My Wife wants to Learn to Ride - Any Tips? - Page 3

**stray cat** · 13 Jun 07, 11:37 AM

Well done that Mrs H - now wot is next on the "to do" list?

**David.Hicks** · 13 Jun 07, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stray cat

Well done that Mrs H - now wot is next on the "to do" list?

Direct Access - has to be done within 2 years I believe. I'm going to encourage her to do it sometime later this summer.

**David.Hicks** · 01 Sep 07, 09:14 AM

She did her Direct Access test this morning at 8:30 and passed !

**sweetpea** · 01 Sep 07, 10:52 AM

Well done to her

, so is it going to be a day spent bike shopping today!!

**Hereford_duke** · 01 Sep 07, 12:09 PM

Dave,

looks like its going to be expensive now for you.....................................
Hey think of the fun you can have when your bike is knackered and Mrs H says sorry you cant go pillion David, i have taken my pegs off. Catch you later hun theres a pizza in the freezer im off to west bay for an ice cream, now dont forget the hoovering and washing up

Mick

**Steve GD** · 01 Sep 07, 12:32 PM

Congratulations Mrs H. Have fun practising!!

**singletrack** · 01 Sep 07, 01:27 PM

Well done Mrs H - time for a new bike?

**MattBurf** · 01 Sep 07, 02:13 PM

I'm envious David. Mrs B won't even contemplate it. I saw a nice pair of ladies duke leathers go for a song on fleabay last week - would've looked good!

**Brian** · 01 Sep 07, 04:07 PM

well done Mrs H so when are the keys to the Hypamotard going to be passed to you for a little pootle round the coutry lanes

**David.Hicks** · 01 Sep 07, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpea

Well done to her

, so is it going to be a day spent bike shopping today!!

When she got home from the test and we had stopped dancing around in celebration, we had a cup of tea and I asked her what she wanted to do today ... 'I'd quite like to go and look at bikes' she said ... so that is what we did

A quick phone call to Bridge in Exeter established that they had a few likely candidates but no way would they let her ride anything as she hadn't hadn't her license long enough - 6 months to a year is the minimum that their insurance will allow

So we trundled over to V&J in Bridgwater instead to see what they had in the way of cheap, used 600s ... plenty as it turned-out ...

a couple of Hornet 600s
a couple of Suzuki SV650s
a very tidy Bandit 600 with 1500 miles on the clock
a new-shape Fazer 600
a couple of CBF600s
a slightly tatty Monster 620

... so she sat on a few and we whittled it down to a bit of a short-list ...

... 'any chance of a test ride'?

... 'no problem at all madam'

So she started with a Hornet and rather liked that. Then she went on to the Bandit and liked that even more. Then she went on the Fazer and didn't like it at all (is this sounding like Goldilocks and the three bikes?)

Finally (just to please me I think) she had a go on the Monster. I warned her that it would be 'rather different' from the others and she has heard me rave and moan about the highs and lows of Ducati-ownership over the years ... so I wasn't really expecting her to like it more than the Hornet or Bandit.

BUT SHE DID

In fact she rode it for twice as far as the others

The plan was for me to sell my Yamaha TTR250 and get a lower trail bike like a 225 Serow that we could share.

Looks like that plan has gone out of the window

Looks like we might need to raise the funds and make way for a baby Ducati in the garage

Anyone know of a nice tidy 695 for sale?

**David.Hicks** · 01 Sep 07, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian

well done Mrs H so when are the keys to the Hypamotard going to be passed to you for a little pootle round the coutry lanes

'Fraid I didn't buy a HM in the end Brian ... I found something even more BONKERS

... and there is no-way she is borrowing it

**andyrh** · 01 Sep 07, 05:07 PM

Well done Mrs Hicks

A monster - nice!!

Surely Dave has let you have a spin out on the SPS by now

**David.Hicks** · 01 Sep 07, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andyrh

Well done Mrs Hicks

A monster - nice!!

Surely Dave has let you have a spin out on the SPS by now

[From Mrs H]

Andy - unfortunately my feet don't touch the ground

I think I'm probably best off with a slightly smaller bike to begin with too....

Give me a year or so maybe - until I get my balance

We're celebrating now. The wine is open. It feels very good to have passed!

PS Hope the barbie went well. You had great weather for it.

[end Mrs H]

**Strada916** · 01 Sep 07, 05:14 PM

Next step is to find your local IAM Group and sign up for the IAM Skills For Life course, the best £85 you can spend on her

If you want to know the basic IAM system check out this page :

Advanced Principles

**David.Hicks** · 01 Sep 07, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Strada916

Next step is to find your local IAM Group and sign up for the IAM Skills For Life course, the best £85 you can spend on her

If you want to know the basic IAM system check out this page :

Advanced Principles

IAM?

Institute of Advanced Mono-wheelists?