I had never driven a motorcycle and had barely been a passenger but I've always wanted one.  Got divorced and decided to start living. Took the safety course, got my license, and bought a 2010 HD Super Glide Custom.  I have a lot of friends who ride so they have encouraged me to ride with them on short trips to start out with.  I dread the interstate because of all the traffic. I have put 1900 miles on my bike since June 6th when it came home.  I am definitely more confident but I still have the "fear" of the other vehicles and dangers on the road.  Start out slow and just ride around the block every day until you can get to the grocery store and back with a gallon of milk.  Be very careful on loose gravel - almost lost mine 10 miles into a ride!  I even had someone ride with me on his bike from my house to my work 20 miles away before I would drive it to work so I could get comfortable with the trip.  Enjoy the ride!

i started riding when i was 10. on bikes that were all way to tall for me, to stop, i had to roll up next to a fence or a wall, slide to a stop and fall against the building or whatever so i wouldn't drop the bike. bear in mind, at 42 i am 5'6", so i was a little turd back then. i always realized my limitations, that was key to my continued riding. so my advice is, for one, stay within your limitations, with time and experience, those limitations will get better, you'll lean a little further in the corners, throttle a little harder on take off. but always remember, a timid rider is a danger to themselves and others around them. so find your groove, and when you are comfortable, you will naturally push the edges of the envelope, and you will let you know when you have gone far enough. screw what the bike in front of you is doing, do your thing, the bike behind you can wait, or pass, their choice. you ride your pace, and in time, you will be cruising right beside them.

Gonna revive an old thread.

GO LADIES!

When I started riding i knew absolutely nothing. Took the MSF class 3 times before passing.( I actually could have passed on the 2nd try but thought I had made too many mistakes.) I knew no one who rode. Took this venture on all by my self.

My first ride was almost 300 miles of well planned easy roads. (Except for the fact I had never ridden more than about 20 MPH in a parking lot at the class!) I bought the bike in Napa, CA & lived in Truckee, CA at the time. I figured I bought the bike to ride so let's ride it home! To be honest I didn't think that was that far and this was normal.

Anyhow to make a long story short, I have since taken Streetmasters Advanced Turning Clinic 2 x and have ridden almost 200K since 05.

I've gone 1/2 way across the country alone to meet up with other riders on our Victory forum and met the nicest people & seen some of the best America has to offer.

I chose riding because it's something you can do on your own or with friends. (I'm a long time skiier ~same thing).

Any lady (or guy) that wants to ride I highly suggest taking the MSF class as has been suggested in eariler posts. Practice practice practice. Go slow if you need to but do it safely. Find some local roads with little or no traffic & go ride them back & forth.

Get some good gear. There's lots of nice ladies gear available nowdays. (I'm a gear nazi so always wear protective gear aka ATGATT ~ All The Gear, All The Time)

I also go out sort of regularly to a huge open parking lot & practice my skills I learned in MSF . I'm still real crappy at U-turns so I go around the block a few times! LOL )

I ride mostly with guys but don't care to ride as fast as they do. I always catch up. The big joke with me is I organize the rides & set a route & lead from the rear. I don't like getting my britches in a twist by racing around. I like to enjoy myself. We all meet up at certain spots.

Good to all you Lady Riders & don't be afraid to DO IT!

Oh ya, YOU pick your bike. Find one YOU like. Don't let hubby/ SO say this one is good for you. Only YOU know what you feel comfortable on. Go shop around at all the bike stores then go look for a deal on one you like.  I started on a Yamaha V star 650 & now ride an 05(6 months later) Victory Kingpin which I love.  Don't let the guys persuade you. GET WHAT YOU FEEL FITS YOU. Trust me, you will know.

Ride on!!!

Just thought I would update this since I now have my bike.  I took it around the local area (25mph or less),  since I live on a dead end road I could practice things I learned in the motorcycles safety course.  It helped to rebuild my confidence and was still fun even tho I was still a bit on the nervous side.  But it towards the end of the first day I had so much more confidence and could not wait to get back on the next few days.  After a week of this I went on a (35mph) road, ran up and back a few times because the traffic is just as bad on it as any others in this small town.  After 2 days of that I was on the main roads with a permanent grin on my face.  But you may be faster then me or slower, just take your time,  be safe,  get your confidence,  then enjoy the ride!

Seakers

with FISHWITCH: 

Absolutely!!  Although I learned to ride in jr. high, there is always room for improvement regardless of how long one has been doing anything I believe. 
I took the riding course after I bought my first HD and had my husband take it also (even tho' he didn't think he needed but now glad he did); I have been wanting to take the advanced riding course soon.  Excellent points you have stated. 
I, too, tend to ride solo most of the times, and have gone cross crountry twice.  Although I hunger for solitude, there are times when I would like to go on a bike trip with just female riders but many aren't as confident and/or don't want to leave their husbands/SO too long, and/or 'not allowed' ........don't have to be told just 'understood' (that's what I'm told).  Anyway, I have met some wonderful people on my trips, HD riders and others, have seen parts of the country from a more interesting perspective, and have become more self-reliant/resourceful, and definitely gained a deeper and wider appreciation of life in general, less jumping to assumptions towards different 'cultures', less judgemental and in the end, feel the joyous anticipation of seeing my family again. I know I can take care of my family (and friends) much better when I am in a healthy & peaceful state of mind, body and spirit.  It's contagious!! 

THANKS!!

Hey girl: I took the course 2 years ago and believe me I was scared to death, but I wanted to ride so bad. My husband has a bike and I was always asking him to take me riding, but he works 3rd shift and I work 1st shift, so it was hard getting him to take me riding, so I came to the conclusion that if I wanted to ride then I had to take myself. I showed up at the class an hour early just so I could talk to the instructor and explain how scared I was. He was very patient with me. After I passed the class I was still scared to ride in traffic, so I started off slow by riding the back roads as often as I could and always with my husband (he lost a little sleep when I was learning). Now I ride all the time and mostly by myself. My husband can sleep all he wants now as I just get on my bike and ride. We need more women riders out there so get on your bike and ride. The feeling is awesome. Good luck.

I remember years ago when I started riding, I was always holding my breath and gulping. I gripped the bars and did not relax, so worried I was about making a mistake. Small victories and fortunately small bad things happened to me all the time while learning. The first curved road I made down a mountain was exhilarating. The first time I dropped my bike was at a stop sign, and it was an embarrassment, but I simply stepped away from it. But the tenseness and nervousness eventually melted away with practice and gave way to confidence BUT caution. Always caution. Never let your consciousness take you away from the road. So it is I never understood how people can listen to music while riding. Guess I can't multiplex when I am on the bike!

And training courses. No matter how good one thinks they are, no matter how many roads one rides, an official training course every year is the key. My spring riding begins like this: I make my own training course in a large empty parking lot, and practice 3-4 times each week in April. I will not ride anywhere on that bike until I have at least accomplished a few weeks of my private training course. Then in May in my region is the official training course. The main principle when you have a problem is to understand WHY you had a problem or made a mistake. And then work on that problem. Example: you know you took a particular curve too wide. Go out that day or the next day and practice doing it right. All this has given me the confidence. But it did not begin that way. It takes time to be a good rider. It is not enough to ride.
I have a girlfriend who tried hard to ride her own, but her mistakes gave her so much anxiety she never could continue. It is that way with some people. You need to recognize where your fear comes from. If it is from unfamiliarity, you can get over that. If it comes from lack of self-confidence, you might never make a good rider. Sorry for the harsh words, but that is how I see it. I am a person who spent most of her life with low self-esteem, and motorcycles, skiing and extreme sports got me over that. But it is not for everyone. Good luck, and as the previous writer indicated, if you get there, the feeling is awesome!

Keep working at it! I have been a passanger for years(on a Harley). Long story short had a bad breakup with boyfriend in 2010 and I took my training course last spring (2011) Got my license and, Purchased a 250 Honda Rebel, I wanted a small bike to start out with. I did not want to be overwhelmed by the power of the larger bikes, like so many women are. I spent the month of May in the high school parking lot getting used to the bike and started short trips after that. I knew local back roads where I could practice corners and sharp turns with out much traffic. Over the summer I started venturing out further and further. Keep working at it,you will get more confortable. Now I am planning a long trip. I put 5000 miles on my bike this last year and I am now looking to purchase a larger bike. Just keep at it. You do have an advantage of having someone to ride with you. I did this all on my own. I put up with a lot of dirty looks and smart remarks (it did not help that all my ride gear says Harley and I ride a Honda, I refuse to get new gear) but I am riding and that is all that matters. When you get comfortable you will love it !!!!!!

  Once you finish a "long trip" ......... you will also wonder why you waitied ......... but timing and preparation are keys to treasured memories of a bike trip.  I get alot of "dirty looks and smart remarks" too because I have a V-rod but the guys in my chapter are very supportive and impressed of my long trips and the confidence of riding with them ........... I ride and as you say, "that is all that matters" ......... GOOD FOR YOU!!! 

My Questions is Ms, HD now that 2 years has passed have your ridden? have a great one "T"

You control the bike, don't let it control you. If you're not comfortable on two wheels try three. I've been trying to get my wife to ride her own. when I said that we should get her a trike she thought that would be better for her.