Beginning Bike for My Mom

[jadziadax8]

IT'S HER FIRST BIKE, NOT HER LAST

Are you making a suggestion to me or to her?

That's what I've been trying to convey to her as well.  I'm just afraid she's going to end up like this guy.  If this is a legit deal, I'd bet anything he thought he wanted a big mean cruiser, and then realized he didn't like riding it because it was hard to handle and uncomfortable.  Hence he's selling it.

[cultureslayer]

Maybe find someone else with balance issues or similar problem to send her an email?

She can write you off as an over concerned daughter but maybe someone with a similar problem will be listened to.  

[jadziadax8]

Maybe find someone else with balance issues or similar problem to send her an email?

She can write you off as an over concerned daughter but maybe someone with a similar problem will be listened to.  

An excellent point.  I wonder if there's anyone here who is riding with Minnear's Disease.  I think I'll go ask the question over on the General Discussion board.

[Jes_VFR]

I hate to sound blase about this, but she did say she was going to ride her friends 1100.

What do you think will happen when she drops it in the parking lot?
Will that be enough to convince her to look at a smaller and lighter bike.
If so show her that there is more than small and big cruisers, show her the middle and upper middle weights (like maybe an vulcan 800, shadow 750 or a boulevard 50series) these are not the little cruisers, but they are not the 1100 beasts either.
Also show her the more upright fz6 and fz1000, the sv650 (not the full faired model)and its big brother the base sv1000, the bandit, the ninja 650r.
ask her to at least sit on those bikes so she can see how much easier they are to balance.

[jadziadax8]

I hate to sound blase about this, but she did say she was going to ride her friends 1100.

What do you think will happen when she drops it in the parking lot?
Will that be enough to convince her to look at a smaller and lighter bike.
If so show her that there is more than small and big cruisers, show her the middle and upper middle weights (like maybe an vulcan 800, shadow 750 or a boulevard 50series) these are not the little cruisers, but they are not the 1100 beasts either.
Also show her the more upright fz6 and fz1000, the sv650 (not the full faired model)and its big brother the base sv1000, the bandit, the ninja 650r.
ask her to at least sit on those bikes so she can see how much easier they are to balance.

I hope she doesn't drop it, but I also hope it shows her how hard they are to manage.  She's really impatient about this whole thing, and I bet she'll go out and buy one without finding the time for a test ride.

I asked her about why she's so gung-ho about having a big bike and she told me that a 900 - 1100 cc bike is a middleweight cruiser to her.    I told her I wouldn't say another word if she took the MSF BRC again before buying the bike.  She said that they were all full, and she wanted to take it again after she'd had some saddle time.    I told her that you can walk in to any of them and sign up for an alternate position.  We'll see what happens.

I've been showing her all sorts of different bikes.  I've sent links to 650s and 700s.  I won't bother about anything that looks remotely sporty.  She sat on my Ninja 650 and said it was too tall for her.  I think she's picturing herself as Rose's alter ego from Rose is Rose.

[Triple88a]

Tell her to try as a walk in (there is a better chance of getting in early in the mourning).  I got in on a course that started Saturday mourning.

[jadziadax8]

Tell her to try as a walk in (there is a better chance of getting in early in the mourning).  I got in on a course that started Saturday mourning.

Thanks for the suggestion.

I told her that you can walk in to any of them and sign up for an alternate position.  We'll see what happens.

 

[sscully]

Sorry to hear about your situation here, but I do have to interject that if she had a 1100 she could pick it up, if she did it correctly.

Skertz has been around for some time, and this is what I sent to my DDS when he ( mistakenly ) bought a behemoth HD ( he is 5'10" maybe about 160# ).

http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/
 
I tried this method with my '88 GL1500 ( prior to the 2002 ZG ) and it made it so much easier hefting that beast off its side ( at the time I could mussel damn near anything with enough time & determination, now I wouldn't be able to walk straight for a week if I tried that ).  

This only addresses the up righting of a downed beast, not addressing if she is "ready" for X bike.

I will say I started on a Kawk CSR305 back in 1984 and I rode that bike to death,  keeping pace with dad and the BMW group to BMW rallies.

Everyone else in the group had larger displacement bikes ( R100RS/7 with Windjammer, R100RS/7 stock plastic, R90S, etc ), but did not get stupid with passing multiple cars, etc ( i.e. they knew how to ride in a group ).

If she is with a HD crowd, what is the HP on those, 53 to 73 ?  The 1100 in the group is the highest I am guessing.  If the group rides like a group, this is not an issue.

A guy at the Starbucks just got a Shadow 750, and it looks huge next to a Shadow VLX ( 600 )
The 750 is 496# ( ~100# less then the ZG ) for the version I looked up quick.
Rake is 34*, vs a standard in the 28-29* range.

An 1100 I think is going to be ~ 600# ( on par with the ZG, but distribution is bit different ).

If physical size is the name of the game here, have her look into a 750 class cruiser, the dimensions "look" similar While shedding some sprung weight.  If this is a displacement plate issue, not much you can say about it  

Hope this helps with the obvious parts of the conversation, the other about Minnear's Disease I have no input on.  I could go either way with that one with the no knowledge I have about it.

Good luck finding out why an 1100 is the answer
 

[Triple88a]

Thanks for the suggestion.

Also when she is doing her exams at the end of the course, tell her to go slower and not use the speedometer on the bikes   When i did my exam i went by the speed on the speedometer and i screwed up.  If you go slower they will make you do it again because you're going slow (no punishment points), if you go too fast and screw up.. too bad for you.

I went fast and i clipped a cone when i did the swerve which killed my score so i failed.

[phoenix]

Is there any chance that her gal-pals could talk to her about her bike choice? Or maybe I skipped over something that said they were encouraging the 1100 as her starter bike. I would *hope* that some of her peers could have the same type of discussion with her, and she would accept those comments. Its looking a bit like she doesn't want to take pointers from her daughter.

Just a quick note. I had a V-Star 1100. I've had a few cruisers. Although I think that many cruisers are fantastic looking machines, I just end up feeling negatively about them and I'm pretty sure I won't go in that direction again. The riding position to me just does not inspire confidence. I just don't feel like I am in total control of the bike like I do when I'm on a standard or a sportbike. The laid back seating position only made me feel like I was along for the ride, with not enough control. Going from a sportbike to the 1100, I also didn't like the slow steering and lack of ground clearance.

I wish you could talk into something along the lines of a Yamaha XT225. Small light, and no worries if it tips over. Yeah, its on the complete other side of the spectrum of the V-Star and I doubt you would have any chances with suggesting it. I'm tempted to think that she would just have to learn from her own choices and I hope there's no hard lessons.

A few weeks ago my dad (72 years old and has his own set of health issues) said something along the lines that he was thinking about getting a GoldWing. I think it would be his first bike. I don't think he's even taken a spin around the block on a motorcycle in 20 years. But he was fairly vague about it so I don't think its going to happen.

[jadziadax8]

I wish you could talk into something along the lines of a Yamaha XT225. Small light, and no worries if it tips over. Yeah, its on the complete other side of the spectrum of the V-Star and I doubt you would have any chances with suggesting it. I'm tempted to think that she would just have to learn from her own choices and I hope there's no hard lessons.

A lot of it is about ccs, I think.  She won't even consider a 250.  I asked.  She thinks she needs the power.  What she doesn't understand hp/weight ratios, but I'm not sure I even want to get into that conversation, because it will probably get her thinking about bigger bikes.

[Triple88a]

What she doesn't understand hp/weight ratios, but I'm not sure I even want to get into that conversation, because it will probably get her thinking about bigger bikes.

Compare it to a car then.  A bike has much much better ratio.

[STeve3b3]

This thread petered out a few years ago and I just stumbled upon it checking out post's I'd replied to.

Did your mom ever get the 1100?

How did she do?

Steve

[jadziadax8]

This thread petered out a few years ago and I just stumbled upon it checking out post's I'd replied to.

Did your mom ever get the 1100?

How did she do?

Steve

Well, she decided that with the Minnear's Disease and all that 2 wheels were not enough.  Therefore she bought a used Porsche.  She got a great deal on it and had a lot of fun last summer with it.  I still haven't gotten to drive it, though.

[bassjones]

Well, she decided that with the Minnear's Disease and all that 2 wheels were not enough.  Therefore she bought a used Porsche.  She got a great deal on it and had a lot of fun last summer with it.  I still haven't gotten to drive it, though.

   There's always the Can-Am Spyder now...

[Loki]

Well, she decided that with the Minnear's Disease and all that 2 wheels were not enough.  Therefore she bought a used Porsche.  She got a great deal on it and had a lot of fun last summer with it.  I still haven't gotten to drive it, though.

Your Mom hasn't dropped it yet has she?

One thing you forgot to mention is this whole thread...there is a history of dropping bikes in the family.  (ducking here)  Lol

Just sayin'

Hugzz

P;

[jadziadax8]

Your Mom hasn't dropped it yet has she?

One thing you forgot to mention is this whole thread...there is a history of dropping bikes in the family.  (ducking here)  Lol

Just sayin'

Hugzz

P;

Hey, it wasn't my fault.  Someone around here just has to have a gravel driveway.

 

[jsanford]

Can you disown your parents in reverse for doing something like that?

+1

Take her around to several shops and have her sit on everything, even bikes she shouldn't get at her current level of experience. Tell her there are a lot of new options out there since 1995.  Since she sat on a Tiger, it sounds like she's open to other models.

As for styles, it doesn't really matter as much amongst friends. As a woman rider she's going to stand out in mixed company anyway.