How to get wife on bike?

[klingon]

What some of the other said and a few more...

- Comfy bike
- Good gear (safe, comfortable AND good looking)
- Short rides, gradually increasing
- Lots of breaks for refreshments, stretches, chats between the two of you
- Pre-determined signals so she can tell you if she needs a break, wants you to take it easy or whatever
- Positive reinforcement - may be rewards when you get there or even just you saying how much you enjoy riding with her on the back
- Smooth riding on your part - gentle accelleration, braking, predictable moves
- Get her on here talking to other pillions
- Go on rides with other pillioning pairs. Encourage her to talk to the others during rest stops and discuss their experiences. Enthusiasm can be contageous!

Good luck. As you can tell from my name, I started as a pillion. Now I kling on to my own bike on a daily basis but I still like being a pillion sometimes.

[Pussy]

Ladies I need your help.
My wife will come with me for rides about town,but not keen say for longer rides.She came off years ago from pillion on her brothers bike so I can understand her apprehension.
I try to get her confidence up by not being a dickhead with speed etc,slowly she is learning to lean with me.
Just bought a new jacket for myself so now have a good jacket for her,and helmets etc.Any ideas welcome,it's great to be together on the bike and enjoy the comraderie of other riders.Also am thinking of going to Queenstown next year for a wedding and thought the bike could be ideal,maybe not but can dream.Like the idea of going away in summer with bike and tent and just relaxing together,cheers Tony.

We'll have to get YOUR missus to talk to MY missus. Gassit Girl had no idea she liked bikes. Started pillioning behind me in 1999...... the rest is history. Flick me or Gassit Girl a PM, and catch up with us. We're in Bell Block

[Maha]

I try to get her confidence up by not being a dickhead with speed etc,slowly she is learning to lean with me.
Just bought a new jacket for myself so now have a good jacket for her,and helmets etc.Any ideas welcome,it's great to be together on the bike and enjoy the comraderie of other riders. Like the idea of going away in summer with bike and tent and just relaxing together,cheers Tony.

All of that Tony...hell my wife incourages me (almost to the point of insisting) to get the bike out, we do shortish rides....arse breaking rides, dosent matter really, its what we love to do. Anne has been around bikes all of her adult life where as me, is been only 4 years, keep at it mate, she will get into it, trust in the pilot by the co-pilot and vise versa is paramount...

[Mom]

Find yourself a few other biking couples, get to know them socially. Then go for short rides together, stop for lunch, make it about socialising rather than riding.

Buy her some seriously decent gear, not your cast offs! The gear must fit and make her feel safe. Do lots more short rides, even if it is just out on your own. We quite often will gear up and ride 15 mins out for a feed and a drink together.

Me I love to be on a bike, pillion fits my lifestyle at the moment. To me riding up close to my hubby, sharing the moment is the best feeling in the world.

Good luck with it!

Seriously though, buy some gear for her, you know that really cute, sexy shit that makes you look 20kgs heavier than you actually are........LOL

[Stickchick]

I hated bikes due to my Sisters boyfriend being killed on them but if you take it easy and take her out on longer and longer rides she will soon gain your trust. Thats what my ex did with me and then went on a 12 hour ride to Auckland....Don;t ask why it took so long....Its just a trust issue, she may trust you in life but bikes can freak some people out unless you have ABSOLUTE trust in the rider, that unfortunately can only take time

[McJim]

I took a diffrent approach - I got my wife a basic handling skills course and an RG150 - never looked back - despite the fact she's binned it 3 times.

She's on her Restricted now and looking forward to sitting her full in a couple of months - at which point she plans to get a 600 4 cylinder sports bike.

[Conquiztador]

"How to get wife on bike?"

And here I was thinking that I would in here find the secret to how to get a wife when I am on a bike. Imagine my disappointment when I realised that this was about what to do AFTER you had trapped the female...

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

"How to get wife on bike?"

And here I was thinking that I would in here find the secret to how to get a wife when I am on a bike. Imagine my disappointment when I realised that this was about what to do AFTER you had trapped the female...

first start with a girl friend... then take gradual steps increasing... errr sorry I repeating someone elses post...

[vifferman]

I'm not a lady (at least, I don't think I am), but I can share summat.
My wife had been on my bikes only a couple of times up until about three years ago. Then, after out marriage nearly split up, she decided she would take more of an interest in my passion. I can't remember how it happened, but one day I took her for a ride round Mission Bay area for a coffee. Because she had no gear at this point, I wore the same stuff as her - jeans, ski jacket, shoes, etc., so I'd feel equally as vulnerable (and she wouldn't feel as underdressed). She really enjoyed it (and so did I), so a couple of weeks later we went for another ride, this time a short ride out toward Riverhead. I actually hated it, as we were sliding around on the seat in our jeans, but she thought it was great! So, she decided she'd like to do more.

We had a look around for some gear. A workmate lent her a BMW SystemII helmet, and we picked up a pair of leather trou at Cash Perverters for about $40. With that, and a spare pair of my bike gloves, she was more or less set, so we did a couple more rides. On these rides, I was always careful to take it easy, and make her enjoyment / sense of security paramount. It meant we got left behind on a KB ride, because even though it was supposed to be "not a fast one - and we'll wait for you", and even though I was on the FahrtSturm, I kept the pace at a "non-alarming" level.

A bit later on, I bought some brand-new Diadora boots for $140 on TradeMe, and then a two-piece leather suit for $220. We did another ride (at the vifferbabe's suggestion) and went to Tauranga for the day. This was a real turning point, because we met two other couples doing exactly the same thing, and struck up one of those "instant friendships" bikers make, and on the way back, we met a group of Ulysses riders on the way back from a ride. It was a real eye-opener for the vifferbabe, and this instant commaraderie made her realise how special biking was.

It's probably a bit different to your case, as it's me that's anxious about security and risk, rather than my wife. But the key thing is taking it really slow, and concentrating on your partner feeling comfortable and enjoying the ride. Something I've learned is that while for me the ride's often the best bit, the vifferbabe isn't that fussed about that (and often finds it boring). She's said she doesn't want to go on a ride just for its own sake - the destination and stops we make along the way make it enjoyable. That's part of the reason we hardly ever go on group rides, as they're usually more about the ride.

[vifferman]

Find yourself a few other biking couples, get to know them socially. Then go for short rides together, stop for lunch, make it about socialising rather than riding.

I agree! This is very important. There are quite a few biking couples out there (and in here, LOL) so it shouldn't be hard to find someone to hook up with.

[janno]

We'll have to get YOUR missus to talk to MY missus. Gassit Girl had no idea she liked bikes. Started pillioning behind me in 1999...... the rest is history. Flick me or Gassit Girl a PM, and catch up with us. We're in Bell Block

That's a thought. How many women does she know in the bike scene? I'll be another one in NP in a month's time.

I was thinking about your question for ages last night, and discussing it with my husband. I liken it to me going jetskiing.

I'm happy to go on a jet ski for about half an hour. I would no doubt really enjoy watching a jetski race day, or going away for a jetski weekend with your mates and their partners. But no matter what you did, at the end of the day I would never want to spend every weekend and a significant part of holidays on a jetski for hours and hours and hours. Because it's not my thing, and never will be. The passion just isn't there.

I wonder if it is the same for you wife and motorbikes?

If she really, really likes bikes but has been thoroughly put off by her accident, then you have hope.

And Klingons suggestions about encouraging her are really good. Follow that list!

[Paul in NZ]

I dunno - sounds a bit like forced family fun. If she does not want to ride why push her? Vicki has a love / hate thing but if she wants to come / not come with me thats sweet...

[Pwalo]

I dunno - sounds a bit like forced family fun. If she does not want to ride why push her? Vicki has a love / hate thing but if she wants to come / not come with me thats sweet...

I'm with Paul on this one. You can't make some one like something just because you do.

My lovely wife used to ride a scooter, and before we bought the house, had kids, etc, our only form of transport for years was two wheels.

Nowadays she isn't interested in clambering on the back of the SV (can't blame her). She's more than happy for me to ride (and spend money on a frivilous pursuit), and appreciates that I STILL haven't grown up.

All you can do is appreciate the fact that she doesn't mind you riding.

[Roj]

I'm with Paul on this one. You can't make some one like something just because you do.

Yep have to agree, my lady was involved in a serious accident on her Bandit 600 last year and is unlikely to ride bikes again.

Riding bikes together was a part of our relationship but it is not possible at the moment. It may change in the future but I have to let her decide that, all I can do is be supportive of her decision

[NighthawkNZ:Me]

I'm with Paul on this one. You can't make some one like something just because you do.

While I agree with this statement... on the flip side, if they don't try it, how do they know if the don't like it...

If you give some a decent go, (and after all the learning process) you still don't enjoy... then don't try and force it upon them...