How do I explain....

[GAWildKat]

One of my girlfriends is wanting her 1st bike....she's never taken a safety course, she says she will but I am not sure she will. She's got in her head she wants a crotch rocket, something about a 650 or larger. She's headstrong about things and when her mind's set she'll do it even if it's going to hurt her. I'm trying to convince her to get a Vstar 650 or the like as a 1st bike, what am I to do? Her Dad rides as well but he has a crotch rocket and has many yrs of experience with riding. HELP!

[mbrood]

The basics are just so essential, I would look into craigslist or something else local for a cheap 450-650 to get her familiar with handling weight and learning to use the controls smoothly and then to take the lessons. It should be fairly soon that her confidence outweighs her ability and I'll bet she'll have a minor scare or two to get her attention level back up. Then she's ready to graduate... in my opiunion.

[GaryZ]

I have experienced this same attitude twice in the past few years. The ladies insisted on a sport bike, not realizing how difficult a true sport bike is to ride. Both learned on the same 250 Ninja (looks like a sport bike, sits like a standard). One moved to a 1997 750 Katana and the other moved up to a 2002 600 Bandit S. Both of these bikes look 'sporty' and sit standard.

[wes0778]

Don't know if she will listen to a real world example, but I had a 22YO co-worker determined to by a Ninja from another co-worker. This was the 1st bike the 1st co-worker had ever ridden. He to promised to take the course and finally wore down the seller. The boy PROMISED to be very careful! He had the bike 3 days when he let the bike WAY out run his experience. He centered a power pole and was pronounced DEAD AT THE SCENE!!!

Just my !!!

DON'T USE A CROTCH ROCKET AS A LEARNER BIKE!!!!!!!

[RandyR]

One of my girlfriends is wanting her 1st bike....she's never taken a safety course, she says she will but I am not sure she will. She's got in her head she wants a crotch rocket, something about a 650 or larger. She's headstrong about things and when her mind's set she'll do it even if it's going to hurt her. I'm trying to convince her to get a Vstar 650 or the like as a 1st bike, what am I to do? Her Dad rides as well but he has a crotch rocket and has many yrs of experience with riding. HELP!

 

Ask her what kind of flowers she'll want at her funeral.

[GAWildKat]

She knows it's dangerous, and she sees the gear Mike and I wear. But unlike us, she hasn't buried a friend or family member. I keep telling her that a 650cc crotch rocket isn't the same as a 650cc cruiser, she doesn't get it at all. She's 25, fresh out of college and wants something to go back and forth to work. She has the idea that a crotch rocket will fit the bill the same as a scooter or cruiser. She's impulsive and stubborn. She's at that stage in life that she's invincible. And nothing bad has happened to her. I have maybe 2 months to talk her out of this idea. Maybe the class will show her better.

[GeorgeS]

If her dad rides, you think he would have enough sence to get her something sensible to learn to ride on !!

 

Try to talk some sence into Daddy !! I suppose thats about all you can do .

[tibadoe]

Many years ago a friend wanted to get a motorycle. She was in the same boat and never rode a bike before. I suggested for her to take the riders course but she said not right now. I did a little research, selected a few to choose from, and I offered to take it with her and she agreed. Even with my many years of riding we both took the class and I even learned a thing or two about some of my bad habbits. Ended up being a few friends and family members took the class as a group and had a blast.

[Yammer Dan]

Hunt up a few examples on line to show her how quick they can bite??Keep insisting she take the class.

[bongobobny]

Yup!! A little search on utube for the extra gory ones...

[09RSTD]

Well I suggest that you show her a Kawasaki Ninja 250. Either a newer one or the older body style. If she really wants a "Crotch Rocket" the newer models will probably appeal to her more. She will be a lot less likely to get herself in trouble with 250cc. The Ninja 250 is an exceptional motorcycle. Reliable, low maitenance, awesome fuel economy, cheap insurance, goes freeway speed and well beyond, sport-bike good looks, and easy to handle for a "beginer". Can you get yourself in trouble with a 250? You bet! Your a lot less likely to get hurt due to the amount of power though. The throttle on the 250 is a lot less likely o get you in trouble than a 600cc inline four cyclinder sportbike.

 

 

Whatever you do try as hard as you can to keep her off of any "Crotch Rocket" with a four cylinder. WAY TO MUCH POWER!!!

Edited April 7, 2012 by 09RSTD
grammar

[09RSTD]

Many years ago a friend wanted to get a motorycle. She was in the same boat and never rode a bike before. I suggested for her to take the riders course but she said not right now. I did a little research, selected a few to choose from, and I offered to take it with her and she agreed. Even with my many years of riding we both took the class and I even learned a thing or two about some of my bad habbits. Ended up being a few friends and family members took the class as a group and had a blast.

 

 

This is an exceptional idea! I also agree that we can all learn something new everytime we take one of these courses. She would feel a lot less intimidated if she new that someone was going with her.

[Rick Haywood]

There is really nothing you can do. Preach, Preach Preach about safety. You can tell her all about the accidents, how unsafe they are but she is going to do what she wants. Do you best to talk her into a safety class. Explain she will learn something since even us old timers that have been riding for ever have learned from these courses. Let her read what everyone here has said and let her know there is about a thousand years experience here. Other than that really not much else you can do. Have here set on a cratch rocket and then set on a cruiser maybe that will change her mind.

[flb_78]

Suzuki SV650s.

 

650 V-twin, just a good all around bike.

 

http://www.suzukicycles.org/photos/SV/SV650S/2005_sv650s_K5_black_500.jpg

[Yamamike]

If this young lady is determined to get a crotch rocket then perhaps you shopuld try to steer her towards one which is easy (forgiving) to ride...beleive it or not the Yamaha R6 falls nicely into that category. Just because a cruiser has a low seat does not necessarily make it easier to ride than ALL crotch rocket. You can kill yourself just as easily on a cruiser if you ride beyond your capabilities.

M2C

[MikeWa]

Many years ago a friend wanted to get a motorcycle. She was in the same boat and never rode a bike before. I suggested for her to take the riders course but she said not right now. I did a little research, selected a few to choose from, and I offered to take it with her and she agreed. Even with my many years of riding we both took the class and I even learned a thing or two about some of my bad habbits. Ended up being a few friends and family members took the class as a group and had a blast.

 

 

Another vote for this approach. Find a course in your area and sign both of you up. Then just take her with you. You will both be glad you did.

 

After the course the two of you can decide what kind of bike she wants to ride. Does she want to sit up straight and be able to look around or does she want to be doubled over etc. It doesn't sound like she can be swayed by logic or fear. So perhaps comfort and style ight be a consideration. I mean it is hard to show off that chest or wave at the guys with your feet behind you, your tummy tight against the tank and your arms stretched over your head. Then when a decision is made go to the store and rent a couple of bikes to see what she really prefers.

 

Best of Luck

Mike

[OldBear]

High performance motorcycle + zero experience = CRASH! NOBODY starts out knowing how to ride! I'm an old fogey, but back in the day the "big" japanese bikes were 350's and the hottest thing on the road was a 650 Bonnie or a Sportster (55 horse or so). NOW the industry and some riders will tell newbies that a 60 horse machine is a "learner" bike, and then we wonder why so many folks crash early on. On a sport bike, if she's very lucky, she'll scare the he.. out of herself and learn from that, otherwise, she will crash. PLEASE do everything in your power to (1) get her through an MSF course (2) make she sure's aware of and wears full gear and (3) starts with a lower powered, lighter machine. The 250 Ninja or the new 250 Honda single are both ok, as are some of the smaller cruisers.

 

Years ago I owned a Kaw H2 (750 two stroke triple "the fastest acccelerating production motorcycle in the world") and a 125 Hodaka Combat Wombat motocrosser that I raced. I too had a young woman who was hard headed and determined she could ride anything, even though she had zero experience. Long story short, I finally gave in, suited her up in gear and sat her on the Hodaka. She promptly wheelied across the yard and crashed (low speed) on the other side of the yard. Suddenly she developed a LOT more respect for the power of and skill required for riding!. Good Luck!!

[Blinker]

Tell her to get a Harley. You won't have to worry about her being out on the road, It'll be in the shop mostly! Just kidding.... Safety Course will open her eyes especially the figure 8 in the box!!!!!! If she learns to look where she wants to go, that's half the battle! May give her a little more insight that it requires skill to ride and no one ever stops learning!

 

Odds are better if she continues to get what she thinks she wants, without the MFS, the odds take a nosedive.

[cabreco]

My 2 cents on this.

I started riding when I was a 16 all different type bikes. I gave it up riding 10 years later due to family, career, & concern about being road kill. I got back into riding last year at 52. I decided to take the safety course to make it easy to get my MC endorsement & not have to worry about getting someone to take me to a road test. (I tested on the course MC)

 

I was always a good instinctive rider & the instructed even noted that I had excellent skills but I was AMAZED at how much I didn't know. Basic things like Lean, push & roll, (PUSH the bars in the opposite direction of the turn????) or how to make tight turns & figure 8's at almost stopped speed.

 

The course is a life saver regardless of the bike she gets. She should definitely do it.

My 17 yr old son wants a bike now. I am INSISTING on him taking the course as well.

If he turns 18 & wants to do it without the course...well let's just say it's "my house my rules"!

 

Good luck, I hope she listens to your words of experience.

[kevin-vic-b.c.]

I say take her with you to an insurance office and buy a big accidental death insurance policy on her....

[dacheedah]

We grew up on dirt bikes, my first street bike was a honda 250 and what a difference. I would also encourage her to get a small bike fotr a year and a lot of riding, then the 750 for two years then step up. Plenty of people with experience that crash and burn so I can't see putting an inexperienced rider on something where an error is eggagerated. I talked to a guy who said he doesn't downshift because it's bad for the tranny and uses his front brake for 95% of his stopping and that guy is training his girlfriend to ride.

[GAWildKat]

I got her talked into a smaller bike, a rebel 250 if it works ok when she goes to take the MSF, she wants a commuter bike that looks sporty/flashy. We (Hubby and I) put her on his suzuki volusia intruder 800cc and told her to pick it up, she can't do it. Now it's finding the time to go to FL (we're in GA) so she can take the class. Her home addy, license, etc are in Miami.

 

For those of you thinking I should take the class, you're right! I WANT to ride, however because I am disabled I need a trike with adaptive controls, and a trike class to get licensed. Already took the MSF and withdrew last yr, I won't give up though.

[twigg]

Most of the mid-sized sports bikes are very easy to ride, they just aren't all that comfortable for distance work.

 

I would try to persuade her Dad to book the course and give her as a birthday or Christmas present.

[djh3]

Not sure but does your state require a motorcycle endorsment on your drivers licence? If so you probably have to go to a class to get it right? Riding without the endorsement is as good as not having a drivers licence. basicly you are "not qulified" to operate said vehicle. If there was an accident and even no injury say just laid it donw and walked away, guess what the insurance company and cops are going to say?

On the note of the bike look at some Buells. I think they are going for decnet money, and sort of sport bikeish but more upright. Also engine size should be down where your talking. I think they were a Buell Blast was the model.

[GAWildKat]

GA requires the endorsement, I can get my learner's and ride legally on my learner's for 6 mons before doing a road test to get the class M endorsement. Tatiana unfortunately being a Florida resident will have to travel back to FL when she's ready to take the class and pray she passes the 1st time. She's mentioned she wants me to go with her as her support. We are already start to look for her boots, gloves, jacket, and helmet. I will probably be going with her to look at bikes when she's ready. Granted imho her Dad should be helping her with this, not so much me, I'm not even sure if we found a bike we could get it home by ourselves lol. One step at a time though...