Any women riders?

[riderchick]

Check on both. I was already ATGATT for the road and now I'm set for dirt too as the BF bought me gear in celebration of buying the bike.

Lucky me -- the person who does the course scheduling and instructor training for the PA MSF is the SO of a good friend of mine -- he's passed my name to his counterpart in Delaware so I'm on the road to being among the first to register for March classes when the schedule is posted in the next few weeks!

I'm not much for cold weather, so the amount of time spent outside before the course will be limited. The winter lesson plan is just helping me find my balance on the bike and figure out how to work the clutch and braking with the hand & foot at the same time. Oh Boy!

Riderchick

Originally Posted by DrMike

Welcome to the Asylum.

Before anything else happens find and sign up for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic Course. With luck you will be able to get one for when the weather is finally warm enough to ride. Three Reasons:
1) you will pass or not even need to take your driving test at DMV once you complete the course.
2) Insurance cost goes down by more than the cost of the course.
3) Best organized and conducted training outside of the Marine Corps I have ever seen. They really know what they are doing, how to do it and do it well.

ATGATT! Saved my hide once already.

I am profoundly envious of your BF to have found a woman with the go to ride beside him and in front of him instead of only behind him.

You go, Girl.

DrMike

[riderchick]

I've been following along with Bonnie Abbzug's first rides -- that's what pushed me over the wavering line to go ahead and get the bike. I'm a shorty too, so seeing another shorter woman have success when just touching the ground is a challenge was just what I needed to see.

Riderchick

Originally Posted by Hayduke

Welcome! That TW is a cooool bike! Once you have your first little fall, you'll get over your fear. I'm teaching Bonnie Abbzug to ride, and she had her first little get off in some sand a few weeks ago. She was mostly upset that I missed the pic...

I understand what Sachiwilson says about not letting your boyfriend teach you, but I guess it just depends. I have had alot of fun teaching Bonnie Abbzug, and it has worked out fine. Although I had never taught anyone before, I am a flyfishing guide and I teach alot of beginners, so I have learned to have tons of patience. (flyfishing is far more frustrating, IMHO). I also have an incentive to do well at teaching- I have a great new riding buddy!

Good luck and take lots of pics!

[BMWBabe]

Originally Posted by riderchick

Well, after months of reading the board as a backseat driver, I am now one step closer to being a "Woman Rider." We picked up my new, to me, 2005 Yamaha TW200 last weekend, got it registered & titled Wednesday and passed my Learner's Permit written test the same night.

I think my BF is more excited than I am at this point (I have this terrible fear of falling), but I'm getting there.

Now the temps just need to inch up a little bit so I don't freeze my patootie off trying to learn.

Riderchick

Welcome aboard! I'm sure you'll love it. It's the best.

As for the fear of falling thing....don't sweat it. It's not so bad.

[Bonnie Abbzug]

Originally Posted by riderchick

I've been following along with Bonnie Abbzug's first rides -- that's what pushed me over the wavering line to go ahead and get the bike. I'm a shorty too, so seeing another shorter woman have success when just touching the ground is a challenge was just what I needed to see.

Riderchick

Hi riderchick, and welcome!!! I think it's awesome that so many women are getting into riding these days - it really is too much fun!

Being short does have it's limitations, but fortunately there are a couple of bikes out there that will work for us. It scares the crap out of me to think I won't be able to flat foot it on my new bike, but I think as long as I can put some foot down it will be ok. As for falling - it's not really that bad, at least in sand it wasn't!

I can't say enough good about Hayduke being a great teacher for me. He taught me to snowboard about 10 yrs ago and that was not a pleasant experience, but for some reason with riding it's been different. He's been amazingly patient and has found a way to give contructive criticism that helps me a lot. Of course maybe part of it is that I have accepted the fact that in this one thing he is better than me , just this one though . I will be taking the MSF course as soon as the weather gets better, hopefully by March! Good luck and most importantly HAVE FUN!!!!

And don't forget to post ride reports, with pics!!!!

[Joyous7]

Hey All,

It is a pleasure to post to this thread and seeing all the women riding out there. I am not new to bikes, but new to finally seeing that it is more important to live life whilst you are still able. Off with the chains!!


Always,

Joyous

[riderchick]

The TW200 is pretty low (31 inch seat height) but I can still only tippy toe when sitting on it. It's got a really fat rear tire though, so balancing should be easier even if I can't fully touch the ground. Atleast I hope so...guess we'll soon find out.

[Hayduke]

Originally Posted by riderchick

The TW200 is pretty low (31 inch seat height) but I can still only tippy toe when sitting on it. It's got a really fat rear tire though, so balancing should be easier even if I can't fully touch the ground. Atleast I hope so...guess we'll soon find out.

You should be able to lower it, or at least cut the seat down...

[FemmeFatale]

Just wanted to stop-in and say HI to the "gals".

I have a BMW F650 and started taking private lessons last summer...haven't been able to keep it up with the cold weather (motorcycle riding and scuba diving are much nicer in warm weather!!) Have the Learners Permit and trying to decide between taking the Harley "Riders Edge" course or the MSF course to get the final license...anyone have a preference one way or the other??

Oh- and how do I get over this fear I have of falling? I'm 5'3" and the BMW is great..low profile....but I can't shake this tightening of the arms and thumping heart feeling that I get just before I finally relax a bit. It happens every time and I want to just be able to hop on and take off...

Someone suggested renting or getting a used dirt bike and take it off road and just get used to laying it down....

Open to suggestions....please.....

[BMWBabe]

Originally Posted by MotoMuse03

Just wanted to stop-in and say HI to the "gals".

I have a BMW F650 and started taking private lessons last summer...haven't been able to keep it up with the cold weather (motorcycle riding and scuba diving are much nicer in warm weather!!) Have the Learners Permit and trying to decide between taking the Harley "Riders Edge" course or the MSF course to get the final license...anyone have a preference one way or the other??

Oh- and how do I get over this fear I have of falling? I'm 5'3" and the BMW is great..low profile....but I can't shake this tightening of the arms and thumping heart feeling that I get just before I finally relax a bit. It happens every time and I want to just be able to hop on and take off...

Someone suggested renting or getting a used dirt bike and take it off road and just get used to laying it down....

Open to suggestions....please.....

I have an F650 too..took the rider's edge course and promptly dumped the bike (buell blast) they let you ride to learn on (learn to ride on? lend you while you're learning to ride????....anyway.....) I think getting a bike you're not afraid to mess up is key. Learn on the class bikes and after you fall once or twice (or even just see someone else doing it)..you see it's not that frightening. (and you learn how to get the thing back up too...very good to know, in my opinion)

I've not regretted a moment. You'll do great too!

[FemmeFatale]

Originally Posted by BMWBabe

I have an F650 too..took the rider's edge course and promptly dumped the bike (buell blast) they let you ride to learn on (learn to ride on? lend you while you're learning to ride????....anyway.....) I think getting a bike you're not afraid to mess up is key. Learn on the class bikes and after you fall once or twice (or even just see someone else doing it)..you see it's not that frightening. (and you learn how to get the thing back up too...very good to know, in my opinion)

I've not regretted a moment. You'll do great too!

Very good point!!! I can lay the buell down a few times and hopefully get over this feeling! That sealed it!

Thanks!!

[hippopo]

Originally Posted by MotoMuse03

...Oh- and how do I get over this fear I have of falling? I'm 5'3" and the BMW is great..low profile....but I can't shake this tightening of the arms and thumping heart feeling that I get just before I finally relax a bit. It happens every time and I want to just be able to hop on and take off......

I'm also 5'3" and just got an F650. My previous bike was a Ducati Monster (which I loved) and I fell a few times on it because I happened to stop somewhere where the road was uneven and I couldn't reach or other times where it just slid out from under me. (oil on the road, rocks, etc.) The best thing I did to over come fear when I first started riding was to practice stopping, starting, driving fast and breaking suddenly, weaving in and out of cones, etc on SMALL bikes. 125, CB 250. This gave me the feeling of being in control of the bike instead of the bike being in control of me.

I still fall, usually due to height issues, but I'm always more worried about the bike than myself. I really feel practicing on a smaller bike is the best way to go.

Good luck and it's wonderful to see another female out there riding.

[FemmeFatale]

Originally Posted by hippopo

. This gave me the feeling of being in control of the bike instead of the bike being in control of me.

Thanks for your reply and insight..I'm hoping the smaller Buell that I'll be using during the Riders Edge course will give me the chance to do as you suggest and you are sooooo right when you talk about needing to feel in control of the bike vs. the bike being in control of me! Cheers!!

[riderchick]

Whoo hoo! I did it. We went out for my first riding lesson yesterday and I managed to stay on the bike the whole time - no falling. Here's a link to the ride report:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...67#post3955667

This is fun!

[Hayduke]

Originally Posted by riderchick

Whoo hoo! I did it. We went out for my first riding lesson yesterday and I managed to stay on the bike the whole time - no falling. Here's a link to the ride report:

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...67#post3955667

This is fun!

It just get's better. Congrats!

[Honey]

Combined list - from this and the ADV Women threads -
it looks like these are the active, contributing ADVLadies:

AdaBoomer
AdventureGirl
AK2theWorld
Amazon
AnnieGS
azklrgirl
Banshee
BARB
Becca
Beemerlady
bikerchick
bluepoof
BMWBabe
bmwgsrider
Bobcat
Bonnie Abbzug
boxergrrlie
caboose
Chacifer
chqta
chriskenzie
Condolini
Crazy two rock girl
Dakar59
DantesDame
DelicateLittleFlower
~dirtgirl~
Dragonfly
dsmitty
DukeGirl
dustykitska
Evedrake
Ex#2
Filly
Georgiapeach
giddyupgirl
groovygsgirl
GSACHIC
GSgal
GSGIRL
GwennyMoto27
Gypsy
Gyromaniac
HeathersTrike
hippopo
Honey
Ingrid
iRene, BMW
Janet
jennyhayes
Joyous7
Klrno2
Kristen
Krueger
Kural
Ladybug0048
Linzi
lisa thomas
LoriKTM
Lotus
Macushla
MeanMoe
MentalGS
Miss Kristen
Misti Hurst
Motocicletta
Motogirl
MotoKat
MotoMuse03
Mrs. KBasa
Ms. Chiff
ms620chick
MtnBikeHer
New Chick
NoMystery
nwscubamom
OliveOyl
outliergeekette
Pansy
Photog
Queen
Queenpdog
R.J.
ra+ional
Rabia
ratthing
Redhot
RedneckGirl
riderchick
Rockin' Robin
ROGUE
Roxy
sachiwilson
SalvoGirl
sas
SDU
sf_motogirl
SheRidesABeemer
Sheriff Sarah
Shoganai
siamesesilk
SnapRolls
Sol y Sombra
Spacewife
Sportster Girl
squeakysquirrel
svizzerams
Tantrum
Tegan
Tequila Girl
Thorina
TigerLady
Tongue Lady
Troutldy
TUCKERS (1/2)
Tupelo Honey
twisty sister
Vamartha
Velvtride
VIVID1
webwench
Wings
workerant
WyoBecky
650dakargirlaz

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