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Positive criticism only, please

All you can do is talk to her so she knows how much you enjoy riding. After all, is she going to give up getting her nails done because she broke a nail? My dad dropped dead in the bathroom, heart just gave out. Live life the way you need to, to enjoy, it is just too short to do it any other way. But I understand where you are coming from, we were behind some motorcycles on a windy day & when one of them went around a 50 mph corner, she went straight into the ditch & through a barbed wire fence. She was ok, scratched up & torn leathers but from then on, my wife asks me to wear a helmet for now. Small price to pay to keep the peace & she is ok with my half helmet. Good luck, hope you get to keep riding & glad the out come turned out ok from your accident.

Toby
 
Re: Positive criticism only, please: MANY THANKS TO ALL

Glad to hear you are doing well now. A possible compromise that might help with your wife is to get a sidecar or a trike. A sidecar could be a temporary transitional test. Riding a 3 wheel Harley can be much safer than 2 wheels.

I once met a very short man who loved his lowered Sportster but found it too heavy to handle. So he got a sidecar and took his big dog out on rides. I never saw a happier dog!

Good Luck!
 
Re: Positive criticism only, please: MANY THANKS TO ALL

nfbmp said:
I want to thank the members of HD for their concise, beneficial, and informative responses to my recent issue. I have read each one and find helpful input in each one. The common constructive theme thread that I find is distance, evasive action on my part, and emergency stopping.

Alcohol does not enter into the picture because when I ride or plan on riding I don't drink at all. That is a pact that I made with myself. In fact I don't drink alcohol that much at all.

I did take the MSF when I came back to riding after a 30 year hiatus and if I continue to ride I will retake it and make plans to the take the Experienced Rider Course. This is all contingent on the wife's input as to me riding again. By the way she is not a rider or fan. I have no fears about getting out again but household harmony needs to be considered. The jury is still out but I am workiing on it.

Again, many thanks for all the help and encouragement that ALL provided.
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I'm glad your still with us. As far as your wife being a nonrider, so was mine. She was raised in a family that had no use for motorcycles at all. As I told you I have been riding for 50yrs and when we married she knew I would be on a motorcycle. For the first three years we were married she would kiss me good bye in the AM and welcome me home in the evening when I returned. She ask me one day if I thought she would enjoy riding, and I suggested she take the MSF riding course. She took the course and aced it, and she told me that the course had taken some of the mystery out of riding a motorcycle. Long story short, I bought her one of the small bikes she had learned on and after three months she said she was ready for something bigger. I bought her a 700 Honda Shadow which she used for about 8 months. She now owns 2 trikes and one motorcycle and is my constant riding partner. Some women do not feel confortable if they are not in control, your wife might feel better about you riding if she knew more about motorcycles. Who knows she may be your next riding partner.
 
Re: Positive criticism only, please: MANY THANKS TO ALL

nfbmp said:
I want to thank the members of HD for their concise, beneficial, and informative responses to my recent issue. I have read each one and find helpful input in each one. The common constructive theme thread that I find is distance, evasive action on my part, and emergency stopping.

Alcohol does not enter into the picture because when I ride or plan on riding I don't drink at all. That is a pact that I made with myself. In fact I don't drink alcohol that much at all.

I did take the MSF when I came back to riding after a 30 year hiatus and if I continue to ride I will retake it and make plans to the take the Experienced Rider Course. This is all contingent on the wife's input as to me riding again. By the way she is not a rider or fan. I have no fears about getting out again but household harmony needs to be considered. The jury is still out but I am workiing on it.

Again, many thanks for all the help and encouragement that ALL provided.
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Glad you checked back in. Take your time working out all of these issues.
 
Re: Positive criticism only, please: MANY THANKS TO ALL

I am glad you're walking and talking, but I am calling(EDIT) on the accident conditions. You start out from a green light and halfway through the intersection you're moving fast enough to cause a rear wheel lockup and slide that propels your bike into the bike in front of you? I'm not buying that's the way it happened unless it was a really large intersection, or you guys were racing. I'm guessing the latter and based on your experience level I'm not surprised at the outcome.

For your sake, and the sake of anyone you ride with before you get back on a bike take a basic MSF course. Take some time and practice what they teach you in a parking lot, then seek out a professionally taught course such as the "Ride like a Pro" course. Not the DVD, go take the course. Try to find a course that stresses proper braking technique.

Please read this...

A Friendly Reminder - Harley Davidson Community

 
Last edited by a moderator:
hawg, In my original post I said, "we come to an intersection, light is steady green, we start through intersection when rider in front hits his brakes hard,"meaning that we approached an intersection where the traffic control device was steady green and naturally we proceeded through the intersection. I do not race and I obey all traffic rules and regulations.
 
Hi glad your ok but may I say .....You need to be ready for things like someone brakeing hard in frunt of you on a bike or car...Just today in my car I had someone pulled out in frunt of me, No time or room to stop so I slowed down without locking breaks and drove around....Some thing on a bike.....Last summer I dont know how many times this stuff haptened....It doesnt matter whose fault it is.
 
Glad you are OK !!!
As far as the rider safety course. I have been riding for several years and took an experienced rider course and it is worth its weight in GOLD. You and others may think they know a lot about riding, but this course teachs thing you really don't think of. After taking this course, I am now a much better rider and feel safer. You always have to be on the look out but this course teachs you how to be prepared. You will really learn how to ride, do emergency stops, etc.. As a plus it will save you some $ on insurance.
Again glad to here you are OK. Good luck with the wife issue !
 
nfbmp said:
hawg, In my original post I said, "we come to an intersection, light is steady green, we start through intersection when rider in front hits his brakes hard,"meaning that we approached an intersection where the traffic control device was steady green and naturally we proceeded through the intersection. I do not race and I obey all traffic rules and regulations.
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Two additional things, intersections are dangerous, so even if you get the green light, you still slow a bit to look both ways, for "looky loons" trying to beat the yellow/red light...rather than "Gas & Go". And do practice "Stop & Go's, and Slow & Go's" (with the feet on the pegs) using rear brake, friction zone clutching, eyes up, be able to look left and right without wobbling, before powering up. :s

The staggered rider position with proper following distance would allow you time/distance margin AND always in town I have two fingers covering the front brake, feet up on the pegs covering the shift/brake pedal and do not upshift or uncover rear brake until the intersection is cleared. :hii
 
NEWHD74FAN You are spot on...I dont think I some great rider and I have been lucky so far, but like you said sir I have been trying to tell my wife about green lights and looking...I dont know why its so hard to do this. My brother went without looking with a green light and got nailed.Thay were ok but instead of saying ,I should have been looking for that he just says the other guys fult ,nothing I could have done.WELL I say does it realy matter who is at fault when your dead?..I also find myself looking up one way streets..Dont mean to go on a rant..:D..Must just be me...Just saying..I am so tired of WINTER...HELP,,:shock
 
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