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."  

Dave  

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."  

Dave  

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  

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

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

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.