I'm probably going to get crucified for this, but I'll say it anyway.

Men tend to make decisions based on information. Women tend to make decisions based on emotion. I've known a couple women that have thought they wanted to ride, gotten on the wrong motorcycle, never got out of first gear, gotten terrified, and never ridden again. The idea they were on a bike that wasn't 'right' for them never entered the equation.
Too much bike or too big of a bike to start out is something most men will negotiate. Nellybelle, how soon after going through the fence did the wife get back on?

 

(ot) Pete, Pete, Pete, just when you thought you had women figured out. Not that I do...

In place of "emotion", had you substituted "intuition", I would possibly not have felt compelled to respond. Great intuition and determination trumps endless discussion & planning, brute strength and awkwardness.

Besides all their other cunning and calculating tools, I believe woman are (generally) blessed w/ superior intuition.

 

Man you guys need to go ride or something.
Plain fact women like men should pick there own bikes. Everyone is different.

 

Yes, you're right. An inexperienced rider should go out and get whatever they think is pretty, whether or not they have the skills or ability to operate it.

As an experienced rider, my wife relied on my knowledge of motorcycles to select one she could easily ride and become confident on. If she had jumped on my Electra Glide and tried to take off, no matter how much she liked it, it would have probably ended with injuries to her and damage to the bike, and she probably would have never tried again.

 

Exactly. It would have been irresponsible to not be part of the decision making process.

 

Wow, really ? Liz is right, you guys need to lighten up...........go for a ride maybe grab a beer, LOL.
No one said that we as good husbands/SO should not be a part of it, but don't sell the ladies short either, they know what feels comfortable to them as well as their own level of confidence.
Honestly you get can get in plenty of trouble with some of today's "smaller" bikes anyway, look out if she wants some 600 cc crotch rocket, now you got a problem.........LOL

 

Umm guys I never said don't give advice and PART of the decision. I said at the end of the day a man or a woman needs to decide themselves with advice and sitting on a variety of bikes.
I picked my own bike with knowledge and research. And didn't get my bike cause it was pretty.

 

Hell I picked up a Rebel 450 to teach people how to ride. One person moved to a Super Glide, one moved to a Softail Standard and so forth...If you were closer I'd let you use that so you wouldn't have to buy a bike to teach on...when she got comfortable she could go with whatever SHE wanted.

 

No no no no no get her that & she'll never get any practice shifting.

 

I agree with this statement or most of it except for the first inexperienced part. My wife relied on my 35 years of riding experience to pick the bike I felt she would be able to grow comfortable with, well that was after I paid 300 bux for an 86 440 kawasaki that I didn't care what she did to and beleive me she dropped it from a standing turn a couple times and jumped to the curb looking at me like she swallowed the bird, that was her rough in bike, now she does very well and has grown in confidence 200 fold.
In fact yesterday my buddy and I were out of town for a rip maybe 90 miles from home, so before I left home I took my wifes bike ( wife was at work ) and filled it, on the the way back from our ride I told my buddy I was going to call the wife and tell her to meet me 45 minute ride out of town, so called her at work and she did the solo ride all the way out, this was her first time out on her own having to make her own decisions and dealing with the traffic. I'm sure this was very liberating for her knowing she could handle her bike without guidance.