Originally Posted by Trailfndr

When my wife passed the MSF course, she came home to a new Deluxe in the garage with her name all over it. She had no idea that I was getting it for her. We spent an hour or so every evening for about 2 weeks just going to a parking lot nearby and letting her get used to the feel of the bike, and the controls. I made sure that she practiced what the MSF course taught her, and reinforced those lessons with additional practice and demonstration when needed. We worked on starting, turning, stopping and most importantly, emergancy stopping. She would be riding along and I would yell STOP!! and she would straighten the bike and stop wherever she was. When she felt a little more confident, we graduated to residential streets ( subdivisions around here are all on curvy roads) so she could get used to other things out there, like kids...dogs, cars etc..

Finally, she asked to go out on the main roads, so I took her around a 2 mile loop of all right hand turns, and then reveresed directions so she could practice Left turns. When she felt ready, she just continued past the turn and kept ongoing.

She is now very good rider, and loves riding her Deluxe. Rode from Detroit to Key West last year, and plan on doing the yellowstone, black hills trip this next summer.

Word of caution... No matter what she does...No matter how badly she messes up.. DO NOT get upset. Just point out to her that what she did was a good try, but next time try "XXXXX" and describe what she should have done. This will reinforce her confidence.

If you get upset, she will become even more upset thanyou, and thats not a thing you want happening when she is on the bike.

Originally Posted by BonesNBob

I must chim in here with a woman's point of view. I have been riding my own for almost 2 years now, and the following is the recomendations I would give to a man teaching their wife/girlfriend to ride. Hope you find this helpful.

#1: let her take the class FIRST before buying the bike, let her make sure this is something she really wants to do. (at first I wish I had taken the class before I bought my first bike)
#2: My husband started with the "teaching me how to ride" and things got pretty tense. Thank God for my father-in-law. I highly suggest that you do not teach her to ride no matter how wonderful and bullet proof you relationship is. Have a friend you trust or someone you ride with alot to help. You be there, but let the suggestions come from the third party. (Then she can fuss about him/her and not at/about you!)
#3: Be very patient with her. I cannot stress this enough. When she does something good or right, praise her (we are just like kids you know LOL) Remember, this is unknown territory for her.
#4: I agree with everyone else, no road at first....repeat NO ROAD AT FIRST, please. A church parking lot on a Saturday is usually deserted. They are nice and flat with few obsticles (at least in the south they are LOL)!!!!! The road was very, very intemidating for me. I am SOOOOO glad I did not start off riding on the road.

Have fun and good luck!!!! Keep the shinny side up.
N (the Bob part of BonesNBob)