Afraid to ride...

[pjrocco]

I have a friend who bought a bike at the beginning of the season. He was so excited to finally have a bike since he has wanted one for about 10 years now. He has had it for five months now and he has only ridden four times. He claims he is not scared, and he wants to just ride occasionally. I have never ridden with him and he pretty much refuses to ride with anyone except his brother. He basically spent $15,000 on a bike to have it sit in the garage.

If he is truly not scared, then what can I do to make him get on the bike and ride!?! Do people really spend $15,000 on something and then not use it? I ride seven days a week weather permitting, he rides once every five weeks.

Any suggestions?

[ExciteBike]

Despite what he says I think he is afraid of the bike. What kind of bike did he buy and has he taken the MSC?
I'd ask him to ride when the roads aren't that busy. Or find someplace really cool to ride to but not a place where there will be a lot of motorcycle riders. He might be afraid of laying his bike down or doing something stupid in front of fellow riders.

[Longerfellow]

Make him an offer-
You could use another bike couldn't you?
Couldn't we all?

[IRISH]

there are houndreds of middle age guys that buy Harleys for 30K and never ride just have it to say they do.

[SCraig]

If he's a friend don't push. If he won't ride he has his own reasons for not doing so and if he wanted you to know he would tell you. I have a friend in a similar situation. He loves to ride but his family is adamantly against it and discourages him at every opportunity. It's difficult for me to stay out of it but it isn't my place to interfere. If your friend wants to ride be there with him. Otherwise keep inviting him but don't get discouraged when he says no.

Just my opinion, of course, I'm not a shrink.

[R.W.]

Your going to see a lot of bikes in the classifieds in the next couple of years with the gas prices skyrocketing, people will purchase a bike but the bike will go straight to the classifieds when they have their first little situation that most of us bikers are use too, Your friend is the kind of guy I look for when I'm looking to purchase a bike, usually they hang on to it for two or three years and end up selling it for a substantial loss...

[jasonsmith]

A lot of it has to do with self confidence. It is up to the rider to educate themselves and accept the risks. The risks can only be accepted if one is educated about them. Taking a course as suggested above is a big step. Riding at ones own pace with the ability to move that envelope is key. It's great knowing your pace and your own abilities, it's also nice to ride with someone who is more experienced so you can slowly build your confidence and expand on your abilities. Your friend is either not really into riding like many people and just wanna be able to say they ride, or your friend is uncomfortable (better that scared) and chooses to stick with what he is comfortable with.

There is no sense in trying to push him, if he wants to ride he will, if it's not that important he won't. I would have loved to had a bike in my living room years ago, and would have been happy leaving it there without being a rider. To each is their own, if he can afford having a bike lying around that's cool. If just having the bike completes his life so to speak then that's great.

Stick with your usual riding group, let him know that if he wants to ride you are there and drop it.

[buzzy]

If he's not mentally in the right spot, that's ok...Don't push. Just leave the door open. Nothing worse than ridding when your game is "off". Just my $.02

[Joey_Dude]

Ask him what ornaments go well with his bike since Xmas season will be here before he knows it.

[SLOav8r]

Guessing he's never ridden before.

Surprising how many people go out and buy bikes that have never ridden before. Some become statistics on the way home from the dealership -- some pick it up and do ok.

You might want to suggest him signing up for the motorcycle safety course before he does anymore riding. Get the basics down.

That'll also give an outside party a chance to evaluate his riding skills, give him an honest opinion on whether he should continue with the sport.

[Alaskan]

Maybe he actually is not scared, and he wants to just ride occasionally. Or here's an unpleasant thought - maybe he just doesn't want to ride with you.

[madduxca]

Originally Posted by buzzy

If he's not mentally in the right spot, that's ok...Don't push. Just leave the door open. Nothing worse than ridding when your game is "off". Just my $.02

i agree. i've had to park it on a sun moring due to a "mental hazyness" from my actions on sat night. but my problem is solved by gatoraid and sleep, this problem will take a little more to fix. i have a buddy that dose not ride much because high traffic areas freak him out. you should try to get him to ride in off peak hours in secluded areas.

[34468 Randy]

Originally Posted by pjrocco

I have a friend who bought a bike at the beginning of the season. He was so excited to finally have a bike since he has wanted one for about 10 years now. He has had it for five months now and he has only ridden four times. He claims he is not scared, and he wants to just ride occasionally. I have never ridden with him and he pretty much refuses to ride with anyone except his brother. He basically spent $15,000 on a bike to have it sit in the garage.

If he is truly not scared, then what can I do to make him get on the bike and ride!?! Do people really spend $15,000 on something and then not use it? I ride seven days a week weather permitting, he rides once every five weeks.

Any suggestions?

Dear Abby........... Sounds like my brother-in-law. He has had a ...gasp!....Hardly Davidson for about 5 years and I bet he doesn't put 500 miles a year on it. For that matter I bet he doesn't have 1,000 miles on it yet.

[Mac]

Invite him to ride with you, if he won't come with, ride away without.
Very few people are completely rational, and I pity them.

Mac

[STEVE MANKIN]

he probably wouldnt be much fun to ride with anyway.......youd be worried the whole time he'd crash.............much more fun to ride with equal or better riders then you.