Since a good portion of the folks on this forum own (or have owned) a gs500 as their first motorcycle... I was wondering if/when/how they told their parents that they got a motorcycle. I told my pop about 1-month after purchasing mine, and decided to let him tell my ma (didn't work, i still got a phone call from the mother-unit about it). She wasn't
thrilled at all, but i don't think it will be in a issue.
What about you all? I'd toyed with not telling my mother (in order to keep her from worrying), but in the end I decided that it would be really unfair should anything happen.
I imagine that more than a few folks here have significant-others who are pretty opposed to the notion of a motorcycle (even a fun, tame one like the gs).
Your thoughts?
yah see i tried that not telling them thing but when I found out I was gonna have to move back home for a while it was a bit difficult to keep it from them...
my dad said whatever...don't die...
my mom hates it...it's really funny..she gets all mad when i walk in wearing my helmet...
overall it wasn't really a choice to tell them...but I had the gs for about 2 weeks...
when they start paying my transp costs then they can have a opionion about what I operate, untill then Christmas and birthday gifts will be of new riding gear or accessories. (no car crap will be accepted). cash and checks will be accepted conditionaly.
that's about what I told them.
Quote from: TarzanBoy... I'd toyed with not telling my mother (in order to keep her from worrying)...
Then, after finding out, she'll just be worrying about whether or not you're lying to her. Truth is best, dontcha think?
Quote from: TarzanBoy...I imagine that more than a few folks here have significant-others who are pretty opposed to the notion of a motorcycle (even a fun, tame one like the gs)....
My wife wanted a bike for her birthday, and informed me that I'd better get my own unless I wanted to ride pillion on hers. :lol:
Yea my Parents said yea die ... we dont care we got another one ... :o :o :o
Yea I was the high strung one evidently ... but I also stole my dad's bike for years before he found out, been riding since I was 14-15 or so, and that's strange cos I didn't even get to learning a bicycle till I was 13 or so. I caught up wiht a vengeance ... I never went more than a month wihtout being on a motorcycle since then. Moving to US, winter in PA and WA and Canada - none of that mattered. I believe in 97 after I got hit by car #1 I went 28 days, in 2000 also its close to that, but I believe I didn't ride it, just parking lot putting in that wrecking yard parking lot followed by a drop the damn thing on my foot kinda deal ... my left shoulder was broken and I didn't even know it ... so I put it on the side stand, it doesn't hold and down it goes with me on it ... crushing my left heel ... :x
Cool.
Srinath.
My dad bought his first bike just a couple months before I got mine, so Mom could really say anything. The parents have invested in some decent riding gear, as well as soft luggage for me. I took the MSF a few weeks after purchase, so they were very happy about that. Generally, I don't care too much what my parents think, so I just tell them. They know that I was raised right, so I won't be too stupid.
Here's a thread from last week with some good posts on telling your sig. other/ parents/ trash man/ whatever...
http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=193651&highlight=#193651
Dave :cheers:
My mom hates/hated bikes. When I got my first ATV it was back in 1999, 5 years after moving out of the parents home. After owning a few ATV's and playing that game I went and said I was getting a bike. My mom would not let me borrow dads truck to take the Quad to trade it in on a bike. So I lied and said I was getting a bigger sport quad, a Z400. My Dad knew what I was doing because after we loaded the atv I only took one loading ramp ;) . When the GS came back she didn't talk to me for about a week.
When I went back for my bikes first scheduled maint my Dad went with me. He came back with a used 2003 650 V-star Classic with around 3000 miles on it. He got a really good deal on it. The next day we brought them both back and mom didn't talk to me for a couple days.
Now she goes all the time with dad on the bike. I have not got her on the GS yet but she did ask the other day. It took time for my mom to accept it but she said that it was better that I waited until I was 30 years old to get a bike than getting one when I was 18. She was right, I would not be here right now if I would have got one back when I was younger. I still get a wild hair up my ass for speed sometimes but at least now I think before I do it. :thumb:
My mom actually drove me roommate out so she could ride the bike back and then my mom let her store it in her garage since it was a surprise birthday gift. I still have to make payments on it my roommate just got the loan since she has a way better credit rating. Anyway my mom was like she's 24 not a damn thing I can say about it. My dad and stepmom just said be careful. Although now my dad is looking in to getting a bike. He had one when I was little but sold it because he never rode it cause he didn't feel he had time cause he had kids now. So since he had one he couldn;t say a word.
Well they knew i wanted to get a bike, but everyone in my family (most extended family - aunts, cousins) were against it.
Well the day i bought my bike, first call was to my buddy vinu and second wsa to mom and dad, rather the answering machine. I told them i had a surprise. they called me back a few hours later when they got home. Eventually I rode it up there to show it to them.
The rest of the family got to see it during a famliy gathering, and they approved it immediately. SOmething to do with it being a naked bike helped.
MOm wasnt too surprised though, she knew i used to ride in india. Of the 3 kids (my brother, sister and I), I am the only one who actually rode in India. My sister's lame ass licence was just a novelty item. God she couldtn even start her 'moped' for the drive test. She drove it 200 feet, away from the sight of teh guy and left it against a tree and walked back to the test guy.
I've had my gs for a little over a month. Dad knows, he rode it home for me the day I bought it. Mom still has not been informed.
She had a cow when Dad loaned me a helmet for MSF (before I got the gs). She begged me not to get a bike. She knows I am responsible/safe, but she's worried about some moron ramming me (a valid fear). She reminded me of all of the injuries dad sustained on bikes (dirt mostly).
I was hoping Dad would let it slip to her, but no such luck (wise, wise father). Last week she almost walked through my garage--that wouldof given it away, but she went out the front door instead.
She is not going to be happy.
My father knew I wanted a bike for a long time, but refused to let me get a streetbike right away. He got some cheap (and I mean CHEAP) dirtbikes for us to ride around on. I rode dirt trails for about a year, learning to thrash the hell out of the little 250. After doing that, my dad found a friend at work with an immaculate '92 GS500E. My father and I had to wait for my mother's approval to get the bike. A month after the initial year of dirt riding, my father and I both took the MSF course together, and passing as the top two in the class (I was only a couple points behind him, too!). After telling my mother of these results, she seemed to ease up a little, but was still stern in her conviction. However, one day she slipped and said, "I won't be responsible if anything happens to him." Well, needless to say, my father and I took the only chance we'd ever get and went and picked up that gorgeous '92 GS500 for $1000, decked out with DynoJet jet kit, full V&H, V&H ignition advancer, and a nice set of engine guards. $1000!
I had saved my money from my job at the local supermarket for the year, bought a full set of gear beforehand, and ordered a helmet to match the bike.
When my mother saw it, she was angry, but a week afterwards she was alright with it. After I crashed, she was still worried about me, but reluctantly agreed to let me get another bike. She seems alright with this one so far, but maybe that's because it's been in the shop since a week after I got it.
I bought and paid for mine first (used) then called my dad and told him my car broke down and to bring the trailer and pick me up. About 1/2 hr later he shows up with his truck and trailer and I started to load the bike needless to say he was confused. But when my mom found out she was better with it then he was she said "but you had one". True my dad has had 2 but no loger has them I was off the hook after that
The only people in my family that know about the bike are post-WW2 lol, and the only ones that like it are the men, excluding my kid sister.
I had to break it to my son. His reaction was to laugh his head off. :x Little brat! :lol:
Now he's Jonesin' for a bike, but he's not allowed to have one. :mrgreen:
[Edit: My parents would have simply killed me first..they'd not have even given me a chance to die on the bike.... good thing I moved out the moment I turned 18 :thumb: ]
...My dad wasn't to pleased, he spent several years as a ward nurse in an ICU, but I just told him about all the safety gear I had, and he was like "well, I guess there isn't much I can do about it."
Single.
Financially Independant.
'nuff said.
havn't told them yet....4 months and counting.. I don't want them worrying...
:)
it can't hurt them if they don't know
It was hard for me to tell my mother I was riding again after many years. You see my Father was a motorscout for the city police.
One evening after years of riding for a living he was responding to an accident. A drunk driver was rolling though a red light. His one liter Kawasaki smashed into the front fender of the LTD Ford. He was ejected from his bike and hit the pavement at 55 mph.
It has been three years since his ABI, acquired brain injury, and he is still bound to his wheel chair.
The ironic thing is My Dad arrested the man 2 months earlier for DUI.
The frustrating part is that the drunk driver died of cancer, liver, before the trial.
All in all my mother understood that this is a demon I have to overcome. She doesn't like it, but she knows I have to ride again.
mine was easy...got my first job...was allowed not to pay for some bills YET...save enough dough for bike, registration, insurance, gear ...wait for them to go out of the country for their vacation...bought the bike then...when they got home ...they gave me some bills to pay :roll:
oh yeah and an earfull from my dad....its all good now :cheers:
eeesh, sounds like me and my tatoos. 3 tats, haven't told my parents since I got the first 4 years ago! and I'm 29!
My parents bought my sister a scooter when she turned 14. I was 11. I waited FOREVER to get that puppy for my own. got to ride it for 6 months before we moved and they sold it :x The guy wanted to trade an 87 Vulcan 750 for it! :x :x :x :x :x They said no!!!!! argh!
Anyways, I bought my route 66 in college and my mom thought it was cool but my dad thought it was too big (it was a friggin 250!!!!!!!!) My mom thinks the 89 GS is cool but my dad doesn't care for it. "You'll just get run over" he said last weekend when he saw it for the first time. I usually ride cruisers, but I do enjoy the serious quickness of the GS.
Quote from: davipuwhen they start paying my transp costs then they can have a opionion about what I operate, untill then Christmas and birthday gifts will be of new riding gear or accessories. (no car crap will be accepted). cash and checks will be accepted conditionaly.
that's about what I told them.
my hero! :thumb:
Quote from: '04gs500fQuote from: davipuwhen they start paying my transp costs then they can have a opionion about what I operate, untill then Christmas and birthday gifts will be of new riding gear or accessories. (no car crap will be accepted). cash and checks will be accepted conditionaly.
that's about what I told them.
my hero! :thumb:
Pffffft...if my son said any of that to me, he'd immediately get a cuff on the head, and he'd see no more moola from his mama. Parents are born with the right to have an opinion and to share it at will. Lip from our children will be accepted conditionally (ie. when h3ll freezes over), and the day I stop caring and sharing will be the day that my son will need to start wiping drool from my face (and no comments from davipu about how quickly that day is approaching! :nana: ) :P :mrgreen:
cough* two weeks :roll:
:guns: :guns: :guns:
:P
It was my moms idea for me to get a bike, when I was drivin a car I was rackin up huge bills on the Esso speed pass.
my_celica_is_jealous, always entertaining to watch your avatar. In fact, I can't stop watching it. :guns:
My mom: Was not pleased with the idea. She told me "never get a motorcycle or wait till after I am gone" :roll: . When I finally did get one, she didn't like the idea one bit. Heh. But, she insisted that a long time friend of the family who has ridden harley's for like 30 years take me out and show me how to ride the right way. So we did. Now, she seems to have made peace with it and as long as she doesn't see me riding she is ok. haha. :roll:
My GF at the time I got it: Was the one who encouraged me to get it. She grew up on the back of a bike, and for a while, knew more than I did about riding. Actually taught me a few things about riding. She even taught me a couple things about riding motorcycles. Haha. :thumb:
Current GF: Isn't impressed in the least. Hates it. Doesn't want to ride on it/see it/talk about it/hear it/anything to do with it. :dunno:
Um i was talking to my mom and saw that her calender had a motorcycle on it so i pointed to it and said i have one of those. Then she gave me the evil eye and said you better not have bought that thing and proceeded to tell me how they were dangerous and i have other things i needed the money for and stuff like that. Oh and something else about where am i going to park it (cause its not like we dont have a big empty garage or anything). And i was too big of a wuss to tell my dad so i think my mom ended up telling him.
I just bought it during my lunch hour at work... friend drove it home for me. My dad then saw it in the garage one day and wasn't happy :dunno:
In the end though, mom and dad were ok with it.
Quote from: Phaedrus
Current GF: Isn't impressed in the least. Hates it. Doesn't want to ride on it/see it/talk about it/hear it/anything to do with it. :dunno:
Only one thing to do...
New girlfriend!
=)
when i tell them....
i'll tell you guys how it goes..
:)
why make trouble when its not necessary :kiss:
No problems with my parents at the time they both had motorcycle licences :thumb: :cheers:
I told my parents in October (2004) When I decided I was going to get one in the spring. My parents were not happy with it at all. Mom said I was not allowed to get it no matter what. Im 20 so Im gonna do what I want! When spring came around and it was time to get the money they would not help with the loan what so ever. I got the loan on my own and bought the bike. When the course came around my mom was freaking out cause then she knew it was coming. Came home with it the first night and both my parents had smiles on their faces. They still worry about me a little casue of all the otehr idiots out there but they are cool with it now.
Quote from: PhaedrusCurrent GF: Isn't impressed in the least. Hates it. Doesn't want to ride on it/see it/talk about it/hear it/anything to do with it. :dunno:
My roommate said that his current gf was the same way. Never liked bikes, never wanted anything to do with them.... until he got her to ride 2 up with him. Then she was all about riding
I told them that I was buying a Vespa/Scooter just to get me into work. I let that sink in for a month or two and then told them that it was a real bike. They reacted alright, I thought my mother would freak out but she wasn't too bad. Although when I got knocked off it for the first time (4yrs later) she started with the I told you so stuff....
I didn't tell her. I was living on my own with a buddy 500 miles from my mother. No wife, no girlfriend. We both bought bikes and had been riding a few months. I had an accident (not on the bike!) and my mother came down to visit me after my surgery. When she came into my apartment she said, whose motorcycles are those out front? I said, "The one on the left is Mike's, the other one is mine." She was cool about it. Worried, but cool.
Similar situation when I got a tattoo on my 18th birthday. I was away at school and when I came home for summer and was walking around in shorts my mom kept looking at my leg. After a few days she finally said, "That's not going to wash off, is it?" No mom, it's not. She was cool about that too. My old man had 5 or 6 tats, so I guess it wasn't really a shock to her.
Oh, and the wife isn't fond of it and won't go near it (except for the day she dropped a wrench on it and dinged the tank). I've been riding for way longer than she's been around though, so she leaves it alone.
My mom was pretty upset....then I recalled when my dad had his old bike that he used to have TWO helmets, not one.... so I just asked her who used the 2nd helmet :mrgreen:
My parents can't say a word, considering my dad used to ride around my mom around 2up in hs on my cb350. My dad has a Harley XL now and its more of a family thing, we went riding every weekend it was dry this summer. He taught me how to ride and our garage is bike alley because I somehow keep collecting bikes. He is NOT a big fan of my zzr though, too bad cause he's got no say in that one.
I grew up sneaking rides on dirtbikes provided by friends. My mother would not allow me to have one for myself (although snowmobiles were ok...till I dropped through the ice).
When I bought the GS two years ago...at 46, she just shrugged her shoulders. Two of my teenage sons scolded her for not getting on me about it...she just told them, "you can get one too when you're 46."
My dad wants to go to a motorcycle show.
Well my parents fought it till the very end.. I got my M1 (beginners permit) and they thought I had enough then I took my MSF course and they kinda figured I was serious.. Finally I told them I needed a ride to the dealer and for their sake I should borrow their air miles card. :)
Now they say they were more worried before I got it than now b/c they see I have respect for it and other cars and things that can crush me. But I've had some great mentors and gained as much experience for the 1st year as I could.
Also my dad wants to get into it enough to be able to borrow my bike every once in a while (I go away to school for 8 months a year, so it's at their place)
My mom still says 'be careful' ever time she sees my helmet or I got for my key..
My GF and I have an agreement that I can ride it as long as I don't go above 100 km (63 mph??) She's not a huge fan and doesn't want me to get anything bigger than the GS but supports that I enjoy the sport and as long as we never talk about going over 100 then I'm in the clear.. ;)
My parents were ok, So was my girlfriend (she was excited for rides)
But they knew I would'nt be stupid.
I told my dad about a month after I got it. I didn't tell my mom until I met up with my parents for dinner ... didn't know my mom was going to be there and I was on my bike. She liked the new jacket till she found out the motorcycle came with it. Didn't talk to me for a day or so. She's better now, but still give me weekly motorcycle crash details.
My sister's worse though. She's in Med School and currently on her third rotation through Shock Trauma in Baltimore. Hard to say anything when she pulls out the facts/details from her experiences. Oh well, won't stop me from riding, just makes me be more careful.
Quote from: MrDanI told my dad about a month after I got it. I didn't tell my mom until I met up with my parents for dinner ... didn't know my mom was going to be there and I was on my bike. She liked the new jacket till she found out the motorcycle came with it. Didn't talk to me for a day or so. She's better now, but still give me weekly motorcycle crash details.
My sister's worse though. She's in Med School and currently on her third rotation through Shock Trauma in Baltimore. Hard to say anything when she pulls out the facts/details from her experiences. Oh well, won't stop me from riding, just makes me be more careful.
My mom loves to give me the "oh, by the way, there were 3 fatal motorcycle accidents this weekend..." when I see her. She does it really casually, but I know what she's doing.
And ask you sister how many car accident victims she sees, especially ones in DUI crashes; that number must be close if not higher. Tell her "at least I'm riding a motorcycle sober and not driving a car drunk." :thumb:
Dave :cheers:
Quote from: 2005-GS500-PDXAnd ask you sister how many car accident victims she sees, especially ones in DUI crashes; that number must be close if not higher. Tell her "at least I'm riding a motorcycle sober and not driving a car drunk." :thumb:
Dave :cheers:
Actually, I did. Her reply was, "car accidents are in recovery, motorcycles are in the ICU or morgue." On a typical weekend evening she'll admit 15 people with 1-2 being from motorcycles. Small percentage but I guess it's more the degree of damage done. She did appreciate that I don't drink and ride.
Oh - and replying to a concerned relative with "If you're worried about my safety, then there's this really safe Aerostitch suit for a grand" ..... doen't go over well :lol:
I know, there's always a retort. My brother snowboards, so I always mention lost riders to mom. She always can turn it around though. Damned nurses!
I must say though, she does love that I have always shown up in full gear. It makes her dislike the motorcycle rather than despise it.
Dave :cheers:
I ran over my dad and then my mom ran screaming down the street with me chasing after. Never had a problem again.
Didn't tell anyone what I was doing. Just signed up for the MSF class. Bought my bike and showed up to my neices 2nd birthday. My brother was first to see. He works for the County Medical examiner and it was summer so he just told me to be careful because he sees lots of bodies that were once motorcycle riders. Went into the party, saw my brother's boss, the medical examiner, he said that he and my brother had been busy with all the motorcycle and boating accidents. I told him I had just bought a bike and was trying my best not to crash on it! When my dad arrived he asked who's bike, I said mine, he asked if I road it on the freeway yet. I said no, he just said cool and told me to be careful. My mom and I don't really get along and hardly ever talk. She found out about it way later and just said be careful. I had recently broke up with the GF, but am still really good friends with her parents. Her dad had just gotten a new bike a couple months before me. I took my bike over to say hi and he was really happy. Her mom was happy, but scared that I would get hurt. She worries about me alot more then my owm mom does, but she was okay!!!! Ex-GF found out next time she talked to her parents and called me to ask when I got a bike and tried to talk me out of it. I just told her it was too late, I was hooked!!!!
All-in-all it was no big deal.
Jake42 love the quote,
your kid sounds like a genius! I love talking to my neices and nephews because they always come up with great stuff!
Quote from: aevans17Jake42 love the quote,
your kid sounds like a genius! I love talking to my neices and nephews because they always come up with great stuff!
yeah he's also fond of telling me lately that he's brilliant.
Don't underestimate little kids. They see and hear everything that goes on.
Jake
Well, after taking the MSF and looking for a used bike for a few months, My wife and I just said, forget it. Drove down to OC and said "We'll take the blue one". Then I realize, my whole family is going to be there that weekend.... So we stashed it in the garage. When I told my dad he said "yeah, figured you'd got one by now". But since my Mom's brother had died recently on a bike (1-2 years ago), I was really nervous about it. But, then she calls me and asks "so what's this I hear about a crotch rocket?", which made me laugh, with 35-odd HP, maybe its a bottle rocket... Anyhow, she was supprised I was nervous about telling her, and mentioned being interested in getting a bike herself javascript:emoticon(':dunno:').
The really funny part was my wifes parents. They didn't really care that I got one, however when someone asked my wife If she rides it (which, of course, she does), her parents butted in with "Oh, no. She has too much sense for that" javascript:emoticon(':nana:'). Then we show up at their house with her on the back, and her mom says "oh, he finally got you on the back?", when it was actually her idea to get a bike!
Anyhow, whenever anyone complains, I just start rambling off statistics (I'm good at that). 50% of fatalities, no hemet, yadda yadda. And once you look at people that ride more thna 10k mi a year, the accident rates plummet, which commuters having nearly identical rates to cars. Then look at SUVs.... per registered vehicle, you are just as likely to die in an SUV (seriously). Its when you do things like number of deaths per mile driven that motorcycles look bad. Which makes complete sense.
Quote from: dionysuswith 35-odd HP, maybe its a bottle rocket...
:lol: I like that.
after getting out of the relationship i was in, motor + 2 wheels = forbidden, I took the MSF course and got my license. The girldfriend at the time was worried but she has since ridden on the back and enjoyed it. Ok she was a little scared of the leaning but straight lines were fun :lol: . I told my father soon after and he was like "What?, with your luck you did WHAT?". I descibed it to him and he was like just be careful and is ok with it. Havn't really told my mother yet, not close to either of my parents at all and I havn't really talked to her since i got it. She probably won't care, she has always been indifferent. That is my long and not so interesting story :cheers:
my dad said that it owuld be cool if i got one and my mom goes, just dont spend too much money on it. she wasnt as enthused.
Quote from: 94suzuki500my dad said that it owuld be cool if i got one and my mom goes, just dont spend too much money on it. she wasnt as enthused.
Enter GS500 :thumb:
Oh, must have told this story a bunch of times...
So, my friend gets me into motorcycling, suggests I get the GS (rather than a Kawi), and off I go looking on Ebay for a bike. Find one not to far away, bid on it... Next thing you know, I'm asking to borrow the truck. Told her I was going to pick up a motorcycle. She thought it was for my friend... Boy was she surprised when I said it was mine! "I hope that's not yours" "I can't believe it" "How are you going to pay for it?" and all the standard excuses start flooding out of her mouth.
Of course, I heard the excuses before when I announced to my parents that I was joining the Navy. To see the look on my mom's face when she heard that... :lol: She didn't believe me!
Yeah, so I didn't mention my dad. He passed away a few years ago, but I think he would have been cool with it, as long as I was responsible about it. He could have taught me a bunch of mechanical things!
My mom complained about the bike, even after I cleaned cubic yards of the useless crap she saved out of the garage so I would have a place to store tools and work on the bike. There's no need for snide coments after I end up cleaning mouse poo from shelves she's piled junk onto! :x
I get the medical facts too...my father-in-law is a medical examiner. The first time I parked the bike in his driveway I got, "Want me to show you what a motorcycle accident victim looks like on the autopsy table?" No thanks pop, but I appreciate the concern. That was 6 years ago...they don't bust my chops too much anymore. The wife still won't ride though.
my parents ride, my brother rides, my uncle rides, and my cousins ride. got lucky and didn't have to explain it to anyone. although my friends give me a hard time about it sometimes, cause i don't really have any friends that ride so they don't understand.
never had to tell the rents. they pushed me to ride, they always have. cool rents i guess.
I got the GS (1st motorcycle ever) the same month I had a car accident (not my fault) that totalled the vehicle and put me in the hospital a couple of days... guess what my mom's reaction was. :lol:
i've been riding everyday since that day :P
I'm with banner... my rents dont know! MY DAD'S A WORRIER!!! He said if I ever got one he didn't want to know... I'm on 3 months and no info for the rents.
Had to really talk the wife into me getting my GS, after about 6 months and gas prices going to $3.97 a while back she agreed. Mom freaked out and asked my wife why she was allowing me to get it, Dad didn't say too much. My one brother, who I thought was most likely to ride, freaked and said I might as well make a video tape for the kids, cause I'm as good as dead (his wife is a claims adjustor for the auto industry). He still hasn't talked to me since getting it. My other brother, who I never thought would ride, told me he was looking for a bike a couple of years ago and will probably get one one of these days. :dunno: It's been interesting, in the end though, who cares what they think (except maybe my wife). I'm having a blast on it and the long commute is now something I look forward too.
for those of you who read about my wreck on the cbr last week. I didn't tell my parents - but my mom found out - somehow - 5 days later..she's not too happy about it. As for me, I'm typing with one hand and still trying to scab over in some areas :roll: