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Teaching a noob

OIC

Well-known member
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Feb 9, 2022
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SEUSA
I HATE riding 2up, motos is a solo sport for me. The GF (long timer) knows I hate it so is working to get trained up. She got her permit, signed up for an MSF course and quit in tears on the 2nd day. I reached out to Jim Moore for some advice as he is the MSF trainer to the stars (probably). He gave the solid, rational and reasonable advice you'd expect to get from a pro. She wasn't having any of it. She wanted me to work with her. We got a 2021 MT03 with no miles and in showroom condition for this duty. Brilliant! She is also 5ft 0. I put a T-Rex lowering kit which took about 1.5" out, lifted the forks to compensate and off we go. She can tip toe either side, ill take it.

Couple of hours learning best way to get on and off the bike, moving it around. She was very anxious about this, so got that sorted. Next was coming to a stop (which is what caused her to quit MSF.) We found an empty lot at a community college to practice in. Perfect. I could feel the anxiety she had just practising finding the clutch engagement point. UGH. She needed a win here. So engine off, I would tell her where to stop and push her until she was going fast enough to coast and use brakes to the spot. A few hours of that, shes feeling pretty comfortable with how to gauge stopping distance.

Next was same exercise but bike running in 1st, clutch pulled in. Running push, let out clutch and then stop on the spot. All good so far. We are up to loops around the median strips, shifting into 2nd and gauging speed, shifting and stopping. Lots of wins for a day. she dropped it twice (poor bike) bent up brake lever and bro.errr shortened clutch lever. We were both pretty happy and towards the end of that lesson she was begining to have fun with it

I need some suggestions about the next spoonfed lesson. Im thinking 2nd gear wheelies and knee down at the apex.
 
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Probably too late now since you already bought a bike for her but I would have started with a really small and unintimidating bike like a Grom or small scooter. I learned that lesson the hard way with my wife. We started her on a Honda Twinstar 200 which was perfect. Then I got her a bigger bike because I thought she was ready for it. That was a big mistake and set her back quite a bit.

If she can get over her fear then the MT03 should be a good bike. I would try to let her get some seat time in places that are low stress until she builds some confidence.
 
So I tried with my wife.

20160808_175941.jpg


Got herself a Virago 250. We were in that parking lot for over a week. Turning. Stopping. Shifting.

Bottom line was, you either have it or you don't. Wife didn't have it. She got nervous/scared, and called it quits. Just wasn't her thing. I really tried to get her into it, but she ultimately said no. We did a little ride on a back road that had a long soft turn. She wandered into the opposite lane. Then the shoulder. Then almost a mailbox on the opposite side of the road. That was the end of it. I rode it back and sold the bike off.

My suggestion would be to let her decide. I wouldn't want to force something on her that she wasn't comfortable with.
 
Probably too late now since you already bought a bike for her but I would have started with a really small and unintimidating bike like a Grom or small scooter. I learned that lesson the hard way with my wife. We started her on a Honda Twinstar 200 which was perfect. Then I got her a bigger bike because I thought she was ready for it. That was a big mistake and set her back quite a bit.

If she can get over her fear then the MT03 should be a good bike. I would try to let her get some seat time in places that are low stress until she builds some confidence.
agreed 100%. I got a great deal on the MT03 (and may race it in AHRMA when the arm heals up). I also didnt want to put $ and effort into lowering something that wouldn't work longer term. You know how stupid small cheap bike prices have been.

I need a few more weekend lessons, get her on some quiet roads and then send her back to an MSF class.
 
So I tried with my wife.

20160808_175941.jpg


Got herself a Virago 250. We were in that parking lot for over a week. Turning. Stopping. Shifting.

Bottom line was, you either have it or you don't. Wife didn't have it. She got nervous/scared, and called it quits. Just wasn't her thing. I really tried to get her into it, but she ultimately said no. We did a little ride on a back road that had a long soft turn. She wandered into the opposite lane. Then the shoulder. Then almost a mailbox on the opposite side of the road. That was the end of it. I rode it back and sold the bike off.

My suggestion would be to let her decide. I wouldn't want to force something on her that she wasn't comfortable with.
She looks on the shorty side too?
Again, agreed 100%, I was PERFECTLY happy riding with my buddies, whenever and however I wanted. But that is all I want to do all of the time so either she sucks the soul out of me by riding on my bike, she can ride her own bike and have fun or Im single, in practice not in reality. When Im not riding im thinking about riding. I have come to accept it
 
She looks on the shorty side too?
Again, agreed 100%, I was PERFECTLY happy riding with my buddies, whenever and however I wanted. But that is all I want to do all of the time so either she sucks the soul out of me by riding on my bike, she can ride her own bike and have fun or Im single, in practice not in reality. When Im not riding im thinking about riding. I have come to accept it
yea, 5'1".

I thought it'd be neat for her to ride along with me as we won't ride double. but she just didn't have it.
 
Mrs MVI did not care for the sitting position of a Virago 250 or any bike style like that.

We went from Dealer to Dealer sitting on bikes, she finally gelled with the BMW 650GS LOW.

Too expensive, so we got her a used Vstom 650, I lowered with links, slid forks, and we were off to Amarillo first , and then Branson for some seat time. If you can make a ride a destination, it seems more enjoyable to her.

She need both feet on the ground and hours of easy road riding.

The very next year we rode Alaska.

After some fall overs on gravel, she will only ride pavement now.

I have made peace with that.


2013 - One night we Overnighted at a sheep camp on the Denali highway called the Foxes Den

2013-08-13 Alaska Fox's Den.jpg
 
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This was all her idea as she loves to ride on the back but knows that really kills it for me. Its something I endure because she enjoys it my friends and her get along and its usually a good time. In my opinion, short of racing airplanes of sailing through the mountains in one of those flying squirrel suits, I don't know of any pursuit that has lets you control your own challenge the way riding does. All that goes into it is a real gift that you can discover nowhere else. I'd share that with as many as possible. As long as they are own their own bike
 
Mrs MVI did not care for the sitting position of a Virago 250 or any biek style like that.

We went from Dealer to Dealer sitting on bikes, she finally gelled with the BMW 650GS LOW.

Too expensive, so we got her a used Vstom 650, I lowered with links, slid forks, and we were off to Amarillo first , and then Branson for some seat time. If you can make a ride a destination, it seems more enjoyable to her.

She need both feet on the ground and hours of easy road riding.

The very next year we rode Alaska.

After some fall overs on gravel, she will only ride pavement now.

I have made peace with that.


2013 - One night we Overnighted at a sheep camp on the Denali highway called the Foxes Den

2013-08-13 Alaska Fox's Den.jpg's Den.jpg
That is awesome! How did she get trained?
 
We took a MSC class together ( she did not want to go alone )

I found it best to let "A Certified Instructor" teach her, and i just stood back and watched.

Then in the real world, we did lots of day Destination trips - Winery and overnight, Amarillo Big Texan & Palo Duro Canyon and overnight, etc.

She needed the fun time with me to make the "riding" worth it.

Then I wanted to go to Alaska, and she was not letting me do it alone.

I bought this book from Phil, and put it on the coffee table.

Super easy to read, and she got excited about the trip

1660761585975.png


we have been back to AK several times, and lately we just rent TWO bikes while up there.
 
PS : my wife Hated to ride on the back of a GSA 1200 or Super Tenere for long days. 7 or 8 hours and her back and legs were shot.
I have my tarted up FZ07 and a wr250r (usually in supermoto trim) and an SMT 990 that is down at the moment waiting on parts. I have to pull up to a curb or picnic bench so she can get on and off the WR. LOL. A S10 or big GS would be like a limo I'd guess. And could you imagine riding on the back with someone else in control? I couldn't do it, that would scare the hell out of me, aside from the whole ...ya know... no way
 
I have my tarted up FZ07 and a wr250r (usually in supermoto trim) and an SMT 990 that is down at the moment waiting on parts. I have to pull up to a curb or picnic bench so she can get on and off the WR. LOL. A S10 or big GS would be like a limo I'd guess. And could you imagine riding on the back with someone else in control? I couldn't do it, that would scare the hell out of me, aside from the whole ...ya know... no way
OIC, she's trying to be a part of what you enjoy doing. There's no getting around letting her arrive at a certain comfort level of being the rider on her terms. It has to be her idea and it may peak at a level much lower than your expectations. Don't break her spirit, it's hard to recover from that one, MSF safety course and all. Trust me, I went through this entire process with my wife. I bought bikes that "I" liked, would love to ride and thought it would be conducive to gaining confidence for her. That didn't work, she also didn't listen to the voice of reason, me:lol3. When she finally got her wish (a Sportster) and thus had a low speed crash on her "bling" bike, the Aha moment arrived...

We now run around on her Honda 110 scooter. She rails on it and has become magically overconfident. She now is probably ready to move up to small street bike. I do my bike thing, she does her scooter thing, it's a beautiful thing! She just wants to be with you, make special bike time for her. Go rail with your buddies when it's your time. That is what I learned from my 2 wheeled life experience, just sayin' :photog
 
I'd add, let her find her own path, pick out her own bike and gently guide her to smaller is better if you can.

example, start with a XT250, over the DL650 my wife started with. I always offer to get her bigger, lighter, roadyier, more off road, whatever. be flexible and give her options.

Oh, and always be a gentleman and if the wife goes over, Always pick up her bike for her. I think that is one of the reasons she keeps me around LOL. She has never had to lift the Suzi 650
 
So I tried with my wife.

20160808_175941.jpg


Got herself a Virago 250. We were in that parking lot for over a week. Turning. Stopping. Shifting.

Bottom line was, you either have it or you don't. Wife didn't have it. She got nervous/scared, and called it quits. Just wasn't her thing. I really tried to get her into it, but she ultimately said no. We did a little ride on a back road that had a long soft turn. She wandered into the opposite lane. Then the shoulder. Then almost a mailbox on the opposite side of the road. That was the end of it. I rode it back and sold the bike off.

My suggestion would be to let her decide. I wouldn't want to force something on her that she wasn't comfortable with.
Some folks just don't feel comfortable making a bike turn. There's no confidence that the bike will lean without squirting out from under them. And riding a bike by actively trying to lean the bike over is the worst feeling ever.


I totally agree with the some have it and some don't idea, but I think what it really is is that some people instinctively will counter steer ( whether they know it or not) and some will forever just try to lean and "pull the bike down".


Had a buddy that just couldn't feel comfortable leaning. I kept drilling in to his head to counter steer and to actively think about it ( it'll become second nature before you realize). Once he started taking it serious he flourished. " I've got so much control now. It does exactly what I expect it to." Within a couple months and only a dozen rides or so he went from wobbling scarily to hauling the freaking mail. Some days I just don't feel like even trying to keep up with him now. Go on, man. I'll catch you in the straights or something 😁
 
I have my tarted up FZ07 and a wr250r (usually in supermoto trim) and an SMT 990 that is down at the moment waiting on parts. I have to pull up to a curb or picnic bench so she can get on and off the WR. LOL. A S10 or big GS would be like a limo I'd guess. And could you imagine riding on the back with someone else in control? I couldn't do it, that would scare the hell out of me, aside from the whole ...ya know... no way
Grew up riding dirt bikes with my Dad. I knew he was a good rider. He was daily commuting on bikes long before he even met my Mom. Full faith in his abilities. I rode on the back of his street bike once and it was an absolutely miserable 15minutes. Never again.
 
I totally agree with the some have it and some don't idea, but I think what it really is is that some people instinctively will counter steer ( whether they know it or not) and some will forever just try to lean and "pull the bike down".
I first noticed it taking my lesson or whatever to get my license. I ripped through the course and the instructor or whatever kept giving me a hard time. It was stupid easy, but he kept trying to make it difficult for me. I mean, hell, I rode the bike too the lesson. He kept trying to slip me up.

Some of the others there, had someone else ride the bike there. They were rigid. No throttle control. No sense of the clutch. Feet touching the ground. Only using the front brake. You could tell right there that some of these folks weren't comfortable.
 
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