If you're not a formally trained riding coach, you may be doing more harm than good. Stop now, before she gets hurt.
Just let her do her MSF Basic Rider Course. Those rider coaches are competent trained instructors and will get her up and going.
After she passes her BRC, I recommend having her read Keith Code's "Twist Of The Wrist 2" from cover to cover, as many times as it takes, until she understands it.
Then have her do a track day, to convert that academic knowledge into a repeatable skill set.
Only then, would I recommend allowing her to operate a motorcycle on public roadways shared with other motorists.
What am I missing? Everything XRX said is reality. A "significant other" even if they are a trained pro, should not be their partners "instructor". It is a dangerous idea. I'll take it a step forward. It's a bad idea for a spouse to push, prod, or actively and repetitively encourage their spouse to ride. If a spouse wants to ride, let them do the research on how to take the Basic Course, and let them pursue it on their own. Finding out about the process could not be easier in these days of internet availability.
Riding is not for most people. I frequently see riders on the road that are tentative, and having to over compensate for their lack of balance. They are focused on just staying upright and rely on their partners observations regarding traffic. They will blow a stop sign if that's what their partner did in front of them.
If someone, without encouragement, wants to ride, and is willing to put in the time, and effort to learn how to do it 100% on their own, great.
Lol. She wanted to learn to ride and asked me to show her a few basics before her MSC. She wanted to try a few tighter circles to prepare for her learning figure 8’a in class. I recommended she do a few very large circles and then to bring them in tighter as she felt better. She did the first one well but I noticed she was not using the clutch or covering it a slow speeds so I gave her the advice and she looked down at the controls and also looked straight and of course the bike went straight.
She went to slow down with the front wheel turned and of course we know what happens when you use too much front brake and she was stopped but fell over.
She is going at her her own pace and I using what she learned in class. She has her class room tonight and her final range day Saturday.
I took the front brake lever off, modified it and it’s at the welder gettingn MIG’d back together so she has better front brake reach.
Lol. She wanted to learn to ride and asked me to show her a few basics before her MSC. She wanted to try a few tighter circles to prepare for her learning figure 8’a in class. I recommended she do a few very large circles and then to bring them in tighter as she felt better. She did the first one well but I noticed she was not using the clutch or covering it a slow speeds so I gave her the advice and she looked down at the controls and also looked straight and of course the bike went straight.
She went to slow down with the front wheel turned and of course we know what happens when you use too much front brake and she was stopped but fell over.
She is going at her her own pace and I using what she learned in class. She has her class room tonight and her final range day Saturday.
I took the front brake lever off, modified it and it’s at the welder gettingn MIG’d back together so she has better front brake reach.
Appreciate the feedback back either way.
My wife was the same way. She had never been on a bike and when I got mine I had her jump on the back and we went for a ride. She sucked as a passenger, having never been on a bike, and I taught her how to be a passenger. She got into it, but was still not a great passenger. Our neighbor's wife decided to get her license and asked if my wife would like to take the course. My wife at first was against the course, until I told her that I thought it would be a fun thing to try and it really does not matter if she gets her endorsement. I mean it is an adventure and something new. She knew it was a safe controlled environment to learn on, unlike when I learned which was being dumped on the street on my first street bike and learning that way.
My wife dropped the street 500 they use at the HD class on the first day and was sore from walking around the track. She hated that bike, she said it was and I quote "A useless, gutless hunk of metal with lousy ergonomics." Mind you this is a woman that has never ridden anything outside of a scooter in Key West with me and after a 30 minute pep talk. lol. She finished the course and passed the exam and when she got home she wanted to ride my Volusia and practice with it. The next thing I know she is on cycle trader searching Harleys and looking at the Sportsters. We found her a 2002 Sportster 1200c that she fell in love with, it was nice and clean with a couple mods, but it had forward controls which she likes.
Why the long story? Easy. She currently owns a 2008 Softail and in one year of owning that bike she has doubled the miles on it. We bought it with 9800 miles and have ridden all over Florida to Atlanta once and then this summer we went to visit the in-laws in Tenn. plus we did the Cherohala, Dragon, Moonshiner, and a bunch of random mountain roads. This is the second time she has ridden in the mountains of Tenn, the first was a HOG rally in Upper Cumberland County with her Sporty.
She told me that having me explaining what she was doing right when she was riding increased her confidence and made her feel safer. We use Sena Communicators when we ride. She has now taken the Advanced rider course and is thinking of taking Ride like a Pro with me, but is a little timid on that and I do not push it. My rule is easy Ride your Ride and have fun.
Picture of the wife chillin on her Sporty in Tenn.
Here she is with her Softail
My wife texted and said she thinks a Street 500 would be good to start on. I am along for the ride and would consider a good deal on a used one for a year or so until she is confident and feels safe. We will see what she decides.
My wife recently completed the HD Rider's Academy course and we picked up a used Street 750 and she loves it. After we got the bike I took it and her up to our local High School which has a huge parking lot a couple of times and spent a few hours letting her ride a round to get used to the bike and to reinforce her new skills by continuing with the drills she did in the rider's course. When she was ready, she started riding in the neighborhood gradually working up to busier streets. Before she took the course I talked to her about basic concepts but stopped short of actual instruction because I wanted her to get that from the MSF guys -- that's what we were paying for them to do. Going to a track is great if you live near a track, but it's not necessary IMO--if that was required to become a safe and competent rider, there wouldn't be a motorcycle industry. YMMV....
Last edited by auburntsts; 09-13-2018 at 07:21 AM.
My wife texted and said she thinks a Street 500 would be good to start on. I am along for the ride and would consider a good deal on a used one for a year or so until she is confident and feels safe. We will see what she decides.
My wife just did not like the mid controls and the way it felt on her. She preferred her Sporty and how it felt, but I agree a Street or any other "light" bike would be a great way to start and use it for a while and trade up. I am actually hunting for a Sporty for myself to have some fun on and build.
09-12-2018, 07:13 PM
