New Biker Chick (pics)

[Pappy]

Get your minds out of the gutter, I'm talking about my Granddaughter.

My Granddaughter came in one day when I was looking for an open face helment. She saw a few pink design helmets she liked so GrandPa got her one for Christmas.

Two weeks ago Samantha spent the weekend with us. Saturday night we were going to DQ to eat and I took her for her first ride. GrandMa and Uncle Mike followed in the car. She was terrified and had a death grip on my waist most of the way. When we got there several kids were staring at her and one girl said she wished she could ride a motorcycle.

After we ate, GrandMa said she was going to take her shopping. Without hesitation she said Uncle Mike could go shopping. She wanted to go home on the motorcycle with GrandPa. I wasn't sure how she would react to night riding, but right after I turned up the service road to the interstate, she relaxed with her hand resting lighly on my hips. When I leaned into the turnaround lane at about 25 and nudged the throttle she tightened her grip for a second but leaned with me. By the time we were out of the turn, she had relaxed again and was leaning against the back rest.







First pretty weekend day I'm gonna gas up the bike and take her on a day trip.

[jackellis]

It's great when you can get nieces, nephews, kids and grandkids involved in the things you like doing yourself.

[cabinetman]

Nice cruiser. Cute story. I have to tell passengers not to lean but just sit still. BTW, how do you like the soft luggage?
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[Ed62]

Enjoy 'em while you can, Don. Before you know it, they'll have kids of their own.

Ed

[RodKirby]

Great stuff, Pappy.

I presume you climb on and then she climbs on around you? Sequence?

[Richard in Smithville]

That's a great story Don. You had me smiling while I was reading.

[Pappy]

Samantha has me wrapped around her little finger. Even though she is not biologically my granddaughter, she seems like it. Her mother and my son have been together off and on since 1991 and she has always been like a daughter to us. PJ has been bringing Samantha to the house since she was a baby.

Ed, when that day comes I will have them on the bike with me. (If I can still straddle a bike.)

C'Man, the bags have stiffeners inside that make them fairly ridgid. The tops are soft. Since they are leather, I have to keep them well treated. Running errands and back and forth to work they fill the needs, and look good on the bike. If I was going to be making long trips, they would be too small. But, if I was going to do that, I would be sitting a Glide or a 'Wing'!

[cabinetman]

If ya already have her, or anybody on the back, the way to get on is to grab your knee and pull up your leg real high, so your foot doesn't get caught under the tank or seat. It can be real embarrassing. DAMHIKT
.

[Pappy]

C'Man, been there, done that, even when solo! My last street bike was a Cavalcade. Very high saddle....

Also, don't forget the kick stand when you stop. Bit embarrassing when passers by have to pick your bike up off you!

Rod, Samantha is so little that I put her on first. The saddle is low enough to step across and her weight doesn't make it hard to pick the bike up off the stand.

[cabinetman]

Does it have a center stand?
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[Pappy]

Nope. Very few street bikes do anymore.

[robtonya]

Nice cruiser. Cute story. I have to tell passengers not to lean but just sit still. BTW, how do you like the soft luggage?
.

I'm just the opposite. I like them to lean with me. I had a girl on the back that sat straight up and did not lean at all ( I was on a Kawasaki Ninja). I was getting so much drag from her, I was sure we was going to wreck.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

Pappy,
That is something that you will both remember and cherish for years. I still remember the times that my parents and my brother and I would go on bike trips. We would take off in the morning and take a day trip and stop and have lunch somewhere and then head home, I had a blast on those trips. My uncle usually met us somewhere also and would join us.

I miss having a bike I used to have a dirt bike when I was younger and would ride it around our property all the time and even learned how to service the bike, change the oil and make sure things were running well. Now I don't see a bike in the future for me because of the kids. Maybe one of these days I will have another one when all the kids are gone.

[footprintsinconc]

pappy,

just saw the thread, you sure are lucky to have a grand daughter to take around for a ride. i bet she will be wanting you take her out on the bike more often, now that she's had her first ride. hopefully, i am going to try this weekend to gout with zainab (my daughter) helmet shopping so that we can go for a real ride (out of the neighborhood).

nice looking bike. what is it?

regards,

[Pappy]

Omar, I don't know how old your daughter is, but take it slow and easy for a while. Even if you have been riding her around the neighborhood the first trip in traffic could be scary to her.

The bike is an '06 Suzuki Boulevard 800cc Custom. Already wishing I had bought a bigger bike but I hadn't been on 2 wheels in about 8 years. She will do for a couple of years unless my dream bike falls in my lap!