help me convince my dad!

[rocknrace03]

so my nx will be up for sale soon and i just got my motorcycle permit in december, i plan on taking a safety course soon, giving me my full license. now i plan on just getting a ninja 250(yes i know its slow) just so i can get really comfortable with riding a motorcycle before i buy something more powerful, ive ridden dirt bikes and things but not on the street. now my dad has always told me im never allowed to get one, i understand he thinks they're dangerous but i figure as long as i ride like i think i have a target on my back and stick to local riding i should be okay. now the only reason i need to convince my dad is because i plan to use the money from my car to buy the bike, but i need a co-signer to make the rest in payments. what did you guys do to get your parents to allow you? or from your own experience do you think that riding a motorcycle is a bad idea even though you do it anyway? im not trying to die, just trying to save on gas and have a little fun. i would appreciate your advice!

[Elliott18t]

how good of shape is your car in? ninja 250s are 4k new.. im sure you could find a used one if need be.

[PAFirefighter11]

You say "he thinks they're dangerous" - he thinks correctly. So make sure you KNOW for a fact that bikes are a ton more dangerous than cars, and accept the fact that eventually, one day, you will most likely wreck whether your fault or not, then that's a start. Buy all the right gear. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. The gear you wear can be the difference between life and death, and even between life with long term injuries versus recoverable injuries. A guy here lost his leg after a wreck on 422 where his buddy (who passed away) wrecked into him at a high rate of speed. Had he been wearing the proper pants and proper boots, he would still have his leg today.

The 250 is a good start. Don't listen to the others who will tell you that you'll be sick of it after 1 riding season. That may be the case, but you can always sell it after you get down your basic riding skills. If you want another option, one of my prior bikes was a '90 Honda Hawk GT. It's a 650 V-twin, and on a similar power band as the 250 Ninja, but it's a "naked" bike - no fairings, etc. It rides great, corners amazingly well, and doesn't have a TON of power that will overwhelm you. These can be had for $1500-$4000 easy... IF you can find one. They are rare, basically collector bikes, but they are out there: http://www.hawkgtforum.com/

Anyway, just make sure you talk things over with your father. Explain to him that you want to be as safe as possible about it in regards to the safety course, safety gear, etc. Hopefully he will be cool with things. Good luck - have fun - ride safe!

[evomike]

Motorcycles are dangerous and if you live under his roof you should respect his wishes.

[gdmbat85]

Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11

You say "he thinks they're dangerous" - he thinks correctly. So make sure you KNOW for a fact that bikes are a ton more dangerous than cars, and accept the fact that eventually, one day, you will most likely wreck whether your fault or not, then that's a start. Buy all the right gear. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. The gear you wear can be the difference between life and death, and even between life with long term injuries versus recoverable injuries. A guy here lost his leg after a wreck on 422 where his buddy (who passed away) wrecked into him at a high rate of speed. Had he been wearing the proper pants and proper boots, he would still have his leg today.

The 250 is a good start. Don't listen to the others who will tell you that you'll be sick of it after 1 riding season. That may be the case, but you can always sell it after you get down your basic riding skills. If you want another option, one of my prior bikes was a '90 Honda Hawk GT. It's a 650 V-twin, and on a similar power band as the 250 Ninja, but it's a "naked" bike - no fairings, etc. It rides great, corners amazingly well, and doesn't have a TON of power that will overwhelm you. These can be had for $1500-$4000 easy... IF you can find one. They are rare, basically collector bikes, but they are out there: http://www.hawkgtforum.com/

Anyway, just make sure you talk things over with your father. Explain to him that you want to be as safe as possible about it in regards to the safety course, safety gear, etc. Hopefully he will be cool with things. Good luck - have fun - ride safe!

+1. This is basically everything I was going to say. I've been contemplating getting a bike for 3 years now. The only things that has remained unchanged in my mind over those years is that if I did get a bike, I'd never ride without full gear - leather pants and all, and that I'd never allow a passenger.

[rocknrace03]

yeah i know they are super dangerous and i respect his thought on that, but i figure he lets me drive my race car and i understand thats because im surrounded by a roll cage and have 3000$ worth of safety gear on, but i also know that my reflexes are a heck of a lot better because of it. i think ill take the safety class and try to convince him from there on out, i definitely will not be coming home unannounced with a bike thats for sure, he's an easy going guy, but i dont think he'd be too please with that. we'll see what happens, if he turns me down i can always use the license later in life.

[PAFirefighter11]

Originally Posted by gdmbat85

+1. This is basically everything I was going to say. I've been contemplating getting a bike for 3 years now. The only things that has remained unchanged in my mind over those years is that if I did get a bike, I'd never ride without full gear - leather pants and all, and that I'd never allow a passenger.

I ride without the leather pants more-often now than not, though I do have them. Depends where I am going and what I am doing. Kevlar jeans, or what I use "Bohn Armor" are much better than nothing but normal jeans. I typically always wear my TCX race boots, though.

My girlfriend LOVES to go with me when I take the bike out. We've put in thousands of miles together over the past year of riding, both here and in Vermont. Be leery with passengers, but just remember, their life is now in your hands. If you can accept that, and teach the passenger as much as possible about controlling her body in the corners, when at lights, etc., and make sure she knows the risks AND wears gear, everyone will be better off and still be able to enjoy miles and miles of great roads. Intercom systems are out there to help communications. You can also use "grab" signals. I'll grab my g/f's knee and squeeze fairly tight if I need her to hold on tighter (bump, acceleration, etc). She knows this and instantly responds. Communication is key, not just in relationships, but with your bike passenger as well lol

[hulkster]

my friend was killed on a bike 3 years ago. was just in town ,not even driving fast so it doesnt matter if you have a 250 or liter bike. they are all dangerous.ive ridden for about 5 or 6 years with a missed summer in there.ive had one accident,luckily wasnt too bad.ive done many dumb careless cocky things on a bike but after a few tickets came to my senses. you'd be surprised how you want to show off once you get comfortable with the bike. happens to the best of us.
those safety courses are a good idea. they will basically get you comfortable with throttle repsonse in 1 and 2nd gear but other then that dont really prepare you for real life riding.
i dont think there is anything you can tell your parents to let you ride.my parents hate that i ride but its my life and they just hope for the best i guess.
im one of the few who will think you will be bored with a 250. i think a 500 is fine but either way buy a used one and dont spend more then 2-3 grand on it. only good thing is they are pretty easy to sell as many people are looking for starter bikes each spring.

[amp]

im with evomike.. as long as your under his roof and at an age where youve yet established responsibility...
wait to get a bike... regardless its a moped or a litre bike..

[SovXietday]

Don't forget, BEFORE you buy the bike you need to buy the gear. The gear isn't cheap.

This is tough, I'm guessing that you're under 18? Riding a bike isn't easy, and having fast "reflexes" takes a lot of practice. Depending on the circumstances, it may not be something you'll have time to get before you need them. It's not like driving a car, you can't just turn the wheel. There's a bunch of other things you need to be paying attention to when you get on the brakes, turn the bike, and avoid obstacles. If you want to change your dad's mind, your best bet is to take your safety courses. Show your dad you're serious about the safety aspect of riding first. If you don't think this will help, maybe even have him get his permit and go with you to the safety course and take it with you. It is a TON of fun and he will definitely enjoy it at the very least.

If you're really young, it may be that your dad just wants you to have more time on the street in a cage, where you learn to pay attention to what people are and aren't doing. There is no guarantee, but experience does speak for something.

[R22B]

Originally Posted by PAFirefighter11

You say "he thinks they're dangerous" - he thinks correctly. So make sure you KNOW for a fact that bikes are a ton more dangerous than cars, and accept the fact that eventually, one day, you will most likely wreck whether your fault or not, then that's a start. Buy all the right gear. Don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. The gear you wear can be the difference between life and death, and even between life with long term injuries versus recoverable injuries. A guy here lost his leg after a wreck on 422 where his buddy (who passed away) wrecked into him at a high rate of speed. Had he been wearing the proper pants and proper boots, he would still have his leg today.

The 250 is a good start. Don't listen to the others who will tell you that you'll be sick of it after 1 riding season. That may be the case, but you can always sell it after you get down your basic riding skills. If you want another option, one of my prior bikes was a '90 Honda Hawk GT. It's a 650 V-twin, and on a similar power band as the 250 Ninja, but it's a "naked" bike - no fairings, etc. It rides great, corners amazingly well, and doesn't have a TON of power that will overwhelm you. These can be had for $1500-$4000 easy... IF you can find one. They are rare, basically collector bikes, but they are out there: http://www.hawkgtforum.com/

Anyway, just make sure you talk things over with your father. Explain to him that you want to be as safe as possible about it in regards to the safety course, safety gear, etc. Hopefully he will be cool with things. Good luck - have fun - ride safe!

^ He hit the nail on the head. I've only ever ridden once (maiden test drive when I first got my bike back in September) and you really have to have the mentality that your rear tire can come out from under you, an person on a cell phone can cut you off, or debris can kick up from the car under you. Motorcycles are indeed dangerous, but with the proper gear, mindset (defensive driver), and training, you can minimize the chances of an incident occurring.

The first time I got my permit, I just kind of briefly read through the handbook, took the test, failed it twice and then passed it the third time barely. I knew I wasn't ready to ride then because I didn't take it seriously. A year and a half later, I read over the book twice, did the questions in the back and got a 100% on the test. The motorcycle handbook has a ton of useful information in it (they should call it the Motorcycle Survival Guide...). I recommend reading through it once or twice and really studying the questions in the back.

To put things into perspective, I purchased my riding gloves TWO YEARS before I got my motorcycle. Riding gear isn't cheap at all. I then picked up a helmet, pants, and jacket. The only thing I have left is boots. When its all said and done, I will have more invested in gear than the cost of my first bike -- but I'd rather not have ass skin graphed onto my legs.

I wanted a 250 for my first bike so I could grasp the handling, braking, and overall feel of a motorcycle and it would be forgiving to any rider error. I picked up a higher cc bike because of the price, but I'll probably step down to something smaller because quite honestly, I feel a 20+ year old 600CC is too fast for me. My first take off ended up being a crazy fish tail and my face turning white. I plan on riding in parking lots for the first month eating cones before I start commuting with the bike.

My parents and wife hate the fact that I'll be on two wheels and my dad was a HUGE motorcycle enthusiast when he was younger. My dad knows how dangerous it is and I feel he's the most worried, but he's been seeing how I've been taking all the precautions to be as safe as possible.

Respect your parent's decision as long as your under their roof. Start reading through the handbook and start acquiring gear. Show your parents that you want to be a responsible rider and they might open up to the idea. Once you move out and are old enough, you'll have sweet gear and you'll be able to get a motorcycle.

[yellow2000S/R]

I'm looking at getting a bike in the 600cc area, I'm 23, and for some reason the bank says I need a co-signer for the $7,500 'shopper' loan I applied for. My mom won't and my dad can't cause of bills. I suppose it's because I have 2 loans that I currently have (student and a 'personal' loan I used for tools). The personal loan will be paid off in a month or so, so I'm going to reapply then and see if I can get the loan without a co-signer figuring their calculator decided my income wasn't sufficient to cover the cost of living and my current bills along with another which it will and then some.

Regardles, be safe. I have some friends with R6 bikes and 2 of them are afraid of them in lower gears and I don't think any of them ride with anything special except gloves sometimes and helmets.

[hulkster]

Originally Posted by yellow2000S/R

I'm looking at getting a bike in the 600cc area, I'm 23, and for some reason the bank says I need a co-signer for the $7,500 'shopper' loan I applied for.

cbrf4 is a nice beginner 600. should be able to find one for 4 grand pretty easily.i wouldnt go above 5 grand for a 600.

[omgjacki]

I would suggest, if you're going to do it against your dad's wishes, don't rub it in his face by asking him to co-sign. Either save the money to pay it in full, or establish enough credit for yourself that you won't need a co-signer. If he doesn't want you having a bike, and his signature is what's stopping you from getting one, you'll never get it.

Talk to him. Everyone knows bikes are dangerous, but he may have his own reasons.

[rocknrace03]

^^ good advice, ive been thinking it over, and everyone i talked too that i know personally said to convince him, "you're gonna need to move out, be independent and buy it yourself, because that the only way i was ever able to get my own" seams like you guys kinda feel the same way, maybe ill just wait lol

[Danny_D]

Originally Posted by omgjacki

I would suggest, if you're going to do it against your dad's wishes, don't rub it in his face by asking him to co-sign. Either save the money to pay it in full, or establish enough credit for yourself that you won't need a co-signer. If he doesn't want you having a bike, and his signature is what's stopping you from getting one, you'll never get it.

Talk to him. Everyone knows bikes are dangerous, but he may have his own reasons.

idk if you got the bike or not... but anyways heres how my story went.

OK so i got my first bike when i was 19. (20 now) lol so only a year ago. My parents were dead down. NO. NO MOTORCYCLE! their dangerous, my dad had a brother who died on a atv.... I was so desperate for a bike, almost every conversation i had with my mother was about the motorcycle, so anyways..

We were sitting down outside one nice night, and I said, "mom dad, I want a bike."
they both looked at me like "oh boy this conversation again." and I said,

"I reeally want a bike, I know their dangerous but I have came to understanding that a bike is like a gun. It will only be dangerous if you make it dangerous." ofcourse, they said 'but the people out there, the other drivers.'I then said,
"please believe me when I say this, you know I never been in an accident (driving for 4years, international included) and will promise to drive the bike as if it was a car. Speed limit with other cars, not swerving around. No tricks and stunts, thats for maniacs!" -....silence.... - "So I have came up with a deal, I buy the bike, my money. My name on the insurance. my registration. If I pay for it that means that Im guna want to reeeally take care of it. And if one day you ask me to not ride, because of some weird reason, I wont ride that day. Not asking you to support me, just asking you to accept it. Give me a chance."

About 4 weeks later of searching. I showed up with a 2000 kawasaki zx6r - $2300

[92awdtsi]

i got my first bike when i was 17, '97 gsxr 750. Now even though I had grown up on dirtbikes/quads and even raced dirtbikes I was not prepared for the 130hp I was about to unleash. Finish the paperwork for my bike, hop on, get going. First gear to about 30mph, 2nd to about 50, then WOT.. did a burnout for about 20ft (didn't realize a cold tire wasn't sticky) then the front came up faster than any 250 dirtbike i've ever ridden. Scared the shi!t out of me. Later that season and with much more seat time I've become a more responsible rider. Things could have ended bad that day and i'm lucky they didn't.

Cliff Notes: Do not by any means under estimate your machine.

[Danny_D]

Originally Posted by 92awdtsi

Cliff Notes: Do not by any means under estimate your machine.

^^^^^^^^^^

[Chopper17]

I was in the same boat as you bro. My parents were totally against me getting a motorcycle at all costs. I talked with them, showed them im responsible enough ( no speeding tickets, no accidents that were my fault, matured, etc ) and I enrolled in the motorcycle safety course. After all of that they were still not happy but understood that I knew enough to not do anything stupid. I bought a cheap motorcycle as my first bike and its a cruisers and not a sports bike. Drove that around for a little bit and then went out and bought a different bike. Like everyone else says gear isnt cheap but remember its your life thats on the line so dont cheap out on that. I dont go over 75mph on the highway because not only do I think its sketchy but you can stop fast if you have to like a car could. Remember never and I mean never drink and drive on a motorcycle and by that not even one beer. One beer in your system and you can think you can do anything. Either not take your bike or sleep were you are. If I ever saw one of my friends get on a bike after drinking I would whoop their @$$! But just be safe and think that anyone around you doesnt see you and can hit you on your bike. Other drivers arent the smartest so just keep your eyes open, reflexes up to par and be safe and its a blast to ride!

[Ender81]

I came in here expecting to have something to add but really PaFirefighter just really summed it all up.