Who did you inspire to ride?

[maximNikenGT]

As we start off the new year, I was reflecting upon the past year and learned that one of my old buddies from college almost 25+ years ago got a motorcycle because he saw me roll up on a Ninja back in college and thought that that was the coolest thing ever. He learned to ride and has participated in many track days since then and continues to be an avid rider today. When I learned just this past year that he credits me for inspiring him to learn to ride someday I was very pleasantly surprised and flattered in that I was able to inspire at least one other person to pursue motorcycling. 

In addition, I am struck by how the basic act of riding a motorcycle with a traditional shifter (1 down, 5 up) is actually a rare skill in the US. 

"Motorcycle households rose from 6.94 percent in 2014 (the last full survey) to a record 8.02 percent in 2018, an increase of more than 1.5 million homes. The United States Census Bureau's most recent estimate put the number of U.S. households at 126,224,000. The MIC Owner Survey found that 10,124,400 of those homes had a motorcycle."

Source: U.S. Households with a Motorcycle Climbs to Record 8 Percent in 2018 (prnewswire.com)

So using some very broad assumptions / back of the envelope math:  

Assumptions:

a. If one assumes that there are on average ~3 people per household (~2.633 people per household = 332403650 / 126224000), 

Source: Population Clock (census.gov) (USA population as of 1/1/2022 = 332,403,650)

b. Assuming only one rider per household

then there are at least 10,124,400/332,403,650 = ~3.05% of the US population that rides motorcycles. For reference purposes, when you consider that in the USA that less than 1% of the population have a private pilot's license! then motorcycle riders are a small community in relation to the entire population. 

Curious as to whom others have inspired to take up motorcycling and would like to hear your stories. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by maximNikenGT
Grammar correction

[Brian]

Still waiting for my buddy to get a Can Am Spyder. Saving his nickels and dimes.

He is anxious to ride.....just not on two wheels.

[Heli ATP]

2 hours ago, Brian said:

He is anxious to ride.....just not on two wheels.

Here is a couple of options if he wants more than 2 wheels 😄...

Three Wheels

[maximo]

Let's see, a co-worker of mine dusted off his M endorsement after watching me commute on my bike. It'd been 30 years since he last owned a bike, but being around a daily rider prompted him to start commuting on one himself. This was about 10 years ago, and now he puts about 12k on his FJR1300 every year. 

Back 20-25 years ago a buddy of mine decided to learn how to ride after seeing how much fun I had. He got his license, bought a Radian 600, but after a couple of years traded it in for a step through scooter. He rode that Vespa everywhere! 

 

[maximNikenGT]

15 hours ago, maximo said:

Let's see, a co-worker of mine dusted off his M endorsement after watching me commute on my bike. It'd been 30 years since he last owned a bike, but being around a daily rider prompted him to start commuting on one himself. This was about 10 years ago, and now he puts about 12k on his FJR1300 every year. 

Back 20-25 years ago a buddy of mine decided to learn how to ride after seeing how much fun I had. He got his license, bought a Radian 600, but after a couple of years traded it in for a step through scooter. He rode that Vespa everywhere! 

 

Had to look up what the Radian 600 was. Wasn't familiar with that Yamaha model at all. Very cool. 

[texscottyd]

1 hour ago, maximNikenGT said:

Had to look up what the Radian 600 was. Wasn't familiar with that Yamaha model at all. Very cool. 

Yep!   This was during the early stages on the 600 supersport arms race among the Japanese manufacturers (Ninja 600, CBR600 Hurricane, FZ600 & FZ750, etc), and Yamaha had a great idea to do more 'approachable' sport standards.   I think of the 600 Radian and 700 Fazer as successors of the hallowed UJM sport models (CB-F Hondas being my personal gold standard), and great-grandfathers of bikes like the FZ9 and GSXS that we have now.   

Neat, but largely forgotten motorcycles...

[knyte]

That's a SWEET looking bike - looks a lot like my '83 Nighthawk 550...love those classic UJM styles.

To the OP's question, my g/f and I inspired each other!  One day she said, "I think I want to learn how to ride a motorcycle"  - in an offhand and casual way.  As a farm kid, they used to give us XR100's to get to the fields and such, so that's where I'd learned the basic controls.  So I said, well let's get you a dirtbike!  ...and we did.  I showed her the controls, and off she went, just like she was made for it.  After two seasons of dirtbiking, with a couple of obligatory small-scale wipe outs, lol...we happened across a screaming deal on an '08 Ninja 500 with less than 500 miles on the odo - she was hooked the instant she sat on it.  We both took the course, and loved it...got our Class 6's soon after.  Later, we found her an F650GS for a do-all tourer.  I'm seriously hoping she can take the leap, give up the dead-end job she hates and move towards a motorcycle instructor position...she'd be great at it

[Larz]

My ex ( that's her and her motorized Barko-lounger)

15 years ago the kids were grown and gone, we lived in the 'burbs after a couple decades living up in the bush of the Idaho Panhandle and I was BORED. Told her I was getting back into motorcycling; she told me I could pack my bags if I was. I got a little Kawasaki 500Ltd and bags sayed in the closet. One day I convinced her to get on the back- took a fair amount of wine before she would. But she was hooked and I tried hard to coach her the right way. Next year she rode the 500 out to Cali and back ( I'd gotten a Vulcan 1500 by then). A couple of years later,after becoming infected with the Harley syndrome, she bought a Softail and did a solo 2500 mile trip. Now she's a real touring queen- lead the Dealership ride from Spokane Wa to Milwaukee a couple years ago; District director for the Motor Maids,etc

( BTW, PMS: parked motorcycle syndrome, thats her and sister Motor Maids joke,eh ;>)

Edited January 4, 2022 by Larz

[maximo]

4 hours ago, texscottyd said:

Yep!   This was during the early stages on the 600 supersport arms race among the Japanese manufacturers (Ninja 600, CBR600 Hurricane, FZ600 & FZ750, etc), and Yamaha had a great idea to do more 'approachable' sport standards.   I think of the 600 Radian and 700 Fazer as successors of the hallowed UJM sport models (CB-F Hondas being my personal gold standard), and great-grandfathers of bikes like the FZ9 and GSXS that we have now.   

Neat, but largely forgotten motorcycles...

yeah, the Radian was a hoot to ride. In my heart it belongs to the SV650 class of grins. Not the most or -est of anything, but a complete package that simply worked well. 

[maximNikenGT]

22 hours ago, maximo said:

Let's see, a co-worker of mine dusted off his M endorsement after watching me commute on my bike. It'd been 30 years since he last owned a bike, but being around a daily rider prompted him to start commuting on one himself. This was about 10 years ago, and now he puts about 12k on his FJR1300 every year. 

Back 20-25 years ago a buddy of mine decided to learn how to ride after seeing how much fun I had. He got his license, bought a Radian 600, but after a couple of years traded it in for a step through scooter. He rode that Vespa everywhere! 

 

I almost got a Yamaha FJR because of how many of them were used in Iron Butt rallies. That to me said it was a perfect long distance riding machine more than anything else. 

[PhotoAl]

I had always wanted a motorcycle.  We have 4 kids and my wife said a firm no, I needed to stay around for the kids.

 For Christmas 2007 she surprised me with a new Kawasaki Ninja 250.  Last of the old style Ninjas.  An easy bike to ride and started out on local streets, took a motorcycle safety course.  It was similar to the MSF courses and was taught by a local police motorcycle officer.  Once had my confidence up would ride to work downtown.  LOL I had an office job but could get away with a sport coat and tie instead of a suit.  Kept my jacket and shoes in my office and would wear dress pants, shirt and tie under my gear.  One morning leaving the house I leaned down to pick up the newspaper and fell over breaking the small metatarsal bone in my foot. Orthopedic doc said motorcycle boot was as good as anything so just wore it.  Used to ride to Chattanooga, 150 miles away, to visit my mother.  Little Ninja would happily cruse at 80mph on the interstate.

Wanted more power so bought a used Yamaha FZ6 with 3,000 miles on it. Had lots of fun with that bike and put over 40,000 more miles on it.  Did all the maintenance myself including adjusting the valve clearances.  One day battery died so bought a new battery.  Riding home a couple days later the bike quit.  Pushed it home 2 miles, one hill was steep and too a number of rest brakes to make it over.  A good sidewalk so not in traffic lane.  2 days later went for annual physical and flunked it - bad EKG!  Got permission for a new motorcycle so 4 days later bought a new 2012 CBR600RR.  3 weeks later had valve replacement surgery!  Still remember going out for a long ride the day before surgery.  Didn't know what the future held and wanted a nice ride.  6 weeks later was back riding again.  I had robotic surgery so had a smaller chest incision and the breastbone was not cut like a normal heart surgery.

Had lots of fun on the CBR but after 18,000 miles and being over 60 decided I wanted ABS for safety as I rode a lot in all kinds of weather.  So bought a new Kawasaki ZX6R 636 ABS.  It was just a few months old when I was on vacation in Italy and my wife suggested we rent a scooter.  Well that didn't work out so well!  Coming out of a hairpin on Capri dodged a bus swinging wide for the turn but wound up too close to the edge and clipped the right bar on a rock wall, only doing 15 mph.  That resulted in a shattered kneecap, concussion and scrapes and cuts!  Wife was fine.  End of the vacation!  Flew home and got the knee fixed.  3 months later went for first ride on ZX6R - after 5 minutes was ready to get off but had to get back home!  It got better I was riding again!  The ZX6R is still the favorite bike I've had.

After I retired saw a used BMW F800GT at the dealership and thought "I could tour on that".  Traded the ZX6R on it was went off on long trips putting 26,000 miles on it is 2 years.  In the last summer of 2020 took it on its last trip.  Was planning on trading for a Tracer 900 or Tracer 900 GT when I returned.  At the end of the second day it broke leaving me stranded at the KOA in Grand Island Nebraska.  Found a new 2020 Tracer 900 GT in Sioux Falls SD so ordered parts from eBay and fixed the BMW then rode to Sioux Falls and traded.

A year and a few months later I still love the Tracer 900 GT.  The thought of a Tracer 9 GT does occur occasionally but still very happy with the 900 GT.  We have had lots of fun including the ride back from Sioux Falls, a trip to Topeka, KS, a trip to Vernal Utah and a trip to Red Lodge Montana.  18,000 miles and counting.

My favorite bike?  Probably the ZX6R as it was nimble like the CBR but with a bit more midrange power.  Each bike I've had has bee unique and have lots of great memories of each.

My wife never liked riding with me and after the scooter crash is very nervous even riding a scooter.

[maximo]

1 hour ago, maximNikenGT said:

I almost got a Yamaha FJR because of how many of them were used in Iron Butt rallies. That to me said it was a perfect long distance riding machine more than anything else. 

I like the FJR for touring duties. I would have gotten one too, instead of my K1200GT, but I didn't want to have the same bike as my co-worker. Turns out the Beemer is lighter too (referring to my wallet, not the bike). 

[Brian]

Ahhhh....Thanks for the memories of the Yamaha Radian....my first street bike to learn on....oh so many years ago.

I took the MSF safety course on it. A great first bike, even though kinda small for a 6'1" rider like me.

Was such a cool bike that I sold it several years later for the same $600 price I bought it for.

Now I see one on Cycle Trader for $8000. The ole "wish I still had....."

Edited January 5, 2022 by Brian

[enx]

I ride only five years. Who inspired me to ride...? Funny thing🙃 BakerXderek, Suburban Delinquent, Royal Jordanian...

[Wintersdark]

For me, just always wanted to, motorcycles seemed awesome.  As soon as I could, just a strapping teenager, I bought my own.  Have I inspired anyone to ride?  To my knowledge, no.  Sadly, I'll add: I've always wanted to have a riding buddy who's as into riding as I am.   Alas, no such luck.  Even fellow riders just assume there's something wrong with me; non riders think I'm straight up crazy.