Learn to ride - 'What should I do?'

[Big Dave]

I got this in an email from a petite 50 year old woman who has recently discovered the joys of a boyfriend with a motorcycle.

'I want to learn to ride so I can buy my own bike, l have never even ridden a push bike, any suggestions?'

[varminter]

Get her started on a push bike on grass would be my first suggestion. But I'm sure a lot of grubby minded middle aged bikers will be along any moment.:innocent:

[Mully]

Get someone nice to give her a lesson away from traffic.

But yeah, the pushbike idea is great.

[Dave Lobster]

Do a few spacial awareness tests first. If she has none, no point going any further - it'll just end up with broken bones.

[varminter]

Sensible replies? this is KB isn't it. Have I fallen through a wormhole into another dimension?

[Ronin]

scooter and a BIG paddock. Or push bike but scooter could be easier to be honest.

[Duc]

I got this in an email from a petite 50 year old woman who has recently discovered the joys of a boyfriend with a motorcycle.

'I want to learn to ride so I can buy my own bike, l have never even ridden a push bike, any suggestions?'

I would be recommending "Pillion School".

[hellokitty]

I got this in an email from a petite 50 year old woman who has recently discovered the joys of a boyfriend with a motorcycle.

'I want to learn to ride so I can buy my own bike, l have never even ridden a push bike, any suggestions?'

What about a trike?

I have a rather petite 66 year old Mum who has never ridden a pushbike either - I am trying to get her to get a trike! I think that would be awesome for a little old(ish) lady like my Mum! Then she can ride with me and Dad.

[HenryDorsetCase]

I know a woman who bought a big block HD trike for that exact same reason.

Serious suggestion: what about a Piaggio MP3? remember the lockable tilt mechanism that magically unlocks over 10kph. no need to put a foot down but you can lean like on a motorbike

or a brudelli!

[Katman]

What about a trike?



Trikes are ghey.

[mashman]

Cones in a car park. Get the balance together, learn throttle and clutch control. Find an instructor. Go have a chat with your local Police Instructor :shifty: :shutup:

[baptist]

scooter and a BIG paddock. Or push bike but scooter could be easier to be honest.

I think a scooter is a great idea, she will not have to worry about peddling from a standing start. As for where....erm not near me sounds good:laugh:

Once balance is sorted prof. training.

Good luck to her though and I hope she has a lot of safe fun.

[Big Dave]

Cones in a car park.....local Police

This advice doesn't appear to add up.

[easyrider]

lol @ the Piaggio, someone had to do it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6URzDE_vQ

[Gibbo89]

i'd say buy an old moped, something like a suzuki sepia, old honda dio etc. then flick it on after a month or two, or however it long it takes her. that will teach her the balance side of things and maneuverable enough for her to dodge the idiot drivers around town. 2 stroke might be fun to her too.

my 2 cents.

edit: learn in a carpark or something too, no streets for the very 1st time :facepalm:

[baptist]

lol @ the Piaggio, someone had to do it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6URzDE_vQ

Wonder if she would like to have a go at this:shit::shit: <object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/in3_aJbpkA0?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/in3_aJbpkA0?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object> :innocent:

[LBD]

Start with a cheap 49cc auto scooter to get the balance, throttle and braking co-ordination sorted. Then grab one of those CB125's or similar to get the cluthch and gear shifting sorted. Do notstart with too big a bike, so she is not scared of it. Get the learners on that, then when confident move to a 250 for the restricted period...Move in gentle steps....From my experience with 50 something women learning to ride....ability is not the problem, it is the lack of confidence and the concern that a bike might be to powerful for them to manage.

[sinfull]

Sounds like an excitable type, any A&E on any given sunny saturday might sort her out !

[myvice]

ZX10
$20 says less than 100 meters…

[tri boy]

Kanny had never ridden a bike either when she met me.
My advice is let her, (the newby), browse trademe for a small single cyl like a volty etc.
She will need to like the bike if she is to want to ride it. Chicks won't connect to anything that doesn't float their boat.
Next, allow her to just sit on it, pull the levers etc for the first lil while until she feels ready for the next step. Don't rush. (hanging around sprouting advise is a big no no also. Chicks talk to their bikes, it's a private conversation).

Teaching a newby how to mount/dismount etc covering the front brake, walking the bike around to feel it's weight, and natural balance point etc.

I can only compare it to teaching a child how to bond with a pony, (not that I like horses), and then allowing them to build confidence.

Getting at least twenty hours of "bond time", including lil wobbles up and down a safe flat area is very important.
If the lady has a scary moment in the first few hours, it's a lost cause. MHO

[allycatz]

Well as a 5' 5" 50 year old here, I can definitely recommend the scooter approach for road confidence, throttle, balance etc after trying to learn to ride bike that was too tall and a bit heavy. Have had a go on a 150cc dirt bike, was great as wasn't so phobic about dropping it. Only thing stopping me now from going further is financial but in the meantime love being on the back of a bike anyways:woohoo:

[Spearfish]

She would benefit from a few weeks with a push bike, it will speed up the very basic balance part of learning to ride.

As she cant even ride a push bike a scooter is a good way to start her path into riding:
no gears and gradual clutchless take off
all hand controls
very very lite plus its easy to push her around while learning the controls
low seat so she can drag her feet
small turning circle and, good for car parks
step through so she can get on and off, plus if it goes pear shaped she can step through before it falls over (The lady I helped forgot to put her feet down, to busy worrying about everything else)

I would go for a 125 like http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Motorbikes/Motorbikes/Scooters/auction-335491167.htm

From experience the 125-150cc scoots will give her more usable range being motorway capable and they are about the same size as a moped class scoot.
Mopeds have a very limited use, perfect for inner-city jobs but she wants to do what attracted her to bikes in the first place....

But its not a bike so it might not fit her mental image of what she wants to do but its just a "step through" to a full bike (no pun intended).

I think the hardest part for her mentor is teaching something most take for granted so don't get to serious with it all keep it fun and lite harted, especially in the really early car park stuff because she will get frustrated.

[HenryDorsetCase]

lol @ the Piaggio, someone had to do it... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb6URzDE_vQ

I think that those idiots reviews (which boil down to "Uts a puysa shut") really arent going to determine whether or not anyone is going to buy an MP3 or not. Fucking retards.

[Mom]

Get her to contact Roadcraft School of Motorcycling
0800 4 LESSON
www.rcsom.co.nz

[Mudfart]

pushbikes are definately harder to learn balance than a motorbike or scooter.
id put her on a scooter and watch her deathgrip the throttle open, which some people do. it was hilarious when i was 13 or so and watching this guy lock the throttle open over a curb. he actually flew arse first.

[Big Dave]

ZX10
$20 says less than 100 meters…

No deal. I've seen a $10k Vespa planted inside 30mtrs.

[R-Soul]

The thing about not having balance is that you want to be ridinga light vehicle when it falls on you. Pushbike first. While she learns balance, she can learn counter steering as well. Once she has balance - she will be like any other noob (probably better if she already knows countersteering out of habit).

[wysper]

Where did it say she couldn't ride a bike? As far as we know she could be an ex Olympic cyclist!

Said she just wanted to learn to ride a motorbike.

I think pillion rides are a good place to start.
I would skip the scooter and just go for a nice small bike.

I thought tirboys post was pretty awesome. Sounded good.

Then find a nice empty car park, possibly hard to find these days LOL.

Then let the fun begin.

[White trash]

Two words. Can-Am Spyder.

Ride it on her car licence. Mint.

[Big Dave]

Two words. Can-Am Spyder.

Ride it on her car licence. Mint.

That's three words abbreviated :-)

[White trash]

That's three words abbreviated :-)

You gonna take my advice or what?

[Spearfish]

Could be a good article for a magazine?

There are probably many people around doing the "kinda, sorta, dunno, but I what to learn to ride" thing this time of year. Maybe a way to soften the media blow and out flank some bad publicity?

[Bassmatt]

Teaching an old dog...... hmmmm . Throw her on a kids scooter and see if she is co or unco.

[Big Dave]

You gonna take my advice or what?

I'm offended. When have I ever taken your advice????

I will mention it - and several other bits offered.

Spearfish is right about article fodder too.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Teaching an old dog...... hmmmm . Throw her on a kids scooter and see if she is co or unco.

like one of those razor scooters? recipe for a broken hip I reckon

[5t3a1F]

Two words. Can-Am Spyder.

Ride it on her car licence. Mint.

beat me to it.

[trustme]

Triboy pretty much got it. Lee Hurley of Rusty Nuts used to run a really good basic skills course in Sth SK. He reckoned he only ever told one person to go away because they just could not get the hang of it. My wife son & daughter & her boyfriend all used that course to start on. Find another course like that.
Then plenty of carpark time around cones before starting on nice quiet little country roads
GN 250 or the like that is low so she can get feet flat down, light & non intimidating but capable of 100 kph
Biggest prob I see is partners who have unrealistic expectations of what the noob can do. Too much pressure to go faster, further is fatal. The minute the fun stops she will stop, so you have to be real patient & realise the time spent now is an investment in the future
My wife has been riding for approx 3 years, she is shortish , petite & not quite 50, she has a few riding buddies of similar age & ability. We are on the shore if your, emailer wanted to have a chat send me a PM

[Vinz0r]

Where did it say she couldn't ride a bike? As far as we know she could be an ex Olympic cyclist!



I got this in an email from a petite 50 year old woman who has recently discovered the joys of a boyfriend with a motorcycle.

'I want to learn to ride so I can buy my own bike, l have never even ridden a push bike, any suggestions?'

:innocent:

[wysper]

:innocent:

doh! Poor comprehension on my behalf. Maybe next time I should read the post. Lucky this is KB and we pride our selves on not reading the OP. :shit: