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I got a text from my younger son (of 2) yesterday. His fiancé went to the MA RMV website and submitted an application for a m/c learners' permit on his behalf. I was shocked. He kept putting it off because they bought a house (my late parents' home), and his fiancé had "steered" him away citing they need to concentrate funds on rehabilitating an older home in need of a lot of interior renovation.
This is a big surprise to me. I didn't think it would ever happen. I'm going to sign him up for the BRC with the Mass Rider Education Program, hopefully getting him in with one of the better instructors. Once that's scheduled I'm going to help him get his first bike. They're getting married in October so funds for a bike don't really exist, but he's such a good son that I'll take care of him. He's always liked the looks of a Bonneville, though I don't care for them and lean toward a used Street Triple. Maybe I cheap out and get an SV6fiddy. I'll find something. Just the possibility of doing a few rides with my son before I hang it up in a few years gets me excited!
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black
That's awesome, it's nice you're able to help him get a bike - the new SV is pretty damn gorgeous. My son turns one next weekend and I've already been shopping for balance bikes.![]()
I went to MMI I know what Im doing here chief
I can't swing a new anything for him, and wouldn't for a new rider who we all know WILL drop their first bike at least once.
I found a couple choices of Street Triple 2009-2010 for around $5K, and SV650's for $1500 & up. That's my range.
He's such a worry free son to have that over the past year I've treated him to some audio gear, another passion we share. He's now got floor standing mains, a matching center speaker, a receiver, a Bluesound Node and a pretty good ported sub that he might not otherwise own. All courtesy of an co-enabling dad.
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black
The Royal in my garage would make for a great first bike and it has the same styling as a Bonneville. How's he fee about teal? $3kish, less than 3,000 miles.
Central Mass Powersports #123
1000rr, zx10r, rmz450, RE classic, r6, S4Rs, xr123, sv650(2), cr250 and a box truck that leaks power steering fluid.
He may be OK with anything he isn't paying for. It's me. I saw your ad when I perused that section here. I'm a little nervous about the Indian manufacture of those, primarily parts and reliability.
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black
Family rides rock. My wife and daughter both ride, and it's great to all go out together for an afternoon.
PhilB
"A free man must be able to endure it when his fellow men act and live otherwise than he considers proper." -- Ludwig von Mises
1993 Ducati Monster M900; 265,000 miles -- killed by minivan 30Oct17
I'm in no way playing salesman, it starts and doesn't leak. Outside of a new battery (yesterday) - no mechanical issues.
You're welcome to live with it for a couple of days prior to purchase.
However your story ends, it's a good one. I grew up with no pops and it warms my heart to see Dads do the right thing.
Last edited by cdovego; 02-16-17 at 02:21 PM. Reason: shit grammar
Central Mass Powersports #123
1000rr, zx10r, rmz450, RE classic, r6, S4Rs, xr123, sv650(2), cr250 and a box truck that leaks power steering fluid.
Funny, was just talking about this with my cousin, who's son (13) wants to get a dirt bike. I found it intersting how my cousin is adamant his son will not get any motorcycle as long as he has any say considering we both started riding dirt bikes together at 10 years old and both progressed to road bikes. Apparently the things we survived on our bikes for all those years scare the crap out of him as far as his son goes. Of course it doesn't help his wife won't let him get another road bike and he has to deal with the aftermath of crashes first hand as a cop.
Good to see a dad supporting the hobby. My dad took me to get my permit when I was 17 against my mom's wishes lol, he paid for my MSF a couple months later. It's nice to get out and ride with him.
When I was really young he would sit me on the gas tank of his gs750 and ride me around the country lol.
Thanks guys. He's only ridden other people's pit bikes around the paddock at Loudon, no other m/c experience other than being on the back of my bike from age 8 to 11 putting about 10K miles on it with me.
He's 27 now. I'll be paying for his BRC with the Mass Rider Education Program once he has the permit. No way would I put a bike under him without that. We'll take a (car) ride down to Twisted Throttle beforehand to both get fitted for helmets, mine is a 2011 Arai that's due for replacement. I've got some old Sidi Vertebra boots, some gloves, leather pants, and a perforated leather jacket he can have. I'm an adamant ATTGATT kind of guy.
BTW, he likes the look of the Royal Enfield. I'll see if I can find a Bonneville with fuel injection and ABS if possible, but that one's not out of the running.
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black
Maybe gift him your Tiger, then you can make that upgrade?
Jeff
At the risk of telling you something you didn't ask, if I had my riding learning curve to do over, I would have preferred a lot more off road experience before jousting with careless traffic. I prescribe a pair of trail bikes!
99 + 02 SV650 ex-race - 91 FJ1200 street - 03 KDX220R woods - 12 WR450F motard/ice
Greg,
I'd thought about that but don't have the budget for a new Tiger and he's not a fan of them. I'm of the opinion it wouldn't be a good first bike anyhow, as there's enough to learn without adding the skills needed for a taller bike.
carsick,
While I agree that would be ideal we don't have anyplace to ride nor a pickup truck or trailer towing vehicle between us. In 1975 when I bought my first bike (a 1973 Triumph Bonneville 750 T140V), I had zero training, no riding time on anything, and no one in the family was (nor is today) a rider. In fact, I essentially bought the bike out of spite. My friends in the neighborhood all had trail or dirt bikes and none would allow me to ride or teach me. I showed them when I showed up on that thing! (And wouldn't let a single one of them ride it.)I survived and there was no such thing as rider training then, or I just never heard of it.
But I digress. He'll be OK with learning to ride on the street as long as he gets the MSF training and follows me around to start with. It's all about reducing risk...while having fun. He's not a teenager who would be influenced heavily by friends, he's a very level-headed 27 year old homeowner with responsibilities he takes seriously, his safety chief among them. I'm far more excited than fearful. But thanks for the thought.
Last edited by SprintPoser; 02-16-17 at 06:23 PM.
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black
I almost didn't mention it, it sounds like you've thought it through. Excited for you both! Wish I'd had a Dad like that.
I, on the other hand, have a 16 year old who has made some noise about getting his MC license. A boy who knows it all and refuses to believe without testing things himself. Yeah.
99 + 02 SV650 ex-race - 91 FJ1200 street - 03 KDX220R woods - 12 WR450F motard/ice
Awesome. I've been trying to convince my dad to ride with me since I got hooked. No dice - one little lowside back in the seventies and he threw in the towel.![]()
05GSXR75005SV65090DR350
Some of my fondest riding memories were made with my dad. Him on his big harley tourer and me on my little Honda 400.
My wife is an excellent driver. She indicated she'd be interested in riding her own street bike a few years back. I immediately bought her a 1980 CB 750 that she liked, got it running right, and signed her up for msf. She has her license now and loves it, although we argue constantly about me wanting her to upgrade to a modern bike for safety reasons.
My son is 24, and started talking street bikes last summer. I discouraged it, because he's not that great a driver, has little dirtbike experience, and I'm a hypocritical dick. Too dangerous...
My son is a good driver because I gave him his first car (1988 BMW 535i) and within the first month he spun it and dented the front air dam portion below the front bumper. I immediately signed him up for the "Street Survival" training course sponsored by the BMW Car Club of America. Funny thing is that his car overheated within 20 minutes of the parking lot training so I had him use my 2002 530i. It had Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires on it at the time so now I have photos of him doing the exercise on the wet skid pad where the instructor gets them to spin the car out. It wouldn't lose grip in the circle despite the instructor having him mash the pedal. The photos have the inside rear wheel clear off the ground, the others still holding. Other kids spun out their family SUV's in the first seconds of the exercise.
The instructor had him pull over and get out, took the wheel and tried it himself. He got it to break but was asking me what tires and suspension treatment were on the car. None, just good tires.
My son loves doing things right, appreciates gaining knowledge and does NOT assume he knows it all. Now he wants to get out of his Mazda 3 (2.5) and back into a truck, but hates that it's so hard to find manual shift trucks now that aren't either old and beat or underpowered. He hates automatics.
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black
Manual trans + full-size truck is a tall order. I just gave up. First auto I've owned in over 20 years. The only reason I owned the first one was because it was free.
Gary raises a good point re: modern bikes and the safety bits they bring. Curious, were price less of an object, what would be our pick for the most reasonable newb friendly motorbike?
He sounds like me, only thing you'll find are rwd "sport" trucks and they're far and few between. I tracked down 2 within 600 miles and landed in a tacoma x-runner w/6spd.
It's "quick"...not fast. None of the garbage body roll and constant gear hunting in the full size auto options.
Central Mass Powersports #123
1000rr, zx10r, rmz450, RE classic, r6, S4Rs, xr123, sv650(2), cr250 and a box truck that leaks power steering fluid.
I wish she would just ride my sv with some upright bars on it...not looking for ABS, just modern tires, suspension, brakes, and less likelihood of something breaking, leaking, or leaving her stranded. That cb750 is actually surprisingly fun to ride but it doesn't stop well despite a good bit of wrenching effort on my part and I don't feel like replacing every last bearing and piece of rubber on the whole bike to make it feel tight again.
Gary, I told you before and I'm telling you now - that cb750 is a f...ing death-trap. I was never as terrified on the bike as when I followed you for 5 minutes on that heap of loosely slapped metal.
That kind of thing is why I'm helping him get a more modern bike. Ideally, I'd prefer he get something with ABS because it does help with certain situations that might normally mean a drop. At least something with good brakes (not necessarily GP level), fair suspension and overall intact rather than a clapped out vintage machine.
2021 Triumph Street Triple R, Sapphire Black