Did you pioneer motorcycling in your family?

[Motofool]

My older brother was the pioneer in my family, he and his friends mentored me in mechanics and riding, while our parents never opposed our passion for motorcycles.

I would love to hear from those members who had to deal with obstacles for pioneering motorcycling in their families.

[choneofakind]

My mother has been fine with it all along. She's known I would want one since I was about 10. I had to convince my dad that I could handle and take care of a motorcycle. I had to basically come up with an entire business model for proving I could take care of the thing financially

Then came the first 'hurdle'. None of us had any idea how to work on a bike. We've always been working on cars together, and we've even fixed the lawn mower and snow blower a few times. We're both mechanically inclined. But man those gummed up carbs were a tough thing to figure out for a first time bike owner and his father, both who had never owned a bike before.

So I started reading. I read. A lot. Every time I have to do something new to the bike or I feel uncertain about something, I go back to reading. It's worked so far. The cool thing is now my dad and I work on my motorcycle, just like we do with cars. Only difference is with the motorcycle, I'm the one explaining things

[ally99]

Yep. My family always hated/feared motorcycles. Started riding at age 29 so they couldn't say much to me but that point. Other than worrying about me, they leave me alone about it. It's obvious it's a part of who I am now and something I enjoy doing so much that I wouldn't care what they said. lol

[NathanUc]

I am the first to ride in my family and hopefully the only one for a while. My little brother is really interested in riding, but I get worried that he's not ready for a motorcycle. It gets really hard to tell him that I don't think a motorcycle is right for him right now when I just bought a new one and refuse to drive a car.

My biggest problem is ongoing. People think it's dumb that I only ride a motorcycle. My mother and family seemed pretty angry when they found out I bought a $13,000 motorcycle. Every time I bring it up, someone mentions that I was stupid and should have bought a car! I try to justify my logic with a few reasons (cost of operation, MPG, knowing my abilities, overall immense addition to my happiness, and that I ride very safe) but it's a topic many don't understand.

When trying to convince someone, they will almost always focus on the danger, so it's important YOU as a learning rider understand the risks and techniques to be a better rider as a smart/logical argument that they aren't as dangerous as some think can go a long way.

[smackenz]

For my immediate family i did. I have 2 brothers, the oldest at one point went and got his m1 and never did anything after. The next had some solid time oggling bikes and trying to figure it out. Then after highschool i took a year off to work, figured i could afford it sp i got one, signed up for safety course and my dad says he needs to take the course in case i ever get hurt at soccer so he can ride it home. Right after the course he got his own bike, then my mom and middle brother say yo we wanna ride too so they took course and bought bikes. Mom grew up on a farm, always someone had a bike so i didnt have to fight her, just a little with my dad

[allanoue]

My Dad was the Army Surgeon General
So ya

[Slick_Stevo]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

So I started reading. I read. A lot. Every time I have to do something new to the bike or I feel uncertain about something, I go back to reading. It's worked so far. The cool thing is now my dad and I work on my motorcycle, just like we do with cars. Only difference is with the motorcycle, I'm the one explaining things

Cool...I read a lot too....I've learned a hellva alot just by reading what other ppl do to their bikes and also alot about riding skills

I have 2 sons and a stepson aged 20, 18 and 17, The older two aren't really that interested, but the younger one is ...but he worries me cause he is :fubar:

Who knows, the time may come when they come to me and say they want to ride. At which point I will help them anyway I can, but they will have to up the funds for the purchase and the insurance.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Slick_Stevo

Cool...I read a lot too....I've learned a hellva alot just by reading what other ppl do to their bikes and also alot about riding skills

This forum and the ninja250 wiki really helped me out a lot when I started. Look at at me now; 3 seasons later I'm doing all my scheduled servicing myself, I've got the bike fuel injected, and the suspension is set up pretty well for my weight. I've learned so much from reading and doing and making every nooby mistake along the way.

Even if your youngest son isn't quite ready to handle owning a bike right now, give him some time and get him helping with the nitty-gritty work on your bike so he sees that there's more to owning a bike than ladies and racing. With time, we all learn and grow up a bit.

Also, good for you making him pay for everything. I came from a well-to-do suburb town where everyone buys their kids everything they want. Except my parents. All my bicycles and my ninja have been paid for by me. I haven't borrowed a cent from my parents. I think it's made me much more intelligent with my money and my time, especially now that I'm on my own at college.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

This forum and the ninja250 wiki really helped me out a lot when I started. Look at at me now; 3 seasons later I'm doing all my scheduled servicing myself, I've got the bike fuel injected, and the suspension is set up pretty well for my weight. I've learned so much from reading and doing and making every nooby mistake along the way.

I'm the pioneer within my family and friends, my older brother and three of my best friends are taking their msf in the next few months. They claim that it's changed me for the better already. While I still have no clue what I'm doing mechanically I just know that I love the feeling of riding. Hopefully I turn out like you with pretty much everything figured out, do you have any suggestions for which links to check out? I know that I need new tires and I have no idea what to do for maintenance. Thank you in advance for any advice

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by Sirref

do you have any suggestions for which links to check out? I know that I need new tires and I have no idea what to do for maintenance.

ninja250.org has a bunch of things figured out for the pregen. They're helpful for reference material.
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page

Then when you have questions, come back to ninjette and ask away. We're nicer than those dudes at ninja250.org

Also, if you can get your hands on one of the actual Kawasaki service manuals for the 88-07 ninja 250, get that. That has step by step directions and torque values for everything.

[Sirref]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

ninja250.org has a bunch of things figured out for the pregen. They're helpful for reference material.
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/Main_Page

Then when you have questions, come back to ninjette and ask away. We're nicer than those dudes at ninja250.org

Also, if you can get your hands on one of the actual Kawasaki service manuals for the 88-07 ninja 250, get that. That has step by step directions and torque values for everything.

thanks man, conveniently I got the service manual with the bike (it's been well used but still legible, someone rolled it up to keep it under the seat)

[tooblekain]

It was my dad that pioneered motorcycles...but I knew at age 11 I wanted a bike when my uncle showed up on a Nighthawk and taught me how to ride it. I couldnt reach the ground but could reach the controls. He was my feet for the ground.

Years later when I was 20 my dad bought a bike because he was going through a mid-life crisis--it pissed off my mom so bad, that he slept on the couch for a week. That was the worst week of my life. Seeing my dad sulk and my mom so pissed. My mom eventually got over it. My dad still rides and prefers cross-state cross country touring. He still does twisties.

At 24 I got my first bike...and Ive taken it to a completely different level from canyons to trackdays and now racing.

[NevadaWolf]

Kind of. Definitely in street bikes and until late last year, only gal to ride (my Mom does now too). Ages ago when I was little, my Dad and I rode trikes, quads, and buggies. He got a dirt bike but after I entered high school we sold the lot and didn't go back.

On my 21st birthday I wanted a bike. Knew nothing about it but wanted one anyway. My g'ma told me to "find a nice young man who had one" so I could ride passenger. Um, No! My bike!

Took the MSF, got a pretty little pregen, and we hauled it into the living room so I could tear it apart and learn about it. But too chicken at the time to do anything too it. My Dad got a few different bikes after me but ended up trading/selling them.

Fast forward 10+ years, now have my newgen and am trying to take care of it myself. My Dad's been thinking of his bike again but bad knees and motorcycles don't mix easily.

[soggybottom]

I am the first in my family. Mom is a nurse and has always been staunchly against it. Bought my first bike while living at home. It was forbidden to stay at the house, so I rented a storage shed (that was in view of the house). Tried getting my brother into it, but he holds to the belief that he would kill himself.

Moved out, got married, owned a few bikes. Mom is still totally against it. Dad doesn't care. Bike is allowed at their house now though, so there is some progress.

I have an uncle that recently got into riding. Never been on a bike before and buys the biggest Harley he can find at the dealership. Shortly after, he crashes it and breaks a few ribs. I think he still rides it occasionally. That's it for relatives that ride though.

[CC Cowboy]

My dad bought me my first everything (on two wheels). He also rode with me.

[lgk]

Mom and dad both rode scooters, and my uncle used to wrench on bikes.

[Vergil]

My grandfather was the Team Manager for Suzuki for a few years back in the 70s. My father works for both Kawasaki as one of the Demo Days instructors as well as Can-Am.

Both had seen the risks of riding firsthand, and made certain I knew what I was getting into. Fast forward a year and my ninja is my daily vehicle. Still loving every day of it.

My mom, step dad, and none of my siblings understand it though. My dad of course had to wait until the year before I got my license to sell his 1988 Ducati Paso 750. Would have been a great retro ride.

[csmith12]

I am not the first to ride in my family. Although, I am the first to put any real effort into learning the techniques of riding and the first to be on a track/race on 2 wheels. You know how hard it is to just sit silently when I hear a family member give totally wrong info out to another family member? But hey... he was riding before I was born, so who am I to say anything. Respect is a b*tch sometimes.

[MistahT]

My Uncle rode Harleys all his life until his recent passing. Besides him, I'm the first in my family. Actually, I'm the first in my circle of friends as well.

It's kind of funny. My best and oldest friend started commuting on a 25cc Tomos moped. I tried it out and got a scooter. A year later almost 10 of us had scooters. Fast forward a few years and now most of my friends (including my wife) have motorcycles. I'm a corrupter >: )

[contact148]

yes and no I am the ONLY one in a very large family who has ever owned motorcycles I used to bring my 125's to my uncles farm for family events and most of the males would ride them I also had a little suzuki JR 50cc and most of the kids would ride it.

My mom is dead set aginst it my dad dosent care either way

[Joshorilla]

Everyone in my family has owned or does own a motorbike.

[Goom]

I come from a family of motorcyclists. My mom's first vehicle was actually a motorcycle! Both of my parents grew up in the country, so they rode plenty of dirt bikes in their younger days as well. Heck, my grandparents even rode up until a couple of years ago. I also have lots of cousins who ride. My brother is more into quads than anything, and I doubt he'll ever own a bike, but he used to ride my dirt bikes from time to time.

Even with that many riders in my family, I was still met with some opposition from my dad when I got into street bikes. I think it's because he remembers the stupid things he did when he was young. haha

[NoSkillsMcSuckington]

Everyone in my small immediate family had a bike at some point in the past or had ridden. One day last summer the wife and I were taking my mom out to eat. I kinda jokingly said, "hey, let's go get bikes!". To my surprise, 2 hours later, we had a ninjette, cbr250, and a rebel. The CBR and Rebel have been traded, but the ninjette remains and probably will for the foreseeable future. So I guess I kind of did. Riding together has been a great activity, and I think the bikes were probably the best purchases I have made, from a family standpoint. Gives us all some common ground and an enjoyable activity we can all do together.

[bfpower]

I'm the first in my immediate family to ride or own. Part of my success with opinion has been the way I approached the decision. I waited until I was older and financially stable. I talked every part of the decision through with my wife. I took MSF before riding and I read good books on the subject. I choose my rides with safety in mind.

I'm still close to my parents and their input has been interesting. My dad has never ridden but my uncle (my dads best friend growing up) rode. In fact he almost got killed in a crash a couple of years ago. My dad is a mechanic (and a genius to boot) and he has always helped me love great vehicles and maintaining them. He seems to think the bike is cool while understanding the risks (the stakes are pretty high for anyone, but I have four kids). His respect for what I'm doing meant a lot to me and actually causes me to be more careful.

My wife is a bit of a punk at heart and loved the idea. Her only stipulation was that she be able to learn to ride on it too. In fact, she will not let me sell it if I ever do get another bike (I'm gunning for a '69 Bonneville once I have the savings put away for it). My kids are all in favor, and I took my five year old for his first ride last week.

[CZroe]

Sorta. My MUCH older brother rode when I was extremely young, but he was already grown and living in another state (Navy base). By the time I was old enough, he had kids of his own and no longer had any bikes.

From a very young age my mother encouraged me to learn but I never even attempted to ride until I took the MSF and bought mine two decades later at 27 years old. Coincidentally, my older brother was just getting a KLR650 around that same time.

[DCkilla]

Well, as far as street riding, yes, I was the one to break open that can of worms. My bother rides dirt, but that's about it. He sold his only dirt bike last week. I'm trying to get him on the street now.

[Madman44]

My uncles started riding first but I was the first and only to get into sport bikes. Two of them ride Harley's and another rides a Buell tourer (which was recently crashed due to an idiot driver). They all encouraged me to get a cruiser but I refused.

[bdavison]

I was definitely the pioneer in our family. Nobody, and I do mean NOBODY rode in our family before I started riding.

Now.....

Two uncles, and my sister and her husband are riding motorcycles, I took my teenage cousins last year for their first ride on a bike and my 65 year old mother wants a can-am spyder.

When I first started, none of them was too happy....all I got was the whole "yer gonna kill yourself" crap. Then after a few years, they all wanted to ride.

Once they get on one....one of two things happens. Either they sware never to get on one again, or they can't wait to get back on one.

[tooblekain]

My uncle on my dad's side is what got me interested in motorcycles when I was like 10 or 11. He taught me how to operate one. He had a Honda Nighthawk (can't remember the cc's). I was too short to reach the ground but could reach the controls. He sat behind me taught me. I was hooked for life.

My dad got a 1999 Triumph Sprint RS in 2000 or 2001...mid life crisis. My mom was pissed for 2 weeks. He slept on the couch. He was pouting. My mom cursed so much. It was the worst 2 weeks living with them seeing both sides.

I got my first bike in April 2006 as a college graduation gift to myself and getting my first full time job. Rode the wheels off of it until April 21, 2012 when I had a really racing crash. Totalled/parted it out. My first bike had one hell of a life...first bike that I took all the way from learning to canyon carving to track days to actual racing. Can believe I racked up close to 21K miles...most of it track only. (it became track only around 9,000 miles)

When I realized how a sportbike is pointless on the streets I got my Bonnie as my commuter. Love that bike and it has 48K miles currently.

Got the Ninja 250 in May 2012 while still recovering from injuries from my crash back in April 2012. (had a compound fracture on my right tibia and fibula)...took 9 months to heal. Finally got back on 2 wheels on January 8, 2013 (one day before my 31st birthday)

So essentially, it was my uncle that peaked my interest, my dad that took the first blow of my mom and sister being against bikes, but me to pioneer riding on the track.

[JohnnyBravo]

Since my grandpas Harley's and Indians, to my dads various Harley bikes and goldwing, my cousins Harley's and sportbikes... Guys have always rode on two wheels. Well my fathers last wreck left him with one leg an inch or more shorter than the other, and ever since I can remember I was told I can't have a bike... Well fast forward six years in the army, two wars, three deployments and a final home place in another state, dad don't like it, but I got my bike... He still smiles talking about bikes, but parents worry, that's life

[Motofool]

Grateful for your service, Rob !!!

Sorry to hear about your father's leg

[slickt0mmy]

My dad had a few motorcycles growing up. Mostly Ducati's. He sold them all before college, went to school, met my mom, got married, had us kids, and then bought a new bike when I was about 10. I remember he used to come pick me up from my baseball practices on it. He ended up selling it a year or so later. And my family has been motorcycle-less until last year when I bought my ninjette.

[BlueHairSar]

I'm the first in my immediate family. Kinda.

... My mom used to ride on the back of bikes when she was younger, and I know she road a scooter - I think on a vacation? (She apparently flung herself over the handlebars and into a bush - in the funny way, not the ouch way)

My ex-stepdad used to ride ages ago, and recently started getting back into it because of his current girlfriend. And my bro-in-law rides, too. Neither of those really influenced my decision (didn't even know about my stepdad until after I had my silence)

I have a cousin who rides, too, and unfortunately he got into an accident where he broke one wrist and sprained another RIGHT when I was trying to convince my dad that me on a bike wasn't the worst idea possible. Good timing, cuz.

Neither parents like it, but they accept that I've done it, and I try to reassure them with things like ATGATT...

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by BlueHairSar

in the funny way, not the ouch way

In my experience, those are one in the same. What hurts right away is hysterical later on.

[daisha]

So far I am the first and only member of my family to ride. I had to wait to buy a bike until I graduated college and moved (MN to MA) and I still haven't worked up the courage to tell my mom about the bike! I know she would just worry more than anything.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by daisha

So far I am the first and only member of my family to ride. I had to wait to buy a bike until I graduated college and moved (MN to MA) and I still haven't worked up the courage to tell my mom about the bike! I know she would just worry more than anything.

You are a genuine pioneer, Daisha !!!

[allanoue]

Originally Posted by daisha

So far I am the first and only member of my family to ride. I had to wait to buy a bike until I graduated college and moved (MN to MA) and I still haven't worked up the courage to tell my mom about the bike! I know she would just worry more than anything.

I waited 4 months to tell my Mom for the same reason. My 3 siblings and there 10 kids all knew. One day I just showed up in all my gear. All the body armor can be impressive and goes along way to relieve fears. If she is in MN that may not work. Maybe just post a picture in facebook in full ATGATT with your bike.

[daisha]

Originally Posted by allanoue

I waited 4 months to tell my Mom for the same reason. My 3 siblings and there 10 kids all knew. One day I just showed up in all my gear. All the body armor can be impressive and goes along way to relieve fears. If she is in MN that may not work. Maybe just post a picture in facebook in full ATGATT with your bike.

The trickiest part is hiding my gear when she comes out to visit. The bike is safely parked on the other side of the lot at my apartment, but I always seem to forget something. My disc lock and cover came in the mail during her last visit. That was a tough one to explain!
I suppose I will have to tell her eventually, but I'm not ready yet!

[cuong-nutz]

I'm the only one who rides in my family. My parents rode scooters back Viet Nam if that counts any lol. I had a thing for repairing things since my dad was a former mechanic and it was only time that I would pick it up and started wrenching on my own. Mom worries since she's always hearing stories from people wrecking but that's just mom being mom. My sister's boyfriend rides but sold his bike. He talks that he'll eventually get another one. He's pretty much family.

[greenaero]

I'm the first in my family to ride motorcycles. I lusted for one until I saved up enough to buy a used Yamaha YDS2 in 1968. My younger brother also got into bikes and we've ridden thousands of miles together over the passing years. My older brother rode briefly when we were still at home but quit after a hard spill. My Mom didn't want us to ride motorcycles but still she drove me out to pick up my first bike. I didn't have a car yet and motorcycles were my only motor vehicles for the first years as a licensed driver. I'm glad I had the backbone to follow my dreams; its been a great life.