Teaching the wife to ride a trike. Good Idea?

[Beavis-Head]

Howdy,

I'd really like to get the ole lady into riding a trike SAFELY, so she can come riding with me and not sit in camp all day. But let me be up front, she ain't the best of drivers - having the tendency to be a real airhead sometimes (sorry Honey but it's the truth) and not pay attention to her surroundings while driving. I'm just wondering if taking her riding is a good idea or not? I currently own a 85 225DR and 85 Tri-Z and would really like to teach her how to ride the DR. Mind you I would keep things slower and stick to more open areas - fire trails, sand dunes, ect. She seems to do okay when we she rode a friend’s autotranny quad before - just never a trike. And it will be a cold day in hell before I ever have one of those four wheeled contraptions in my garage!

Anyone have any advice or experiences as such - Yeh or Neh?

[hublake]

If your wife doesn't feel comfortable on a trike, I would "bite the bullet" and get her a quad. She could join in on your rides. A quad is not the end of the world. My wife has one.

[Chazz of Blades]

I agree, not everyone is meant for three wheels, and I'd hate to put someone on something they're uncomfortable riding.

Take it slow, ride with her a time or two putting around the yard, and let her get a feel for turning and stopping and all that good stuff.

Rule #1: Wear your helmets!

[Swinger]

My wife has been riding all her life and I still get kinda worried when she is on her trike. Just got her a sweet 350X that really rips. I had her on a ytm200e first, just to get used to a trike and then she wanted something faster. It has high comp piston and not sure what else but is the best running X I have ever rode. She had a quad before all this, a 660 Raptor with the 686BB kit and she really liked that but rough times had to sell it. I think if you get her started on something simple and work with her a bit she will be ready to ride at your speed on a faster machine after a good bit of practice.

[hippyplz]

My wife has a warrior and a yfz450 and does good. Keeps up with everyone and really goes wild in the mud but when i put her on a 225dx you could tell she was scared. my kids the same way. Goes nuts on a quad but wont take her atc90 out of the yard. I feel riding 3wheeler will make you a better rider on anything but i wont push them into it.

[jb2wheels]

Depends on your relationship and personalities. I've been married for 20+ years. My wife is not a receptive student and I'm not a patient teacher. It would not be the best thing for us ;)

[ezmoney1979]

The first few times my wife and I went to the dunes I had her ride on the back of our YFZ450. I took the time to teach her to always be aware of her surroundings: slow down/look in all directions at intersections, keep a safe distance from other riders/sand rails, etc. I went ahead and did all that before I even showed her how to use a clutch/shift, because most of the time you really have to watch out for other people, more than yourself. She is doing really good riding by herself and even climbing some of the steeper hills out there, but on a trike, no way in hell lol.

[TatTooL23]

i taught my fiancee how to ride and use a hand clutch on my trx450r. she did very well but has never been on a long fast ride. she has gone on snowmobiles with us for 80+ mile rides and had no problems so i have been thinking of her trying out my 200X on a small ride. i think depending on the overall experiences they will be fine.

[atc350xer]

Don't forget to lean!

[JJMF1979]

Howdy,

I'd really like to get the ole lady into riding a trike SAFELY, so she can come riding with me and not sit in camp all day. But let me be up front, she ain't the best of drivers - having the tendency to be a real airhead sometimes (sorry Honey but it's the truth) and not pay attention to her surroundings while driving. I'm just wondering if taking her riding is a good idea or not? I currently own a 85 225DR and 85 Tri-Z and would really like to teach her how to ride the DR. Mind you I would keep things slower and stick to more open areas - fire trails, sand dunes, ect. She seems to do okay when we she rode a friend’s autotranny quad before - just never a trike. And it will be a cold day in hell before I ever have one of those four wheeled contraptions in my garage!

Anyone have any advice or experiences as such - Yeh or Neh?

Hey my wife sounds alot like yours, even to the extent that she was afraid to ride things after she had a few minor crashes, but after coaxing her onto the three wheelers in an open space she is starting to ride decently(meaning not hitting anything and shifting properly) and yesterday started trying to wheelie in a dress no less lol and doing alright, so I would say it is a good idea and will give you guys more quality time together, although I made sure to give her something auto and she still got close to getting the dogs lol,heres a little video, and yes I realize there is no helmet but when we are just leisurely driving through the open feild we don't wear one(adults anyways) thats also why I didn't upload the video on to this site

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Honda-ATC/126046910836236

[1tonofsh!t]

My wife has a 110, I like the fact that it has no clutch so she can concentrate on just driving, but if I could change one thing I'd like to get some lower profile tires so it's not as top heavy. Other than that I feel its a great way for her to learn how to ride on 3 wheels and get a little dirty with me...no pun intended...or maybe it was??

[JasonB]

I bought my Girlfriend an 87 250sx for her birthday, she has only putted around the yard on it so far, im actually a little worried about her being on it in the trails or anywhere other than flat ground for that matter. She has probably spent a few hours riding the kfx700 around and I feel alot more comfortable with her on that since its more stable and completely auto. I want her to learn how to ride a trike but I cant see myself pushing her to learn, I wouldnt be able to forgive myself if she got hurt on a three wheeler.

[dougspcs]

If your wife doesn't feel comfortable on a trike, I would "bite the bullet" and get her a quad. She could join in on your rides. A quad is not the end of the world. My wife has one.

Agreed, time to stop being a quad-racist!! Being a 4wheel hater isn't any better than being a 3wheel hater.

There is one in my herd for the same reason.

[MRSOUND]

Trying to get the wife interested as well. She wants nothing to do with 3 wheels. So I will be looking for something with 4 for her in the near future to try and get her interested in riding as well.

[4x4van]

3 or 4 wheels, whatever she wants, is what you should have in your garage if you want her to ride. I'm lucky; my wife of 26 years prefers her 85 250R 3-wheeler over the 07 TRX400EX that we also own (along with my 85 250R and a BW200). My kids, however, prefer the quad. It's all good...there's room in the trailer for all of them! :)
http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/4x4van/photobucket-1028-1326771106441.jpg

[JasonB]

3 or 4 wheels, whatever she wants, is what you should have in your garage if you want her to ride. I'm lucky; my wife of 26 years prefers her 85 250R 3-wheeler over the 07 TRX400EX that we also own (along with my 85 250R and a BW200). My kids, however, prefer the quad. It's all good...there's room in the trailer for all of them! :)
http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv159/4x4van/photobucket-1028-1326771106441.jpg


the voice of reason has spoken lol

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Well, my wife's main ride is her '03 Z400 and she isn't scared of the happy lever at all. She's not an MX racer by any means (neither am I for that matter) but she is an accomplished rider nevertheless.

Get this, I just got done building up the R that runs right now and just the other day she told me she wants me to get the other '85 R going for her to ride! (the one thats "up for resto" in my sig) I'm like, what?? But all in all I'm pretty excited about it.

She is also a good sled rider too. My sled is a '99 Mach-Z 800 triple, hers is the '01 MXZ700.

It's really nice riding with her. As long as I'm not pushing as hard as I can she keeps right up. I can have all the fun I want to and not worry about her.

So, I say get your wife what she wants, as others have suggested. It will make it enjoyable for the both of you. Unless of course she doesn't dig riding at all be it on 3 or 4....

[dcreel]

I agree get her whatever she feels comfortable on.. With more comfort on a quad she may find herself wanting to try a 3 wheeler. My wife grew up on quads, she had heard all of the "bad" stories about them. When we got married she found herself with a 3 wheeler nut.. She couldn't wait to try one. She has owned an '83 200X, and now rides an '86 250R. It makes things so much more fun when you can go riding with your wife.

Here is a pic of my wife and I at the dunes.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w182/dcreel/Dunes-1.jpg

They all have their limits though, I've tried to get my wife to ride my Tecate with the twist throttle but she absolutely refuses.

[coolpool]

This 70 is going to be my wife's first attempt at a three wheeler. She told me she does not want to go fast....I said that won't be a problem, lol. Time will tell if she takes to it or not. She rode quads in the past and didn't really get comfortable with them in anything more technical than a gravel road. Keep it fun and it will work out for both of you.

[86ATC 250r]

I got my wife a 250ex with the recluse clutch and she could use it or not and she had it almost a year and wanted somethimg with more nuts. So I got her a 400ex cause thats what I had and she seen me climbin hills and wheeling forever but and she loves it. And she climbs almost all the hills we do. Then she wanted to ride my 200x and she did good and she has always wanted to ride my r and I really didnt want her to amd I was scared cause I didnt want her to get hurt but I let her and I was impressed and she didnt slam on the gas she eased into it and she loves it. Im thinking of gettin her an air cooled one. My whole point is I didnt.push nothing on her and didnt put her on nothing ahe was not comfortable with. So I agree with the othera who said the same

[Rollingmenace]

Here is a pic of my girl on the 200x i built for her... she had never ridden any type of motorcycle or atv before.. it took her a little while to pick it up her biggest problem is she is overly cautious but it is getting better with every ride she goes on... the biggest advice is start small and slow and it will eventually come.. if she feels more comfortable on 4 wheels go that route.. if she has no preference id go with 3 LOL... leslie never had an option i own a quad but i figured she could learn to RIDE on 3 before i let her move on and DRIVE the quad... The biggest thing is it is great having something we can enjoy together and it brings us closer in our relationship.. and its really cool when i go out fire the bikes to move em around and she comes tearing out the house with helmet in hand LOL.. either way good luck with your endeavor... just remember patience is the key lol
http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss170/rollingmenace/bike%20pics/Rumble%20at%20Whitewash%202-0/GEDC0570.jpg

[Bustos82]

Trying to get the wife interested as well. She wants nothing to do with 3 wheels. So I will be looking for something with 4 for her in the near future to try and get her interested in riding as well.

I'm in the same boat. Lol

[falloutboy]

That is a great pic, 4x4van. You can tell she just rips on that thing! :D

[4x4van]

That is a great pic, 4x4van. You can tell she just rips on that thing! :D
Thanks. She's actually fairly conservative, but she learned to ride when we were dating and I was racing motorcycles in the desert. She would ride as passenger on my race bike on Saturday, then I would race on Sunday.

While her 250R is close to stock (Bill's pipe & K&N), mine is quite built (list too long) yet she is the only one in camp that can comfortably ride mine (other than myself and my older brother, who's 250R puts mine to shame). In any case, at our age (I'm 50 and she's 49) it's nice to still be pushing it hard in the sand, making the younger crowd on 4-wheelers wonder how we can beat them on 3!

[Fungo Wizard]

Well after i picked my 87 Big red up I coaxed my wife onto the 250sx and we have ridden everyday since. Her comment was, " Why haven't I been doing this all along?" LOL. I think shes hooked. Now to get the 70's running and get the kids off the trx 70's.