more I think of that old phrase, "be careful what you wish for"...any opinions or advice. Should I continue to prod her to ride while maintaining a posture of never forcing her to do something she doesn't want to do OR should I leave well enough alone and consider it good fortune. Thanks in advance for any input.
Bless you my son, my God be with you.
I have been a Marine, an Accountant, a Firefighter, but Your asking the impossable of me.
frog-man
I'm pretty new to the forum and have been doing more reading than contributing. I've read quite a bit about the struggles to satisfy passengers (wives in many cases). Since I purchased my first Harley ('05 FXDI) in March of '05, I've been trying to get my wife to ride with me. She has refused. I've stepped up my efforts after selling the FXDI and buying a new '06 FXDLI. I just love it and want to share the ride with her. She still refuses. I won't push her to do something she doesn't want to do. My concern is...am I making a big mistake? It seems the more I read these forums, the more I think of that old phrase, "be careful what you wish for"...any opinions or advice. Should I continue to prod her to ride while maintaining a posture of never forcing her to do something she doesn't want to do OR should I leave well enough alone and consider it good fortune. Thanks in advance for any input.
Bless you my son, my God be with you.
I have been a Marine, an Accountant, a Firefighter, but Your asking the impossable of me.
frog-man
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 4,420
Likes: 0
From: Palmer Alaska
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
IMHO as a ladyrider, don't force the issue! If she wants to ride, she will let you know, and if she doesn't, then saddly that will have to be.
We ladies have a tendancey to "over-think" things, and that can be very intimidating. An intimidated driver/rider of any vehicle can be dangerous.
If her intrest IS piqued sometime soon (or not soon), The MSF course is HIGHLY recomended!! This, and a supportive husband helped me alot!
For me, I was born to drive/ride my own vehicles, and didn't last long riding 2-up. Hope you find a compromise that will work for y'all soon
GWG Judy
We ladies have a tendancey to "over-think" things, and that can be very intimidating. An intimidated driver/rider of any vehicle can be dangerous.
If her intrest IS piqued sometime soon (or not soon), The MSF course is HIGHLY recomended!! This, and a supportive husband helped me alot!
For me, I was born to drive/ride my own vehicles, and didn't last long riding 2-up. Hope you find a compromise that will work for y'all soon
GWG Judy
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 34
From: Ca
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
Glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem. My wife says I'm throwing away retirement money. I say I'm living. Some get it, some don't. Be glad like I am for a great wife, and enjoy the bike whenever you can. My problem is finding the separation time to get away for long rides.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,511
Likes: 1
From: Michigan
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
Just ask her once in a while if she want's to go for a ride. If she says no, drop it for a while. She may come around after she sees what a good time you have taking rides here and there.
My father-in-law bought a FXD in 98 and his wife would not ride once on it. She had been on the back of her nephew's bike (a bagger) a few years before that so she had bee on a bike before. So F-I-L rode the bike for the summer then sold it next spring. He bought a 2000 Electra Glide Standard with the tour pack thinking if the seat was comfortable she would ride with him. No such luck. He still has the bike and takes the grandkids for rides. My wife likes riding when it's warm out so I don't have to convince her to ride with me.
I would say don't push it and enjoy the bike with or without her.
[IMG]local://upfiles/4468/F6482014AA9A4994A691A6B73574313B.jpg[/IMG]
My father-in-law bought a FXD in 98 and his wife would not ride once on it. She had been on the back of her nephew's bike (a bagger) a few years before that so she had bee on a bike before. So F-I-L rode the bike for the summer then sold it next spring. He bought a 2000 Electra Glide Standard with the tour pack thinking if the seat was comfortable she would ride with him. No such luck. He still has the bike and takes the grandkids for rides. My wife likes riding when it's warm out so I don't have to convince her to ride with me.
I would say don't push it and enjoy the bike with or without her.
[IMG]local://upfiles/4468/F6482014AA9A4994A691A6B73574313B.jpg[/IMG]
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Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 613
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From:
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
I'm kind of suprised this is pretty common. Just like most of the replies here my wife wants nothing to do with the bike . She looked at it when I first got it home and said that it was a nice bike, but that was it. Asked a few times if she wanted to go for a ride and she had always said no ,so I don't even ask anymore. But on the other hand my 12 year old daughter wants to get on that bike so bad I can see I'm gonna have to get her a helmet in the spring.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,357
Likes: 1
From: Iwakuni, Japan
RE: Opinions/Advice requested
Heres what I did, offered it up to wife she didn't want to go, son was scared. After a few rides son decided he wanted to see why dad seemed so happy when comming home from ride. He runs for his riding gear if he hears my bike now. Wife went about 5 months of seeing son and I get up and go for a few hours at a wack and both come home with huge smiles. One day out of the blue wife and I where going out to eat (son at soccer practice) I said ok lets go and headed for the van. Turned around to look and she had a helmet in hand. I said you want to take the bike. She said yes. Now I have to save to get her one as her and son almost come to blows when it comes to ride time. Good thing is the soulition is she rides for 2 hours, then drop her off and son and I go. Its a win-win-win for all of us.
So in a nut shell, let time takes its time on her. She may come around to the relazation its fun.
Just my .02 worth
Geno
So in a nut shell, let time takes its time on her. She may come around to the relazation its fun.
Just my .02 worth
Geno
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