Teaching wife to ride

[Donde]

a1bummer said "Me and my better half decided this summer that it was time for her to learn how to ride"

 

That brought back fond memories. Thought I'd share, would love to hear your stories too.

 

To start off I've seen many very accomplished female riders, and I've seen some inept male riders. No gender bashing intent here, just sharing our experience.

 

One day my wife says she would like to learn to ride. I must admit I am excited!!!

Not wanting to teach any beginner on a large bike (at the time I rode an 1100 Gold Wing). I purchased a Kawasaki 400. Same reasons a1bummer cited.

So after I put several miles on bike to insure safety, my wife gets on the bike. We do this in our two acre empty, unobstructed back yard.

Motor is running, bike is in 1st gear. Wife's hand is on clutch. She would not let out on clutch.

I start pushing her and the bike around the full two acres, telling her at idle, if she let out on the clutch it would not take off doing a wheelie through the fence as she was convinced it would. 45 minutes later I'm out of breath, friends and family are hanging off the fence holding their sides laughing.

We sold the 400 she continues to ride with me, however she never had any desire to learn to ride after that. I'd previously taught several beginners to ride.

Looking back though I don't think my wife had a very good teacher.

[Wolf]

I chickened out and paid for Clare to take the MSF BRC. That was a great idea. She graduated 2nd in her class, no she is tooliong around, albeit slowly, on her new Vulcan 900. She loves it! I assume I lost a back seat passenger, and gained a riding buddy.

 

Big downside is that she wants to put accessories on her bike. Now she will find out what I really spent on my upgrades!!!!!!!!

[RandyR]

sounds like another good learn to use 2 wheels option would be a 50cc scooter with automatic transmission. probably less intimidating and easier to ride.

[pegscraper]

That was my wife's first time around on a bike too, me pushing her around in parking lot. I had her get the feel of turning, using the brakes to stop and putting her feet down when she got stopped before we ever started the bike and let her go on her own. Then I started it and let her run around in first gear, and she did fine. She took the ABATE riding course a couple months later.

[royalstarjac]

I was shocked to find out my wife wanted to learn how to ride. I never imagined she would. We got her a Honda Rebel to learn on. She's doing pretty good but coming along slowly. Her goal is to move up to our 97 RSTC. Right now she can't even get it off the sidestand. It's a heavy bike.

[SilvrT]

My wife has trouble riding a bicycle ... she ain't interested in driving a motorcycle. I'm glad about that coz after seeing her crash 3 times during the 2 times we been out riding bicycle ... I'd be constantly freaked about her crashing on a motorcycle.

 

gotta walk before ya run.... gotta master a bicycle before a motorcycle I figgure!

[Squidley]

It's funny, but I would NEVER teach my wife or SO to ride. They will never listen correctly to you (because your their spouse) and we dont have the paitence with them. I would pay for them to take a course and be done with it...way less headaches.

[Wolf]

It's funny, but I would NEVER teach my wife or SO to ride. They will never listen correctly to you (because your their spouse) and we dont have the paitence with them. I would pay for them to take a course and be done with it...way less headaches.

 

 

Amen!

[SilvrT]

I made a big mistake years ago when I had my now ex-wife attend a computer class I was teaching. As an instructor, I had often been complimented on my patience by my students. Well, I dunno what happened to my patience that day but the operative word in here is "ex-wife" ... :rotf: :rotf:

[fardnarger]

My wife learn to drive her on her own in the pasture on 1982 cb900 that I had at the time (this is the one with the hi/lo range and 5sp) she got on and took off doing real good until she tried to follow the paths that the cows made, she went down just barley missing a big fresh cow pile, I ran down to help her but by the time a got there she had picked it up and took off again, and then she hit second gear rode to the house,parked it and said now get me my own. She got a 250 rebel, and then a 700 suzuki, and a honda shadow 750 and now has a Honda VTX 1300 retro and loves it. I always tell the story that after 10 dead cows later she was driving her own. 8 years now

[Chaharly]

I've heard stories about my mom tearing a strip of chrome off of a car when she learned.

but she can ride my little yamaha 80:12101:

[Leadwolf56]

My wife decided she wanted to ride so she went to the ABATE safety course. She was top of her class. A couple weeks later she bought a 2000 Honda Shadow ACE 750 from some people she knows from work. She was doing good until she jumped a curb, didn't lay it down, she rode it out. Tore her ACL in her right knee. She rode it again this last weekend before we put it away for the winter. Having surgery on her knee in two weeks to repair the ACL. She'll be ready to ride by Spring. She's planning on riding it to Maintenance Day at Don's.......