Does your significant other ride his/her own motorcycle?

[CheesyRider]

Those of you who have a special someone who rides their own bike, please tell us about how they got interested, how long they've been riding, and the year/make/model of their motorcycle.  Post a photo if you have one too!

[Dan K]

My wife won't even ride pillion.  Big no.

[mxvet57]

Just me, myself, and I.

[CheesyRider]

My wife and I started dating in 2007.  She loved riding on the back of my bike.  The next spring, she decided to get her own bike.  She had wanted to learn to ride before we ever met, but riding on the back of my bike made her want to pilot her own bike even more.  She purchased a new 2008 Ninja 250.  She rode that for a year and then bought a 2009 Versys.  For some reason, she never really "bonded" with that bike.  Then she rode my Bandit 1250, claimed it as her own and sold the Versys.

Here she is practicing in a parking lot when she was first learning:

[squeezer]

My wife won't even ride pillion.  Big no.

Ditto. I don't think she'll ever climb on.

She does, though, appreciate how much it means to me and has always backed me up when I wanted to ride off for a week or two.

[Yankee Dog]

The missus gave it her best shot. Took the MSF class. Bought a nice little Suzuki 250. Crashed it several times   and decided piloting just wasnt for her.    

Now she is in charge of waving and taking pictures. She has riddin all over on the back. Even did 1500 miles to Michigan via WV last year on the back of the Tiger. Says she has no desire to ride on the back of a big pig like a Goldwing  

[Mrs. DantesDame]

Many people have asked me how I met my husband, so I ended up putting the story on my website (not sure why the rest of the images aren't showing on the page; I'll fix that tonight)



I also taught the two boyfriends before him how to ride.

[bomber]

OMB has her own scoot (05 Bonneville) . . . .

She started riding in High School when her Dad brought home a very used Honda Cub.

No pics handy, but imagine the biggest grin possible, and then put a Black Bonneville under it.

[viffergyrl]

I met my SO (M.Brane) on Pashnit when I PM'd him about roads in Malibu and the Angeles Crest. He was already riding when I met him.  He had the GTS at the time and when that got wrecked, he copied me by buying a 5th Gen VFR.  

He is also to blame for me being on STN.

[viffergyrl]

Many people have asked me how I met my husband, so I ended up putting the story on my website (not sure why the rest of the images aren't showing on the page; I'll fix that tonight)



I also taught the two boyfriends before him how to ride.

So I read your sweet story after I posted above. That is so cool.  

[caasland]

Yes indeed my wife rides.

We started dating in 1999 and she had pillioned for thousands of miles with her previous boyfriend. I had just purchased a VFR800 and one trip as a pillion was enough for her to not ride on the back again. Neither of us enjoyed it.

So I bought her some gear and a 1984 Magna V30. We took the BRC together, and she has since owned (and misses) a 1995 Magna.



Currently she rides an SV650. While not as enthusiastic about riding as I am, she has taken several classes including the ERC and the Zalusky Advanced Riding Techniques here in MN. Whereas I seek the squiggly roads that lead me right back to where I started, she prefers rides on sweepers and having an actual destination.

[KLRchickie]

ZED and I had both been interested in motorcycles for most of our lives, but had never owned our own.  (He had ridden a bit here & there, I had zero motorcycle experience.)  A few years back some bug bit us and told us to start riding NOW.  We got our licenses and KLRs in early 2006 and haven't looked back

[Scratch33]

Meh.  She rides a little, I suppose.  

[cultureslayer]

I voted yes, but considering his bike has been in pieces in the living room for the past year I should probably have gone with the maybe someday option.  

[CheesyRider]

Meh.  She rides a little, I suppose.  

That's awesome!  I hope my wife and I have some time in the future to go on some epic rides together.  With a toddler at home, it might be awhile.

By the way, have you and your wife ever been riding near Lake Vermilion in MN?  I saw a couple with a pair of big touring bikes at a gas station near the lake, and the woman looked a lot like your wife.

[ConPilot1]

My ex tears it up pretty good on her Broom.




My ex-girlfriend took a crack at riding but it just wasn't in the cards for her.

[Rincewind]

My wife has been riding horses all her life, but just last year decided to take up riding motorcycles.  She rode on the back of my bikes since we were dating about 16 years ago.  

I was always asking her opinion on bikes because I wanted to make sure she'd be comfortable on the back.  The last time that I was bike shopping, she said to forget about her and to buy the bike that I wanted, and that she'd just be forced to get her own that way.  It took about 1-year before she followed through, but she did!  She took the MSF course last year with Smoker after buying an old Savage.  This past February she upgraded to a 2009 Suzuki Gladius.  

It's great to see her getting into riding bikes.  She has been piling up the miles.  While we have taken multi-day trips together before 2-up, this summer will be our first multi-day trips with us each on our own rides.  I can't wait!  

[Dan K]

Many people have asked me how I met my husband, so I ended up putting the story on my website (not sure why the rest of the images aren't showing on the page; I'll fix that tonight)



I also taught the two boyfriends before him how to ride.

Great story.  Many more years to you!

- Dan

[napper]

I'm pretty sure she does.  We just haven't met yet.

[expatbrit]

my girl was interested in me /because/ I rode; her ex-husband had done a very little, and she'd taken the MSF. She rode a little on the back with me, but really wanted to ride herself.

Luckily, I had a friend with a Ninja 250, and said friend was also off to Mongolia for the summer for a project. In return for maintenance, I got to borrow the bike. . She took the MSF again, and we swiped it, stashed it here, and she rode the wheels off the thing all summer.

In the fall, we were lucky and found an SV650 that had met a Gixxer, mugged it, and stolen it's suspension and brakes.

[expatbrit]

As pillion:



On the way to Durango:



Riding around Durango:



The SV



Track days




And up in the Tetons...

[ManWorkingHere]

My wife was girlfriend first in 2009 when she said, 'If we ride together, we should have a bigger bike.'  I upgraded her to Wife 2.0 and the 1981 Honda Silverwing became a 2001 Concours ZG1000.

We rode the Honda quite a bit that first summer.  We picnicked near Green Lake one windy, windy day.

We used to ride around Plymouth, Wisconsin and local attraction, Antoinette, until we sold wife's house this April.  (Yay)

She likes being chauffeured around by a handsome driver and I like her with me.

[bluepoof]

Peter rides, too, but not as much as I do.  

[Scratch33]

By the way, have you and your wife ever been riding near Lake Vermilion in MN?  I saw a couple with a pair of big touring bikes at a gas station near the lake, and the woman looked a lot like your wife.

Probably wasn't us - IIRC the last time we rode in Minnesota was in 2005.  

[vulcanbill]

Meh... she does OK.  

[black hills]

my bride has a old honda tlr200 that she rides around the pasture. On the street she rides with me.

[stromgal]

I still hold ever-so-faintly to the idea that I might meet him someday....  

[auggius]

I'm pretty sure she does.  We just haven't met yet.

I still hold ever-so-faintly to the idea that I might meet him someday....  

You two ought to meet...

Anyway, yes my wife does ride, although due to health issues hasn't ridden for about 5 years. But she has her fingers crossed for this year.

We met at university and she asked for a ride, which I was happy to oblige. She rode as passenger for several years and without any prodding from me, decided to learn to ride. She did well in her classes, but took additional lessons even after she passed. And with that she took over my '89 CBR600 and I got a '95 VFR750.

[boogeyman]

Yeah she's cool like that....



Now for whatever reason she feels like she needs TWO MOTORCYCLES!!!  

[KLRchickie]

Now for whatever reason she feels like she needs TWO MOTORCYCLES!!!  

Only two....

[boogeyman]

Only two....

ssssshhhhhhh!  Let's not give her any ideas.  I can't even get another motorbike until we have more space.  Garage is FULL!  Let's not talk about her horse addiction, the truck for that takes up lots of motorbike space.  So far it has been like this:  one spouse has a hobby, and the other spouse has one of whatever is needed to do that hobby, so that we can do it together.  Two motorcycles for her would upset that precarious balance.  

To answer OP's poll a little more...she got her motorcycle after a few years of riding on the back with me, fall of '07.  I think she thought it was fun, and wanted her own to ride.  She gets bored pretty easy, so riding her own is much more interesting for her, I think.  She took the MSF and passed.  She wanted a bike like they had in the class, but I knew she could handle a bigger bike to start, so we skipped the 250cc bike.  She got the '06 Suzuki S50 pictured because it fit her well, and met my requirement of no chain drive plus enough power for the four lane hiway.  We live in the country and take the hiway every day just about everywhere we go, a 250 sounded like a bad idea.  And it was blue.  

[black hills]

ssssshhhhhhh!  Let's not give her any ideas.  I can't even get another motorbike until we have more space.  Garage is FULL!  Let's not talk about her horse addiction, the truck for that takes up lots of motorbike space.  

don't get me started on the horse thing!  11 (at last count), deisel truck, 26' trailer, coral panels, water tanks (and heater$ during the winter), fencing, vet bills, hay, etc. etc. etc. not to mention entry fees and fuel to haul the things around....... the only plus is I got a cool tractor out of the deal for moving round bales .. on the other hand she never complains about money spent on motorcycles

[X1Glider]

My wife won't even ride pillion.  Big no.

Ditto.  I prefer the peacefulness of a solo ride anyway.  My escape from the every-day.

[Gary B.]

My bride rides pillion and is totally uninterested in having her own ride. She sits on the back, watches the scenery, and listens to her iPod. Never complains, whines, or bitches.

[M.Brane]

 So this chick PMs me on another forum wanting to know about roads in my neighborhood. We end up meeting on her ride, and hit it off a bit. After some time corresponding through e-mail & telecom we end up dating. I wrench on her bikes, and she makes me food. We ride a lot. Life is good.

[X1Glider]

Never complains, whines, or bitches.

You sure she's really a she? Might want to look for the tuck to be sure.

[ConPilot1]

I still hold ever-so-faintly to the idea that I might meet him her someday....  

FXT

[ConPilot1]

 So this chick PMs me on another forum wanting to know about roads in my neighborhood. We end up meeting on her ride, and hit it off a bit. After some time corresponding through e-mail & telecom we end up dating. I wrench on her bikes, and she makes me food. We ride a lot. Life is good.

That was to the point, truthful, and no bullshit.

people are so much nicer and mellower in california.

[NoGear]

When I met my wife I was jumping out of planes every weekend so she decided she wanted to give it a try so I threw her out of a plane over Galveston Island.  She liked it but I decided she was too anal retentive so I didn't want her jumping.  Anyway, she would ride with me on the back of the bike but not very often because she wanted to wear shorts and I insisted on full gear.

Jump forward ten years... when I got the FJR she decided she wanted to ride with me again. This time she reluctantly agreed to the gear. After riding on the back for a year she decided she wanted her own bike. First thing I did was make her watch and read about Brittany Morrow www.rockthegear.org because I knew if she was riding on her own I wouldn't always be there to make her wear the gear.  

She took the MSF course and passed with flying colors and we went bike shopping. She finally set her eyes on the gsx650f and decided that was the bike for her.  I add givi bags to it


Now she is riding all the time


When I was home in March we rode around East TN and she got to ride the Dragon for the first time


and at the over look


Hopefully I'll be home in time for us to make it to the Woman's Sportbike Rally in September

[radon222]

When I first met my wife 7 years ago,  she was riding a Harley.  I've slowly been converting her to the ST dark side by getting to ride the Vstrom as in pic below.  The culmination of all my hard work comes this weekend when pick up her new R1200RT  

[R Doug]

I voted "No, and doesn't plan to."  

As much as I would love to share this expereince with her, she's not remotely interested and I'm not going to push her.  I've even encouraged her to look at the Can-Am ( ).  She has a little interest in that, but nothing else.  

Last year, she purchased a convertible and is loving it.  She has told me that she is starting to get why motorcycle riding is so appealing.  But, she concludes with, "I'll limit my experience with my 4 wheels and top down."  

[jstark47]

My wife started riding before I did.  I learned to ride so as not to get left out of her new hobby.  Truth!  

Fast forward 7 years and I now I ride more than she does, but she still keeps her hand in.  She has a F650GS twin.  

[RedCBRRider]

She rides.  Here's proof.  That's her in front on the VTX.  That's my friend Lurker following.

[rfulcher]

My wife has done many miles on the back or a bike. Our honeymoon 35 years ago was a camping trip from VA to the Florida Keys on a BMW R90S.  About 5 years ago my wife took the MSF intro course. She said she wanted to learn to ride in case something happened to me on a trip she could ride my bike to get help. She loved the MSF course and loved it. However she could not touch the ground on my FJR and started looking for a bike of her own. She now rides an SV650 set up for touring. She has put about 15,000 miles on her bike including a number of 700-800 mile weekends. I like mountain roads to get to more mountain roads. She like back roads for scenery and destinations.

[dm_gsxr]

Nope. She tried several bikes (Shadow, Ninja 250, Honda Scooter, Aprilia Atlantic Scooter, Ninja 650, Honda 250) but ultimately decided it wasn't for her. She also tried riding on the back but the seat angle wasn't making her back happy. She liked riding the Goldwing we had for a short time but the bike wasn't for me (too painful on the back and head and she required I take the corners as upright as possible and always at the speed limit which was no fun).

Now she flies to destinations and I take the bike out for rides.

Carl

[Chef675]

Voted no & does not plan too.
My wife has been battling cancer since 2004 & she loves to ride on the back of the 04 Speedmaster
She really likes the back roads when can just cruise at speeds less then 65 MPH. We do do a few trips that involve going over 200 miles in a day plus spending the night somewhere. She also lets me have a bike of my own to do more spirited riding as well with an 04 Speed four
We really look forward and plan spending time together on the bike.

[NoGear]

Voted no & does not plan too.
My wife has been battling cancer since 2004 & she loves to ride on the back of the 04 Speedmaster
She really likes the back roads when can just cruise at speeds less then 65 MPH. We do do a few trips that involve going over 200 miles in a day plus spending the night somewhere. She also lets me have a bike of my own to do more spirited riding as well with an 04 Speed four
We really look forward and plan spending time together on the bike.

Good luck to your wife!

[Fourstring]

She rides.    

We've both been on the motos a lot less lately though; we picked up a hitchhiker on the last trip, so we've been bicycling much more instead of the motorcycles.