Converting a reluctant partner to motorcyling?

My wife and I recently returned from Nepal where we had a fantastic trekking
holiday. Whilst there, we bumped into a terribly nice chap (Rick) who
organises motorcycle tours in Nepal on a variety of Royal Enfields.
(http://www.heartsandtears.com).

This tickles my fancy more than a little but my better half won't hear of
it. Any suggestions on how to win her over to the idea for this one trip at
least? I should add that I've not ridden a motorbike since I was a teenager
and I'm now well into my midlife crisis age (54). My wife has never been on
one in her life as far as I'm aware and has no ambition to ride one either.

Looking for a new partner who *will* entertain the idea isn't an option, I
rather like the one I have. ;-)

Tim

 

Whereabouts are you?

 

mid-life.

 

I really don't think it's the sort of trip for a tyro and a complete
novice, you know.

Just go out and buy one, and then bring the other half along on a ukrm
French Run.

 

That was my first thought, after watching some videos on youtube about such
trips. However, the company at the url above, certainly market it as
suitable for complete novices, offering training packages.

Personal insurance will be one factor. Most insurers won't cover you to
ride anything over 125cc and of those that do, they will insist you have a
full licence. So, the OP, if he rode around on L plates as a teenager, may
need to pass his UK test.

 

So go without her. I do.

 

SW Scotland.

Tim

 

Yep. I wasn't planning on riding the whole way to Nepal. ;-) If the
testimonials can be believed, it sounds like Rick is a pretty ace
instructor. That said, if I really did want to take this further, I'd
almost certainly do my test here first.

Actually, it looks like a UK car licence is suffiicient for riding a bike in
Nepal but I want to get a UK bike licence at some point anyway.

Tim

 

Well there are a few Scots who hang around here. Alternatively, Pat
and I live in Washington.

My thought was that you could maybe find a friendly biker, and
pillion, or two that your missus could chat to and possibly even have
a gentle ride with.

 

This has three outcomes:

1) He passes his test and rides your ZZR
2) He passes his test and you ride his new bike
3) Two sets of car keys in a wooden salad bowl.

 

No way!

That's probably too broad a definition of "pillion".

However, if his missus wants a gentle ride then the offer's open.

 

but it's not good enough to meet the conditions of your personal & medical
insurance.

 

Hi Tim

I'm in Ayr, if you want to meet up.

I Started riding road bikes (CB500) 5 years ago at the age of 39 and
my wife wanted to ride pillion which was a bit of a nightmare as she
was always looking around her and moving around in the seat at the
worst time - sharp right hander, look over right shoulder at the car
that's just gone past, leaning to the right - oh look how close the
tarmac's getting, you get the idea.

So I persuaded her to do her CBT to get the idea of how body position
on the bike can affect its handling and direction, after riding a bike
herself she was hooked, sat her test and we now both have bikes
(GS500F, Bandit 1250) and try to tour and camp as much as possible, we
are going camping to Glencoe with some mates in 3 weeks time brrrrr.

I agree with Colin, try and persuade your wife to have a go as either
a pillion or take her to a training school to get her to ride a bike
herself, I don't mind taking her pillion if she's up for it, I may be
able to offer a jacket and helmet, depending on size.

 

GYASB

 

+1
I've ridden in India and traveled a fair bit in Nepal. In the lowlands
you might survive, but in the mountains, it would be scary. (And the
mountains are why you go to Nepal.) The roads are horrendous, and
you'd be facing truck and bus traffic that is, shall we say,
"interesting." Another word might be "manic." Not that a tour would
ride at night, but they have the habit of driving without lights until
they see oncoming traffic, at which point they turn on the high beams.
I rode inside and as close to the front row as possible in buses until
I realized the safest place was on top, where one could jump off if
the bus went over the side - which happens entirely too often.
To expect someone to gain enough skill to navigate unpaved mountain
roads with 3rd world traffic (& with a pillion,) in a couple of days
is optimistic.

 

But you don't even know her.