62 replies to this topic

[BikerDude]

Wife does not have an issue with riding itself, its just that she is used to riding on the back of my Harley. Well the Harley is gone, and I am looking at replacing it with an FJR. For her there are 3 different types of bikes....Harleys, Jap Harley clones and Sport bikes. In her Eyes the FJR looks no different then a Sport bike, and she sees sport bikes as death traps. If I bought another Harley I know she would ride one of those....but I don't really want another Harley, I want to go the ST route for a few years.

Now whatever bike I get, she would not be riding much anyway since we now have a 2 year old. She rode B4 that.

She says she does not have an issue in me getting the FJR, but then she would not be a passenger on it.

Do I jump in anyway, and hope she gets the itch and ride eventually? Or do I kiss our 2 up riding as a thing of the past?

BD

[03HiYoSilver]

Actually here are some benefits to the Sport Touring Bike:

1- Better Brakes
2- Better Handling
3- Better Power to get out of trouble
4- More efficient aerodynamics

Now it is up to you to control yourself with the Right Wrist...especially with your wife.

Good Luck...

[Fontanaman]

A few years ago my wife used to ride with me more when were dating. Now married she is less interested. She does not mind if I go for a day or two weeks. So I ride alone, take photos and enjoy the benefits of solo riding. Coming home is always nice.

My advice is don't try and convince your wife to ride on the back of the FJR. She may see you are having so much fun she just may decide to join you on her own accord. If she choose not to ride be happy and enjoy "your" free time.

Edited by Fontanaman, 13 October 2011 - 08:04 PM.

[Bugnatr]

A few years ago my wife used to ride with me more when were dating. Now married she is less interested. She does not mind if I go for a day or two weeks. So I ride alone, take photos and enjoy the benefits of solo riding. Coming home is always nice.

My advice is don't try and convince your wife to ride on the back of the FJR. She may see you are having so much fun she just may decide to join you on her own accord. If she choose not to ride be happy and enjoy "your" free time.

Good advice. You could get a top case so she can feel more secure on the back. I try to be real smooth and my wife is happy on the back when she rides with me.

[exskibum]

Agree with the previous posts.

My experience is that every woman friend that I've had on the FJR falls in love with the bike and its overall performance. It's like a Ferrari to them that we can tour on, and that's two up! See how much she grins at the way it blows the chrome off that Harley she thought she liked whose rider braps the throttle volume control because he wants some. Seriously -- the wimmens can be worse than we ever could be about that sort of thing -- my last ex-GF actually developed something of an attitude about it.

Harleys have their own feel to me, but it's like my old '56 Ford Pickup. The FJR is a completely different animal. Just ride it and enjoy the Ferrari like performance and the distances you can go on it. Women are curious, and missing out on something they think someone else is enjoying is something they can't tolerate for long. Don't try to get her on it -- just share periodically about how much you are enjoying it. She'll want on soon enough.

[Old Michael]

... Women are curious, and missing out on something they think someone else is enjoying is something they can't tolerate for long...

*biting my tongue*

[Bustanut joker]

... Women are curious, and missing out on something they think someone else is enjoying is something they can't tolerate for long...

*biting my tongue*

Ohhh This is gonna get good! I wanna be here when that old broad from Campbell River see's this

Damn Cyndi what are you doing up this early?

[Ken45]

Where does a Goldwing fit into your wife's three categories, LOL?

I guess an FJR could be driven like an idiot on a super sport, but it's got a lot more going for it than that. It's more about how you drive. I agree, a top case with back rest may help her feel different.

It's possible, too, that with a 2 year old, she wouldn't really ride much even on another Harley.

I don't know if it would make a difference to her or not, but have you looked at the Honda NT700V? It's a sport touring bike and a milder version of the FJR/ST1300. Those that have them seem to love them as much as FJR people love the Yamaha.

Ken

[FJRay]

I suppose a girlfriend is not an option

My wife rides with me sometimes and now she rides her own Harley

[NMRoadRunner]

I'm confused here! My wife won't get off the back of the bike, even if it's parked in the garage. But the kids are grown, I got off motorcycles when we started what I call my own little "None Profit Orginaztion" then started riding again when my oldest was in her last year of collage. We have been riding ever since.

[SQUEAL]

Go ahead and get the FJR. You wont regret it. Later you can add a box with a backrest or one of Geraulds racks with a removeable rest. The wife may or may not ride, but dont push it too hard. Offer once in awhile and she might suprise you. My wife has her own Harley and she really likes the FJR on the back. Naturally the seat isnt that great for a passenger, but we had a ball with her on the back riding up Mt. Evans this summer. She oogled and took pics while I operated. Her Harley would have never made it up that hill in that altitude. I love fuel injection! Anyway; I think she will change her mind, but right now she is focused on children. That is a good thing. I layed off for five years until our youngest could go with us. Now it is a family outing. Good luck and have fun!

[Big Sky]

Children aside, challenge her intellectually: "Honey, you need to know for yourself weather the FJR is a suitable touring rig for riding pillion. It may be or it may not be, but the only way you'll know is to try it and make the determination yourself. If the FJR is in fact wonderful, you'd want to know that, wouldn't you?" If that works, then it's up to you to make sure her experience is a highly positive one.

Also, try education. Find a definitive and authoritative article on motorcycle categories: Sport, cruiser, dual-sport, adventure tourer, tourer, GT, sport-tour, etc. Help her understand the FJR is no crotch-rocket; merely a cross between a Gold-wing and a Hyabusa; a cross between a Corvette and a Sedan DeVille - a compromise that captures some of the best of both worlds.

I find riding two-up is about twice as enjoyable as soloing. My wife would ride behind me no matter what machine I took. She's along 90 percent of the time and pouts when she doesn't get to go. I wish you such good fortune.

Good luck!

[ahchiu]

I think you should get a blow up doll and put it on the FJR, tell you wife" If you don't want to ride with me on the FJR I'll find another friend to ride with" then tell her she had fun, just look at her expression on her face

[Niehart]

Spend a boat load on money and time making the bike comfortable and prefect for her. Then sell all of that stuff for half of what you paid for it because she still wont ride with ya. I am not bitter, I'm not.. well maybe a little.

[Old Michael]

... a girlfriend ...

... get a blow up doll ...

...a picture of Bikergeek in a wetsuit....

[Don2334]

My wife did exactly the same thing. I went from a rosd star with a comfy mustang seat to the FJR. When I brought it home she said she wouldn't ride on it. I rode it all summer, went on a couple camping trips by myself and had a great time. Now she is thinking she might ride on it but I'm not sure I want her anymore. I am pretty sure I will take her on day rides but probably won't do any overnights with her for awhile.Don

[not2shabby]

Just tell her about the young girls in sports cars that ask you for a ride at stoplights...

[FastSpy]

That is funny.. someone that has never owned a bike telling someone that has what to get

Load the Hardly up and stop fast from 75 mph with her on to avoid an accident and then try it on a FJR. It is the difference between the ER or death and talking about it over dinner.

[exskibum]

... Women are curious, and missing out on something they think someone else is enjoying is something they can't tolerate for long...

*biting my tongue*

Ohhh This is gonna get good! I wanna be here when that old broad from Campbell River see's this

Thanks for volunteering to act as the lightning rod for me, Bust!

[bucky]

Aerodynamics are better on an fjr than the harley type bikes. Combined braking with ABS is far better than no ABS and no combined braking, making the fjr or similiar bike much safer. Smooth inline powerful 4 cylinder. Hands down this is my favorite long haul bike over my two others, 1300 v-star yamaha and m50 suzuki, both v-twins, harley types.

My only advise would be to get a passenger backrest or the topcase. Many women (including my wife) hate to ride on the back of a bike without that backrest. They feel like they can slide off the back or side because there is nothing to give them front/back or side to side support. I got the backrest from pirates lair ($350). Pricy, great quality and comfortable and easily detachable when not needed. Wife loves it and she actually likes the hand grips for the passenger on the bike. Your sweetie will probably incremently come around to liking the fjr with time.

Edited by bucky, 14 October 2011 - 10:23 AM.