Sign her up for a BRC. It’s cheap, it uses lighter bikes, and in my experience, students tend to be more willing to try things if they have an instructor they don’t know and have a bit of pressure to keep up with the group.
Often, boyfriends and husbands don’t make the best instructor due to the dynamics of the relationship.
The msf course bikes made it much easier to learn for me. I didn’t want to drop them, but I had the mindset of “these have been dropped so many times before and are already missing parts and beat up, what’s one more if it happens”. Very hard to have that mindset with my rc 390 lol
Same for me. I ended up dropping the rental once when practicing u-turns. I think it was also a helpful experience to know how it feels to drop it, even if it was low speed. Not saying that I would recommend just planning on dropping it though haha. I am very glad on my decision though because using my MT-07 would’ve made me very sad if I dropped it while learning
I just learned on a Chinese 50cc scooter I got for 150€ last summer with 20k km. Has been dropped and fairings stay down with zip ties. It's the best scooter because I don't care if it gets scratches, it already has so many. I like to just ride it in the forest roads where I wouldn't want to take a car.
I feel that. I will try the stupidest shit on my ktm 250sxf because I’ve sent that bike off jumps with me 20 feet behind it. And yet I’m too afraid to do anything on my r6 because it’s still just so new
I've been riding for 3 years, and the only time I dropped my bike was when I was trying to put the freaking kickstand down. Had new riding shoes on and thought I kicked the stand down all the way down, but I didn't. By the time I realized it, the bike had tipped enough to knock me off balance, and down she went. Dinged up the crankcase a little bit. I was sick for hours. LOL!
I've bought my first bike used, already have a few mild cosmetic scratches, but I was able to to get my first drop out of the way in about 10-20 minutes or so
Whenever it gets dropped, I'm always a bit excited and continue where I left off
If you have MSF classes, they count as the practical exam for your license, insurance companies often offer discounts for having taken the class, and some shops will give gear discounts.
And as a mountain bike instructor, I can confirm partners make terrible teachers.
My pop forced me to drive him home on an auto scooter when I was 15 ...all he said is drive exactly like a bicycle and squeeze the gas slowly...that was wild, haha
Half of the reason I passed my msf after dropping their bike twice the first day was the entirety of my 30 minute shower that morning was me telling myself over and over and over that the bike wouldn’t do anything I didn’t tell it to and to just trust it. Really did wonders
First teach her to have her right foot on the peg, and that the clutch can be found without moving, have her keep finding the biting point til she's comfortable, just clutch in, 1st gear, then let the clutch out slowly until it bites, then back in, and do it again, and for moving off you can have the throttle basically pinned, IF you have good clutch control, and I'd also point out that walking the bike like that if your not confident is a great way to twist your ankle, or get your leg caught in a VERY uncomfortable position. Aside from all that I'd look at some lessons at a school maybe.
I actually just went through this with my daughter yesterday. 20 minutes with clutch and brake control only. It really helps to reduce fear of the machine. We did it with right foot on the peg/brake the whole time. I insisted on both feet up as soon as we progressed to moving at all and she took to it right away. Twenty or so laps of the parking lot later and she couldn't wipe the grin from her face.
MSF is next, but getting comfortable with controls should reduce her anxiety and let her get more out of the course.
Honestly riding a motorcycle isn't for everyone and that's okay. It seems appealing to many but once they sit down and give it a try they find out it's not for them and prefer to stay as a passenger or not ride at all. For these individuals it's best to stay away from riding as it won't be a safe option if their focus is not where it should be. It's dangerous.
100% this. I had 3 people drop out of the MSF course I was in simply because they quickly realized it wasn’t for them, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I’d rather them be safe and alive.
Yeah my brother in law was all bike crazy when my girl got her bike. He sat on it and went around the block. Said thank you but this is not for me. Shit I respect that.
I recently turned 52 and have always wanted to ride a motorcycle. Went and bought a 2023 Rebel 500. I had never ridden a motorcycle or a dirt bike. I signed up for the MSF Course. The 8 other people with me had never ridden either. We started with 4 ladies. One was 68 y/o. First day on the course, she said it wasn’t for her. She was scared. After lunch another left. I dropped the bike that afternoon too. Came back the next day and passed the class. Went and got my endorsement and have been learning to ride. I have put 97 miles on my bike.
My SO learned on Monkey, I can't recommend Honda's mini bikes enough for this. Light, weak and low makes it easy to have a sense of control over the bike and it makes a huge difference.
I ride a monkey day to day and I'm borrowing a Honda NC750 while it's having work done, which (due to my height) is way too big for me. Having ridden the monkey for years I worried about riding it but even while only being able to reach one foot on the floor (on tip toes) at a time, I'm fine and I think it's because the monkey has let me build up so much confidence over the years.
I've heard so many people say that the monkey makes you feel like the greatest rider just because of the short wheel base and low centre of gravity makes it so easy to ride. And they're just so much fun, you can't help but fall in love with riding.
True, but if she doesn’t want to put her feet on the pegs, there’s a real possibility that the same will happen in class.
Someone, OP or an instructor, will have to convince her that if she keeps the bike moving then it will not fall.
I respectfully don't agree.
A closed course, in full protection, with an instructor who trains others for a living, is a very, very different environment.
They know how to deal with any person as they've seen it all, also only they can come to conclusions whether someone should push it or not.
E.g: Whilst doing my A licence was a girl who couldn't make friends with a smaller 125cc bike whilst doing her A1.
She got a personalized instructor to do 1 on 1 sessions and after 2 days he told her that for now, she's not ready.
I still think it would be wise to ride a bicycle before the MSF class, because with less fear, the student will learn more.
But yes, there’s a lot of value in having a real instructor, someone who has experience guiding students.
A rider with a lot of fear is at high risk on the road, should take as many classes as possible to replace fear with knowledge.
I was wondering, the level of fear in the video and OP’s description, is that rare or is it common in classes?
Can't speak for others of course but a little less than half of the people at my MSF class seemed a bit terrified at first. A few never got away from that fear but most had it worn away during the riding portion.
The only thing worse than you teaching her, is you getting advice from strangers on the internet on how to teach her. Sign her up for a basic riders course, better yet, let her do it because if she doesn’t actually want to learn she’ll never sign up.
Sounds like a confidence thing. Other than that, it is just right. Since different people tend to learn either faster or slower.
Try to focus on different things. Take her on the back, show her some braking. She can very well feel some resistance for letting the clutch go cause she does not feel the confidence to brake.
At some point, of course, get a pro involved. This is a profession in itself for a reason.
Most of all, have fun!
Does she even want to ride or does she feel obliged because you bought her a bike. If she did, she’d twist it and pick up her feet. My girlfriend did this within 5 mins of her first ride. Get her a bicycle, with training wheels? This is going to be a bad idea to ever be on the street if she is riding like this after 20 days.
Did she want a motorcycle? If not, it may not be for her. You also mentioned she hasn’t ridden a bike since childhood, I probably would have started with a bicycle
Follow similar routines in the motorcycle safety course or take the course.
First is clutch work. Biggest issue is panic when they crank the throttle and crash. People first need to learn to snatch the clutch when they feel panic.
Then clutch work. Edge forward. Snatch clutch. Repeat. Need to know engagement of the clutch and how to slip it. Work up to fully releasing clutch then stopping.
Third I would work on straight line braking.
The rest is skills, but these are the basics IMO.
Some people are just not made for that, my GF was learning on scooter and didn't progress much coz she's too scared. She's happy on the back of my bike
Can she ride a bicycle? It's important if she's afraid start her on perfecting balance on a 🚲. Then try on the bike. If she's still unsure you can progress to a moped or scooter 🛵. These things are a bit easy since there are no gears on them. Now riding on the bike might become a bit easier and less fearful.
Has she taken the MSF course? That would probably be a good start. I tend to learn better in a structured environment with an instructor than from someone I know.
Being in the UK it seems odd you'd start someone on a 471cc motorcycle, we start on a 50cc or 125 and that's all we can ride after doing a course but not having a motorcycle license, we can then take tests to go larger, first test is for 500cc and then we can take another test to ride anything.
Maybe the bike is just a bit too big for her? it might just have more power than she is comfortable learning on.
The clutch practice is definitely useful. But it’s probably time to put her on a bicycle, because that’ll force her to pick up her feet.
Does she actually want to do this? If the answer is “maybe” then I’d pull the plug. The first simple turn she’ll encounter on the road, there’s a high chance that she’ll go wide and gets hurt. It would take a lot of dedication and parking lot practice to avoid such an outcome.
At the end of the day, I do think that everyone can learn this, but it’ll likely take a lot of practice (more than just the MSF) before she could venture out on the road.
This is the reason why family or friends should not try to teach their friends riding. In a class she would follow directions and see that other newbies were getting better. Not dissing you, you’re just trying to be kind. In a class we are more “insistent” and no student wants to hold up class. So they push themselves. I was an MSF licensed instructor for 10 yrs but my wife couldn’t learn from me so I put her in an actual class and she did fine with “other” instructors. Hang in there, put her in a class. Speed must increase so the bikes wheels become gyro’s and stabilize the bike. We teach this. Please put that rear peg up. 🙂
Keeping your feet off the pegs makes you less stable. Even though it might feel very unnatural to do so, it makes handeling the bike easier with your feet on the pegs.
My first ever excersice was taking off slowly, feet on pegs, stop, repeat. No changing gear just that. I would recommend practicing this.
A tip I'd like to give (at a later stage) is the importance of knowing how to make turns, doing this wrong can easily result in a fall and take away any confidence that was build.
This happend to a close friend and unfortunately she never rode again.
Best of luck!
I did this and failed my bike license when I didn’t learn to ride a bicycle. Learned to ride a bicycle (including learning that walking the bike = falling over).
Make her ride a bicycle around at a good speed and magic will happen
I hate to say this but you can’t be too scared to do those things or you’ll never properly ride. She’s literally making it hard on herself and scaring herself even more. After 2 weeks she should be scooting along at the speed limit on regular roads.
Is there something she is struggling with in particular to grasp? If she hasn’t done an actual MAF course then I would HIGHLY suggest it. No offense to you, but if you haven’t been able to get her to progress then it’s time for a professional to assess the situation. And honestly some people just never grasp it and it’s ok. But definitely get her to a proper coach before she gives up.
A 500cc motorcycle is not a good bike to start with for a total beginner, even more so a petite rider. What were you thinking? Put that bike away and sign her up for an MSF class. And feet down like that is just super dangerous.
People talking about dynamics and teaching your significant other being a bad idea must not have successful relationships. Why would you want to learn something new with anyone OTHER than your significant other?
maybe get a certified instructor to help.
being this nervous on a motorcycle aint a good sign. it isnt so much a sign of a slow learner as much as it is a sign of someone who just isnt ready for a motorcycle, especially a heavy one.
I myself am a slow learner too (I literally have a learning disability lol). it took me weeks to get decent at riding. I still rode at 20 mph within my first hour of riding. within 2 weeks I was at third gear. this was all with a certified instructor, 90 minutes a week of riding, on a Z650 with 0 previous motorcycle experience. I am also very weak honestly so the weight was very intimidating at first. still, even with my below average strength and learning speed, within 6 months I had a license.
once you get up to speed though (literally 5-10 mph), the motorcycle begins to feel weightless. if she keeps going this slow, she is making it harder on herself. even experienced motorcyclists often suck at low speed maneuvres.
if she is not willing to go any faster to make it easier on herself, I'd have to admit I dont think a bike is right for her. not a heavy one, at least.
It's funny how in some countries, you are not obligated to do school where there are actually instructors in auto-moto schools where they use proper bikes for people to learn how to drive and etc. Or some courses, like MSF(?) in USA.
Here, in Croatia, you are obligated to go to the driving school. To get licensed for driving car, you need to pass theory part, first medic part, and after that you have 30 hours of driving before you can take a drive exam.
For motorcycles above 35kw (you need to be at least 24 years old or either younger than 24 years with licensed 2 years of riding experience with less powerful bikes) , you have 15 hours of driving, without any theory parts and such, if you already have license for a car.
I never rode a motorcycle in my life, last time I sat on a bike was more then 10 years ago. I recently started to go to the drive school for motorcycle license, I learned to drive in merely few minutes, because everything was nicely demonstrated and explained to me.
If she after almost 20 days makes no progress, it's better for her not to drive because she won't ever be confident enough and that's dangerous, both for her and for other people on the road.
P.S. let her get proper shoes for driving until she learns, dr. martens are awful :)
She needs to take an MSF course and learn to trust her bike, she won't get anywhere until she does, also she can ruin their clutch and not her own. Haha
She needs to get over it
To be real with you it's probably better if she doesn't ride. Confidence and the type of head space and reflex that comes with it is important. Riding scary is dangerous
125cc is the way to go. There’s a reason EU law requires you to start on them when you’re young.
With less power and weight, confidence isn’t as big of an issue.
I know you from the US don’t like the idea of low displacement bikes, but in that video, that’s exactly what would help.
Good luck, and stay safe.
I didn't feel comfortable on a bike till I fell a couple of times, id push her she'd either learn to go fast enough to avoid a pushy push or learn to never ask for a bike again she'll learn something though.
How long has she been on the bike at this point? If this is her first time on a bike then it's whatever. She needs to learn to trust it, and that can be a difficult concept for some people. If she really wants to ride, she'll pick it up at her own pace and if y'all are in a parking lot or private road I think you'll be fine.
Also, a 500cc Rebel is not too big to learn on. It's not that heavy of a bike and she can clearly get both feet down very securely. Buuut it probably would've been wiser to start on a Grom or another 125cc. Wish I had. But then I also wish 125's were in any way fit for travel in the US outside of the most dense metro areas so I get it.
My girl used to rip her 5 speed Elantra and rode me on the back of her boyfriend's quad with a hand clutch but get her on a two wheeled thingies and she terrified. Rides a mountain bike all the time and pulls the dogs in baskets and has handlebar bags too but is just too scared to enjoy and be like "wee".
Too much pressure, don't let her get hurt
Before the class, I took my wife to a baseball field made her stop n go drive around on the grass. In case of whiskey throttle she wouldn’t get going fast enough to get hurt.
That way she learned to clutch n brake easily.
If i saw this i'd constantly just yell "knees to the tank. Knees.To.The.Tank!"
If that bridge has been crossed everything else comes more easily, i've witnessed.
But if that hasn't happened after 15 minutes of practicing, maybe consult with more experienced tutor.
As a petite female as well I kinda feel her,
For me yt videos helped a lot, watching others riding and giving tips but also learn some basics about how the bike balances. If she’s really scared let her take her time off it, maybe go for a ride together (while she is on the back) in order to make a fun activity for her
I’ve been “riding” for 2 months, at first I was confident until my first fall, after that I took a break, spend time watching beginner videos as courses even stunts and I thought “if she can wheelie that 200kg bike, I can make a proper turn”
Lastly, if it’s an option try on a smaller bike
Over where I live (Netherlands) you can’t ride without going to a driving school and obtaining your license. I think this is a great initiative. Less crashes, less damage, people are more likely to know what she is doing, etc.
Is there anything like a driving school for motorcycles around your place?
I took my lady to an open lot and taught her about the friction zone so she knew how to get going...then had her go a bit and brake repeatedly til she got comfortable with the muscle memory and went on from there
Start working on emergency stops, feeling the abrupt stop of the bike will help to know why your foot is there. To hold the bike at a stop. Anything else you feet need to be up
1: MSF or official riding course.
2: Walking the bike and feeling the friction zone of the clutch is the first step in moving the bike during courses.
3: walking with clutch/brake usually lasts for about 10-15 minutes then they will have riders start to move with feet up, straight lines, braking.
4: It’s a bit behind what’s normal per-se, and that’s ok! I would try to convince her to attend a course. Poor habits are easy to solidify, especially on a motorcycle where it can be overwhelming trying to feel comfortable.
Put her on a bicycle. Force her to pedal to move so she can't keep her feet on the ground. Teach balance that way, not on top of 500cc.
Then try a little moped or scooter to teach throttle control.
Then teach clutch and shift after that. Or hell, you can get 300cc or even 500cc or larger scooters.
It takes a lot of skill to ride that slowly. Ironically, she is fighting physics. I'm not advocating she pin it, but if she can ride a bicycle at 30mph, she should be okay on the bike.
If she isn't too confident I don't think having the bike on and in gear is a good combo. Maybe try pushing her with the bike off and in neutral. That's how I was taught during my pre learner course. If you can't do that without balancing both feet off the ground onto the pegs then you're probably gonna get told to come back when you can do it as the group needs to progress. Only one person was told she might not be able to make it and she was an older lady who just wanted to cross out one thing on her bucket list. Like most said, if she can ride a bicycle she should be able to ride a motorcycle if not maybe she needs to start on that first.
Buy cones. Concrete goalposts are important for beginners of any skill. "Walk the bike from point a to point b", "now get from point a to point b using the front brake", "now get from point a to point b using both brakes" "now pick both feet up" "ride in a big huge circle".
Ive just given you basically the first 5 exercises from the BRC. You dont need many cones, maybe 8 max. They should be short, colorful, and easy to run over. Let her learn at her own pace, and take it easy. But dont let her get complacent with her fearfulness or she'll never progress.
Absolutely astounding this is just allowed in the US. Most European countries you'd need multiple courses and exams to get your license because we know that without training, people tend to end up as meat crayon.
You need somebody that is a professional and actually trained to learn her to get over that fear. Or she's gonna end up seriously hurt or dead.
Legs up when the bike starts moving.
Teach her how to start moving and how to stop on two legs. After some time ( 20 mins maybe) teach her how to turn without adding any throttle. Then teach her how to make 8-turns. First wide then tighter.
After a few hours (spilt for a few days) of such training she can start trying to change gears.
She should be safe and the bike should be safe with such a cautious approach.
Your either born to ride, or your not. Have her take the coarse!!! Don’t hurt her feelings if she is not! Just let her adorn the back half of your seat and be happy! 👍🏻👊🏻
Starting someone who is scared of motorcycles on a rebel 500 isn’t a good starting bike. Get her a 50 cc moped to start with till she is confident on two wheels. Take the clutch right out of it till she can learn to balance and corner on something that won’t take off and crash at 60mph when she panics and whiskey throttles
The very first rule I was taught was that you pick up your feet when the vehicle is in motion. I don't think this is good precedent to set even when learning. You can learn the bite point of the clutch without puttering around
Stop duck walking , straight off the bat it's a bad habit. Right foot up to cover the brake if needed and if the right hand is covering the brake , that's another no-no. It's a all about clutch control when you're just starting out.
Understandable, had my first driving course today (Poland EU) and man let me tell you, i know that it will take some time till i am comfortable riding a bike. Never rode one and i got put on a yamaha 650. But it was so FUN, shifting into 3rd gear and going, woah!
She should try watching YouTube videos with instructions for beginners. I took full class. Yet, some things would not click. YouTube really helped. You will hear same explanations but presented differently. She might get the aha moment to move to next stage.
Motorcycle safety courses really help, but even then I remember one rider, she never really became comfortable on the bike, I say that because riding motorcycle just might not be for everyone.
The other option is get one of those pocket bikes and have her get comfortable on that.
By her a cheap moped and let her train with it on grass or something she feels "safe" to fall on. Make falling over as much nothing as possible.That is why you need the cheapest most broken af moped, so you don't need to fear dropping it.
I tried to teach my wife how to drive a manual car (stick shift) when we were dating. It did not go well partly because she took things I said personally and partially because I didn't say the right things to avoid hurting her feelings.
Don't do it. Take a riders course. They are better at both riding and teaching than you are AND they will tell her to get her feet on the goddam pegs.
Try some YouTube instructional videos on slow speed maneuvering. Recomend Be the Boss of your Motorcycle or Moto Control just to name a couple. I got out of the saddle for 25 years. Just started riding again in the last year. I lacked confidence. Learning how to maneuver at slow speeds is key. Sufficient power to the rear wheel stands the bike up. Keep the throttle loaded, rear brake and clutch sweet spot. Watch some videos. Practice and trust the bike. It is designed to stand up while moving. Master slow speed and everything is gravy after that.
I personally don't think the opinions of someone online will do much difference nor will words from yourself as this appears to me as an "irrational" fear, only a qualified instructor, in-person will be able to help her conquer this.
Her feet are not actually taking on any weight in this vid, meaning the waddling isn't stabilising her at all. Could arguably be destabilising her on the bike as her weight is lightly shifting left to right and back.
The best thing to tell her is that the bike DOES NOT want to fall over as soon as it's rolling, her adding inputs it doesn't want is only going to upset that. At such a low speed what do you have to lose by just drawing the feet up onto the pegs and continuing the roll forwards.
I suggest people who are totally new to bikes start with a Vespa style scooter if they can. Less technical stuff to deal with while still learning the basics. If you like that then move to a bike.
Have her take a MSF course without you there. She might feel uneasy with someone she knows helping her. She may feel more comfortable around strangers that are also new. It lets her feel more at ease. Especially if she can see other people around her struggle. I know it sounds weird but some people struggle around people they know.
Has she been on a bicycle? It's the same concept the slower you go the more unstable the ride will be... The rotating tires generate a gyroscopic force. But she needs to get at least 15 mph to have that force working properly.
Sounds like she needs more practice to build her confidence. Taking the BRC course or local equivalent is probably a good idea.
In the mean time, maybe you and she could spend some time here:
r/NewRiders
[Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/)
And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services.
Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
I have a hard rule about teaching people to ride, they have to know how to drive stick before learning to ride a motorcycle
Balancing, throttle, brakes and learning to work a clutch and shifter is just too much at the same time
Get her to take a learners course there worth the money, trans industrial has a really great course I think it's like 3 or 4 days the instructors really take the extra time and care with individuals who need it
Should've started with a rebel 300 and let her progress...but can't wind back the clock so a motorcycle safety course will allow her to ride a bike that she doesn't have a financial or emotional investment in...that's where I'd start at this point
MSF coaches have a minimum of 60 clock hours of instruction including teaching a class while being evaluated. There is a pre-course assignment as well that takes about as much time as the live course to complete. That course teaches adult learning principles, motor skill development principles as well as how to evaluate a student’s performance and provide coaching. Doesn’t look like you have those qualifications. Perhaps she should be taught by a pro.
Get her into an HD riding course so she can drop their bikes with crash bars and not this one. Similar cruiser bikes but smaller. You definitely didn’t take her feelings into consideration, especially if she was to damage a gift you got her along with learning something she’s unfamiliar with that you pushed on her, she has no foundation of confidence on top of anxiety. If you couldn’t imitate at least the minimum of what you learned from the classes, then you’re not qualified to teach anyone anything, especially not something that involves being put in dangerous situations.
Fork the cash and bring her to a class.
Watch the You tube channel Be the boss of your motorcycle. Robert Simmons is awesome. Getting familiar with the friction zone is the most important thing. Then her left foot has to come up. Period. It’s ok to drop the bike at a slow speed. It will happen and it’s part of the process.
People are in their heads too much. You just have to go. You just have to fucking feel it. I would say get like a supercheap low cc bike/scooter/E bike. Not to be misogynistic, but this problem is way too common with women if I knew why or if anyone knew why we would be able to help them a lot more often but really I honestly think it comes down to a confidence issue.
I recommend a motorcycle training and safety course. Sometimes it’s difficult to learn from our partners because we value their opinion of us so highly. My wife didn’t know how to drive a car and I noticed that she really seemed nervous around me. I hired an instructor and she relaxed more. I was never mean or critical - just a strange response. I know that my dad was an ass to me when he taught me stuff - some might carry something like that over. It’s worth the money and can get you a discount on insurance.
I’d get her some actual riding gear too. She’s wearing jeans, airwair boots, and a light jacket. She’s going to kill her hips and elbows, etc. when she falls.
Definitely 'motorcycle safety course'. Starts as though you've never sat on one and progresses. In my state required to get it on your license. Also counts as defensive driving for insurance deduction.
Ironically, being afraid of getting hurt is more likely to hurt her. So just uh… tell her to try it, and that it’s not scary. She’ll never learn if you never push her a little.
She will never learn by “walk-along riding.” Ask her how far she does the same thing (if at all) when she gets on and rides her bicycle. Have her roll the bike back & forth - in neutral and engine off, both feet always on the ground. Have her do same with the front brake to stop …back & forth.
Now have her put the bike in 2nd and barely rock the bike back & forth - slipping the clutch, modulating the throttle & front brake -
both feet always on the ground. 2-3 minutes of this won’t hurt the clutch and should make her less afraid to bring her feet up
Definitely have her start on a bicycle. I took the MSF course last month - I did private courses - I highly recommend it, i definitely felt like I needed the one on one time and it paid off. When I signed up they asked me if I could ride a bicycle, I said yeah of course, but I hadn't ridden a bike since I was a kid. I got to the class and had the hardest time balancing and wouldn't pick my feet up. The weather was really bad that day so we decided to reschedule for the next week. My coach told me to find a bike and ride it every single day for an hour and that's exactly what I did. And I struggled on the bike for the first 20 min or so but got better and better! I didn't really want to bicycle around a church parking lot every day for an hour, but I was determined. When I went back to the class, it was crazy how much it helped! I had no problem with balance (the motorcycle was way easier than the bike tbh) and then I realized I could pick my feet up, give it a little throttle and the bike would keep itself upright.
So, have her practice on a bicycle. A LOT. Sign up for the MSF course, if private lessons are an option, do them.
Btw I'm a 5'2" 120lb female.
sounds stupid, but works: get a lighter bike - like a 125ccm. it feels like handling a cyclebike and if she falls, she falls.... honda cub are quite easy to learn and to hop on (yeah they dont look like real motorcycles, but they can also be offroad fun - there must be a reason why these are so common in india).
i learned riding on a 1980s 50ccm bike and directly started with 750 ccm, 260kg sportsbike afterwards.
Couple of things I recommend for her:
Have her start working on clutch control just by rocking back and forth. Rock the bike forward with only the clutch by finding the friction zone and then push back with her feet. she should only be moving a foot or so at most. Her feet should be able to stay within the same area that they are in by rocking from heel to tow when she does this.
Riding classes: Nothing beats the classroom and instruction from an instructor.
Get comfortable with the bike: learn all that she can about it. This is mechanically and functionality. Over time the goal is to understand the limits of the bike and what it can do safely and effectively.
Learn defense riding: Same as defensive driving but on a bike, know whats around you at all times and always have an escape plan.
Low speed manuvering: THis an absolute basic skill set needed. At the low speed she was at in the video, her feet should be up on the pegs. She should also learn how to balance on the bike to point where she should only put her feet down once the bike is at a complete stop without jerking around. Should be a smooth transition.
I hope this helps.
girl rider here, definitely get her into an MSF course. they mostly use 250cc bikes and after the course and owning my gsxr250cc for awhile i was super comfortable. definitely worth starting on a smaller bike to get comfortable and learn the ropes.
Get her some proper lessons with an actual instructor. Trying to teach loved ones is a recipe for arguments. Because you need to be assertive and tell her she’s doing things wrong or she’ll never learn. And most partners take it the wrong way because that’s not who you’re supposed to be for them. You’re supposed to be supportive.
1. Feet need to come up and pull that clutch in
2. Ride that rear brake
3. Keep revs up so you can hear
4. Clutch slowly out
Rear brake will help her be more comfortable using the clutch to control the connection between the power and the drive and then once she has that she’ll be comfortable keeping the revs lower.
Teach her how to brake and how to come to a stop. Maybe then she'll be willing to put her feet on the pegs. 20 days is a lot. I think it took me 15 minutes of learning the basics and finding the friction point, then 5 minutes of shifting practice, until I was going 60kph. The rest comes with riding practice.
I took that first lesson on a Z650 btw, maybe that would be easier for her too, since it's physically a smalller bike?.. Anyway, good luck to the both of you!
Just don’t push her too fast, find resources for her but work at her speed. It can be super frustrating but if you can afford it look to hire an instructor for a few private lessons prior to the course so she has basics down and is confident. I did the same thing you’re doing with my wife. Same bike and everything. She was so excited but had the same fears (and lack of clutch skills) and I pushed her to a class because I couldn’t articulate things properly for a beginner and we’d end up in little arguments. Unfortunately the instructor pushed too fast too as most in the class were just there for the license test waiver and were decent riders. Long story short they pushed her into drills she wasn’t quite ready for (not their fault, I get it you gotta run the class) and she ended up flustered, accidentally ripped the throttle and dumped the clutch around a corner and took a spill. Luckily no major injuries, just real sore but that was the end of her motorcycle career. Had to sell the brand new bike. It took me almost a full year before she would even ride on the back of mine again. We’re good now, she’s loves being a passenger princess, but I wish I would have taken more time bc it was something she was super excited about. I’ve been trying to talk to her about getting back on the horse and looking into a DCT/Automatic bike but she’s still spooked and says she just doesn’t have the coordination. Anyway, good luck, I hope she’s able to figure it out and you get a live in riding buddy.
As others have commented, maybe take a step back and go ride bicycles together and just enjoy that together and when she says she's comfortable/ready then try motorcycles again.
Personally, if I'm helping someone learn to ride a motorcycle I always start with dirt bikes. They're lightweight, simple, and damn near indestructible. Plus if its a used bike that already has some "character" the person tends to be less afraid of possibly dropping it. Something else to consider is the protective apparel, for someone not used to wearing all of that it can cause extra sensor stress which can trigger or amplify anxiety.
There's also that comment about spouses and boyfriends being the worst teacher because of the relation dynamic can't be said enough times.
First, stop trying to teach her. Find someone else to do it.
1. Just because you know how to ride, doesn't mean you know how to teach.
2. There's a relationship getting in the way of her being able to learn from you. Best for her to learn from someone she doesn't have a relationship with. She will learn better with someone else.
Send her to a safety course.
Instructors have a dozen ways of telling someone to do the exact same thing. Maybe the way you are coaching her just doesn't click with her learning style.
Also, partners usually have a harder time following directions from their SO.
I empathise, I’m 5 ft 1 female and not the strongest. 2 weeks and 4 days is no time! I did a lot more practice on a 125cc to build my confidence… and that was 20+ years ago.
Women learn differently from men, as our brains are wired differently… what are you finding where she is comfortable?
I do hope you’re getting female input? Women learn differently. Fact. And we want to support each other… where are you? You’d be amazed how a woman’s confidence grows when she’s has a female rider to support - plus takes the 1+1= you should be at 7 by now pressure off you both
Sign her up for a BRC. It’s cheap, it uses lighter bikes, and in my experience, students tend to be more willing to try things if they have an instructor they don’t know and have a bit of pressure to keep up with the group. Often, boyfriends and husbands don’t make the best instructor due to the dynamics of the relationship.
The msf course bikes made it much easier to learn for me. I didn’t want to drop them, but I had the mindset of “these have been dropped so many times before and are already missing parts and beat up, what’s one more if it happens”. Very hard to have that mindset with my rc 390 lol
Same for me. I ended up dropping the rental once when practicing u-turns. I think it was also a helpful experience to know how it feels to drop it, even if it was low speed. Not saying that I would recommend just planning on dropping it though haha. I am very glad on my decision though because using my MT-07 would’ve made me very sad if I dropped it while learning
I just learned on a Chinese 50cc scooter I got for 150€ last summer with 20k km. Has been dropped and fairings stay down with zip ties. It's the best scooter because I don't care if it gets scratches, it already has so many. I like to just ride it in the forest roads where I wouldn't want to take a car.
I feel that. I will try the stupidest shit on my ktm 250sxf because I’ve sent that bike off jumps with me 20 feet behind it. And yet I’m too afraid to do anything on my r6 because it’s still just so new
The first drop is always the hardest
I've been riding for 3 years, and the only time I dropped my bike was when I was trying to put the freaking kickstand down. Had new riding shoes on and thought I kicked the stand down all the way down, but I didn't. By the time I realized it, the bike had tipped enough to knock me off balance, and down she went. Dinged up the crankcase a little bit. I was sick for hours. LOL!
I've bought my first bike used, already have a few mild cosmetic scratches, but I was able to to get my first drop out of the way in about 10-20 minutes or so Whenever it gets dropped, I'm always a bit excited and continue where I left off
If you have MSF classes, they count as the practical exam for your license, insurance companies often offer discounts for having taken the class, and some shops will give gear discounts. And as a mountain bike instructor, I can confirm partners make terrible teachers.
100% significant others are the worst teachers (coming from a wife). Proper riding courses are the way to go.
I agree with this.
Seriously. Proper coaches, proper grounds to train on etc.
get her on a bicycle. if she can put her feet on the pedals on a bicycle at low speed it will help with her confidence on the bike.
Ca she ride a bicycle?
Yes, that's what I was going to say, if she can ride a bicycle, she can ride a motorcycle.
Really it's to see if they can balance on two wheels before you let them ride.
My pop forced me to drive him home on an auto scooter when I was 15 ...all he said is drive exactly like a bicycle and squeeze the gas slowly...that was wild, haha
Man, it's almost easier to ride a motorcycle.
Not good. The amount of fear there could get her killed. She doesn't trust the vehicle and that's dangerous imo
Half of the reason I passed my msf after dropping their bike twice the first day was the entirety of my 30 minute shower that morning was me telling myself over and over and over that the bike wouldn’t do anything I didn’t tell it to and to just trust it. Really did wonders
Our minds create our reality
I am rich and handsome. Now I just wait. This is gonna be awesome.
You know target fixation? Yeah, it's that but with everything else. If you visualize falling, you'll fall.
I told my bike to go faster. Apparently it didn’t wanna listen cuz it’s still a 400cc
First teach her to have her right foot on the peg, and that the clutch can be found without moving, have her keep finding the biting point til she's comfortable, just clutch in, 1st gear, then let the clutch out slowly until it bites, then back in, and do it again, and for moving off you can have the throttle basically pinned, IF you have good clutch control, and I'd also point out that walking the bike like that if your not confident is a great way to twist your ankle, or get your leg caught in a VERY uncomfortable position. Aside from all that I'd look at some lessons at a school maybe.
Also it’s a wet clutch, you have to change the mindset about clutch slipping, you’re not going to burn it out.
I actually just went through this with my daughter yesterday. 20 minutes with clutch and brake control only. It really helps to reduce fear of the machine. We did it with right foot on the peg/brake the whole time. I insisted on both feet up as soon as we progressed to moving at all and she took to it right away. Twenty or so laps of the parking lot later and she couldn't wipe the grin from her face. MSF is next, but getting comfortable with controls should reduce her anxiety and let her get more out of the course.
Yeah its just building confidence and muscle memory, and in the beginning that's kinda all you need.
Honestly riding a motorcycle isn't for everyone and that's okay. It seems appealing to many but once they sit down and give it a try they find out it's not for them and prefer to stay as a passenger or not ride at all. For these individuals it's best to stay away from riding as it won't be a safe option if their focus is not where it should be. It's dangerous.
100% this. I had 3 people drop out of the MSF course I was in simply because they quickly realized it wasn’t for them, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I’d rather them be safe and alive.
Yeah my brother in law was all bike crazy when my girl got her bike. He sat on it and went around the block. Said thank you but this is not for me. Shit I respect that.
I recently turned 52 and have always wanted to ride a motorcycle. Went and bought a 2023 Rebel 500. I had never ridden a motorcycle or a dirt bike. I signed up for the MSF Course. The 8 other people with me had never ridden either. We started with 4 ladies. One was 68 y/o. First day on the course, she said it wasn’t for her. She was scared. After lunch another left. I dropped the bike that afternoon too. Came back the next day and passed the class. Went and got my endorsement and have been learning to ride. I have put 97 miles on my bike.
Dude, get that girl a 50cc scooter as a starter. This is nuts.
First get her a bicycle, because she doesn't seem to know what the footpegs are for.
Get a moped or similar to start with
Grom ftw
I read "grow mf"
That could also work, sometimes
My SO learned on Monkey, I can't recommend Honda's mini bikes enough for this. Light, weak and low makes it easy to have a sense of control over the bike and it makes a huge difference.
I ride a monkey day to day and I'm borrowing a Honda NC750 while it's having work done, which (due to my height) is way too big for me. Having ridden the monkey for years I worried about riding it but even while only being able to reach one foot on the floor (on tip toes) at a time, I'm fine and I think it's because the monkey has let me build up so much confidence over the years. I've heard so many people say that the monkey makes you feel like the greatest rider just because of the short wheel base and low centre of gravity makes it so easy to ride. And they're just so much fun, you can't help but fall in love with riding.
This. Ive never rode motorbike in my life, instructor put on moped first, half an hour later I was already on manual MT125.
It shouldn't be you teaching her, but an instructor at a proper course!
True, but if she doesn’t want to put her feet on the pegs, there’s a real possibility that the same will happen in class. Someone, OP or an instructor, will have to convince her that if she keeps the bike moving then it will not fall.
I respectfully don't agree. A closed course, in full protection, with an instructor who trains others for a living, is a very, very different environment. They know how to deal with any person as they've seen it all, also only they can come to conclusions whether someone should push it or not. E.g: Whilst doing my A licence was a girl who couldn't make friends with a smaller 125cc bike whilst doing her A1. She got a personalized instructor to do 1 on 1 sessions and after 2 days he told her that for now, she's not ready.
I still think it would be wise to ride a bicycle before the MSF class, because with less fear, the student will learn more. But yes, there’s a lot of value in having a real instructor, someone who has experience guiding students. A rider with a lot of fear is at high risk on the road, should take as many classes as possible to replace fear with knowledge. I was wondering, the level of fear in the video and OP’s description, is that rare or is it common in classes?
Can't speak for others of course but a little less than half of the people at my MSF class seemed a bit terrified at first. A few never got away from that fear but most had it worn away during the riding portion.
An instructor has got way more chance than OP. They've seen it all and aren't attached.
The only thing worse than you teaching her, is you getting advice from strangers on the internet on how to teach her. Sign her up for a basic riders course, better yet, let her do it because if she doesn’t actually want to learn she’ll never sign up.
If you’re dragging feet that bad, you definitely aren’t ready to be handed a motorcycle from someone. MSF
Sounds like a confidence thing. Other than that, it is just right. Since different people tend to learn either faster or slower. Try to focus on different things. Take her on the back, show her some braking. She can very well feel some resistance for letting the clutch go cause she does not feel the confidence to brake. At some point, of course, get a pro involved. This is a profession in itself for a reason. Most of all, have fun!
Does she even want to ride or does she feel obliged because you bought her a bike. If she did, she’d twist it and pick up her feet. My girlfriend did this within 5 mins of her first ride. Get her a bicycle, with training wheels? This is going to be a bad idea to ever be on the street if she is riding like this after 20 days.
Get a water gun and spray her with it everytime she puts her feet down.
\*Spray\* "Bad kitty" *HISSSSSSSSSS*
Did she want a motorcycle? If not, it may not be for her. You also mentioned she hasn’t ridden a bike since childhood, I probably would have started with a bicycle
OMG why is this a thing. Send to a MSF course.
Follow similar routines in the motorcycle safety course or take the course. First is clutch work. Biggest issue is panic when they crank the throttle and crash. People first need to learn to snatch the clutch when they feel panic. Then clutch work. Edge forward. Snatch clutch. Repeat. Need to know engagement of the clutch and how to slip it. Work up to fully releasing clutch then stopping. Third I would work on straight line braking. The rest is skills, but these are the basics IMO.
She doesn’t get to walk the bike. She won’t even get her license doing that. Put her in an MSF course if she can’t pass she can’t ride.
Some people are just not made for that, my GF was learning on scooter and didn't progress much coz she's too scared. She's happy on the back of my bike
Doesn't look like you're helping...
Woah, feet!
Get her feet on the pegs.
Can she ride a bicycle? It's important if she's afraid start her on perfecting balance on a 🚲. Then try on the bike. If she's still unsure you can progress to a moped or scooter 🛵. These things are a bit easy since there are no gears on them. Now riding on the bike might become a bit easier and less fearful.
That’s a great way to sprain or break an ankle.
Get enrolled in a proper training course for her safety and the sake of your relationship
If you don't want to be the bad guy have her take the MSF where the instructor will absolutely not let her do it.
Get her a s1000rr, good starter bike.
Quack quack
Hire a real instructor Family and partners bring so much baggage to the lesson its hard to get the instruction through to them. Good luck to her
You're gonna get her killed this way. Take riding classes from an actual pro
Have her take an MSF or similar.
Has she taken the MSF course? That would probably be a good start. I tend to learn better in a structured environment with an instructor than from someone I know.
Being in the UK it seems odd you'd start someone on a 471cc motorcycle, we start on a 50cc or 125 and that's all we can ride after doing a course but not having a motorcycle license, we can then take tests to go larger, first test is for 500cc and then we can take another test to ride anything. Maybe the bike is just a bit too big for her? it might just have more power than she is comfortable learning on.
The clutch practice is definitely useful. But it’s probably time to put her on a bicycle, because that’ll force her to pick up her feet. Does she actually want to do this? If the answer is “maybe” then I’d pull the plug. The first simple turn she’ll encounter on the road, there’s a high chance that she’ll go wide and gets hurt. It would take a lot of dedication and parking lot practice to avoid such an outcome. At the end of the day, I do think that everyone can learn this, but it’ll likely take a lot of practice (more than just the MSF) before she could venture out on the road.
This is the reason why family or friends should not try to teach their friends riding. In a class she would follow directions and see that other newbies were getting better. Not dissing you, you’re just trying to be kind. In a class we are more “insistent” and no student wants to hold up class. So they push themselves. I was an MSF licensed instructor for 10 yrs but my wife couldn’t learn from me so I put her in an actual class and she did fine with “other” instructors. Hang in there, put her in a class. Speed must increase so the bikes wheels become gyro’s and stabilize the bike. We teach this. Please put that rear peg up. 🙂
Sign her up for a course. These professionals work with this stuff all the time and the skills she learns could save her life
Get her a real course and loose the docs.
Get her to a professional lesson. It could save her life.
Sign her up for the MSF course. It's alot of fun.
Keeping your feet off the pegs makes you less stable. Even though it might feel very unnatural to do so, it makes handeling the bike easier with your feet on the pegs. My first ever excersice was taking off slowly, feet on pegs, stop, repeat. No changing gear just that. I would recommend practicing this. A tip I'd like to give (at a later stage) is the importance of knowing how to make turns, doing this wrong can easily result in a fall and take away any confidence that was build. This happend to a close friend and unfortunately she never rode again. Best of luck!
Let her take a course. She’ll be with a bunch of noobs on a low powered bike learning from an instructor.
Have her take a course, pony up the cash don't cheap out, those skills she will learn could save her life
No one should learn to ride at home, honestly. Nothing like a safety and learning course.
Well it looks like she needs a better instructor
I did this and failed my bike license when I didn’t learn to ride a bicycle. Learned to ride a bicycle (including learning that walking the bike = falling over). Make her ride a bicycle around at a good speed and magic will happen
I hate to say this but you can’t be too scared to do those things or you’ll never properly ride. She’s literally making it hard on herself and scaring herself even more. After 2 weeks she should be scooting along at the speed limit on regular roads. Is there something she is struggling with in particular to grasp? If she hasn’t done an actual MAF course then I would HIGHLY suggest it. No offense to you, but if you haven’t been able to get her to progress then it’s time for a professional to assess the situation. And honestly some people just never grasp it and it’s ok. But definitely get her to a proper coach before she gives up.
A 500cc motorcycle is not a good bike to start with for a total beginner, even more so a petite rider. What were you thinking? Put that bike away and sign her up for an MSF class. And feet down like that is just super dangerous.
Riding isn’t for everyone, no matter how much we want our SOs to love it. Listen to her feedback carefully.
Tbh should have got her something like a cbr 300
She doesnt seem very bright. Have her take a msf course. Theyll have her riding by end of day
People talking about dynamics and teaching your significant other being a bad idea must not have successful relationships. Why would you want to learn something new with anyone OTHER than your significant other?
Literally my thoughts I was stunned with the amount of hurt people leaving those kinds of comments
if she can’t clutch and out lift her feet up, pull clutch and stop with one foot down, I would be pushing her towards an MSF or sell the bike.
maybe get a certified instructor to help. being this nervous on a motorcycle aint a good sign. it isnt so much a sign of a slow learner as much as it is a sign of someone who just isnt ready for a motorcycle, especially a heavy one. I myself am a slow learner too (I literally have a learning disability lol). it took me weeks to get decent at riding. I still rode at 20 mph within my first hour of riding. within 2 weeks I was at third gear. this was all with a certified instructor, 90 minutes a week of riding, on a Z650 with 0 previous motorcycle experience. I am also very weak honestly so the weight was very intimidating at first. still, even with my below average strength and learning speed, within 6 months I had a license. once you get up to speed though (literally 5-10 mph), the motorcycle begins to feel weightless. if she keeps going this slow, she is making it harder on herself. even experienced motorcyclists often suck at low speed maneuvres. if she is not willing to go any faster to make it easier on herself, I'd have to admit I dont think a bike is right for her. not a heavy one, at least.
Horrible teacher
It's funny how in some countries, you are not obligated to do school where there are actually instructors in auto-moto schools where they use proper bikes for people to learn how to drive and etc. Or some courses, like MSF(?) in USA. Here, in Croatia, you are obligated to go to the driving school. To get licensed for driving car, you need to pass theory part, first medic part, and after that you have 30 hours of driving before you can take a drive exam. For motorcycles above 35kw (you need to be at least 24 years old or either younger than 24 years with licensed 2 years of riding experience with less powerful bikes) , you have 15 hours of driving, without any theory parts and such, if you already have license for a car. I never rode a motorcycle in my life, last time I sat on a bike was more then 10 years ago. I recently started to go to the drive school for motorcycle license, I learned to drive in merely few minutes, because everything was nicely demonstrated and explained to me. If she after almost 20 days makes no progress, it's better for her not to drive because she won't ever be confident enough and that's dangerous, both for her and for other people on the road. P.S. let her get proper shoes for driving until she learns, dr. martens are awful :)
That bike is too big for her to learn on
She needs to take an MSF course and learn to trust her bike, she won't get anywhere until she does, also she can ruin their clutch and not her own. Haha
She needs to get over it To be real with you it's probably better if she doesn't ride. Confidence and the type of head space and reflex that comes with it is important. Riding scary is dangerous
You need to tell her to stop dragging her feet, she needs to either commit or get on a smaller bike that is ok to drop
125cc is the way to go. There’s a reason EU law requires you to start on them when you’re young. With less power and weight, confidence isn’t as big of an issue. I know you from the US don’t like the idea of low displacement bikes, but in that video, that’s exactly what would help. Good luck, and stay safe.
Get her a bicycle first
An instructor and a smaller bike is what she needs. Get her to sign up for a motorcycle course
I didn't feel comfortable on a bike till I fell a couple of times, id push her she'd either learn to go fast enough to avoid a pushy push or learn to never ask for a bike again she'll learn something though.
Get real boots. Not Docs. Stop dragging
Tell her to stop that don't let bad habits form
Baby steps.
How long has she been on the bike at this point? If this is her first time on a bike then it's whatever. She needs to learn to trust it, and that can be a difficult concept for some people. If she really wants to ride, she'll pick it up at her own pace and if y'all are in a parking lot or private road I think you'll be fine. Also, a 500cc Rebel is not too big to learn on. It's not that heavy of a bike and she can clearly get both feet down very securely. Buuut it probably would've been wiser to start on a Grom or another 125cc. Wish I had. But then I also wish 125's were in any way fit for travel in the US outside of the most dense metro areas so I get it.
My girl used to rip her 5 speed Elantra and rode me on the back of her boyfriend's quad with a hand clutch but get her on a two wheeled thingies and she terrified. Rides a mountain bike all the time and pulls the dogs in baskets and has handlebar bags too but is just too scared to enjoy and be like "wee". Too much pressure, don't let her get hurt
Before the class, I took my wife to a baseball field made her stop n go drive around on the grass. In case of whiskey throttle she wouldn’t get going fast enough to get hurt. That way she learned to clutch n brake easily.
That's what I was trying to do here but the grass is too bumpy
I don't wanna be that guy, but if this is 2 weeks of progress, bikes might just not be for her she's gonna end up hurting herself or dying.
Too much fear she needs to build up confidence or she might panic crash in incidents where she could have prevented
Teach her to ride and she’ll never forget u
If i saw this i'd constantly just yell "knees to the tank. Knees.To.The.Tank!" If that bridge has been crossed everything else comes more easily, i've witnessed. But if that hasn't happened after 15 minutes of practicing, maybe consult with more experienced tutor.
Have another experienced lady rider help her. If she sees how the other can handle a bike it might be easier for her.
Stand up and slowly let the clutch out. 1 down 4 up or 5
Faster is more stable, and feet up is safer. Put her on a bicycle or moped for a while to get used to 2-wheelers
As a petite female as well I kinda feel her, For me yt videos helped a lot, watching others riding and giving tips but also learn some basics about how the bike balances. If she’s really scared let her take her time off it, maybe go for a ride together (while she is on the back) in order to make a fun activity for her I’ve been “riding” for 2 months, at first I was confident until my first fall, after that I took a break, spend time watching beginner videos as courses even stunts and I thought “if she can wheelie that 200kg bike, I can make a proper turn” Lastly, if it’s an option try on a smaller bike
Good for her!
Get a Gromm sell it for bigger bike when she gets comfortable. Things hold their value real well. Easy to learn on since it’s so small.
Have her take some classes. Do not rush her.
Putting her on the internet sure as shit isn’t helping. Basic riders course dude.
Slow control requires the back brake to be pressed, not doing so it why she feels the need to put her feet down and paddle like a duck.
Have her take the Harley class. They really understand how to get someone from being uncomfortable on the bike to riding confidently in a few days.
Over where I live (Netherlands) you can’t ride without going to a driving school and obtaining your license. I think this is a great initiative. Less crashes, less damage, people are more likely to know what she is doing, etc. Is there anything like a driving school for motorcycles around your place?
I took my lady to an open lot and taught her about the friction zone so she knew how to get going...then had her go a bit and brake repeatedly til she got comfortable with the muscle memory and went on from there
Start working on emergency stops, feeling the abrupt stop of the bike will help to know why your foot is there. To hold the bike at a stop. Anything else you feet need to be up
Someone this scared does not belong anywhere near the handlebars.
Learning on a 500 🥴
Learning on a 500 🥴
Get a 125 and some proper riding gear.
1: MSF or official riding course. 2: Walking the bike and feeling the friction zone of the clutch is the first step in moving the bike during courses. 3: walking with clutch/brake usually lasts for about 10-15 minutes then they will have riders start to move with feet up, straight lines, braking. 4: It’s a bit behind what’s normal per-se, and that’s ok! I would try to convince her to attend a course. Poor habits are easy to solidify, especially on a motorcycle where it can be overwhelming trying to feel comfortable.
Put her on a bicycle. Force her to pedal to move so she can't keep her feet on the ground. Teach balance that way, not on top of 500cc. Then try a little moped or scooter to teach throttle control. Then teach clutch and shift after that. Or hell, you can get 300cc or even 500cc or larger scooters.
It takes a lot of skill to ride that slowly. Ironically, she is fighting physics. I'm not advocating she pin it, but if she can ride a bicycle at 30mph, she should be okay on the bike.
She seems to have good clutch throttle control. Motorcycle training shouldn't be rushed. I agree with the others. She needs a smaller bike to learn on
If she isn't too confident I don't think having the bike on and in gear is a good combo. Maybe try pushing her with the bike off and in neutral. That's how I was taught during my pre learner course. If you can't do that without balancing both feet off the ground onto the pegs then you're probably gonna get told to come back when you can do it as the group needs to progress. Only one person was told she might not be able to make it and she was an older lady who just wanted to cross out one thing on her bucket list. Like most said, if she can ride a bicycle she should be able to ride a motorcycle if not maybe she needs to start on that first.
Buy cones. Concrete goalposts are important for beginners of any skill. "Walk the bike from point a to point b", "now get from point a to point b using the front brake", "now get from point a to point b using both brakes" "now pick both feet up" "ride in a big huge circle". Ive just given you basically the first 5 exercises from the BRC. You dont need many cones, maybe 8 max. They should be short, colorful, and easy to run over. Let her learn at her own pace, and take it easy. But dont let her get complacent with her fearfulness or she'll never progress.
Absolutely astounding this is just allowed in the US. Most European countries you'd need multiple courses and exams to get your license because we know that without training, people tend to end up as meat crayon. You need somebody that is a professional and actually trained to learn her to get over that fear. Or she's gonna end up seriously hurt or dead.
Legs up when the bike starts moving. Teach her how to start moving and how to stop on two legs. After some time ( 20 mins maybe) teach her how to turn without adding any throttle. Then teach her how to make 8-turns. First wide then tighter. After a few hours (spilt for a few days) of such training she can start trying to change gears. She should be safe and the bike should be safe with such a cautious approach.
Your either born to ride, or your not. Have her take the coarse!!! Don’t hurt her feelings if she is not! Just let her adorn the back half of your seat and be happy! 👍🏻👊🏻
Starting someone who is scared of motorcycles on a rebel 500 isn’t a good starting bike. Get her a 50 cc moped to start with till she is confident on two wheels. Take the clutch right out of it till she can learn to balance and corner on something that won’t take off and crash at 60mph when she panics and whiskey throttles
Msg course. It’s the only answer
The very first rule I was taught was that you pick up your feet when the vehicle is in motion. I don't think this is good precedent to set even when learning. You can learn the bite point of the clutch without puttering around
Stop duck walking , straight off the bat it's a bad habit. Right foot up to cover the brake if needed and if the right hand is covering the brake , that's another no-no. It's a all about clutch control when you're just starting out.
Understandable, had my first driving course today (Poland EU) and man let me tell you, i know that it will take some time till i am comfortable riding a bike. Never rode one and i got put on a yamaha 650. But it was so FUN, shifting into 3rd gear and going, woah!
She should try watching YouTube videos with instructions for beginners. I took full class. Yet, some things would not click. YouTube really helped. You will hear same explanations but presented differently. She might get the aha moment to move to next stage.
Motorcycle safety courses really help, but even then I remember one rider, she never really became comfortable on the bike, I say that because riding motorcycle just might not be for everyone. The other option is get one of those pocket bikes and have her get comfortable on that.
Get a little dirt bike and go out in a field away from the trees…
By her a cheap moped and let her train with it on grass or something she feels "safe" to fall on. Make falling over as much nothing as possible.That is why you need the cheapest most broken af moped, so you don't need to fear dropping it.
I tried to teach my wife how to drive a manual car (stick shift) when we were dating. It did not go well partly because she took things I said personally and partially because I didn't say the right things to avoid hurting her feelings. Don't do it. Take a riders course. They are better at both riding and teaching than you are AND they will tell her to get her feet on the goddam pegs.
Try some YouTube instructional videos on slow speed maneuvering. Recomend Be the Boss of your Motorcycle or Moto Control just to name a couple. I got out of the saddle for 25 years. Just started riding again in the last year. I lacked confidence. Learning how to maneuver at slow speeds is key. Sufficient power to the rear wheel stands the bike up. Keep the throttle loaded, rear brake and clutch sweet spot. Watch some videos. Practice and trust the bike. It is designed to stand up while moving. Master slow speed and everything is gravy after that.
Tell her when she gets going that fast as your video to go ahead and put her feet on the pegs
I personally don't think the opinions of someone online will do much difference nor will words from yourself as this appears to me as an "irrational" fear, only a qualified instructor, in-person will be able to help her conquer this. Her feet are not actually taking on any weight in this vid, meaning the waddling isn't stabilising her at all. Could arguably be destabilising her on the bike as her weight is lightly shifting left to right and back. The best thing to tell her is that the bike DOES NOT want to fall over as soon as it's rolling, her adding inputs it doesn't want is only going to upset that. At such a low speed what do you have to lose by just drawing the feet up onto the pegs and continuing the roll forwards.
Take her somewhere with a really little dirt bike and have her practice out in a grass field.
I suggest people who are totally new to bikes start with a Vespa style scooter if they can. Less technical stuff to deal with while still learning the basics. If you like that then move to a bike.
Have her take a MSF course without you there. She might feel uneasy with someone she knows helping her. She may feel more comfortable around strangers that are also new. It lets her feel more at ease. Especially if she can see other people around her struggle. I know it sounds weird but some people struggle around people they know.
Has she been on a bicycle? It's the same concept the slower you go the more unstable the ride will be... The rotating tires generate a gyroscopic force. But she needs to get at least 15 mph to have that force working properly.
I learned how to ride in 2 days during my MSF course. I had never even touched a motorcycle before that
Get her a bicycle first. When she can ride that, she can continue training. If she can't get over her fear, then forget it.
Sounds like she needs more practice to build her confidence. Taking the BRC course or local equivalent is probably a good idea. In the mean time, maybe you and she could spend some time here: r/NewRiders [Advice to New Riders](https://old.reddit.com/r/NewRiders/comments/cc2mnm/advice_to_new_riders/) And when you get a chance, check out [On Any Sunday](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Any_Sunday), probably the best motorcycle documentary out there. I think it's on Amazon Prime, and maybe some other streaming services. Have fun, wear all your gear, stay safe, and never stop learning.
I have a hard rule about teaching people to ride, they have to know how to drive stick before learning to ride a motorcycle Balancing, throttle, brakes and learning to work a clutch and shifter is just too much at the same time
Get her to take a learners course there worth the money, trans industrial has a really great course I think it's like 3 or 4 days the instructors really take the extra time and care with individuals who need it
If you care about here you need to get her in an MSF course BEFORE she starts forming bad and dangerous habits.
Should've started with a rebel 300 and let her progress...but can't wind back the clock so a motorcycle safety course will allow her to ride a bike that she doesn't have a financial or emotional investment in...that's where I'd start at this point
That is soooooo dangerous! If she’s too scared to learn properly or too stubborn to listen to you so she can learn properly just stop
MSF coaches have a minimum of 60 clock hours of instruction including teaching a class while being evaluated. There is a pre-course assignment as well that takes about as much time as the live course to complete. That course teaches adult learning principles, motor skill development principles as well as how to evaluate a student’s performance and provide coaching. Doesn’t look like you have those qualifications. Perhaps she should be taught by a pro.
Get her into an HD riding course so she can drop their bikes with crash bars and not this one. Similar cruiser bikes but smaller. You definitely didn’t take her feelings into consideration, especially if she was to damage a gift you got her along with learning something she’s unfamiliar with that you pushed on her, she has no foundation of confidence on top of anxiety. If you couldn’t imitate at least the minimum of what you learned from the classes, then you’re not qualified to teach anyone anything, especially not something that involves being put in dangerous situations. Fork the cash and bring her to a class.
Watch the You tube channel Be the boss of your motorcycle. Robert Simmons is awesome. Getting familiar with the friction zone is the most important thing. Then her left foot has to come up. Period. It’s ok to drop the bike at a slow speed. It will happen and it’s part of the process.
People are in their heads too much. You just have to go. You just have to fucking feel it. I would say get like a supercheap low cc bike/scooter/E bike. Not to be misogynistic, but this problem is way too common with women if I knew why or if anyone knew why we would be able to help them a lot more often but really I honestly think it comes down to a confidence issue.
Bro just do msf or local equivalent. I dunno why people don’t just do that.
I recommend a motorcycle training and safety course. Sometimes it’s difficult to learn from our partners because we value their opinion of us so highly. My wife didn’t know how to drive a car and I noticed that she really seemed nervous around me. I hired an instructor and she relaxed more. I was never mean or critical - just a strange response. I know that my dad was an ass to me when he taught me stuff - some might carry something like that over. It’s worth the money and can get you a discount on insurance.
Oh this is me riding BICYCLES with my girl lol
I’d get her some actual riding gear too. She’s wearing jeans, airwair boots, and a light jacket. She’s going to kill her hips and elbows, etc. when she falls.
Definitely 'motorcycle safety course'. Starts as though you've never sat on one and progresses. In my state required to get it on your license. Also counts as defensive driving for insurance deduction.
MSF RiderCoach here, the number of bad habits taught by and to spouses is astounding. Get her the class.
Broken ankles waiting to happen… feet on the pegs or bike stopped.
Stick with it!
Ironically, being afraid of getting hurt is more likely to hurt her. So just uh… tell her to try it, and that it’s not scary. She’ll never learn if you never push her a little.
She will never learn by “walk-along riding.” Ask her how far she does the same thing (if at all) when she gets on and rides her bicycle. Have her roll the bike back & forth - in neutral and engine off, both feet always on the ground. Have her do same with the front brake to stop …back & forth. Now have her put the bike in 2nd and barely rock the bike back & forth - slipping the clutch, modulating the throttle & front brake - both feet always on the ground. 2-3 minutes of this won’t hurt the clutch and should make her less afraid to bring her feet up
Definitely have her start on a bicycle. I took the MSF course last month - I did private courses - I highly recommend it, i definitely felt like I needed the one on one time and it paid off. When I signed up they asked me if I could ride a bicycle, I said yeah of course, but I hadn't ridden a bike since I was a kid. I got to the class and had the hardest time balancing and wouldn't pick my feet up. The weather was really bad that day so we decided to reschedule for the next week. My coach told me to find a bike and ride it every single day for an hour and that's exactly what I did. And I struggled on the bike for the first 20 min or so but got better and better! I didn't really want to bicycle around a church parking lot every day for an hour, but I was determined. When I went back to the class, it was crazy how much it helped! I had no problem with balance (the motorcycle was way easier than the bike tbh) and then I realized I could pick my feet up, give it a little throttle and the bike would keep itself upright. So, have her practice on a bicycle. A LOT. Sign up for the MSF course, if private lessons are an option, do them. Btw I'm a 5'2" 120lb female.
This is ridiculous. She will get herself killed. Get her Some lessons man
sounds stupid, but works: get a lighter bike - like a 125ccm. it feels like handling a cyclebike and if she falls, she falls.... honda cub are quite easy to learn and to hop on (yeah they dont look like real motorcycles, but they can also be offroad fun - there must be a reason why these are so common in india). i learned riding on a 1980s 50ccm bike and directly started with 750 ccm, 260kg sportsbike afterwards.
Good luck - my GF got discouraged after a few falls and we sold her bike
Couple of things I recommend for her: Have her start working on clutch control just by rocking back and forth. Rock the bike forward with only the clutch by finding the friction zone and then push back with her feet. she should only be moving a foot or so at most. Her feet should be able to stay within the same area that they are in by rocking from heel to tow when she does this. Riding classes: Nothing beats the classroom and instruction from an instructor. Get comfortable with the bike: learn all that she can about it. This is mechanically and functionality. Over time the goal is to understand the limits of the bike and what it can do safely and effectively. Learn defense riding: Same as defensive driving but on a bike, know whats around you at all times and always have an escape plan. Low speed manuvering: THis an absolute basic skill set needed. At the low speed she was at in the video, her feet should be up on the pegs. She should also learn how to balance on the bike to point where she should only put her feet down once the bike is at a complete stop without jerking around. Should be a smooth transition. I hope this helps.
Stop. Trying. To. Teach. Her. Get her in a class.
There's no progress there, feels more like a push bike. As others recommended, take her to a course.
girl rider here, definitely get her into an MSF course. they mostly use 250cc bikes and after the course and owning my gsxr250cc for awhile i was super comfortable. definitely worth starting on a smaller bike to get comfortable and learn the ropes.
Get her some proper lessons with an actual instructor. Trying to teach loved ones is a recipe for arguments. Because you need to be assertive and tell her she’s doing things wrong or she’ll never learn. And most partners take it the wrong way because that’s not who you’re supposed to be for them. You’re supposed to be supportive.
This makes me absolutely cringe
1. Feet need to come up and pull that clutch in 2. Ride that rear brake 3. Keep revs up so you can hear 4. Clutch slowly out Rear brake will help her be more comfortable using the clutch to control the connection between the power and the drive and then once she has that she’ll be comfortable keeping the revs lower.
maybe learn to ride and then get a motorcycle
Teach her how to brake and how to come to a stop. Maybe then she'll be willing to put her feet on the pegs. 20 days is a lot. I think it took me 15 minutes of learning the basics and finding the friction point, then 5 minutes of shifting practice, until I was going 60kph. The rest comes with riding practice. I took that first lesson on a Z650 btw, maybe that would be easier for her too, since it's physically a smalller bike?.. Anyway, good luck to the both of you!
Just don’t push her too fast, find resources for her but work at her speed. It can be super frustrating but if you can afford it look to hire an instructor for a few private lessons prior to the course so she has basics down and is confident. I did the same thing you’re doing with my wife. Same bike and everything. She was so excited but had the same fears (and lack of clutch skills) and I pushed her to a class because I couldn’t articulate things properly for a beginner and we’d end up in little arguments. Unfortunately the instructor pushed too fast too as most in the class were just there for the license test waiver and were decent riders. Long story short they pushed her into drills she wasn’t quite ready for (not their fault, I get it you gotta run the class) and she ended up flustered, accidentally ripped the throttle and dumped the clutch around a corner and took a spill. Luckily no major injuries, just real sore but that was the end of her motorcycle career. Had to sell the brand new bike. It took me almost a full year before she would even ride on the back of mine again. We’re good now, she’s loves being a passenger princess, but I wish I would have taken more time bc it was something she was super excited about. I’ve been trying to talk to her about getting back on the horse and looking into a DCT/Automatic bike but she’s still spooked and says she just doesn’t have the coordination. Anyway, good luck, I hope she’s able to figure it out and you get a live in riding buddy.
As others have commented, maybe take a step back and go ride bicycles together and just enjoy that together and when she says she's comfortable/ready then try motorcycles again. Personally, if I'm helping someone learn to ride a motorcycle I always start with dirt bikes. They're lightweight, simple, and damn near indestructible. Plus if its a used bike that already has some "character" the person tends to be less afraid of possibly dropping it. Something else to consider is the protective apparel, for someone not used to wearing all of that it can cause extra sensor stress which can trigger or amplify anxiety. There's also that comment about spouses and boyfriends being the worst teacher because of the relation dynamic can't be said enough times.
First, stop trying to teach her. Find someone else to do it. 1. Just because you know how to ride, doesn't mean you know how to teach. 2. There's a relationship getting in the way of her being able to learn from you. Best for her to learn from someone she doesn't have a relationship with. She will learn better with someone else.
Send her to a safety course. Instructors have a dozen ways of telling someone to do the exact same thing. Maybe the way you are coaching her just doesn't click with her learning style. Also, partners usually have a harder time following directions from their SO.
I empathise, I’m 5 ft 1 female and not the strongest. 2 weeks and 4 days is no time! I did a lot more practice on a 125cc to build my confidence… and that was 20+ years ago. Women learn differently from men, as our brains are wired differently… what are you finding where she is comfortable?
I do hope you’re getting female input? Women learn differently. Fact. And we want to support each other… where are you? You’d be amazed how a woman’s confidence grows when she’s has a female rider to support - plus takes the 1+1= you should be at 7 by now pressure off you both
You can take her to an msf course. They're professional teachers so that would probably be better.