Hi all,
Anyone care to give out any tips on convincing the wife to let me get a motorcycle?
The strange thing is, she said YES to the MSF course, but is seemingly adamant about putting the brakes on getting a bike. It's not a cost issue either, I can get a working Yamaha XJ650 to learn on for $200!
Any help would be appreciated.
Ridicule me if you must. :P
But seriously, I could use some ideas.
Exis
I made a deal with the girlfriend that I would take the MSF course and buy all of the safety gear before I bought a bike and that seemed to do the trick. It still is a touchy subject and I wish you the best of luck. For the past few weeks I've been getting the run around that I "care more about the bike". But just tonight as I'm reading the Clymer manual I get a "it's cool that your so dedicated to learn and work on your bike", go figure! :cheers:
buy a bike....who cares what a woman thinks.... :mrgreen:
always remember those 5 little words of LOVE....
Wife bring me a BEER
let me know when you want to dump the engine too the XJ650, mine is giving a deathrattle. only paid $50 for mine though
Divorce ;) J K
Ask her why she doesn't want you to get a bike, empathize, reasure, and then just buy the thing :mrgreen:
If you make her feel like she's understood it will help on the fall-out.
But don't take my advice. I'm horrible with women :thumb:
if you want to get a bike your going to, regaurdless of what wife or GF say. the idea is to make her feel more at ease with the idea about you being on the bike. MSF corse, gear,and friends to ride with to get some miles under your belt. by all means INCLUDE her in riding with you. get her to enjoy riding. get your license and borrow a friends bike and take her out a few times. the death cycle reasoning is overplayed, YOUR TIME is YOUR TIME, be it in a car, truck,bike, plane, boat, eating lunch at a bar, (and plz forgive this last one) working in a building while a plane crashes into it. it doesnt matter what your choices are,it doesnt matter what your doing. when that big bakers timer goes ding, stick a fork in you, you are done. being afraid, or allowing anothers fear rule the way you enjoy life is wrong (as long as its all leagal) do what you can to ease her mind, hell get someone's GF/wife to talk with her about it, it works
I bought 2 YSR50's and a XR80 to teach the wife to ride and then have equal bikes....well that was a LONG time ago...the ysr's have been sittin' and I ride the XR 80 and loan it out to friends to teach their kids to ride.
I actually give the skirts alot of credit for going out and riding. My mom rode bikes when i was a kid(60's cb160). I wish i had as much ballz as Melissa from NOTB. She is a good fast rider on the track.
dang, where's my BEER???? :cheers:
Quote from: Exis
Anyone care to give out any tips on convincing the wife to let me get a motorcycle?
WHIPPED!!!!!!
Honey, can I take my d!ck with me tonight....all the other husbands are taking their d!cks....
She said NO F&*KING WAY, It wil either be in my purse or the freezer!
Quote from: Exis
Anyone care to give out any tips on convincing the wife to let me get a motorcycle?
Hey Exis. I was in the EXACT situation. There was no way I was going to get a "yes" out of her. I think she would feel terrible if something unfortunate happened to me while riding and she had said yes.
Anyway, I went ahead and bought it (also took the MSF course). After a few slightly rough weeks of denial, she's accepted it! :)
You could also talk about how this is the best beginner bike (power, weight, low center of gravity) and what good gear you'll be wearing (don't tell her how much this will cost!)
...or you could always say "it's either this or a blonde 20 year old!" :lol:
Good luck,
JK
a blonde 20 year old!"
Good luck,
JK
that is a do-able option..... :mrgreen:
Quote from: ExisHi all,
Anyone care to give out any tips on convincing the wife to let me get a motorcycle?
The strange thing is, she said YES to the MSF course, but is seemingly adamant about putting the brakes on getting a bike. It's not a cost issue either...
Exis
Same exact thing happened to me. she thought I'd rent a bike once in a while. Keep talking to her. find out what reason she is most agianst it for and work the safety, gear, etc angle. I tried this and she wanted me to wait 5 years...I said why? What's the difference now to 5 years...anyway...Refinanced the house and had some money to spend so I bought the bike anyway. Hasn't been the same since. Getting much better though. Those first few months were bad.
That made it worse-the fact I went ahead and bought it without her going along with it. Not approving it necessarily, just that I cut her out of the discussion loop.
it's definitely better now-thanks mostly to the therapy...
Quote from: pantabloit's definitely better now-thanks mostly to the therapy...
I knew there was something with you....sleep deprivation, work, internet... glad you finally went and saw a shrink. :cheers:
Well, I'm a female, so perhaps my perspective will help (then again, I ride, so it's not exactly the same thing).
I think significant others (this means men who don't ride too) have a couple of concerns: One - you're going to get hurt. Two - you're going to be gone riding and/or paying attention to the bike and not her (or him).
Both are probably legit concerns.
Is your wife a candidate for the MSF course (meaning would she be interested in taking it - even if she never rides after)? If she takes it with you she'll know how much training you have and how dedicated you are to safety. Then the whole motorcycle thing won't be so scary. Who knows? She might decide to ride too. That's what happened to me. I signed my hubby up and he ended up buying his own bike.
Even if your wife decides not to ride, she could come with you as a passenger. Just let her know that you'll spend time with her still. Perhaps you can schedule your time so you ride when she's off for her weekly knitting night (j/k ;) ).
Showing her your protective gear and leaving books around the house (like Proficient Motorcycling) will show her that you're taking this "dangerous" hobby seriously. That's what I had to do to prove to my parents that I was thinking of safety first.
Give her time, and good luck!
I was in the same situation not long ago
and there was the month build up before the bike when she thought that was more important than her.
now she gives me shaZam! if i take the car to work b/c it saves so much money in fuel
17mpg car
10mpg truck
50mpg bike
figure the savings driving 40-50 mi/day
yeah she likes the bike now :mrgreen:
You all wish you had my wife! She bought me a jacket and gloves for father's day. Just last night she brought me home "Twist of the Wrist II" because I was talking about it. She didnt' even give me any grief after my accident last week.
She either loves me to death or is just waiting for a chance to cash in on the life insurance (jk) !
:thumb:
jake
You people are awesome! Those are great ideas...cept' the doing it without consensus bit. After all, why would I bother asking you all for advice. <grin>
Say what ya want about being whipped, I would rather not have the "war dept" pissed for more than a week at a time.
"...Those first few months were bad."
Months pantablo??!?!
I never even thought to ask her if she wanted to take the course with me. That's bleepin brilliant.
I will fully push the safety angle, in fact, already been doing it. Everytime I see someone wearing tennis shoes, or shorts, or a t-shirt, no gloves, etc...
Psychologically, since she said yes to the MFS course, I think I've got her.
I appreciate the feedback immensely. Thanks again.
-Exis
ps. werase643, you would fit right in where I work, we're always breaking each others ballz :)
Quote from: Exis
"...Those first few months were bad."
Months pantablo??!?!
Months. Couldn't even talk about the bike, forum people, riding, it was touch and go there for a long time. Better now but she still doesn't really care to hear much about riding, etc (esp about my hitting 120 indicated last ride at Angeles Crest Hwy... :nono: ). I was terrified to tell her about my close buddy who had a sv650 but crashed it and broke his collarbone...and gave up riding. Still haven't told her the entire truth about that... :oops:
Quote from: ExisPsychologically, since she said yes to the MFS course, I think I've got her.
Think again. She's counting on the course placating
you...
I do not hink this is the best way but I worked for me. When I bought my bike in 2000 I was starting in a new job. I just gotten a huge starting bonus ($$$$$$). My wife was tottally against the bike idea so I waited a little bit. When I found the bike that I wanted I invited her to come along to see it. She was eight months pregnant so she did not give a damn what I did as long it did not affected her. So we went to see the bike and I bought it. After the whole baby thing was over. (My daughter was born ok ) She told me she might not have allowed me to get the bike if she had not been pregnant. So get your wife pregnant and then get the bike . You both will have your new babies.
Disclaimer : Do this at your own risk!!!!!!!!!!!!! JAJAJAJAJAJA!!!!!!!
I had to quit smoking to get a new bike.
:thumb:
I still don't except when I :cheers:
She doesn't know that though :nana:
Good luck!
Get the bike. Deal with the wife later. ;)
Good luck. Funny how these same wives don't fret about their husbands doing other "dangerous" things like driving a car or a bicycle, drinking alcohol, smoking, eating fatty foods, recreational drugs or whatever BUT ride a motorcycle? Never! Silly isn't it.
We are all gonna die, you, me, your wife your kids their kids your pets ect... So why worry about it? As far as I am concerned riding a bicycle on the street is FAR more dangerous.
I'm going through the same thing although a good bit of the issue is circumvented because of finances (won't be getting a bike for a year at least). I think it works better this way because my wife has longer to come to grips with and accept the fact that I'm getting a motorcycle. :)
Really wouldn't recommend going out and buying one anyway (the "whipped" comment needs to be ignored...). Pretty irresponsible way to manage a relationship with your SO...
Jon
I don't have a wife... but I have a mother and folks who care a lot about me. I wanted to ride forever. Dad rode and he was and still is that type of person that you can do what ever you want, being a girl doesn't matter. Granted now that I think of it maybe he's like that so he can teach me then he doesn't have to do it again! :P
Anyhooo... My dad taught me to ride. He gives me tips... things like "ride like no one can see you!" This coming from a guy who drove like maniac! :mrgreen:
Anyway my arguement was: I was old enough to choose, I would take the MFS class, I would wear the proper gear. There was also a promise to not ride on the highway. But that went away! ;) Also that anything could happen at any time, regardless if I am on a motorcycle or car.
Good luck!
Be safe and smart!
Hi all, I just had to register to answer this one..
For God's sake, don't get the bike without her agreement and just assume she'll get over it eventually! She'll get over the bike, but she won't get over you being a jerk. There is a better solution!
Forgive a little psycho-dribble, but as a woman who's been worried about her man before let me tell you what I think is going on. If she's okay with you taking the MSF course, she's not completely anti-cycle. She's probably more upset that you would take up a life-threatening hobby (yeah, I know, but that's how she sees it I promise you) without her agreement, than she is about the life-threatening hobby itself. I bet her worst fear is that she might say no and put her foot down, and you'll do it anyway. In her mind this would be extremely disrespectful and show some nasty differences in how the two of you view marriage and partnership. Hence the back and forth dance of "You can take the class-don't you get a bike-maybe you can get a bike later-not that bike!" She's scared you'll be a jerk, not scared you'll die on the bike!
So, what to do? She needs to know you'll respect her needs and seriously consider not riding if she's adamant. I know that's not true, but SAY IT ANYWAY! You, however, need to not be whipped. Tell her that having a bike has been a dream of yours since you were a kid (or whatever), and you are so excited to take the class and ride around with your beautiful wife, and you're upset that this dream is causing her so much anxiety. No matter how much you would like to just forget about the bike you can't, and you are afraid you'll start to resent her if she says no to the bike. Say that she is your number one priority but you are worried about the damage to your relationship that her refusal might cause. See where we are going with this...for the sake of your relationship, you need to get a bike!! Then move in for the kill-reassure her that you won't ride if she feels strongly, but ask if there is anything at all you can do to make her feel better about the idea. You will have demonstrated you are not a jerk, and she can save face while she gives in by insisting on the class or safety gear or something. This may take time-be patient. Let her think about it.
If she still says no, you two have serious problems. In that case get the bike, cause that's the only joy you'll be having for a while!
You have to find/know what motivates her...The cost/time/effort savings really motivated my wife cos we had just 1 car and if the bike didn't run she had to gimme a ride to the BART station...10 miles and 1 hour away. But the flip side is that the bikes have to be cheap and you have to ride it to work. Now I do that and so it works just fine. So I have 10 bikes. A few years ago I didn't have the long commutes and the time/effort/money thing didn't work so at that time I bought a bike for her. She got to sit on it ride, decide she can ride it, think of how she can paint/pin stripe it...I got it and she really didn't get into it much and I ended up selling it a year later but every so often I would buy something with her as the main rider. Now with the 5 month old she believes she and he will take up riding at the same time. Woohooo... But you have to address her concern, if its safety, not acting like a bonehead when you see a bike helps...Yes whipped I am, flame on werase...
Cool.
Srinath.
PS I am telling Your wife werase about the 20 year old blonde...
I know that my wife will never believe that bikes are safe but she does know now that I'll ride as responsibly as possible. At first she was really against me getting a bike too but after taking the safety course and talking to her a lot about how much I wanted to do it, she has recognized that it is something I needed to do just like there are things she does that I don't like. Of course none of this stops her mocking me at every opportunity.
It may take some time.
Good luck.
Yup, my lady isn't fond of the bikes, but I've been riding bikes longer than we've been together. Even so, I get the occasional dispproving looks and lectures. Her family lives in giant plastic bubbles and do nothing out of the "ordinary" to risk bodily harm. She won't get on the bike. I always have to hear how dangerous it is, and her father is a medical examiner so I get all the graphic stories of autopsies he's performed on motorcycle accident victims. Fantastic.
I tried getting her into it, so we went to the racetrack and she actually really enjoyed watching the bikes race (though I had to hear how dangerous it is every 30-45 seconds). I thought I was making some progress until some squid on an R1 wearing jeans and a t-shirt went down at over 100mph in front of her house and left his top 4 layers of skin in her driveway. She was home to see it and call 911. Back to square one.
Anyhow, I guess that doesn't help you much. But maybe this will - take her shopping, buy her some shoes, visit her mother - whatever, as long as it's something she enjoys. On the way home make a point of stopping in the bike shop just to look around (make sure it's a nice shop!!). It'll be a nice day together (unless you visit her mother, he he - JK), you both get to do something you enjoy and maybe she'll take it as a sign that you want to include her and that you're willing to compromise.
Or buy the bike and store it in an undisclosed location!! Have a buddy with a garage?
I do agree that the worst thing to do would be to buy one without her OK. Consider bribery! Like "you let me get a bike and I'll give you a foot rub every night for a year."
ok i took this route.
she knew i had rode for years and that i wanted a bike, but we didn't have loads of cash to throw around.
First off i used the commuting argument. I can park right outside my building for free instead of paying 85 bucks a month.
the second thing i did was find an old bike and picked it up for 150 bucks and began restoring it. it was a little 1967 yamaha 180cc so i think that helped as well because i didn't immediately try to go out and get a crotch rocekt or anyting that had more displacement than our car.
I've had that bike for the past three years and she saw that i rode it responsibly and more importantly she saw how much enjoyment i got out of tinkering, modding, etc. Unfortunately last fall it suffered from a common ailment for 35 year old bikes, I could no longer find crucial parts anywhere. I'd been talking to my wife for a bit about the GS and she agreed to let me get one with part of our tax return.
so in summary
1. i started talking to her about bikes years ago
2. i found one cheaply and began to tinker
3. i talked to her about safety.
4. i acted responsibly
5. i included her in everything i did.
jake
The lesson here for those of you yet unattached is: Work out what is important to you before you get into a serious relationship; don't take up with someone who doesn't believe as you do (and I'm not talking just about bikes); compromise where it doesn't matter, stay firm where it does; at least try to appear reasonable if you can't actually be reasonable.
I was lucky- my wife insisted I get a bike.
life is to short to have someone denying you that fun
when your 80 and look back you thinks ooow i wish i had driven a motorcycle
I had mentioned getting a bike now and then over the last few years, but never seriously. One of my friends started riding, so I went home and said "Honey, would it be okay with you if I got a bike sometime? Just say the word, and I'll never mention it again but if you're okay with it I'm going to start doing research on bikes."
She thought for a second and said "Yeah, that's okay with me." "Really?! Great!"
I read everything I could find for a year and occasionally reported to her what I learned. Then, I bought a bike 2 months before the MSF class and had the owner drive it into my shed. I promised to do no more than sit on it until the class. The fact that I vowed to respect her opinion, took my time investigating, and kept my promises made a big difference.
She's given me an absolute moratorium on riding in the rain. She's wrong, but I respect her anyway so I don't ride in the rain :mrgreen: Probably as a result though she was okay with me riding all winter in New England, as long as I vowed not to ride when there was ice anywhere on the road. If I wanted to freeze my butt off that was my business :)
Trev
I am thinking about they Harley Davidsom commercial where the old man is sitting talking to his grandkids about how he had a HD when he was younger. One of the kids asks "where's the bike now?" and the old man says "I traded it for some vinyl siding" then frowns. The kids lose interest and leave.
Who here wants to be that old man?
in no particular order
1) see if she wants her own bike
2) include her, show her what you are looking at and what you'd settle for, assume she can retain bike stats and info 8)
3) if you have friends/group to ride with, make sure they are spouse/gf friendly and supportive, see if any of them are good with pillion riders, and if they will take her along until you are ready to have her on your bike if you and she so desire (even if she only goes with 1 outta 10 times, she'll feel included)
4) take her with to get safety gear, girls like comparison shopping lol, doesn't matter what for
5) cave on color, for the bike, gear whatever. if she likes purple get purple even if you wanted the red one. (if there is a choice) honestly this worked for a friend, he wanted green or orange, but he got the purple coz his lady liked it better, so now he has bike.
6) make sure she knows you aren't replacing her... is there anything she'd like to do that wouldn't include you? classes? hobbies? support it!
7) share your enthusiasm. tell her all the good stuff without scaring her, and make sure that she knows that telling her your adventures at the end of it is part of the fun.
It is probably very hard for non-riders to see the "reward" of riding over the "risk."
The following helps me to understand my own motivation:
"Man is preoccupied with freedom, yet laden with handicaps. The breadth of his activity and experience is narrowed by the limitations of his relatively weak, sluggish body. The motorcycle, by virtue of its awesome physical gifts, frees the rider from himself. When a bike and a rider fly over the road together, there are moments in which the rider's mind weds itself to the bike's body to form something greater than the sum of both parts. The bike partakes of the rider's cunning; the rider partakes of the bike's supreme power. For the rider, the saddle is a place of unparalleled exhilaration, of transcendence."
(Adapted from Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand)
Not everybody is going to be able to relate to Hillenbrand's sentiments, but even a glimmer of appreciation could lead to understanding . . .
Quote from: johnI am thinking about they Harley Davidsom commercial where the old man is sitting talking to his grandkids about how he had a HD when he was younger. One of the kids asks "where's the bike now?" and the old man says "I traded it for some vinyl siding" then frowns. The kids lose interest and leave.
Who here wants to be that old man?
I think I'd rather have vinyl siding than a Harley!!! Ha!! Just Kidding, any bike is better than no bike. Especially a vintage XR750 flat tracker. Grrrrr!
well I bought the GS by my own, thus going around my folks who were a bit against. Actually my mom and dad were okay but it was just that everyone else in my extended family was against it.. yes 2 of them ar edoctors at Kaiser and have seen their fair share of ppl in ER. But then what did I do.. yes I bought the freaking bike.. and said to myself that i would deal with things later.
Believe it or not, they all got to liking the bike. Once they realised it wasnt a plastic rocket or what they imagined it to be they were totally fine. The GS looks very docile..
Anyway with my parents i basically said I was getting it for school. While that was the truth that didnt stop me from riding it elsewhere. But it still is a bike for school, I ride it everyday to school rain or shine. I hate parking there, so the bike it the only way to go.
As for vanessa, she is cool with it. Her mom didnt like the idea but she is getting used to it. Vanessa wants to start riding soon. I have to put her in an MSF class at some point.
Hmmm, I should have held out longer huh? I could have scored free foot rubs for a year!
I'm sure to remind my husband quite often how lucky he is that I don't give him a hard time about riding!
Exis - hopefully she'll agree to take the MSF course too and get addicted. Then, you just have to worry about how you're going to afford a bike for her too!
It's funny I went through the oppisite thing.
My girlfriend ecouraged me to get the GS as her dad rides aswell. He rides a Buell Lightning.
Anyway I was umming and arrring whether or not to get the GS, just becuase I was wanting something a little older (cheaper) as I still have a car. And then she gave me the whole "you know before you know it you'll old and crusty, you may as well enjoy yourself".
The vision of that scared me enough to buy one, and I'm glad.
Maybe you can use this. It's aimed at parents, but you could just change the words.
http://will.mylanders.com/outdoors/motorcycle/notes/read.pl?file=184
DX her and get a wife who is into bikes.
<JK!>
There is no simple answer. You know her best and what the best approach will be. I can say one thing, something like this shouldn't threaten your relationship. If it does, then your marrage has bigger problems than not agreeing about bikes.
But I'm sure you will do fine, remember compromise (and bribery) :thumb:
delete
My mom's bike
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a209/Wrongside/Bikes/1323258008_l.jpg)
Her "Significant Others" bike...That's Bay Area talk if ya know what I mean :icon_rolleyes:
(http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a209/Wrongside/Bikes/1323254796_l.jpg)
and Little ole me rides a 99GS...figures huh? Luckily when her other half is done with the 06 Ninja, it becomes mine because she wants a Harley...YAY!!
BTW, I'm 25, so it's not like they are young kids, just young at heart!!!
Too bad you've got a wife, otherwise I would say find a girl who will take the MSF and get her own bike. Then you can be out riding all of the time instead of explaining why you were gone all day Saturday. ;)
On the other end of the spectrum is my mom. When I got my bike, both my mom and my dad were very against it at first, for all the usual reasons. Slowly my dad realized I had bought good gear and an appropriate bike, and eventually he came around to the point where he has a Monster now. :cheers: However, my mom hated me riding and definitely does not like him riding either. He begrudgingly won her acceptance with the slow and steady approach. He did all his research, got the right gear, took the MSF, etc. She ended up having to acknowledge that this was something that he was serious about.
Quote from: brett on December 14, 2006, 10:45:24 AM
Too bad you've got a wife, otherwise I would say find a girl who will take the MSF and get her own bike. Then you can be out riding all of the time instead of explaining why you were gone all day Saturday. ;)
On the other end of the spectrum is my mom. When I got my bike, both my mom and my dad were very against it at first, for all the usual reasons. Slowly my dad realized I had bought good gear and an appropriate bike, and eventually he came around to the point where he has a Monster now. :cheers: However, my mom hated me riding and definitely does not like him riding either. He begrudgingly won her acceptance with the slow and steady approach. He did all his research, got the right gear, took the MSF, etc. She ended up having to acknowledge that this was something that he was serious about.
Sweetness on the rents riding also. My mom actually beat me to the punch and got her bike about 6 months before I got mine.
You ever go to the Starbucks on Snell/Santa Teresa when all the riders are out there from BARF?
Holy thread revival, Batman! :laugh:
I won't let my son ride. He can't even drive a car! :cookoo: (No, I can't stop him; he's of age. BUT..his wife can! :icon_twisted:)
My son laughed at me when I got a bike; now he thinks it's cool. I still won't let him get one, though. :nono: :laugh:
I am glad 97Octane clarified the revival in the first line of his post....some noobies know how to search. :cheers:
It has never been a problem for me. I have had a street bike for the past 20 years so they all knew up front.
Cool thing is my g/f rides.....the bad part is that she does not have a bike....which I am working on that. Plus, I do not like riding 2-up.
Quote from: dgyver on December 14, 2006, 02:47:36 PM
I am glad 97Octane clarified the revival in the first line of his post....some noobies know how to search. :cheers:
:thumb:
Quote from: dgyver on December 14, 2006, 02:47:36 PM
It has never been a problem for me. I have had a street bike for the past 20 years so they all knew up front.
Cool thing is my g/f rides.....the bad part is that she does not have a bike....which I am working on that. Plus, I do not like riding 2-up.
It would have been tough if my better half hadn't wanted to ride (or hadn't wanted me to ride). Fortunately, he wanted to, too, and we learned together. I can only imagine what kinds of fights this can cause if one partner wants to ride and the other is completely against it. :cry:
My wife wasn't too keen on me riding this year. I took the MSF course then started to buy the safety gear. She really didnt want me to ride but Ive always wanted a bike and so I let her know that it was important to me.
If your wife knows that it is important to you then it should be atleast a tad important to her. :dunno_white:
i was still living with my dad at the time and he was adamant that i not get a bike. (side note:i was 19, not some spoiled 16 yr old)
so i took the msf, bought the gear, then bought the bike and said "oh, btw, i'm moving away in two months."
Just buy the bike and a week after buying it and not getting any just tell her to let you know when she isn't mad anymore.
My parents (Dad especially) have always supported my riding, even back when I was still playing in the dirt. Riding is a part of who I am, and the girls who truly cared have always respected that.
The real problem came when I wanted to move on to sportbikes; my dad, harley rider since the late 70's, was not a fan of the idea, part concern, part bike-racism. I gave a little, bought a wrecked GSXR 750 and rebuilt it from the rotors up, trying to "earn" the bike. Working on it for as long as I did, maybe just having it around without being able to use it, really helped things sink in. I'm not sure if he'd admit it, but I think he's grown fond of it.
Quote from: poolshark on December 16, 2006, 07:23:26 PM
bike-racism
Great term! :laugh: :thumb:
I've had more than one Harley rider pull up next to me and express admiration and wistfulness for sportbikes...I don't think they'd admit it in a crowd, though (especially a Harley crowd).... ;)
Quote from: JK_Minneapolis on June 24, 2003, 09:08:46 PM
Quote from: Exis
Anyone care to give out any tips on convincing the wife to let me get a motorcycle?
Hey Exis. I was in the EXACT situation. There was no way I was going to get a "yes" out of her. I think she would feel terrible if something unfortunate happened to me while riding and she had said yes.
Anyway, I went ahead and bought it (also took the MSF course). After a few slightly rough weeks of denial, she's accepted it! :)
You could also talk about how this is the best beginner bike (power, weight, low center of gravity) and what good gear you'll be wearing (don't tell her how much this will cost!)
...or you could always say "it's either this or a blonde 20 year old!" :lol:
Good luck,
JK
thats pretty much why my wife tolerates it now-bike over mistress.
Funny, my wife was all for the MSF too. Somehow she didnt think that would lead to buying a bike. It did not go over well either. Luckily, I had a good reason-it was a replacement for the bicycle racing that I wouldnt be able to do now. 2 wheels have always been a great stress reliever, release, whatever you want to call it...It keeps me sane. She tolerates it now.
Quote from: pantablo on December 16, 2006, 10:18:26 PM
It keeps me sane.
I was with you 'til you said this. :flipoff:
Quote from: pandy on December 16, 2006, 11:11:42 PM
Quote from: pantablo on December 16, 2006, 10:18:26 PM
It keeps me sane.
I was with you 'til you said this.
how about, "It keeps me from going completely insane"...
:flipoff:
Quote from: pantablo on December 17, 2006, 12:00:22 AM
how about, "It keeps me from going completely insane"...
:flipoff:
Much more honest! :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :flipoff: :kiss3:
Just do what I did. WAIT TIL SHE GOES TO WORK. THEN CALL HER ON YOUR WAY HOME AND TELL HER YOU LOVE HER AND THAT YOU WANT TO TREAT HER TO A WONDERFUL NIGHT THAT WILL BE ALL ABOUT HER. By the time she realizes what you did, it will be to late to return it. Works like a charm. PROMISE!!!!!!! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Quote from: pantablo on June 24, 2003, 10:08:52 PM
Quote from: Exis
"...Those first few months were bad."
Months pantablo??!?!
Months. Couldn't even talk about the bike, forum people, riding, it was touch and go there for a long time. Better now but she still doesn't really care to hear much about riding, etc (esp about my hitting 120 indicated last ride at Angeles Crest Hwy... :nono: ). I was terrified to tell her about my close buddy who had a sv650 but crashed it and broke his collarbone...and gave up riding. Still haven't told her the entire truth about that... :oops:
Quote from: ExisPsychologically, since she said yes to the MFS course, I think I've got her.
Think again. She's counting on the course placating you...
HAHA... Exactly.
Quote from: Exis on June 24, 2003, 08:02:28 PM
Hi all,
Anyone care to give out any tips on convincing the wife to let me get a motorcycle?
The strange thing is, she said YES to the MSF course, but is seemingly adamant about putting the brakes on getting a bike. It's not a cost issue either, I can get a working Yamaha XJ650 to learn on for $200!
Any help would be appreciated.
Ridicule me if you must. :P
But seriously, I could use some ideas.
Exis
come on just get a bike, and the good protective gear, and tell her you won't kill yourself.
that is how I convince my gf
Cheerz
Quote from: Cozzy on December 31, 2006, 06:37:51 AM
come on just get a bike, and the good protective gear, and tell her you won't kill yourself.
that is how I convince my gf
Cheerz
Then if you do manage to kill youself, be sure to say you're sorry.
At least that's the running joke around this house. :icon_mrgreen: :laugh:
on the wife's or gf (and most parents) defense, we're just scared & afraid of what could happen. I on the other hand have a different look on it. I grew up with my cousins, an uncle, and friends riding bikes. So I was never afraid and I rode as a passenger every time. I met my husband who was very athletic - he scuba dives, ski, plays hockey and rode bikes before (dirt bike & quads). I think we were home maybe 2 dys after our honeymoon and was talking abt getting a motorcycle. I felt hesitant for a minute but thought to myself that he works hard, he's a good guy that he and I want him to have what makes him happy. So I said that if he takes the proper course and get good gear, he could get his motorcycle. Within a week, he got his permit and then his first motorcycle (in 2002). I got the itch from riding with him for 3 yrs that I took the course this year in March and got my GS in April. Now we share the love of riding together!