Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hey All,

I am seriously considering getting into riding and am wondering if you all caught flak from family, friends, etc ... and what, if anything, you did about it?

As far as anyone (family & friends) giving me a hard time, I'll tell them what I want to do and that will be the end of it. However, my wife is a different story. I believe that she does have some serious "veto power" as she will be the one most seriously affected if something bad happens to me.

Right now, she is ... shall I say ... 'resistant'. She's not adamantly stomping her foot down, but she's not real crazy about me taking up riding either. Part of that may be that since she's a physical therapist, she has to deal with the rehabilitation of injuries day in and day out.

Anyway, have any of you had to deal with this from a wife/husband?

Yes, my Mom never liked my motorcycle riding ways. She stopped complaining so much after I started wearing a helmet and gear.

Yep, grandmother almost died in 1989 on the back of my Grandpa's bike. (Kawasaki Voyager) when it blew a tire. I'm the first one in my family to ride on a motorcycle, much less operate one since then.

You'll never be able to COMPLETELY put folks at ease with your riding. That said, you can take the necessary steps to learn how in the safest way possible.

Taking the BRC is an excellent way to begin. Buy good protective gear (from feet to head) that fits - and wear it all every time you ride. Starting out on a smaller, used motorcycle shortly after completing the class(to "cement" those newly learned skills) is also a good step.

Keep in mind, your first motorcycle isn't your LAST or only motorcycle.

If you commit to these few steps, you can respond to all the doom-sayers with your plan. Soon they'll see you're serious and start asking you good questions, instead of writing you off as an organ donor. \

P

My folks were dead against me riding when I was younger and lived with them. "NOT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE UNDER OUR ROOF!" was the law. I got married shortly after I graduated from college, and was then too poor to afford one, plus I had no safe place to keep one. A house ... kids ... you know how it goes. lol Now that my older boy is in college and my little guy is 13, I'm good with it again.

Thanks for the advice, which is what I've been planning on doing all along. In fact, I e-mailed my nephew today regarding what he wears. He is pretty experienced. He's worked in a bike shop and raced for a while, so I reckon I'll get some good advice from him to go with that from this board.

I just gotta put my wife at ease, is all.

Last night she said, "Why do you want to take that course and ride a motorcycle, anyway?" ... and then didn't even wait for my answer. I think she's scared. Well ... one step at a time. The course will be a good first one.

My dad's side of the family was completely cool, my dad helped me pay for my first one, and his mother helped me afford riding gear. My mom's side ofn the family was terrible about it. I heard all sorts of things from " See you in the hospital, dead or dieing" or having my aunt mail me news articles of every motorcyclist death in the Phoenix area. My mom eventually cooled off about it, and has accepted it. Her family still hasn't (my 5 year old niece once accosted me about how stupid riding motorcycles is ).

As far as the wife goes, I was single when I got mine and the first item on my girl checklist is "cool with bikes?", so I can't help you there. Your wife is honestly the only one I'd worry about though. You can't live your life for other people.

What's her family history? Any of her relatives/friend die riding? That may be a reason she's not keen on you doing it. Has she ever ridden before? Since you are starting out riding, if you know someone that is a experienced and smart rider to volunteer to put her on the back seat for a 20 min. ride, that could break the ice. She might even take the MSF course with you and get her own!

No bad family history at all. Her grandfather had a motorcycle/sidecar and her dad used to ride in the sidecar as a kid. Her older sister's husband has been riding for years with no problems, and now our nephew is riding, too.

I'm thinking she'll warm up to it. It just may take a little time.

Just to let you know, it may get easier and and she probably will relax with the idea, especially if you're smart and serious and go about it the right way.
When my husband started riding a few years back, I wasn't completely thrilled with the idea. He took learning to ride seriously, and always geared up. He started on a 750 Shadow and wouldn't have me on the back until he had been riding for over a year. He didn't want his lack of skills as a beginner put me in danger. I rode a few times on the back of his bike but never really liked giving up the control. So I became one of the converts, the wary wife who now rides her own ride. I could happen to you too.

I think almost everybody has dealt with this kind of situation before. And I agree that yous should buy the necessary protective gears to at least set their hearts at ease. You should also ride carefully and show them that you are a responsible biker. Good luck with your wife, I hope she warms up to the idea of you riding.