Telling the parents you bought a bike

[wristjob]

well i waited untill both parents had been dead for at least 5 years.
tbh after that they didnt seem to mind

[Lone-Wolf]

[veeeffarr]

My parent's don't know.

I live in Liverpool, they live in London.

Mum has problems with her health, so I decided to never tell her.

[darrenh]

lol my mom brought me a car to stop me getting a bike, 2 years on she then lent me the money to buy a bike lol

they just dont wanna see me end up dead so i know why they hate it
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zx636r

[Davo]

My dad was a biker before hand, and has just taken it two back up again two years ago, mum on the otherhand was a bit displeased when I came back one day with my pass certificate in my hand.

Eventually she calmed down for a bit, until she came back from holiday to find my Hayabusa sitting in the back garden . Eventually I managed to convince her I wasn't going to kill myself on it and has accepted it.

Although she's started moaning again ever since my highside at Brands Hatch last fortnight, probably not helped by me joking that I need a faster bike.

Eventually though they'll fully accept that I'm a biker, and theres not a lot they can do to change it.

[kath600]

as others have said, send back an e-mail of other death statistics

my mum was fine, very proud actually she worries but thats what mums do and i don't have a dad about

i had a moped at 16 and nearly lost my kneecap on the ice so 10 years later when i did my DAS she was a little worried.

when she saw the bike for the first time this year (she lives in spain) her comment was 'it looks much more substantial than your old moped and safer with that wide back wheel'

my mum has never stopped or even tried to stop me from doing anything in my life, only advised me.

since she was diagnosed with cancer, she is definatley has the attitude even more these days of 'life is for living' get out there and do the things you want to do that make you happy and she knows my bike makes me very happy
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Seven days without laughter......... makes one weak.

[quacker_boy]

hmm interesting topic...

my mum's always been against me getting a bike and regrest getting me a crosser for my 12th birthday

my dad however can't really say much as he's been riding bikes since he was a kid as well. and rode from england for the east coast of africa on a big ass BMW when he was 19.

BOTH of them are however completley against me getting a ZXR400 becuase my dad knows they've got so much power and acceleration etc...compared to the single cylinder big bikes he rides.

any ideas on what to do about this?

chris

[flat spot]

It's natural for parents not to want you to have a bike. They're bloody dangerous and cars are safer, end of.
All you can do is get all the right gear and maybe go for extra training. It won't stop them not wanting you having one but it may ease their minds.
Lastly........don't crash.

BTW, I never did any of the above but my parents only minded when I came back bloodied and bashed up and knew telling me to be more careful was the only thing they could do. Afterall it was my Mum who bought me my 1st bike at 9.

[Steve H]

I don't think you have to send him back a graph showing statistics of other death related incidents - I bet most thought 'What a twat' when you read that short1's Dad had sent that type of email. Why would you want to lower yourself to the same level with a tit for tat rebuke.

Parents care for their kids (no matter how old they are). I'm 10 years older than short1 and my old man still tells me to 'take it easy on the bike' everytime I see him (maybe alzheimers is setting in ) and he's been (and still is) a rider for the best part of 60 years.

Your Dad will come round eventually, especially if you show him that it's not a passing fad and it's something that you're genuinely interested in - When he see's the enjoyment that bike ownership brings you he'll be content with the fact that you've found something that brings you so much fulfillment
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top TEN - 2010, 2009, 2008, The Original.

[it really is that quick]

even if they hit the roof (mine did when i took my test at 26) their's not a an awful lot they can do. just explain that you'll be careful and don't ride or speed close to home! ignorance is bliss

oh yeah and their's always the excuss for spending a fortune on kit, well it's better, stronger etc will protect me better.
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not just any short of winnah... But a Sahf East Winnah

i dont look like your average hortifuckingculturist

[Mister James]

Ironically, my mother seems far more supportive of the idea now that I've actually had a near-fatal crash! Apparently she's very proud of how I've handled the aftermath, and has no problems with me getting a new bike when the compensation payout comes through!

Strange woman, my little brother keeps pointing out the state of the bike and me, and the fact I almost died, and it doesn't seem to concern her - should I be worried?

In all honesty, I think the relief from finding me alive when she arrived at the hospital has yet to wear off. The police told her it was a pretty bad accident, and when she asked how I was, they became quite vague and muttered about me being alive when they'd scraped me off the road and put me in the ambulance. It would seem the whole thing looked worse than it actually was.

My father only seems to be bothered about the fact that the wreck of my bike is occupying space in his garden, rather than my present demolished state.

I've no wish to be rude, but it's not really your parent's call to make. It's great that they are concerned enough to try and scare you out of it, but you are 25, as old as I was yesterday (!) and you are able to make tough decisions for yourself.

Buy decent kit, reassure them that you intend to be safe, it might even be worth taking an advanced test or a couple of extra lessons. If it costs you £100 to make yourself safer and keep their cakeholes shut, it's well worth it! At least then you have made yourself safer and kept the moral high-ground by meeting them half way.
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>Soultrader Mister James, I bet you are a copper
>Bazza Wow. Eyes like a shithouse rat, you...

[debdimps]

[St0rmer66]

I just fell of my bike today, my mum will be back in panic mode when she finds out .
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:: Honda XR 125 L ('53) => Kawasaki GPZ 500S ('02) => Suzuki SV650S ('00) => Aprilia RSV-R ('51) ::

[Rob W]

Mine have always been OK with me and bikes, about 90% of my family have/had bikes so it was pretty much a given I'd get one some day.

The only time they got funny was after I'd had my bad crash, I asked a guy at work who knew someone that could get cheap bikes if he could find me one. I was working with my dad at the time and he'd told him not to bother finding one for me. He must of known I'd find one on my own anyway but there you go.

Now I've passed my test he's fine though, cos I think he realises you must be fairly competent on a bike to get through the test.
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'90 TS50 > '04 Senda 125 > '91 ZXR400 > '90 CB-1 > '04 GSX-R1000 > '96 Bandit 600 > '89 ZXR750 H1 > '96 GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 RR-W Fireblade > '98 T595 Daytona > '03 Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > '16 GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[flat spot]

[NicM]

My mum was worried senseless, and still is, though it probably doesn't help when I tell her about loosing the front in whilst filtering or tearing round cadwell at up to 130 ish. Thou she is up for going pillion next time I go and visit.

My Dad tried to persuade me to get a 125 rather than jump straight on a 600...muttered on about road sense and what have you. So i pointed out that I'm 27 and been driving a car for 10 years, if i ain't got road sense now well i'm fooked. He's a lot cooler about it now that I've taken him pillion, and he's had a chance to "assess" my riding bloody ex-bikers

[LustyLew]

My parents were OK about it.

My mum said she was worried, but that's what mothers do. They spend so much of their life looking after you watching you grow.

agreed, riding a motorbike can be dangerous, but she has learnt to accept that I am prepared to take that risk.

She knows I have come off my bike a few times. The first time she was really worried and came to see if I was OK. Now she's more concerned about the cost of repairing it!
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Like a Yorkie - I'm not for the girls

[Craggles]

Dad's a biker... so my parents were OK about it. They still worry madly, and dad wasn't too happy about me getting a larger bike.

He's happy I ride safe though - I've been out for rides with him + his friends (of which one is an IAM Observer) and they've said I'm safe/sensible enough.

I tend to tell porkies about my journey times though... and don't like telling them I ride back to bristol from work/gf's house in the middle of the night.

Craig
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If this signature is blue, you're riding too fast

[imho]

[Yoshi]

My Dad thinks it's brilliant as he has got someone to ride with now Even if it is a bit slow on the Aprilia, it'll be more fun with the ZXR!

Although he has made sure I learn how to ride properly and safely, and he knows I ride safely, if I was acting like a fool and not riding properly he probably wouldn't let me on it, which I agree with

Mum was not too keen on it but not really opposed that much as it means I can get about as we live in a bit of a rural area, and she can see it is something I enjoy. She trusts my Dad to teach me how to ride it properly. She was set against the idea of a 400 ("What is wrong with the 50cc, you're not having more than that when you're still living in my house etc") But eventually she came around to the idea ("No more paying for the school bus Mum... I'll get home earlier so I can study" )

So it is pretty much A-OK with my parents!

Matt
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Present: GS650 Katana - Getting ready for summer touring!
Past: TS50, RS50, ZXR400, LT80, TS250

[Vin]

[extreme3d]

[ISLAND GIRL]

I am 35, have my own house, kids etc but still kept it quiet from my parents when I did my CBT and after two lessons! It was not out of fear, I have my own life for christ sake it was purely as I know how much they would worry about it, having an accident etc, never mind that I have been driving for 18 yrs.
Test is coming up soon and no one not even the OH knows when it is, I just dont want to tempt fate, thought it would be nice to say if I pass that is "oh by the way I passed my test today"

[IronMaiden]

My dad was a Trials bike champion when I was a kid and he had 3 girls (no boys ) so I was given an 80cc Yamaha Trials bike to ride at the age of about 10yrs. He had no problem with us riding as much as we liked, and if we fell and hurt ourselves he taught us to get right back up and on the bike so that we wouldn't get scared of riding. It was a good bike to learn on as trials bikes are light framed, have very low revs but high torque.
My mom would panic if we hurt ourselves, but I probably have more scars from skateboarding as a kid than riding bikes.
When I was in high school, I rode a 4 stroke Honda 200R XR to school and the school boys were so jealous because they would beg their parents to get them a bike but they thought it was too dangerous! I think every little boy dreams of having a biker dad!
My dad is now well over 60 and he still races around on a 500cc enduro bike so he is cool about me riding a superbike.

[BenBray]

Mine seem okay with it. Then again they're not the most caring people in the world. I believe they secretly want me crippled, so they get the compensation after turning the machine off. I'm not joking all that much either!

I pointed out a dead sexy R6 in the bike shop the other day and my mum said "well it'll be about ten years until you'll be on that though".

I just looked a bit funny with a grin, before saying:

"Thats 3,000... in a private sale, I'm maybe looking at just above 2 grand for that - insurance would be 800-900..."

"You cant afford that"

"Here, this is whats left in my savings account.. I'll have another grand by the time I pass my test and look for a bigger bike"

"You're joking... how fast can it go? Wait I dont want to know...!"

" *quietly* ... double the speed of the car, come on, lets go, nothing to see here *bolts out the door with a grin on his face*"


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Current Bike: nc30