My wife, the perpetual beginner

Let me put this in very simple terms. If her skills are so lacking and she is truly the "perpetual beginner" then perhaps she should consider not riding at all. But if riding by herself would remove the "bombastic overbearing overlord" then perhaps you should just "fuck off" and let her work it out herself.

This is just my interpretation as to what is being said.

Please don't shoot the messenger.

For drills, yes, absolutely, for rides, not such a good idea. A poorly skilled or new rider can't deal with more inputs because they're busy thinking about getting the bike to go in the direction that they want it to, without hitting or being hit by something else. If anything, figure out a way to reduce the number of inputs until she's confident and has attained a minimum of competence. Empty roads or parking lots or nice, wide, flat trails = good.

A lot of the work on human factors, in aerospace and medicine but also in other contexts (read Atul Gawande's "Better" and also "The Checklist Manifesto"), involves designing a system that keeps the operators' attention on what's absolutely vital and away from other stuff that might be important but not essential. Not a bad lesson for life in general, come to think of it.

Here you go Viv...

Y'all are STILL going on about this?



M

No. You are


Well, now I am...damn

This has been mentioned a few times before here, but maybe, she needs to get professional instruction. An intensive course, with real instructors, either MSF or whatever other ones are out there. Because it doesn't seem like whatever you are doing is sticking with her.

The first thing you should do is stop taken the advice here so serious. It hasn't taken me very long to figure out that many people here are far more opinionated than they are knowledgeable. Most of the reason to be here is for entertainment purposes only.
Come here, ask advice, but don't let it interfere with your life decisions.

And I keep seeing this "205" come up, what is that?

The thing you have to learn about Viv is, he's an attention whore and someone who is always right. As soon as you realize that, all his posts fall into place.

205 refers to something that has been posted over and over by different people - I believe it comes from a speed ticket a guy got for going, allegedly, 205 MPH that people kept starting threads on.

I was just trying to be funny, and thought that pic of an ADV scooter was the perfect way to do it

Thanks for the info.
I don't pay too much attention to who's been posting what, I pretty much take each post for what it is.

Doing that means you pretty much take everything said out of context, and don't comprehend the whole story.

For example...my picture means nothing if you don't know that many have reccomended to Viv that his wife ride a scooter, and one of his big arguments against one was that they weren't off road-able

Sorry, I misspoke, I take every thread for what it is, not every post.
I'm not worried about something viv posted two years ago, I take this thread at face value.

She's gonna get hurt. Bad. If she continues. I'm sorry to say it. Some people get overwhelmed and when you mentioned her "brain fading car stuff, ie: traffic stuff", then it could be bad. My personal theory is, that, mid/late life motorcycle converts are way past their formative years, when we learn QUICKLY and EASILY. Some are very successful at getting it, soem cannot overcome the learning defecit. She's 100 lbs.? PILLION UP!

Said it before and I'll say it again...some people just don't have the ability to ride motorcycles and are a danger to themselves and others if they do. It really does seem his wife is in that category but obviously, since Viv knows best, that can't possibly be the case.

I'm of the opposite opinion - everyone can ride bikes (with the obvious caveats). Not everyone can ride like a professional, not everyone has raw talent but everyone is capable, if they want it. It may not come quickly and they may never professional but they'll be able to ride if you can find the right teaching style.

Maybe it's time for the husband to step back and for the wife to take some professional lessons, maybe in a women only group. Make a change. Do it differently. But keep doing it.

I still remember learning to drive a car, totally unable to do a 3 point turn, to coordinate feet and hands, to look over my shoulder and stll steer in a straight line ;p. I remember learning to ride the bike and low-siding it when I practiced my emergency stop :) Eventually everything clicks.

Couldn't disagree more.