Sorry for entering the ladies forum but my girlfriend is getting a bike with me. She is signing up with me to take riding courses and everything. I wanted to ask what she should expect when she rides, if it was easy for all of you and basically any words of wisdom that I can offer her. It is amazing to have a girlfriend that is enthusiastic about me getting a bike let alone wanting to get her own bike!!!!! She is a little nervous about what to expect so I was hoping all of you could help!!!!! Thanks in advance!

My suggestions to both of you guys is to start out getting 1 small bike for both of you to learn on.

The course starts you out as if you have never seen a motorcycle before so you don't need to practice or get a bike before you take it. If you do get a bike before you take the course, I would strongly suggest that you don't use your own bike in the course-use theirs.

If neither of you have any riding experience at all, do you have friends that do? I only rode with other people who had 20+ years of riding experience for the first few months. You need the feedback of what you're doing wrong, advice for different situations you might encounter etc when you're first starting out.

+1 on starting with something smaller....it is just easier to control and less intimidating if you haven't ridden before. The MSF course is good because it starts with the basics and gets you some good practice.

I actually learned from my b-friend who is a very experienced rider. He started by taking me to a parking lot and letting get the feel of sitting on the bike and getting used to letting the clutch off slowly. We then started with some very slow simple exericses that helped me get the feel of using the clutch, brakes and throttle. I found that having this experience going into the MSF course made me less self-conscious.

I have also ridden a bicycle and drove a manual transmission car for years. I do think knowing how to use a clutch and having good balance from years of bicycle riding also helped my comfort level on the motorcycle.

Once you have completed the MSF course, it is key to practice and ride frequently. That is the best way to improve skill and feel comfortable riding.

Good luck & ride safe.
kt

Agreed, start with something smaller that'll help you get up to speed on how to ride properly. a ninja 250 would be a good start unless either of you are well over 6foot.

+1 on the Ninja 250. Smallest "sportbike" you can buy. Gets 70 mpg too. New MSRP is $2999. You could probably find an older one for cheap. Just sold mine today!

+1 on the riding course. How tall is your GF ? Make sure she is comfortable and her feet touch the ground. In my case we had to get lowering links for her bike. My wife had piloted dirt bikes and had been a passenger on sportbikes and cruisers. Even after she passed the course & got her license I did't let her out into traffic for 2 weeks. Instead I removed the bodywork installed frame sliders and let her practice in parking lots and empty business parks on weekends. She fought me until she lost her balance in a parking lot and layed it over at 2 mph.

Sounds like my boyfriend and I, he just got his bike and I've been riding a little longer than him and I just enjoy the hell outta of it...so when he heard I wanted my own he was over-joyed that we could both have something that we enjoyed so much in common but hes already taken the class and got his endorsement and Im actually taking mine end of this month and I know that the only thing that makes me feel confident is how much he wants to help and give me tips. Tell her good luck thu!!

Im taking the course now, and I must say that knowing how to drive the manual is invaluable. It is definately a one up on controlling the bike. At least it made me more comfortable. My fiance made me drive the manual in NYC rush hour traffic . . . it helps.

The other thing is learning as much as you can about bikes before getting to the course. There's a lot of information if you don't know much about bikes and I could see this being intimidating.

Have you ever taken the MSF course? If not my advice for her would be to not sweat a single thing. The bikes are very small, 125cc, has the speed of a lawnmower, and I've seen chicks who are 4'11 be able to flat foot on them.

And please don't make the same mistake a lot of girls here did and try to learn how to ride a bike before you take the course. That's the whole point of the course, is for a person who doesn't have a clue how to ride.... to learn how to ride..... and ride properly.

Have you ever taken the MSF course? If not my advice for her would be to not sweat a single thing. The bikes are very small, 125cc, has the speed of a lawnmower, and I've seen chicks who are 4'11 be able to flat foot on them.

And please don't make the same mistake a lot of girls here did and try to learn how to ride a bike before you take the course. That's the whole point of the course, is for a person who doesn't have a clue how to ride.... to learn how to ride..... and ride properly.


Good advice. I got an old bike yesterday, and thought i'd just goof off in the front yard...( broke the mirror) I dropped it twice.lol Lucky it was an old bike. The only thing I plan to do is start it up and try to get a little use to the throttle (in nuetral of course). Other than that it's going to get a good bath, and some much needed detailing.

We were planning on getting a dirt bike for the boys anyway, so that will have to substitute until after my course. It may take a little more time to get out on the road beside my husband, but at least he won't have to scrape me and my bike off the road. Falling in the yard left it's bruises, but it was a good reality check.

Good luck! Have fun, and be safe.:D

MSF Course is a must have experience under your belt(s). Although I took the Harley-Davidson's MSF which had us driving 550cc Buell Blasts, the whole point is to take a professional/certified class to learn from instructors. I've seen a few of my friends try to learn before the course but I usually warn them about doing that. And what happens? Ends up dropping it just by getting on it on the first few minutes. But in other words besides my life stories, yes take the MSF course and just relax, pay attention, and all will be well. :cheers