My pillion wants to ride too!

[Lou Girardin]

Don't do it!
That's twice as much bike bling to buy.
Or, alternatively, half as much for you.

[magicfairy]

As a pillion for years (on the back of a Busa) now riding my own bike here is my 2 cents.

Make sure the bike you get is easy for her to handle, reach the ground on, and won't be too expensive to fix if she has the inevitible wee incident.

Have her go a professional to do "Learn to Ride" and "Basic Handling skills" course, teaching her yourself may not be good for your relationship.

Show lots of patience and don't expect too much too soon. It is easy to forget how new and scary riding a bike can be, even 70k can feel really fast to a new rider!

Try to resist the temptation to tell her all that she is doing wrong after each outing. What she will need is encouragement and confidence building. As a long time pillion she will know what feels right and wrong - it is just the body doesn't seem to be making the bike do the things you want it to do. That only comes with time and practice.

DO NOT try and make her ride faster and keep up with you because you are finding it frustrating going slowly. That will only lead to her riding beyond her abilities and making mistakes. If it is all too much, ride on ahead and arrange to meet somewhere, so she can do her own thing without any pressure.

And be aware that once your pillion has her own bike she will be less likely to want to get on the back of yours. You may find you have to compromise. No more popping her on the back and going for it.

We alternate - really long trips (like around the Sth Island in a week) I went pillion so we could do the big Ks at high speeds. But smaller trips - like rallies, BusaJim just has to go at my speed. Or race on ahead then wait.

Sometimes we head off in different directions, or at different times, and just arrange to meet somewhere for lunch.

None of these are perfect solutions, ideally I would ride as fast and as well as him but that is probably never going to happen (I am a big Nana) but in the interests of our relationship we both give a little to try and find a happy medium.

[klingon]

All good advice, magicfairy.

Big Dog, as you may guess from my user name, I'm also a pillion. A couple of weeks ago I bought my own bike, and am at the Absolute Beginner stage. I totally agree with your idea that you are not the right person to teach her to ride! You're also not the right person to watch her learn to ride, or to give her any advice on her riding UNLESS SHE SPECIFICALLY ASKS YOU TO.

I got on the 'front seat' of a bike for the first time under the guideance of Lee Rusty - he's a profesional instructor and a KB member. (He's a good, patient teacher but is obviously not a woman.) I recommend him as a teacher.

If your Former Pillion [name?] chooses a certified instructor, she can have her first riding lesson and by the end of the day she can have her Basic Handling Certificate. A very good feeling of achievement!

My best tip: get her to join KB, log in here and have a chat with some of us. We would be thrilled to help.

[Big Dog]

For a start.........

she is a bit tall for most gn250's, wants a sport style, seems pretty keen on a Hyusong GTR250 and has her eye on the 'bus when she finishes her apprenticeship.
If I still have one when she's ready she can have it.
I am never teaching another partner to ride or drive as long as I live.
I have taught many people over the years no issue but lost my nerve the last 2 times I tried to teach a partner even in a car.
Besides she never listens to me about anything that does not have a keyboard.

Plan according to me is that we will get a rideable wreck to get her to relearn the mechanics of riding (Brakes stop you, right hand and left hand have to work together to get you to go forward.) in case she needs to drop it a few times.
She road a few bikes as a teenager but seems to have lost the knack / nerve.

[Big Dog]

My best tip: get her to join KB, log in here and have a chat with some of us. We would be thrilled to help.

Except she is already a member, just has not posted in a long time..... and this is supposed to be a surprise.
I asked her what she wants for Christmas. She said riding lessons without hesitation.
She thinks I can't afford it and that she is going to get something girly.
She is probably right about can't afford, but she already has the gear and instructions to buy a bike with her bonus.
Figure I'll give her a prepaid booking to keep her motivated until then.

So secret squirrel till then eh?

[Big Dog]

Don't do it!
That's twice as much bike bling to buy.
Or, alternatively, half as much for you.

Or she earns more than me and she will let me spend more of my money on biking stuff if she is spending hers too.
All about how you wanna look at it.
The purchase of the 'bus was preceeded by the proclamation "you better not come home without it!"

[RC1]

maybe try crashe, she has been helping my sister out (julie ) with tips etc she also out west

[Big Dog]

awww... well cheers weasel for clearing that one up....

If it is really that important to the juvenile males frequenting biker angels......


Younger than Britney Spears, older than the public internet.
I'm not stupid enough to actually give a womans age.
And any way I got over the age gap a long time ago.

[Karma]

If it is really that important to the juvenile males frequenting biker angels......

I'm not juvenile, I'm just horny.

Disco Danni on the other hand, he's just a perv...

[McJim]

Get her a one day course for her basic handling skills and then get in touch with a Mentor through KB. Also get her enrolled in the RRRS course - it'll be the best $50 she ever spends (price was current at time of writing!).

The other thing, rather than just lessons, is experience so she'll be welcome to join us on the 250cc rides that we have every 2nd weekend (next one 16th Dec..a bit too soon maybe but the runs are there) my wife just attended her first run and loved it.

Al the best and congrats on making the decision to become a 2 bike couple!

[Blondini]

Tell her to just go for it.I have done just that,I love being pillion,but after being told riding one is 100x better I just went for it.I got lessons,basic handling and learners licence in under four hours and it cost $240.Then I bought a fxr150 (my baby big bike)and I am practicing with a little help from crashe and my own hmmmmmm Gumption came to mind . I am out west we can learn together

[Big Dog]

I got lessons,basic handling and learners licence in under four hours and it cost $240.

Ah yes the meat of my question (unless anyone has a free for removal bike suitable for learning to use a clutch ).
Where do you do that?

I would prefer to support a tutor on KB but this is what I want to know most.

[klingon]

Except she is already a member, just has not posted in a long time..... and this is supposed to be a surprise.
I asked her what she wants for Christmas. She said riding lessons without hesitation.
She thinks I can't afford it and that she is going to get something girly.
She is probably right about can't afford, but she already has the gear and instructions to buy a bike with her bonus.
Figure I'll give her a prepaid booking to keep her motivated until then.

So secret squirrel till then eh?

Great surprise! Ok I'll whisper from now on in case she hears me....

I think the PERFECT prezzie would be everything she needs to get her learner's license. An afternoon of lessons, the Basic Handling Cert and theory test. Then when she gets her bike she'll be ready to hop on and ride!

One of the big advantages of being a pillion is that you already have the gear, so that doesn't need to be added into the budget.

Also as she has ridden before she will probably only need a few hours of training - just to get her confidence back and remind her what it feels like to be in charge of the bike.

I think there is a $80 charge for the Basic Handling Cert (this is set by LTNZ so it will apply wherever she learns to ride) and another $80 for the Learner's theory test, which she will need to do at an LTNZ agent. (She needs to take her Basic Handling Cert with her when she makes the appointment for that.)

oooo oooo now I'm excited for her! You could put the appointment card for the training into a gift-wrapped copy of the Road Code for Motorcyclists. She'll think that's all you got her for Xmas until the card falls out!

[Keystone19]

http://www.passrite.co.nz/courses/cycles/cycles.asp

[Lteejay]

http://www.passrite.co.nz/courses/cycles/cycles.asp

I've heard passrite are reasonably priced, but not that wonderful. I went with John Wright an older guy with all the patience in the world. It cost a bit more ($205 about 2mths ago) but he spends 3 hrs with you and 3 other people. He provides the bikes and helmets.

http://www.honda-motorcycles.co.nz/training.asp