Convincing mother to get a bike???

[mattjs895]

a mate of mine is looking to get a bike, but his mother needs convincing. any good points you lot have to share so we can get another biker on the road.

cheers

matt

[matthab]

I had this problem with my whole familly. With such lines as "bikes are very dangerous, i hope your not thinking of getting a bigger one"

My argument is I enjoy it, cheaper to run than my 1993 vaxhaul corsa, quicker to work, cheaper to park in town and nice in the summer to pelt round the country side and get lost .

I find once a person has made up their minds they dont like bikes. Its very hard to change them. As they see a car safer and nicer, the safer bit i go with but the nicer can be nogotiated (SP).

You really need to argu the good points against the bad, anyone whos done English GCSE lately will know exactly what im on about.

The best argument i found was i need my independce when i was 16 and parent agreed with me so i got my first bike and its growing from there. IF hes 17+ then you cant argue this one much lol.

Hope this helps matt
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2005 - 2006:Peugeot jet force 50 TDSI (sold)
2006 - Present: Yamaha YBR125 06 (extras:pilot sporty tyres and screen)

[monty]

my mum never wanted me to start riding. my dad doesn't like bikes but he said i could as it was some sort of transport

i just kept going on and on.

now i dont live with my mum and i have been riding for 2 years so i don't need to worry anymore
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Gilera Nexus 500
Its a scooter get over it!!!

[0ddball]

Tell him if he's mature enough to ride a bike he's mature enough to to it without mummys permission.
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ZXR750L

[st3v3]

I first got a ped for work, then it evolved from there, specify his need to ride for transportation, don't over-exaggerate on the fun side to them.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Mooncatt]

had the same problem with my mum, i tried the respectful road and was nice about it i.e i understand mum but you have nothing to worry about blah blah, then she carried on and on and on, in the end i just ignored it and said if you dont like it lump it. after all if you are old enough to ride a bike then you are (hopefully) mature enough to be sensible on it, after a while she will get used to it just takes time.
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current bike...CBR400RR
"you always need more chicken"

[Wooly R6]

My mum or dad, still so far, have said nothing at all about me having a bike - i get the, "be careful" whenever i am round their house on my bike but thats it, my dad knows i am not a total twat on it, and i am sure my mum thinks so too.

Tell him, if he wants a bike, get one.
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R6 has been sold - 2004 Honda VFR VTEC now sold too - no bike at the moment

[Andy C]

I spend 2months in hospital last year due to bikes and my parents tried most things to get me to not ride again but they knew its what i love and let me get on with it.

I think you friends should just be honest with them and say he realises the danger involved, and as a consequence will get the right protective clothing. This may show his mum hes taking a mature approach to it and may respect his decision a but more
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99 RS125 --> 02 SV650s --> 03 Speed Four --> 92 RXS100 --> 93 CB400sf --> 01 CB600f Hornet

[Wooly R6]

How are you, i remember the accident posted on here ages ago, but i dont really keep up with some topics.
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R6 has been sold - 2004 Honda VFR VTEC now sold too - no bike at the moment

[Skudd]

My Mother actively encouraged me to get a bike. I was dragged down to the local bike shop about 3 weeks before my 16 birthday and asked which one I wanted, ( Suzuki TS 50 ER in blue ). seven days after my 16th birthday the bike came off I went to get propper training ( Star Rider in those days ) . Never looked back. Get his mother actively involved in the safety side, show her the good training that will be done as a condition of him getting a bike. get your mate to take his mother to a training site and speak with the instructors. Tell her the down sides to show that he is aware and needs to be responsable. Then prove it.
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Famous last words of Humpty Dumpty. " Stop pushing me "
Petty Anarchists look at "1984".............. The Visionary looks at "Animal Farm".

[iooi]

[Andy C]

[virus]

The only reason I convinced my parents was for a bit of help affording it Otherwise the first they would know would be when theres a bike chained up in the back garden
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[atom]

I don't think its possible to convince a mother its a good idea, I think you have to convince them that your going to do it, but do it as safely as you can.

Mothers usually love thier sons and would do anything to keep them out of harms way, hence the tendency against motorbikes.

My dad was a biker and although he's envious I ride, he does think I'm nuts. I just say it may be a really dangerous way to get from A to B but I enjoy it and try to do it safely.
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The Internet: Ceefax for the 21st Century

[THCi Nathan's Mom]

[yambabe]

Well put Tracy.

However much we love our sons we can't live their lives for them.

If your mum loves you she will swallow any fears she may have and present you with a big smile when you talk about your bike - you should not be able to tell if it is genuine or not!
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[Jammy-R6]

My parents wernt happy when I said I wanted one when I was 17. I just told them I am going to do it with or without their permission. When i got my 600 I just turned up on it one morning after buying it! What can they say? Mum refuses to even look at my TLR even now.

[JonB]

I think it's right for a mother to be concerned about their sons welfare, however it isn't right to tell them not to get one. A parent can persuade their child not to get one, or can give pros and cons against it, however if they get the bike, generally I believe they should be fully behind them.

When I got my bike my Mum was and still is worried, however she would never go out of her way to stop me having a bike.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[WeeSuziB]

I don't even have my own bike, though this doesn't stop my mum going into complete hysterics when I go out with my bf.

I have to agree with what most people have said, your friend needs a mature argument. Obviously his mum will worry but with the right kind of talking and approach hopefully she will see his side of it, she may not agree with it, but she may at least come around.

I'm looking to get my own bike soon enough and the way I think I'm going to talk to my mum about it is that,
(1)would she not rather me know what I'm doing with my own bike
(2) Transportation & Independence - not having to rely on other people to give lifts/spend money on taxi/bus. *Here my mum is going to say why don't i just get a car, but explain they are more efficient & fun (though I wouldn't lay the fun part on too much)
(3) Obviously safety, reinforce that with all the right clothing you will be a lot safer.

So on and so forth, best of luck to your friend!
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Northern Irish? www.nibikers.com

[Dave McCool]

The argument I'm currently using to get my mum and dad off my back goes as follows:

Me : You're happy for me to drive my car (Citroen AX) up and down the motorway all the time aren't you?

Dad : Yes, of course, cars are safe and lovely.

Me : In all honesty, if something were to happen, and I had a crash at, say 80, what are the chances of me getting out of my safe and lovely car in anything other than a box?

Dad : Slim to none.

Me : Right, so basically the bike is no less safe?

Dad : *refuses to answer because he knows I've got a point*

I'm aware it's a bit of a morbid argument, but my Dad's a realist, and seems to understand the logic.
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K7 GSXR750

[olionel]

mmm, I havent told any of my relations that I have a bike... mum and dad live 2000miles away.. if I told them, they'd be worrying every single day about me as they dont see me everyday (infact 3 -4 times a year), then Id be worried because they worry.... I was just about to tell them last summer that I was thinking about biking (and this was when we were driving down a motorway) and to my luck one of the 3 bikes that shot passed us 20seconds ago had a blowout and it looked pretty nasty from a distance, and the dude only wearing a helmet, jeans and a tshirt (this is in Turkey) somehow hobbled away from the scene... then ye, I just didnt carry on talking about bikes... will have to tell them some time though...
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1989 CG125 - Childhood Sweetheart (she got kidnapped by baddies)
1998 ZXR400 - Teenage Love (lasted three years, then she turned lesbian and left me)
2001 XRV750 - Wife Material (still getting to know her but head over heels in love)

[st3v3]

I found it simple cos I knew my dad rode bikes before my time, and only gave them up after I was about 6, so I saved up the cash, got me license(provisional), talked about it while out shopping(for food, not bikes) and he straight forward said I wasn't getting one, I argued(more convinced) with him about the pro's, as he knew the cons, found one for sale, talked to my mum(I was 16) and she seemed ok on the surface of it, so arranged a viewing, then hinted to me dad, who got the realized and took me to see it, where I came home with my nice shiny moped. Simple. then about a year later he started claiming he only ever encouraged me to get one
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Pete.]

At 16 I mentioned to my dad that I wanted to get a moped and he said he'd rather I wait until I was 17 and got a bike that could keep up with traffic on A-roads.

Suited me
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[st3v3]

In hindsight, that is a very wise decision
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[Jull]

'Convincing mother to get a bike?'

Just buy her a pink one with matching leathers I'm sure she'll love it