Ah, new riders...

[crazy steve]

All good suggestions, but I'm hampered by the fact that we live on a narrow gravel road (chalk and similar won't really show) and there's no practical big area to practice within 30 miles. She's feeling better after her dive, and my back is back to normal (or what passes for it these days), but I told her no more 'practice' until she gets a helmet. Weather is sucking anyway, so no biggy...

[cywelchjr]

I took the MSF safety course about 1 mile from my house, in a tech college parking lot. All the paint marks are on the lot. I took my XS11 up there one evening a while ago and tried to do the same course on it that I did on a Nighthawk 250. Well that Nighthawk was a piece fo cake, and the XS11, well, no desert for me.

The instructor stated (did not do it in front of us) that he could take his full dresser gold wing through the entire course no problem. Now I can do it on the XS, but it is alot more effort and thought than on that 250.

My MSF instructor (my platoon SGT at the time actually) back in 1979 (which I guess dates me a little bit) actually demonstrated doing the entire course on his full dress Honda 750. Then again, back then everybody did the course on their own bike, and there was only one course. I don't know if it was Army wide at the time, but at Ft Huachuca where I was stationed, taking the course was required to ride a bike on the fort (actually it was required for a military member to even own a motorcycle, on or off the military reservation), we were given 30 days from purchase of a motorcycle to get scheduled for the course, and 2 failures barred said member from owning a motorcycle until the course was passed (you could borrow one to take the course on after that point in time, and could get a waver to store the bike until you passed the course if your commander would grant it, don't know if that actually happened to anybody, everybody in my class passed).

[DGXSER]

I took the MSF safety course about 1 mile from my house, in a tech college parking lot. All the paint marks are on the lot. I took my XS11 up there one evening a while ago and tried to do the same course on it that I did on a Nighthawk 250. Well that Nighthawk was a piece fo cake, and the XS11, well, no desert for me.

The instructor stated (did not do it in front of us) that he could take his full dresser gold wing through the entire course no problem. Now I can do it on the XS, but it is alot more effort and thought than on that 250.

[cywelchjr]

Yep, just need at area wide enough to easily turn around in, an area marked that must be kept inside of at low speed while slowly speeding up and shifting up, and then down, and then somewhere to have them turn withing a standard radius, and have them practice several times until comfortable. Once that is down, then and only then move on to more difficult stuff.

[LoHo]

What are the two basic skills one needs to get to the other skills for motorcycling? Starting and stopping, and slow turns. All you need is a couple of chalk lines for her to pull up to, then do a slow lefty to head back. I've witnessed maybe six bike dumps, and all but one were stopping/turning related. Going straight and fast is easy compared to going slow and crooked.

[b.walker5]

Dont know about there, but here pet shops sell small cones for the dog obedience people. My wife got some from there when the kids were little for teaching them to ride thier push bikes. Our Warehouse, equivelent to your Walmart, has them as well. I think a pack of 10 of them cost her 10 bucks or something like that.

[Erik the Red]

chalk's cheap

When I first learned to ride, instead of cones, I just used sidewalk chalk to mark out X's in a parking lot. Best of all, if you clip one in the "cone" weave, you don't have to get off the bike and set it back up. You don't have to look at it to know you made it or didn't make it. (remember, always look to the next one)

[crazy steve]

SWMBO uses cheapo tennis balls cut in half. They work great!

Too many of the local dogs would be sure those are 'toys' and run off with them!

[Ken Talbot]

I'm going to see if I can pick up some traffic cones for a little 'course' for her to practice on.

SWMBO uses cheapo tennis balls cut in half. They work great!

[b.walker5]

. The bike she bought (a '06 Buell Blast with only 2200 miles on it for 2K out the door) actually is a great-handling bike, with light, responsive steering; I was very impressed with the handling when I test-rode it. She just needs to get used to having to use both feet and both hands to 'drive' it. It's that coordination thing...

Maybe she shoulda got one of the crushed cubes they released in 2010 when they discontinued them, might save a lot of time

[Jarion]

A Honda 50 worked for me at the age of 10.

1971

[crazy steve]

If your talking about the lot near I5, Busy is NOT the correct word! I hate going there but it's the best place to shop when I'm up at my sisters in DuPont.....
See if you can find a "cheap" dirt bike for her to learn on! a 125cc is light, and some time in the dirt will usually do a LOT more good than time on a road. JMHO

That one is 30 miles away, so it's not an option The only decent-sized lots in Yelm (without speedbumps, planters, curbs, etc) are Walmart and Thriftway, and unless you go there in the middle of the night are nearly as busy.

I looked at the dirt-bike option, but they were almost as much money as the bike she bought (and not as good as shape to boot). And while they're a bit lighter, the weight is higher so that was a consideration too. The bike she bought (a '06 Buell Blast with only 2200 miles on it for 2K out the door) actually is a great-handling bike, with light, responsive steering; I was very impressed with the handling when I test-rode it. She just needs to get used to having to use both feet and both hands to 'drive' it. It's that coordination thing...

[DiverRay]

but the nearest parking lot of any size is 15 miles away and busy

If your talking about the lot near I5, Busy is NOT the correct word! I hate going there but it's the best place to shop when I'm up at my sisters in DuPont.....
See if you can find a "cheap" dirt bike for her to learn on! a 125cc is light, and some time in the dirt will usually do a LOT more good than time on a road. JMHO

[crazy steve]

Would if we could, but the nearest parking lot of any size is 15 miles away and busy... sometimes there's disadvantages to living in the boondocks

[xs11lover]

Take her to a big, empty parking lot. It's alot more simple when there isn't anything to hit.