If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above.
You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed.
To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.
Today was the first time the wife ( Miss Alicia ) rode with me two up. She'd been extremely nervous about this whole motorcycle thing as she witnessed a pretty bad motorcycle crash when she was very young. We went to Birmingham, AL a couple of weekends ago and got her a Shoei R-1000 helmet, gloves and I bought her a Technic Daytona perfed leather jacket ( inpink & white, of course ). We were going to go to "Bike Night" on Friday night, but I was beat from a tough work week and I was in bed by 9:00 PM. She was pretty aprehensive about night riding at that point too. So, this morning I got her out of bed, made her read This Thread, dressed, geared up and ready to go. She put her helmet on and had some of her hair hanging down in her eyes, I said something about it and she replied that "I'll probably have my eyes shut the whole time anyway". Hmmmmm... Not looking good for me.
We went out I got the bike started, got her on and rode around the block in our neighborhood. When I got to our house I asked her "Where to ?" She said "Waffle House on US 90". Away we go. We get to Awful House and order breakfast, she tells me that she was having an anxiety attack before we left while she was taking a bath. She had given her few Zanex to one of our friends while her husband was having cancer surgery, so she just had to buck up and overcome the anxiety. She tells me how proud she was that she could actually get on the bike for a ride ( I was too and I told her ) and that she want's to go to bike night on Friday. She also tells me she wants to solo the Kawi. My reaction was "Ummm, that's probably not a good idea at this point". I told her I'd break out the Mini Trail 70 and let her ride it a bit before we get carried away with anything. I'm guessing a MSF course is in her relatively near future, and a possible new Pussy Posse member. I suppose I should start looking for a SV650 or a 650 Ninja too.
I'm pretty proud of her being such a trooper, overcoming her fears ( without chemical assistance ) and going with me this morning.
.
__________________
When I'm good, I'm very, very good...
When I'm bad, I'm better
Congrats! She probably had the whole thing all blown up out of proportion in her head, like some scary monster, created by a fear of the unknown, with only the bad experience to build off of. Once she realized it's actually very pleasant to ride, the monster lost most of it's power.
She tells me how proud she was that she could actually get on the bike for a ride ( I was too and I told her ) and that she want's to go to bike night on Friday. She also tells me she wants to solo the Kawi. My reaction was "Ummm, that's probably not a good idea at this point". I told her I'd break out the Mini Trail 70 and let her ride it a bit before we get carried away with anything. I'm guessing a MSF course is in her relatively near future, and a possible new Pussy Posse member. I suppose I should start looking for a SV650 or a 650 Ninja too.
Good for her, and you too for allowing her to get comfortable at this at her pace, and helping her overcome the fears she has from that memory. Confronting one's fears can be a good thing.
I definitely like where you state breaking out the Mini Trail 70. When my Nephew wanted to learn to ride, I found him an excellent condition Ninja 250, but he was so green he didn't even know basics of controls. I had him learn them and practice an entire weekend on my street legal Yamaha RD60 first; even though it's relatively innoculous, near the end of the day, still getting used to throttle response he did an unintended wheelie taking off too fast. But the bike is small enough it didn't scare him or make him lose control!
I didn't even let him take the Ninja 250 out on the street on supervised rides w/ me until he'd passed the MSF & practiced in the same parking lot another full weekend...practicing panic stops, evasive manuevers and other stuff the course had taught. I was actually only allowed a learning pace, which, at one point, he felt was a bit slow for his patience.
It paid off big time when some stupid girl turned directly in front of him to make a U-turn from the shoulder next to him...he didn't panic, almost got stopped, but although he did hit her, did not get hurt. I'm reassembling his now-scarred Ninja into a Naked streetfighter. Almost back on the road.
Good luck to your wife on her new desire to learn to ride!
Last edited by Quicklimegirl : 08-28-2006 at 09:44 AM.
No Zanex Required !
awesome
), GoSlow&Crash(1)
Yeah, definitely keep building her confidence, she probably didn't know she had it in her, but there it was.
Linear Mode
