Need help! New rider coaching!
- Thread starter 09GLDR
- Start date
Steve Di.
Active Member
Smitty is dead on with this one. Let her take the course and see how she likes it before buying anything. Many of these places even offer private instruction, which gives her the option of going back after buying a bike to learn some pointers related to the specific bike.
I also agree with the guys who said that riding the heavier bikes is, in some ways, easier than the small bikes. I think that is especially true when comparing a Fat Boy to a Sportster.
By the way, your girlfriend has a leg up by knowing how to operate a stick shift. My wife wants to take the Rider's Edge course and has never driven a standard. Ugh!
I also agree with the guys who said that riding the heavier bikes is, in some ways, easier than the small bikes. I think that is especially true when comparing a Fat Boy to a Sportster.
By the way, your girlfriend has a leg up by knowing how to operate a stick shift. My wife wants to take the Rider's Edge course and has never driven a standard. Ugh!
Bait
Active Member
Jim B.
Junior Member
I took up riding four years ago at age 55. I bought an 1100cc Honda Shadow and then signed up for the MSF course. It was much easier to ride the heavy Shadow than the little Honda Rebels being used by the MSF course. My wife also took the MSF class. She also found riding the 600cc Honda VLX Deluxe that she bought before the class to be easier to ride than the Honda Rebel.
Have her take the class and then practice using her own bike. She will do just fine with the heavier bike. And don't scare her to death by telling her everything that can go wrong.
Have her take the class and then practice using her own bike. She will do just fine with the heavier bike. And don't scare her to death by telling her everything that can go wrong.
whatyardwork
Banned
I dont think what you learn on is as important as how that bike fits the rider.When my wife bought her first bike she had money down on a 1200 sporty.After our 3rd trip to the dealer to look at it I could see the look of discomfort on her face.The sporty was top heavy and the seet was tall, it just wasnt right for her.We settled for a very clean Honda Shadow ACE 750.Parked next to my softail it was every bit as big yet fit her perfectly.After a few seasons on that she took over my softail.Another season and she has her own Streetglide.
The irony of her proggresion through her bikes is that if you asked her she would tell you the Streetglide is hands down the easiest bike she has driven.The best thing we ever did was go to a bike show where she could sit on various bikes that interested her, thats how we came away with the Shadow.
I would strongly recomend the crash bar.Most close calls will happen at slow speeds or while parking.It will save her,the bike and your conscience.While I agree a riding course can be a great tool, I also know that teaching her what I can has helped.The course may teach her about sand dusted pavement but it is still your job to point it out.You may learn propper braking techniques but its not the same as showing her how quikly the dual front brembos will snap the front end around when parking.
Some may say to let the new rider take the lead so they dont feel preasured to keep up.This is something I strongly disagree with.Half of all motorcycle accidents happen at intersections, its also your job to keep her out of dangerous situations and you cant do that from behind.
The irony of her proggresion through her bikes is that if you asked her she would tell you the Streetglide is hands down the easiest bike she has driven.The best thing we ever did was go to a bike show where she could sit on various bikes that interested her, thats how we came away with the Shadow.
I would strongly recomend the crash bar.Most close calls will happen at slow speeds or while parking.It will save her,the bike and your conscience.While I agree a riding course can be a great tool, I also know that teaching her what I can has helped.The course may teach her about sand dusted pavement but it is still your job to point it out.You may learn propper braking techniques but its not the same as showing her how quikly the dual front brembos will snap the front end around when parking.
Some may say to let the new rider take the lead so they dont feel preasured to keep up.This is something I strongly disagree with.Half of all motorcycle accidents happen at intersections, its also your job to keep her out of dangerous situations and you cant do that from behind.
nitesta
Member
I agree that it really has more to do with her comfort level of the bike. I hated riding the Buell Blast in the class. I wish they had different bikes to choose from when you take the class. I don't think you have to know how to drive a standard vehicle, but it is probably a good idea if you have ridden a bicycle. There was a guy in my class who had NEVER been on a motorcyle, but rode a mountain bike. He aced the riding test; what really ticked us all off is he aced the figure 8 on his first try. I went blond and couldn't remember what a damn 8 looked like while in the square!
One bad (good?) thing about the course is it will scare you a little. There is a picture of an intersection in the book that has a dozen things going on that could happen in a real life situation. I think about that picture every time I come to an intersection. It's pretty hysterical since where I live none of those things would occur at the same time, if ever. Bait says I tend to over-think things and the course exacerbated that.
However, the class helped with my confidence level and I do recommend it to other women. It gives you a feeling of having accomplished something on your own.
MJ
One bad (good?) thing about the course is it will scare you a little. There is a picture of an intersection in the book that has a dozen things going on that could happen in a real life situation. I think about that picture every time I come to an intersection. It's pretty hysterical since where I live none of those things would occur at the same time, if ever. Bait says I tend to over-think things and the course exacerbated that.
However, the class helped with my confidence level and I do recommend it to other women. It gives you a feeling of having accomplished something on your own.
MJ
09GLDR
Member
Well, I really cannot thank you all enough, I've read all postings and can honestly say I'm begining to be a bit more excited about this and have began to realize that this MSF class is a bit more involved than I originally thought it to be. And am looking forward to facing this with all the advise and expierences given below in a positive way and not all worked up about it like I have been the past few days. I let her read my original posting and all the replies, in between the laughing she was doing about what I had said about her, she said its so neat that you can find this kind of support from such nice people that you've never met and cannot wait to become a member and post her "new member posting". Again thank you all very much for I recieved a solid nights sleep last night!
Lancer
Junior Member
My wife did her MSF class at the Harley Dealership. (They used Buell's) I wanted her to do the course first and be sure she wanted to get a bike. Two weeks after she completed the course I found her a 1981 Yamaha Virago 750. Took me couple weeks to gather parts on e-bay but it is up and running like a champ now. She rode around our subdivision for a few days to work on the coordination. Saturday we went for a short ride on the back roads, and Sunday a much longer ride, backroads and light traffic. She did great! I am really proud of her. The point of this is she did her MSF on a Buell 500, the Virago is almost the same size. Both are pretty decent size machines compared to a Honda 250, she is settling in nice on the Virago, her confidence level is going up every ride. Get her something she is comfortable on, and let her progress at her own pace. A little prodding is ok, just don't FORCE anything on her. Good Luck, my wife and I had a great time riding yesterday.
pookibr
Active Member
I agree that a bigger bike is easier to handle. I had bought a sporty right before I took the MSF course. I had a hard time with the rebel. My legs are to long. During the course my legs kept getting cramps in them. Wasnt used to the regular foot pegs. My sporty has forward controls with foot boards. Love it!!!
maine-e-axe
Junior Member
My wife took the MSC last July, got her a 06 fxdbi a week later. She loves it , 3rd time out she droped it so I got her a crash bar and replaced the blinker. She's got 2500 miles on it now ( long Maine winter )and does great. Now she says she thinks she was BORN TO RIDE and wants to ride all the time. She didn't like the honda 250 at MSC she couldn't get her foot under the shifter, she likes her street bob much better. Give your GF a chance and you both will love it. GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN.