I'm in a good mood. I just signed up my wife for the MSF Basic Rider course at the beginning of May.

She wanted to take it last year after I extolled the virtues of riding, but it was too late to get her into anything at that point.

Now I just wish I had two more motorcycles - something in the 250 range, an 883XL, and my Dyna! She might come off the course just fine, but I'd rather start her off on something small and move her up at her own pace than simply throw her in to the deep end, so to speak. I know my first couple rides out of the MSF class were a little nervewracking.

 

heep an eye out for a buel blast that is what my wife learned on and used in her riders edge class and they can be found real cheap

 

Dude, you have done the right thing getting her to take the class. I tell every one I know that if they want to ride they need to take the class. I wish my wife wanted to ride, but she does not. She is fine on the back of my bike but does not want to ride her own. I am fine with that.
Be proud of her, I am sure you are. Congrats to you and especially her. She really is in for a great adventure.

 

Congrats... My wife took the class 3 years ago, and came home on the last day to a new Softail Deluxe.

She had problems in class on the buell, and I knew that the Deluxe was MUCH better balanced. It took her about a week of practice in the parking lot, bere she decided on her own to start some short road rides.

About a month after that, she took her forst weekend trip.

Now after not quite 3 years, she has 16K on the Deluxe, and can't wait to get out on the bike again come spring.

Point I am making, is that everyone says start the ladies on something small..I disagree. If she already wants to ride (my wife did not want to ride after the class, but friends convinced her to try the deluxe, an she loved it from day one) she is more than ready for something that handles better, and balances better. The top heavy bikes such as the buell, or Sportster, is one of the reasons that turn many ladies away from riding once they start. They don't feel secure with the top heavy bikes.

By the way, in three years, wife has not had any problems with the Deluxe. ( besides an insane inability to stop adding chrome lol) She rode from Detroit to Key West this past summer. 4K in 11 days, and had a blast doing it.

 

My wife signed up for the class a few years ago when she had her 883C.She did 1 of the class room classes then the next day was on the course.
Well it must of been one of the hotest days (106)to do this.The parking lot was just recently sealed as well(black)which did not help.
The instructor had a rider sit on the bike and another had to push the rider and bike a good distance.
My wife cant handle the heat was ready to pass out.
Well the instructor told her she could re schedule the class.After 3 attempts she gave up because of problems with the school.

 

my first bike was a deuce and i was riding that for a while before i took the class. in the class they put me on a 250 ninja. it was completely different as far as balance. but controls of course are the same. did fine. took the msf experienced rider course on my Ultra. that was fun. didnt think i could wrangle that big bastid in the small figure 8 box but i did. very worthwhile training.

 

Many different opinions on this one....
However I agree with the softail, as they are bottom heavy, of which equates to being better balanced than a top heavy bike. You know which ones those are....

 

I agree with you regarding the Sportser. I had a 2005 1200XL Custom. It was incredibly top heavy. In fact just last week end I was talking to a salesman at the HD and told him the next time I heard a salesman try to convince a female to get a sporty I was going to slap him. The week that I got my Heritage Classic, I fretted that it was soo big and soo much money. The moment that I got on and drove out of the drive way I was in love. The wider front tire makes a lot of difference. You sit “on” a Sporty. On the bigger bikes you become one with the bike. I took the Basic course, failed it. I had never been on a bike before and I had dry mouth the entire time of the class. However the next year I took the experienced rider course and passed it with flying colors

 

Momma took the course 5 yrs ago. BUT only last year, decided she really wanted to try. So picked her up a 2005 GZ250 in a trade.
She felt way comfortable on it (THIS IS KEY for anybody). She used it to commute to work, and we made multiple road trips around the upper midwest.
Plus I felt if she dumped it, not out much.
Well, she never dropped it once.
Her Sporty is sitting in the grudge, waiting for spring.

 

My wife took the course last Spring and loved it so we got her a used Honda Shadow 600. To me, it was the perfect bike for her to learn on. It is small, not bad looking and is big enough to ride. She rode a lot of miles with me and our friends (all on Harleys) and could keep up as long as we did not hit the Interstate. After 2300 miles in 8 weeks, we upgraded her to a Heritage and sold the Shadow for what we paid for it. My advice would be that the 250 would be too small to be useful if she is going to ride with you.

Good for her, though!