Friend considering a motorcycle

[FJRONAMISSION]

So I have a friend who is thinking about getting into motorcycling, which I think is great of course! But he is asking me to give him a ride to see what it is like and if he would be interested in persuing his motorcycle license. I'm not sure why but this seemed to be an unusual request to me. He asked me last night in an email and I havent really responded yet, I"m not really sure what to say. On the one hand I cant remember the last time I have given a guy a ride on any motorcycle I own. On the other hand I am all for someone getting into the sport.

I think the problem is that being a passenger does not properly portray the whole motorcycling experience. For me, I wouldnt want to be a passenger, I like the control factor. Of course I am going to encourage him to take an MSF course to experience more and to help get his license, but what would you all do in the same situation?

I know it's Friday so I expect some funny comments but seriously, it just seemed like an odd question....

Your thoughts?!!

===

Ask him to pull your hair ifin he is gonna ride up that close to ya :clapping:

 

[Murph]

Give the guy a ride.....but if you sense something stiff in the area of the seat behind you, STOP immediately! :feminist_en:

Then again, your friend's gonna have to get off eventually.

(holy crap ... I think I finally found the perfect post to use that emoticon!)

 

[Murph]

Stop being a fegala and give your friend a ride. Chee, you guys are way too uptight.

Sounds to me like Alex is offering free rides to all guys on his very clean bike.

 

[v65]

I don't think I would post that ride report ...

You guys are silly... why not give the guy a ride? He obviously trusts you and wants to try it with someone else taking the initial responsibility. Doesn't seem like that big a deal to me... I've taken a couple of my girlfriends for a ride cause they couldn't find a male rider to take them. What's the big deal?

See the previous replies, I stick with my advice!

 

[exskibum]

I was gonna respond to Tyler that many men fear a reach-around UNLESS it is a hawt woman doing it. Obviously, Rad has again nailed the other exception.

If you're secure in your heterosexuality, though, give him a ride (but not where anyone you know can photograph it to post on the internet). Bad enough that Bluestreek and Highlander were plotting subversive and defamatory postings (complete with drunken staged picture taking of our bikes) against madmike and me a couple of weeks ago for splitting the cost of a motel room with two queen beds. I'm sure I have given a male a ride on the back for one reason or another in the long distant past, but it's been so long I don't really remember (certainly before helmets were required in Cali).

OTOH, I think that nearly every woman who has ever been on the back with me has expressed a desire to pilot a motorcycle. Nothing like that acceleration and the rhythm of taking it through some twisties to get across, even to a pillion, the visceral experience and joy of these motocontraptions. It's not for nothing that I have always maintained that if you like to ski, you almost certainly will love motorcycles. That's not to say that riding pillion compares to piloting it, but I don't think I've been on the back since I was in my teens, either.

 

[wheatonFJR]

First of all, you're correct in saying that being a passenger just isn't the same as being a pilot. (Then again, I don't ever recall having been a passenger).
Second, this sort of 2-up riding violates man-law.

Two men should never:

Share an umbrella.

Sing along together with the car radio at a stop light.

Ride a motorcycle together (unless it's at a race track and it's a victory lap w/ your crew chief of giving a crasher a ride back to the paddock).

He's better off taking one of those Beginner Rider Courses from the MSF that supply the bikes.

GUNNY :clapping: :clapping:

 

[wheatonFJR]

Stop being a fegala and give your friend a ride. Chee, you guys are way too uptight.

Sounds to me like Alex is offering free rides to all guys on his very clean bike.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[RenoJohn]

Yep, first thing that came to my mind.
Why not spare the world of two dudes brokebacking around on a bike

-let your friend get the real feel of riding a bike. Give him your FJR for the day. FJR is an easy bike to ride, low seat height. easy ergo's and plenty of torque a beginner can throw it in 3rd gear and ride for a day without having to shift gears. Then he'll come back knowing if it is for him ....without violating any man2man laws of nature.

 

[cougar8000]

Stop being a fegala and give your friend a ride. Chee, you guys are way too uptight.

Sounds to me like Alex is offering free rides to all guys on his very clean bike.

Two problems there.

1. Not every guy. Even I have standards.

2. Did you ever see my bike clean? I still have bugs from our last run together :yahoo:

 

[spyderbret]

You guys are the greatest! So funny!

I agree with the man-law on this one. Maybe it is a personal thing but whatever.... I am going to push him towards an MSF course to get the feel. Plus many moons ago I let a friend ride my motorcycle and he dropped it doing about 20mph... Not a lot of damage but I swore I would never let anyone ride one of my motorcycles again. (Except for smitty after he installs the cc.. special circumstances you know!!)

I like the guy but I havent known him that long. We are both married to women ( :clapping: ) so it's not a ghey thing, just weird to me. The scooter thing is not a bad idea though....

Keep the comments coming though. I havent said no yet but that's where I'm leaning. Happy Friday!!!

 

[Tyler]

Give him your FJR for the day. FJR is an easy bike to ride, low seat height. easy ergo's and plenty of torque a beginner can throw it in 3rd gear and ride for a day without having to shift gears. Then he'll come back knowing if it is for him ....without violating any man2man laws of nature.

Are you nuts? Giving your bike to someone who's never ridden to try it out?!? That's crazier than giving him a ride on the back!!! :dribble:

 

[GunMD]

This is interesting. A thread like this almost doesn't seem real. It's Friday, after all. The strange thing is that despite all of the humor here, the OP is actually getting some good feedback.

Folks, let not make a habit of actually being helpful on Fridays. People will come to expect it.

 

[Beamer Reamer]

My teenagers 'aksed' me the other day, "Which is more ghey, two men on a motorcycle or three men in the front seat of a truck?" After spirited debate, it was unanimous that it was the motorcycle. Neither option was deemed acceptable though.

Having him take the course.

 

[Tyler]

Folks, let not make a habit of actually being helpful on Fridays. People will come to expect it.

Sorry... I'll try to keep that in mind for future posts.

 

[devanator]

Folks learning to parachute often get kinda snuggly.

My brother went skydiving once just to say he tried it, and the instructor was literally strapped as tight as you can be to each other when they dove from the plane. The point being was the instructor ask him jokingly "have you ever been this close to a man before?"

My brother said that it did break the ice with the thought of having to jump out of an airplane.

 

[Fred W]

You guys are the greatest! So funny!
I agree with the man-law on this one. Maybe it is a personal thing but whatever.... I am going to push him towards an MSF course to get the feel.

Yeah, that's what I would do. Better chance he will like riding motorcycles (and not you) afterward.

I like the guy but I havent known him that long. We are both married to women ( :clapping: ) so it's not a ghey thing,

Yeah, that what the call "Bi". Or some places they call it "swinging". It's really really close to ghey.

I nominate that Tyler be the designated test rider for all men pillions.

(where do I sign up?) I'd really like to ride a Trophy!

 

[wheatonFJR]

...I nominate that Tyler be the designated test rider for all men pillions.

(where do I sign up?) I'd really like to ride a Trophy!

Be careful how you ask..she might misunderstand...

 

[Fred W]

...I nominate that Tyler be the designated test rider for all men pillions.

(where do I sign up?) I'd really like to ride a Trophy!

Be careful how you ask..she might misunderstand...

Phicst.

I do know the meaning of innuendo. Thanks.

 

[Tyler]

I nominate that Tyler be the designated test rider for all men pillions.

(where do I sign up?) I'd really like to ride a Trophy!

Bring it - I'd be happy to take you for a ride. You're first on the list. When ya coming out (so to speak)?

 

[El Toro]

This is a long thread at this point, so I didn't read all of it. I read enough to see that there were a lot of folks focused on the idea that another man ought not be pillion to a male rider.

Sigh.....

I've been married for nearly 34 years, and have two grown sons. I am not sympathetic to "alternative lifestyles."

However, the idea that a man as your pillion for a short ride would somehow have sexual inuendo is a product of our modern LACK of culture.

Make sure the guy has a legitimate helmet, gloves, long sleeves, over the ankle boots, and long pants. Have him follow you in his car or truck out to a limited access highway. Park his vehicle, and let him climb on as pillion. Take him a few miles, loop around, and come back.

It ain't a date unless you're into the alternative lifestyles yourself.

I wouldn't let anyone try my bike if I weren't swapping and riding theirs, but if a good friend asked for a ride to see if he would like the general idea of being on two wheels, I'd accomodate him in the way I've described. The only reason not to do it is if you are not comfortable taking a passenger. That's perfectly legitimate, so if you're not comfortable, then say no. Otherwise, why not give the guy a brief introduction to our world?