Motorcycle Worries from loved ones

[codeblue]

Seeing that we all (at least most of us) have bikes a question comes to mind and that is: What did your love ones say when you finally decided to get a bike? I know it took me nearly 3 years to get mine and that involved alot of careful devious planning (leaving motorcycle magazines, DMV manuals, etc.) in my wife's line of sight. And when I finally got the slightest hint of okay I did not hesitate to sign up for bike lessons and purchased my FZ6 soon after.
And how much flak did you get and for how long or is it still on going?:Lurking:

 

[jsteinb95]

well....sportrider_fz6 and I don't have that problem. I gave him no crap....I encouraged it, as I wanted him to be happy and he bought my bike for me. He was actually more excited than I was.

 

[vinpub]

Well it tok me a while - lots of hints, lots of comments about safty courses, lots of agreements on restrictions (such as no night rides, no riding on highways etc etc). Finally I just signed her up for a safty course and bought a bike for her (Suzuki V Strom). Now she loves it. Now we both ride together - but seperately. All the restrictions are pretty much history now.
She is now into it and cant wait for winter weather to get over! I guess my gamle paid off!

 

[HavBlue]

Too funny. Bikes have always been a part of our lives. It was piloting the flat bottom drag boat that took a piece of convincing....

 

[Nelly]

I had a bike when I met my wife. I sold it to pay for our first house rental deposit (boo hoo). I thought that that was the end of my biking days as we have young children. Early this year my wife said to me why don't you get a new bike. That was it, I threw our two year old in the car and drove 35 miles. To the nearest dealer and put a deposit down. Avril (wife) even brought it for me.
The only thing she asks is that I don't tell her what I have done on it. Fair one IMO.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

My parents still don't know. They didn't even ask me about my attire when they picked me up at the airport when I flew home to my folks for the day during Christmas. I was dressed in full gear, carrying my helmet which was inside a nylon bag which came with the helmet. For the first time, I felt safe inside of a plane knowing that I had a crash helmet and armour attire. Not that it would save me but it was a good comfort factor. $16 to park the bike at the Vegas airport for 30hrs. Major ripoff, they charged the same for me as the cagers. At least they had motorcycle parking close by the terminal.

 

[reiobard]

My wife (Girlfriend at the time) completely supported it since she liked riding on the back of bikes in the past but only put the restriction that i always wear a helmet at all times (no helmet law in NH) and on the contrary to most restrictions we now have more. She has her own bike now and the restrictions are helmet, jacket, gloves at all times.

My parents simply said 2 things:

Mom: You didn't get a Harley did you?

Step-Dad: At least you were smart enough to wait until you moved out first.

 

[HavBlue]

?
Step-Dad: At least you were smart enough to wait until you moved out first.

Not coming from a family that ever had a problem with motorcycles I will never understand this one. What does moving out have to do with owning a bike? I could see it I guess if I were under 18 but after that 18th birthday? What's up with that?

 

[GConn]

My parents still don't know either. Sad really, because I really tried more than once to tell them. They won't even listen. And I've warned them I didn't want to buy a bike and not tell them....Mother even threatens that she'll have a heart attack and other forms of blackmail Tragic, I never liked what I do, I think it's immature on their behalf. Damn, I never thought a son would accuse his 65 year old father of being immature...

 

[shaggystyle]

About 2 summers ago I told my family and friends that I had signed up for a beginners rider course the following spring. I told them that they had until then to try and talk me out of buying a bike. Obviously they failed.

 

[madmanmaigret]

beg, plead, and fight tooth and nail! and i still talked her into co-signing!

 

[DrBart2]

Just about everyone on my side of the family rides motorcycles, including my 75 year old father. My wife rides her own bike, and the problem comes from her side of the family. Everyone on her side of the family (all eight of them) think that anyone who rides a motorcycle has a true death wish. At first they gave her hell! Her mother even somehow came up that it was sinful to ride a motorcycle!!!! I don't remember how she figured it, but it had something to do with greed and dis-honoring her mother and father. My wife has been riding for about ten years now and they have pretty much given up and she has proven that riding a motorcycle doesn't mean instant death like they believe. So, now it is down to when ever we go to a family event they like to tell us about someone somewhere who died in a motorcycle accident. We just ignore them.

 

[OneTrack]

Those near and dear to me were a bit concerned when I bought my first bike in years in January of this year (a new XT225 dual-sport), and were very concerned when I traded it in for a new FZ6 in July. However, they now know that all's well and grandpa seems to have developed fairly decent survival skills on the road, whether it be on 2 wheels or 4. They can see that I ride with great responsibility and maturity (at least until I'm out of sight :Flip: )
My wife still tends to begin and end most sentences with "...ever since you got that damned bike...". She has been very reasonable and supportive of my new hobby, providing that I buy her something at the same time I buy myself a new piece of gear for either me or the bike.
Returning to the Great Sport of Motorcycling has been far and away the best decision I've made in the last 30 years. :thumbup:

 

[Botch]

My girlfriend of six years is a former ER nurse (she now teaches Surgi-Tech) and has patched up many bikers, not always successfully. When I told her I was thinking about getting one she said fine, but not to expect her to ever get on with me.
Works for me! :Sport:

 

[dfndr]

First the parents, then the kids

My parents NEVER would have allowed me to own a bike and since I had to live at home to afford college I had to live with that.
Then grad school out of town and a neat Honda 350 scrambler. Great. But started the 2d year with a cast up to my right armpit(yes, right handed). I TOLD YOU SO!
Then ten years later, married with two beautiful girls. Rode Honda 700 Nighthawk S. Unfortunately, one of their Sunday school teachers died on a bike at age 20. Then came the hard part--Every time I went to ride the wife and two girls would just stand there in the garage silently and look at me with the most forelorn look. They never said a word but the look was unbearable. Couldn't take it! Sold the bike.
Now, fifteen years later. Took the MSF course and bought a bike. Still they give me their two cents-Dad you're too old for that, what are you thinking? Ex-wife, are you f---ing crazy?
Enough!!! I'm too damn old to listen to anyone but myself-and I had a great big grin on my face yesterday when I got off the Fz6 after a great ride. No, I'm not crazy, and I'm having a fine time!

 

[wrightme43]

Wow, I am a asshole at times. I really dont know any other way to put it. Very few people have even said a word to me about riding, no one in my family. I dont talk to my Mom. I barely talk to my sister. I am very tight with my brother. I get along with my dad but thats about it. I have had a few aquantinces pop off with some kind of crap about riding, but I just start talking about all the horrible car crash deaths as grusomely as possible till they STFU. Usually never hear another word about it. Most of the people that know me, know I am very friendly, very helpful, but I am my own man. I dont know about you, but I know all kinds of people that have died horribley in cars, and they werent even having fun before they went. I know one guy that lived thru a fire, that really wishes he hadnt, it was that bad. I try to be very polite, but there is place that when people cross it, I dont even try to be tactful anymore. People die, it sucks. I know for a fact I could very well die every time I get on my bike, or in my truck, or any other thing I do. If I was scared of death, I would stay home and hide under the bed, but then the house could burn down. Oh eck. LOL
I do everything in my power to lower the risk, I practice riding skills, I have a riding strategy, I wear good gear. Thats it though.
I do pity those that never try. Poor souls will never know defeat, but they will never know victory. Just a life of bland oatmeal. Blech.. Then again, if they would let me I would get on a rocket ship and go to the moon. I have been under the artic icecap, and all kinds of places that we really werent supposed to be.
I think it was Winston Churchill who said.
Nothing is more exciting than having another man shoot at you and miss.

 

[Admin]

My wife hates my bike. It scares her she says... Her sister in law (on her brothers side) had someone close to her die in a bad crash. Shes scared of it and wont ever ever get on it. Im ok with that thou. I had the bike before we were married so she understands. She used to give me a little grief about it but is ok now......

 

[HavBlue]

My wife hates my bike. It scares her she says... Her sister in law (on her brothers side) had someone close to her die in a bad crash. Shes scared of it and wont ever ever get on it. Im ok with that thou. I had the bike before we were married so she understands. She used to give me a little grief about it but is ok now......

I can't tell you how many times I have heard this same scenario over the last 4 decades of riding. No one should ever be forced to ride however, when their only experience with riding is a friend or loved ones death that wasn't directly involving them, it's hard for me to understand how they can support any basis for their fear.

FEAR, "False Expectations Aren't Reality" and quite often I have experienced people that grow to enjoy riding if not on the street then in the dirt once they have tried it. If you never try something and can only base your fears on a bad experience that another had, how then can you say you fear something? I could see it if you had actually tried it but if not, then how can you fear it?
It's like the person that says they are allergic to bee stings and yet they have never been stung.

 

[jsteinb95]

As for my parents......my dad didn't really say anything cause he's knows I'll put him in check. My mom had a problem with it, partially because she had a bad experience as a passenger and because she was a cop for 10 years that saw alot of motorcycle crashes. She doesn't say anything anymore, but any time she sees or hears about someone dying in a motorcycle accident, she makes sure to tell me all about it. My brother didn't like it either. I always hear,"those are so dangerous." I've had to tell them before,"leave me the f**k alone." I think that helped.

 

[poorwboy]

I've always had bikes, my wife has gotten over it she knows it is what it is. My mom and grandma worry to death. I even meet people on the street that tell me you should sell it there dangrous. Well I believe when the good man upstairs gives you a phone call it doesnt matter what your doing you have to answer.