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I apologize - I removed the post and put it on the classic site where it really belonged...
[I have merged both topics together- L.A.B.]
[I have merged both topics together- L.A.B.]
Doing the "looking for a wife's bike" thing
- Thread starter MexicoMike
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Searching for a wife's bike...
She agrees that an old Norton would be cool but she doesn't want to deal with the hassle of (in her words), "worrying about what parts are going to fall off and knowing that just because it ran good today doesn't mean it will run good, or at all, tomorrow." I've tried to convince her that that is MY problem, not hers because we would always be riding together but so far she's not buying it. So she wants a modern-built classy-looking bike. And no, a CNW Norton is not in her budget! She also doesn't care for a Harley (we had a pair of them in the mid 90's and though she was OK with her low rider, I just don't/didn't get it. I sold my Harley after a year and when we rode "together" - it was her on the Low rider, me on a Ducati 916. Now THAT was weird! But she's not interested in an HD now at all.
As I posted once before (on the Norton pages), she doesn't care that much for look of the Bonneville though I suppose if forced, she would buy one. I know this might sound really bad but does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the Indian-made Royal Enfield? It does look cool and she likes the pics she's seen. But I worry about the fact that it's made in India and the fact that it only has 28HP with a top speed of around 80. She's no road racer and doesn't care to be but still...that seems awfully anemic. But I've read some pretty nice reviews of the bike. Any actual knowledge (or opinions)?
She does not want a Japanese bike.
She agrees that an old Norton would be cool but she doesn't want to deal with the hassle of (in her words), "worrying about what parts are going to fall off and knowing that just because it ran good today doesn't mean it will run good, or at all, tomorrow." I've tried to convince her that that is MY problem, not hers because we would always be riding together but so far she's not buying it. So she wants a modern-built classy-looking bike. And no, a CNW Norton is not in her budget! She also doesn't care for a Harley (we had a pair of them in the mid 90's and though she was OK with her low rider, I just don't/didn't get it. I sold my Harley after a year and when we rode "together" - it was her on the Low rider, me on a Ducati 916. Now THAT was weird! But she's not interested in an HD now at all.
As I posted once before (on the Norton pages), she doesn't care that much for look of the Bonneville though I suppose if forced, she would buy one. I know this might sound really bad but does anyone have any experience or thoughts about the Indian-made Royal Enfield? It does look cool and she likes the pics she's seen. But I worry about the fact that it's made in India and the fact that it only has 28HP with a top speed of around 80. She's no road racer and doesn't care to be but still...that seems awfully anemic. But I've read some pretty nice reviews of the bike. Any actual knowledge (or opinions)?
She does not want a Japanese bike.
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MM
new wife?
( i have found that less women in fact typically means more bikes!)
new wife?
( i have found that less women in fact typically means more bikes!)
maylar
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BTDT. I will make only one recommendation - LET HER DECIDE. It needs to fit HER, not you. Try to keep your own bias and preferences to yourself. For some of us, that's not easy...
Take her to the local dealerships until she falls in love with something. It'll most likely be Japanese - you need to be OK with that.
I wanted my wife to ride a Norton too, but she picked a Honda 500.
Take her to the local dealerships until she falls in love with something. It'll most likely be Japanese - you need to be OK with that.
I wanted my wife to ride a Norton too, but she picked a Honda 500.
slimslowslider
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Maybe she fancies retro bikes?
Like Kawa W800, or Guzzi V7 Classic or V7 Café Classic?
Like Kawa W800, or Guzzi V7 Classic or V7 Café Classic?
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
When the Indian-Enfields were first marketed, their build quality and reliability was rather poor. Then, they started funneling their exports through Fritz Egli and he made a host of changes to get them up to snuff. As I understand it now, they are producing a unit construction motor that has all the internal updates Egli specified-better main bearings and trans gears and bushings, better clutch etc. etc. They are still anemic power-wise, but the quality is considerably better.
When the Indian-Enfields were first marketed, their build quality and reliability was rather poor. Then, they started funneling their exports through Fritz Egli and he made a host of changes to get them up to snuff. As I understand it now, they are producing a unit construction motor that has all the internal updates Egli specified-better main bearings and trans gears and bushings, better clutch etc. etc. They are still anemic power-wise, but the quality is considerably better.
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
#1 priority would be an electric starter I would think and if she wants a new bike, the most classic looking one is the new Kawasaki W800, for a used bike, a W650 would be my choice. If she doesn't mind kick starting, why not go with a 500 Triumph, it would be easier to start and can be made to look good too, either full stock or decked out as a café racer.
I was at my friend's shop yesterday and one of his customers is getting just that, a 500 Triumph for his GF. He is a bit of a rockabily guy and the bike will have a plunger rear end (only because it can't legally be a rigid)
Jean
#1 priority would be an electric starter I would think and if she wants a new bike, the most classic looking one is the new Kawasaki W800, for a used bike, a W650 would be my choice. If she doesn't mind kick starting, why not go with a 500 Triumph, it would be easier to start and can be made to look good too, either full stock or decked out as a café racer.
I was at my friend's shop yesterday and one of his customers is getting just that, a 500 Triumph for his GF. He is a bit of a rockabily guy and the bike will have a plunger rear end (only because it can't legally be a rigid)
Jean
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FWIW, my wife's first bike, after taking the MFS course, was a Hinckley Triumph Bonneville. I had to lower it a bit to fit her but it was otherwise a perfect choice. Should be a lot of 'em out there used now, at "popular prices" (although that seems true for most bikes these days). Best of luck.
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
I just showed her some pics of that Kwaker W800 and she thought it looked really neat, DESPITE it being a Japanese bike!
We'll be in San Antonio, TX for the Xgiving week and we'll go look at one of those and the Bonneville (again). But based on pics she thinks the Kaw looks more "classic" than the Bonneville does. It has to be e-start; She won't do kickstart (she could, she's a horse jumper and 6ft tall but she won't)
Great suggestion - I had no idea Kaw was making anything like that and it didn't occur to me to look...
I just showed her some pics of that Kwaker W800 and she thought it looked really neat, DESPITE it being a Japanese bike!
We'll be in San Antonio, TX for the Xgiving week and we'll go look at one of those and the Bonneville (again). But based on pics she thinks the Kaw looks more "classic" than the Bonneville does. It has to be e-start; She won't do kickstart (she could, she's a horse jumper and 6ft tall but she won't)
Great suggestion - I had no idea Kaw was making anything like that and it didn't occur to me to look...
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
OOPS...from what I'm reading on the web, the 800 won't be coming to the US so I guess we WON'T be seeing it in San Antonio.
OOPS...from what I'm reading on the web, the 800 won't be coming to the US so I guess we WON'T be seeing it in San Antonio.
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
I gotta ask........
What's wrong with Jap bikes?
dependability is the first thing that I would look for if I didn't want to work on a bike.
You could always pick up an old BMW. They are totally reto AND durable.
(That is unless she's got something against German bikes too)
I gotta ask........
What's wrong with Jap bikes?
dependability is the first thing that I would look for if I didn't want to work on a bike.
You could always pick up an old BMW. They are totally reto AND durable.
(That is unless she's got something against German bikes too)
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***DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER DANGER***
Most women do not have the male toss and tumble physics risk taking/avoiding reflexes most guys get/have. My Commando buddy Wes and my Sweet One both taught us a life and limb saving lesion about novice female cyclists BEWARE.
Yet its a good sign if a gal wants to ride and they can be as good or better as any man at about any thing they put their more blurry fuzzy logic interconnected unifying brain/desires to.
In my case I was kinda pushing to have a companion in heaven-hell Ozarks. My wife had a Triumph Spifire she traded a racer for his Lotus Elan +2, so racer could afford to be more competitive in his class. She has save a 360' on ice spin coming down Peantops Mt in Virginia with a passenger after leaving a club 2 am.
Her current car is a Geo Storm GSi I loved to sling around turns her. So thought she had the innate wits for 2 wheels and she was attracted to looks and step through of Honda 250 Reflex scooter with ABS. She refuses wisely never to by my pillion, seeing how busted up I get too routinely but rode fine as pillion on scooter over THE Gravel exploring. My plan was to get to rural pavement and let her get a feel for it on her own then take a safty course and get some traffic and road hazard wits. Well she'll just knew she knew better than me, so while i was out she took scooter across our smooth lawn to fly a bit wide of mowed area into pasture grass and promptly dumped it a few mph scuffing the plastic. She could not pick it back up so no hidding her ignoring my learning curve idea.
That scared her - being so out of control- so much so I realized it only takes one opps over sight in places here to be life time crippling or deadly. Scooter never got tagged, still in storage.
Wesly's S.O. is more muscular athletic - rides pillion like born to it all day long in tough conditions. She wanted her own ride so picked a 400 Bergaman scooter.
Wes took her on familizing ride 15 miles up twisty climb to let her ride back down. She took off hard and was flying down the turns too fast so Wes said hey slow down, - She turned her head back at him in some anger - Why Should I !!!
Then keep staring back at him for an answer!!!!
Wes' said his being frooze in terror - no idea what to do-say - as wife continued on throttle down a drop off tree lined sweeper almost twice the marked speed. He yelled look out but that just pissed her off more and so kept on hi speed attitude. At bottom Wes made her get on back, at home he was told she was just impressing him with her control of things!!!!. He said he got that in Spades.
Next week he let her take scooter to follow his '71 to a city 50 miles away and worked out fine. They ate and he let her lead way out of city. On last traffic light L turn he was on inside so left first but a few blocked down no wife in sight. Swung back to see she'd nailed trottle like on hwy and was too afraid to lean enough and impacted side of a car and slid down the between line of cars.
Not real injury to her or scooter, car side dinged in. She got ticket and insurance claim to pay. Wes and her still thinking just one in a row learning curves, she took her safey class on last turn to finish up she swung wide crossed double yellow to enter parking. Police told her she had passed her test but possibly deadly failed by her last wide turn. He told her very very seriously - ya know some people have good feel/attitude for motorycling and some just don't and she was someone he did not think would survive long on a motorycle, here's your paper, your call. Someone else in authority got through to her so lets Wes do the driving.
Color and reaching ground and ability to pick it up tops the list for women.
Let her get a re-saleble small bike then on tarmac get some feel then let lot of air out tires and let her do it again to get feel of subtle hints of out of control bike and also a flat tire behavior before full blow out. If she thinks that was sorta fun, wooHow you have a keeper that can expect neat adventures before calling it quits in the end.
Safe Journeys
Most women do not have the male toss and tumble physics risk taking/avoiding reflexes most guys get/have. My Commando buddy Wes and my Sweet One both taught us a life and limb saving lesion about novice female cyclists BEWARE.
Yet its a good sign if a gal wants to ride and they can be as good or better as any man at about any thing they put their more blurry fuzzy logic interconnected unifying brain/desires to.
In my case I was kinda pushing to have a companion in heaven-hell Ozarks. My wife had a Triumph Spifire she traded a racer for his Lotus Elan +2, so racer could afford to be more competitive in his class. She has save a 360' on ice spin coming down Peantops Mt in Virginia with a passenger after leaving a club 2 am.
Her current car is a Geo Storm GSi I loved to sling around turns her. So thought she had the innate wits for 2 wheels and she was attracted to looks and step through of Honda 250 Reflex scooter with ABS. She refuses wisely never to by my pillion, seeing how busted up I get too routinely but rode fine as pillion on scooter over THE Gravel exploring. My plan was to get to rural pavement and let her get a feel for it on her own then take a safty course and get some traffic and road hazard wits. Well she'll just knew she knew better than me, so while i was out she took scooter across our smooth lawn to fly a bit wide of mowed area into pasture grass and promptly dumped it a few mph scuffing the plastic. She could not pick it back up so no hidding her ignoring my learning curve idea.
That scared her - being so out of control- so much so I realized it only takes one opps over sight in places here to be life time crippling or deadly. Scooter never got tagged, still in storage.
Wesly's S.O. is more muscular athletic - rides pillion like born to it all day long in tough conditions. She wanted her own ride so picked a 400 Bergaman scooter.
Wes took her on familizing ride 15 miles up twisty climb to let her ride back down. She took off hard and was flying down the turns too fast so Wes said hey slow down, - She turned her head back at him in some anger - Why Should I !!!
Then keep staring back at him for an answer!!!!
Wes' said his being frooze in terror - no idea what to do-say - as wife continued on throttle down a drop off tree lined sweeper almost twice the marked speed. He yelled look out but that just pissed her off more and so kept on hi speed attitude. At bottom Wes made her get on back, at home he was told she was just impressing him with her control of things!!!!. He said he got that in Spades.
Next week he let her take scooter to follow his '71 to a city 50 miles away and worked out fine. They ate and he let her lead way out of city. On last traffic light L turn he was on inside so left first but a few blocked down no wife in sight. Swung back to see she'd nailed trottle like on hwy and was too afraid to lean enough and impacted side of a car and slid down the between line of cars.
Not real injury to her or scooter, car side dinged in. She got ticket and insurance claim to pay. Wes and her still thinking just one in a row learning curves, she took her safey class on last turn to finish up she swung wide crossed double yellow to enter parking. Police told her she had passed her test but possibly deadly failed by her last wide turn. He told her very very seriously - ya know some people have good feel/attitude for motorycling and some just don't and she was someone he did not think would survive long on a motorycle, here's your paper, your call. Someone else in authority got through to her so lets Wes do the driving.
Color and reaching ground and ability to pick it up tops the list for women.
Let her get a re-saleble small bike then on tarmac get some feel then let lot of air out tires and let her do it again to get feel of subtle hints of out of control bike and also a flat tire behavior before full blow out. If she thinks that was sorta fun, wooHow you have a keeper that can expect neat adventures before calling it quits in the end.
Safe Journeys
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
Nothing's wrong with them - I spent most of my riding life on them. But my wife originally did not want a Jap bike. But as someone else pointed out - it's HER bike, not mine so what I think shouldn't really matter (I'd buy that Royal Enfield just as "another bike"). But we've been discussing it and she's now OK with a Jap bike if she likes the styling...like that Kawasaki 800.
Nothing's wrong with them - I spent most of my riding life on them. But my wife originally did not want a Jap bike. But as someone else pointed out - it's HER bike, not mine so what I think shouldn't really matter (I'd buy that Royal Enfield just as "another bike"). But we've been discussing it and she's now OK with a Jap bike if she likes the styling...like that Kawasaki 800.
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In the early 90's I taught her to ride motorcycles using my Honda CB1100F, she then bought a Harley Low Rider and took her motorcycle road/license test on that. She's 6 ft tall, jumps horses, and was a commercial airline pilot. So a lot of the usual "girly" motorcycle stuff doesn't really apply. She COULD kickstart a bike but she won't. She likes "classic" bikes and is not interested in folding her body onto a sportbike. Actually she loves the look of the fastback Commando and I've told her we can make a 75 Estart into one but she's heard so many stories re reliability that a Norton is a non starter (no pun intended).
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OH gosh that's a gal made for a Commando! I'd sure pressure her nice as can be for one. If I can get the compression releases figured out that would open up kicker commandos to a whole lot more folks. I'm excited for your wife's new road life
with and w/o you.
with and w/o you.
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Re: Searching for a wife's bike...
Check the dealers, the W650 wasn't a big seller (too small :roll: by american standards used to 100CID HDs :roll: :roll: ) they may even have new ones in stock or check the classifieds for a used one, again not big seller so it may either be hard to find or dirt cheap. IMOHO, it is the best looking copy of a Triumph ever made, looks even better than what Triumph is offering now.
Jean
Check the dealers, the W650 wasn't a big seller (too small :roll: by american standards used to 100CID HDs :roll: :roll: ) they may even have new ones in stock or check the classifieds for a used one, again not big seller so it may either be hard to find or dirt cheap. IMOHO, it is the best looking copy of a Triumph ever made, looks even better than what Triumph is offering now.
Jean
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I'd take her to a triumph dealer and try out a few of their new offerings. I can tell you there is virtually no maintenance on them as I've had four. They are fast comfortable and even the bonnies look like the older type triumphs. Plus they can be had for pretty darn cheap used. Or convince her to get something you really want and......................