another success story..
#1
06-14-2011, 08:38 PM
another success story..
I"m gonna apologize for the long rant right off but here goes..
As some of you may remember.. 3 and half years ago my wife made the decision to learn to ride. The short version is, after looking at several motors.. she decided on an '07 883 low. Now, she's all of 5 feet tall.. and 120 on her worst day.. she's been on the back of my bikes forever but this would be the first time she'd ridden anything. We bought the sporty, and first thing is she takes the msf new rider course. We spend lots of time practice in parking lots after the class and then, finally it's time to ride.. over the next 3 months.. she drops the sporty 3 times.. all low speed, no speed falls.. doing things like.. using the front brake with the wheel turned coming to a stop, not getting the bike in gear starting out.. and pulling off the road on uneven ground where she couldn't get a foot down.. stuff happens sure but at this point.. she's very depressed because she's doing things wrong that she knows from the class she shouldn't be doing. Through this all, I'm blaming myself as much as her for not being more... not forceful but.. for pushing her more to start on a smaller motor. It was at the point to where.. she was right on the verge of just giving up altogether.. But.. after taking some time to think things over.. she decides to not to quit. So ok.. first thing we do is park the 883.. and get her slightly used Buell Blast to ride. She spends all summer on the Buell and then transitions back to the 883. And hey baby.. its now a whole new ball game. She does great. Her confidence comes back, she learns how to prep the bike, check oil and tire pressures.. all that. Last July, we're at a harley open house and she test rides a new superlow 883. She comes back from that ride raving.. the superlow "fixed" everything she didn't like about the '07. Nicer ride, more comfortable bars, bigger gas tank, lower center of gravity.. on and on. Needless to say, a month later there's a new superlow in the garage. She puts 1100 plus miles on it in the first month. And since that time, she's progressed to where she now rides to work, rides with her friends, and pretty much hates days she can't get on the bike. She still rides two up with me occasionally but the point is she didn't quit and now.. she's a rider. Still new and still learning.. but none the less.. a rider.
So ok.. our dealer has drive in, no appointment state inspections.. we'd been away for the weekend to visit family.. so we both took monday off to sleep in, get a few things done and get a ride in before starting the work week. We decide to take her superlow and my ultra to get inspected and get a minor recall issue on the superlow squared away. While we are at the dealer.. she see's a 2011 deluxe on the floor. She climbs on and low and behold.. she can put her feet down. Turns out the deluxe is lowered half an inch and has a reach seat installed. The short story.. she takes it out in the training lot.. rides it for a few minutes.. comes back and doesn't take the guy up on his offer to actually test ride it on the street. While her sporty is getting done.. we ride down to the dam to watch the bald eagles.. and of course the conversation is centered on the softail.. Long story short, when we get back, the deluxe is still outside. This time, she jumps on the offer to test ride it. So, as Im' sure you've all guessed by now, tomorrow afternoon, we are bringin' the deluxe home.. Hey, I'm sorry again for the long rant... but I gotta tell ya..all this does my heart good. She's come a long way and I'm obviously very proud of her. For me anyway, there aren't too many things in life that are better than having her our there with me on her own bike.. I might be older and slower.. but hey man let me tell ya.. life is good..
Cheers
mavrick
Not to beat this post to death.. but.. if anyone is at all interested.. I'll get some pictures up in the next few days.
As some of you may remember.. 3 and half years ago my wife made the decision to learn to ride. The short version is, after looking at several motors.. she decided on an '07 883 low. Now, she's all of 5 feet tall.. and 120 on her worst day.. she's been on the back of my bikes forever but this would be the first time she'd ridden anything. We bought the sporty, and first thing is she takes the msf new rider course. We spend lots of time practice in parking lots after the class and then, finally it's time to ride.. over the next 3 months.. she drops the sporty 3 times.. all low speed, no speed falls.. doing things like.. using the front brake with the wheel turned coming to a stop, not getting the bike in gear starting out.. and pulling off the road on uneven ground where she couldn't get a foot down.. stuff happens sure but at this point.. she's very depressed because she's doing things wrong that she knows from the class she shouldn't be doing. Through this all, I'm blaming myself as much as her for not being more... not forceful but.. for pushing her more to start on a smaller motor. It was at the point to where.. she was right on the verge of just giving up altogether.. But.. after taking some time to think things over.. she decides to not to quit. So ok.. first thing we do is park the 883.. and get her slightly used Buell Blast to ride. She spends all summer on the Buell and then transitions back to the 883. And hey baby.. its now a whole new ball game. She does great. Her confidence comes back, she learns how to prep the bike, check oil and tire pressures.. all that. Last July, we're at a harley open house and she test rides a new superlow 883. She comes back from that ride raving.. the superlow "fixed" everything she didn't like about the '07. Nicer ride, more comfortable bars, bigger gas tank, lower center of gravity.. on and on. Needless to say, a month later there's a new superlow in the garage. She puts 1100 plus miles on it in the first month. And since that time, she's progressed to where she now rides to work, rides with her friends, and pretty much hates days she can't get on the bike. She still rides two up with me occasionally but the point is she didn't quit and now.. she's a rider. Still new and still learning.. but none the less.. a rider.
So ok.. our dealer has drive in, no appointment state inspections.. we'd been away for the weekend to visit family.. so we both took monday off to sleep in, get a few things done and get a ride in before starting the work week. We decide to take her superlow and my ultra to get inspected and get a minor recall issue on the superlow squared away. While we are at the dealer.. she see's a 2011 deluxe on the floor. She climbs on and low and behold.. she can put her feet down. Turns out the deluxe is lowered half an inch and has a reach seat installed. The short story.. she takes it out in the training lot.. rides it for a few minutes.. comes back and doesn't take the guy up on his offer to actually test ride it on the street. While her sporty is getting done.. we ride down to the dam to watch the bald eagles.. and of course the conversation is centered on the softail.. Long story short, when we get back, the deluxe is still outside. This time, she jumps on the offer to test ride it. So, as Im' sure you've all guessed by now, tomorrow afternoon, we are bringin' the deluxe home.. Hey, I'm sorry again for the long rant... but I gotta tell ya..all this does my heart good. She's come a long way and I'm obviously very proud of her. For me anyway, there aren't too many things in life that are better than having her our there with me on her own bike.. I might be older and slower.. but hey man let me tell ya.. life is good..
Cheers
mavrick
Not to beat this post to death.. but.. if anyone is at all interested.. I'll get some pictures up in the next few days.
Last edited by mavrickFLHR; 06-14-2011 at 08:42 PM.
#2
06-14-2011, 08:51 PM
Cruiser
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cumming, GA
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Congrats!
I'm a new rider myself and am actually having the opposite problem... my sporty is too small for me so I'm looking to move up in size soon.
Best of luck and many happy miles!
I'm a new rider myself and am actually having the opposite problem... my sporty is too small for me so I'm looking to move up in size soon.
Best of luck and many happy miles!
of adding mods.
#6
06-15-2011, 09:55 AM
Yea.. .like that's gonna happen.. lol I'm pretty sure she'll stick with keeping the motorclothes line alive.. and I'll be the one paying for mods..
and hey, thanks for the kind words people..
Cheers
mavrick
Last edited by mavrickFLHR; 06-16-2011 at 05:50 AM.
#7
06-15-2011, 10:19 AM
Tourer
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: DelaWHERE
Posts: 342
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Talking about the Dam sounds like your up near Hannums. Bought my bike there and had friends and family purchase theirs at the Chadds Ford location. Need to get out to the Dam next time I'm up there though. Congrats on the addition!
Trending Topics
#9
06-15-2011, 10:42 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Congrats! Great story. Tell your wife to check out the Queens of the Road Forum. We'd love to meet her and hear about her new ride!
