Actually, don't be surprized if your wife is a little adventurous when you guys get home. Some women seem to react well to riding on the back of our bikes.

 

About 6 years ago, I was lucky enough to come across an article about motorcycle riding in another motorcycle chat. It was by a guy called Harris Neil. He used to be a Motorcycle Instructor in Denver, Colorado. At the time, he would e-mail a set of lessons entitled MOTOR LESSONS (A Motorcycle Operation Self-Study Course) to people free of charge. Harris derived his course from the Harley-Davidson Police MotorCourse, which he taught to the Police Motor Officers. His course was an 80 hour instructional course and the free one was approximately 40 hours, but it was concise and contained all the necessary lessons for a person, whether experienced in riding or not, to become an excellent and confident rider.
Even though I have been riding off & on since I was 7 (I'm now going on 62) and steady for the last 30, I have kept these lessons close to hand and often, when I have a mall parking lot available, will wrap my engine guards in old fire-hose, take my pylons and manual and spend a few hours practicing the steps that will keep me and my passenger safe.
With this in mind, I would STRONGLY suggest you take a Motorcycle Riders' Course, then look online and in this forum for more suggesions as how to improve your skills.
Good luck and Welcome to the world of motorcycling.:icon_santawav ing:

 

Wow! Lean with the bike? The best thing she can do is "be a part of the bike". If she "leans" with the bike, how are YOU going to control how far she "leans"? I had a passenger "lean" with the bike once and almost dumped the bike 'cause they "leaned" too far into the turn! No "leaning" in either direction! Relax, sit still but comfy, be a part of the bike and enjoy the ride!

 

I would not take a pasanger until you have 5,000 miles on your bike. You will be learning so much in the first 5k miles and it will be a more dangerous time. Adding a passanger to the mix will only complicate the matter and increase your risk.

But... I suspect you will do it anyway....so prayers sent.

R. Todd

 

+1... The first thing I tell a passenger on mine is "Do NOT lean! Stay even with the bike, relax, and let me do all the leaning." Passenger leaning usually ends up with them taking away your control and putting you off balance...

 

Ha ! Yea your right ! Dont see waiting 5k miles as a option ! Thanks for the prayers ! People been prayin for me for years ...............

 

When I finally got a motorcycle that would be comfortable for a passenger, my wife started riding behind me.

After a while, I noticed that just before I entered a bend in the road, the bike would wobble a bit. My wife was starting to get into the ride too much. I told her not to lean, but to stay straight with the bike and to stay with it.

But I knew it was a sign that she needed her own bike.

 

One of the things that used to anoy the hell out of me was passenger's helmet slamming into the back of mine. Solo seat has cured all passenger issues.
Passenger can enjoy the ride but also needs to pay attention what is going on.
I'd put off the group ride for a little while just to be safe.

 

1.) Being a newbie I think you should get the Ride Like A Pro V DVD and practice the excercises in the program. The chapter on slow speed manuvering is worth the price alone.
2.) As for the leg pain, try this - While in a standing position place one foot on a small stool (3"-5" tall) with your leg extended ( do not bend knee) slowly reach down & touch your toes. Repeat this 5 times on each leg per day. You should feel a tightness in your hamstring muscles. When the stool is not producing the tightness or burn in your hamstrings, get a taller stool. If you follow this excercise the leg pain should go away within a week or two.
3.) The only dumb question is the one you don't ask.
4.) Welcome, & ride safe! Beware of the idiots & distracted drivers...