Teaching the GF to ride...

That person
should have
never been
allowed on a

motorcycle .


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If your helmet is too big for her head, and she falls riding in the parking lot and hits her head, she can get a serious head injury.
I know a guy I used to ride with, picked up a girl, spare helmet was too big, so he gave her his, which fit her.
The spare was too big for him too.
They went around a curve, 20something mph, hit gravel, low sided, and went down.
She was fine, gsxr750 lower fairing got a couple small scratches.
He was unconcious, bleeding and swelling of his brain, as his head bounced inside the big helmet.
He never fully recovered.
Today he cannot live alone, and needs help for even simple things.
He was also a great rider.
A one in million inncident that I always heard was possible, and hated to see was true.

My wife got her motorcycle license a few years ago at a 2 day weekend class at a local community college.
She rides very well, but I told her I'de never support her riding on the street, at least not until our daughter is grown.
She of course asked why.
I told her, because riding doesn't come naturally to her. That she is a good motorcycle operator, not a motorcycle rider.
The difference being that an operator is focussed on operating the bike, then their surroundings.
Where as a rider just rides without thinking about how they are doing that; leaving all their focus free for a more important thing...everyone else on the road.
You must be able to ride as second nature, and try to contemplate every possible scenario of what every car you see and how it could affect you, and that's just what you do see. Not the car that may run the red light, or the deer or dog from nowhere.
And you must do this without being worried, afraid, or paranoid. Otherwise it's all pointless.
Lots of people try motorcycles, and I'm glad to see people try new things, but most of them have no business near a bike.
They assume it's the same as a car.
It's not.
You have to ride like you're invisible, and that everyone is trying to kill you...and enoy that thrill in itself.

I'm also no gear critic.
I ride in full leathers...or a t-shirt and shorts(always a helmet).
I know the risk.
I've had many close calls on the street, but no accidents.
I've had countless dirtbike and MX crashes in my near 30 years riding.
Am I Mr.Super Rider? Absoloutely not, as I could crash myself, or find myself in an unavoidable situatuon tomorrow that wouldn't be my fault. It is what it is.
We can only do what we can do, hence, no worries(personally, I put my faith in God, and come what may).
No disrespect, but your girl can't flatfoot the bike, and has nothing but a helmet that's apparently too big.
A 5mph tip over could break her knee, or at the very least, some nice road rash.
I think too many people really don't know the real risks involved.
I wish her only the best.
And I'm a hooligan who can't preach from some high place, just my 2 cents.
 
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Above, I originally typed
gear n*z*
A term most of us are familiar with.
I also admit that the word, n*z*, is too often used to represent something as harsh or strict. When in reality, it represents some of the most horrible and evil people to have ever lived.
I have used the word without much thought many times, but still have proper understanding of it, and see my/the fault in it.
However; I had to laugh at our foolishly over politically correct society(safe space milenial f'tards) <--- good ole pc me,
because I typed n*z* above, and have astriks in it now to tell the word, as when I posted my comments, the software automatically changed n*z* ......to boogerface!
Lmao! try it if you don't belive it!
Boogerface, come on, surely that offends someone somewhere(or at least I can hope).
Useless observation over.
As you were.
 
Above, I originally typed
gear n*z*
A term most of us are familiar with.
You are absolutely correct. I limited her riding to only the parking lot but like you said it could go bad at any point. I gave her a helmet of her own as well so she will definitely start using that. She can actually flat foot easily, the picture just isn't clear. Remember the bike is leaned on its stand. The Stryker actually has the lowest seat height of any cruiser.

She passed her class and said it was an absolute blast. She hated the first day as it was mostly paper and not much real riding. By the 2nd day she was much more comfortable. I'm extremely cautious of things so she will of course get a lot of proper training before she actually does any real riding. You guys know how dangerous this can all be and how fast things can turn sour. Especially from the example you gave above.
 
You are absolutely correct. I limited her riding to only the parking lot but like you said it could go bad at any point. I gave her a helmet of her own as well so she will definitely start using that. She can actually flat foot easily, the picture just isn't clear. Remember the bike is leaned on its stand. The Stryker actually has the lowest seat height of any cruiser.

She passed her class and said it was an absolute blast. She hated the first day as it was mostly paper and not much real riding. By the 2nd day she was much more comfortable. I'm extremely cautious of things so she will of course get a lot of proper training before she actually does any real riding. You guys know how dangerous this can all be and how fast things can turn sour. Especially from the example you gave above.

I hope she loves it, sticks with it, and becomes a great riding partner for you.
And has a few harmless mishaps that help put it all into perspective for her.

I don't want to ride with my wife...I wait on her enough as it is, lol
 
Our 300 made a trip to Kansas City and back (5 hours each way) just fine, my buddy who borrowed it said it ran highway speeds ok, but struggled over 90. Not a first choice for interstate cruising for sure, but competent.
I guess it would have helped my story to mention we lived in Miami and NY was some 12-1300 miles up I95 :rolleyes:
 
I guess it would have helped my story to mention we lived in Miami and NY was some 12-1300 miles up I95 :rolleyes:
It wasn't intended as a "one up" situation, just as a testament to the bikes competence on the slab.....sorry if it came off as something else.
 
It wasn't intended as a "one up" situation, just as a testament to the bikes competence on the slab.....sorry if it came off as something else.
No I didn't think that I just reread my post and realized it lacked the main point that my friend rode that little buzzy RD 350 all the way to NY from Miami all the time.
Besides it wasn't ME doing it ;<)
 
No I didn't think that I just reread my post and realized it lacked the main point that my friend rode that little buzzy RD 350 all the way to NY from Miami all the time.
Besides it wasn't ME doing it ;<)

A friend of mine rode his CB350 Honda from San Antonio TX to Northern California when he was 18. Liked to killed him!:laugh: The bike performed well and he rode it for another couple years locally before selling it but he wouldn’t ever take it on a long trip again.:D
 
Lol, a friend of mine's wife had a 250 Ninja for a while, and I rode it once...once.
It was comfortable, had decent acceleration(all things considered), and I got it to 90mph(by the speedo) before it gave up.
However, even though it had a comfortable riding position, the new tires that came on it felt like solid rubber(with 36psi front/rear).
I was concerned on every corner that it was going to come out from other me...otherwise Ida beat the heck out of it, lol.
I'll pass on ever riding another for that reason.
 
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