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Nervous to have my BF teach me.

by Andrea
(NJ)

Hey ladies,

So, I want to start riding...bad! I never grew up around motorcycles and was very rarely a passenger. I just want that freedom and to go enjoy the ride and I think lady riders are awesome! So, my dilemma is that I'm nervous to have my boyfriend (he has a sport bike, like I want) teach me how to ride..How do I get started? I want to learn a little before I take the class..any suggestions would be fantastic! Thanks!

Comments for Nervous to have my BF teach me.

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Jun 10, 2012

I agree and agree based off my own experience...
by: Lauren

This was just my experience and you can make up your own mind. My boyfriend DID teach me. Now, yes I would agree with most comments, bad idea except My guy is the most anal retentive, critical, hard nosed person I know. He has also been a mechanic for the last 27 years and built his own custom from the ground up and has done the maintanance on all our vehicles. He bought me an old '86 Yamaha fazer, cheap and not running. Gave the thing a complete overhaul until it ran beautifully. (and trust me I made him tweek all the sputters out before I even thought of getting on) Then he rode me over to the High School parking lot for several days a week for a couple weeks, there he taught me including a couple lectures on how to start/stop, slow maneuvers, turns, shift, fast stops, where to look, where not to look, etc. I had my good days and my bad days, there were days where I got off and yelled at him for being to hard on me, but the truth is I'm so glad he is the one I learned from. He has 25 years of riding experience, and he's the type of person if he's gonna teach you he's going to make sure you learn the right way, he maybe came off like a drill sgt but looking form the outside he's putting his girlfriend on a motorcycle! At the end of the day he always came back and recapped what I improved, what I need to further work on and he'd finish with a good job. I know now there is no way he would let me get by with only putting forth half an effort, and I'm glad of it. I'm on my second year now and have 1000 miles on this spring already. I think no matter who you learn from make sure they teach you the proper skills and make sure they have many years riding experience. There are many MC training manuals out there, they're worth the read. I also took the MCSC last fall, I highly recommend it early on in your learning, they are very skilled, knowledgable people. Happy learning :)

Sep 04, 2011

Bf and bikes
by: Susanne

Find the bike that suits you whether it's a sport bike or a cruiser. There quite a few sport bikes that are more of a neutral riding position. I personally am not a fan of the cruisers they are too big and heavy for me. I like the nimble feel and weight of the sport bike. Learn on your own bike with an instructor. If you drop your BFs bike it might give him a heart attack. A nice Ninja 250 are inexpensive and easy to find plus it makes a nice starter bike. A smaller,lighter bike is the best to learn on. CC's don't matter right now. Learn to ride first then upgrade to the bike of your liking.

Jul 13, 2010

Don't do it!
by: Lynn-SW FL

I don't recommend having your BF teach you the basics on HIS sport bike. Not a good idea! A lot of the schools now offer a "basics" 2-hr class to do just that. Teach a totally new rider the basics on a small bike. That way when you take the regular class you feel much more comfortable.

Jul 12, 2010

Take the Course!
by: Christine

Oh, boy...good luck with that! Not a good idea. I was never on a motorcycle before I took the course and at 50+ years old I passed; a few weeks later I bought a used Honda Rebel! Yes, at first I was nervous getting used to the feel, but the instructors are patient and don't flip-out when you drop the bike! As much as you care for your BF and he for you...take the course.

Good luck!

Jul 11, 2010

Learning
by: Julie

Well, before I took the MSF course, I had my husband teach me just the basics like clutch control, safe start braking etc. That small amt of skill really helped me because a lot of the course is slow gear maneuvers.I felt more in control and he was a good teacher. Yes of course you may bicker at times but I ride with my hubby and I really appreciated his patience and guidance. I ride a 250cc ninja and I luv it..Good luck..I hope his bike is not to big for you..Get in the parking lot and get a feel for it:) Happy and safe riding!!

Jul 11, 2010

I have to agree...
by: Sandra

Learn from a stranger! An instructor is perfect; and the classes are geared toward the beginners. If you feel your instructor is not "teaching" you (I've read some testimonies that their class experience made them feel inadequate) just remind the instructor, nicely, that you paid for the course, and you want or need to review certain lessons again, one on one. They cannot ride the ride for you, but they should be able to give you a few minutes of direct supervision to help you correct form, etc. Or they can tag team you with another instructor, who may word instructions differently and suddenly it "clicks" for you.

Learning from a boyfriend/husband MAY be the worst situation for you both. Frustration and tempers cause hurt personal feelings, when there's nothing personal about learning to ride...emotions between instructor and student should not be a factor!

And then there's the apology when you drop his baby, because you know it's not just a bike for him...

Jul 11, 2010

Learning to Ride
by: kp

Never, ever, never have your bf, spouse or significant other teach you to ride, ski, snowboard or fish. Maybe fish, but that's all. Please do yourself a huge favor and find out where your local MSF course is taught and do that. A sport bike is not the bike to learn on.

Jul 11, 2010

Nervous
by: Anonymous

Wait for the class and I don't care for sport bikes most people that ride them not sale riders. Just watch them ride and you will agree. Be safe.

Jul 10, 2010

Just wait for the class.
by: Fiddler

Your having such limited experience before taking the class may not be such a bad situation. These classes are taught by people who are accustomed to teaching people just like you. There is a slow intro to the controls, and you'll "duck walk" the bike before you're even allowed to put your feet on the pegs. Also, you'll likely have a much more appropriate bike to learn on than your boyfriend's sport bike. Hey - I LOVE SPORT BIKES - but unless your boyfriend has a Ninja 250, you might have a tough time with his bike's height, weight and power. Also, if there should happen to be any kind of unfortunate mishap, better that it happen to the school's bike than your boyfriend's bike. Every bike in my MSF class was battle-scarred! Just a few things to think about. Have fun in your class!

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