Well Dh being the nutjob he is just called, and he bought me a motorcycle. So now I guess I need lessons and gear..any advice from the alternabikerchics.

OH MY GOSH! He bought you a bike!? That is SO cool, Sflake!!
We used to have a biker here... not sure if anyone else does it.
I'd get one if I didn't have kids. I'd be too cool on a bike, man.

yea, he's ok. He has one and I always want him to teach me. I get tired just hanging on the back of his. But he has some sort of problem turning his baby over to me. Not to mention the loss of his cool image being on the back with a chick doing the driving.

I was a biker chick in a previous incarnation - yes, really! My advice is to be sure to take a safety course. Accidents with bikes are very unforgiving.
Mid-month I am doing registration for a group of Old Fart Bikers - does that count? There are about 300 descending on this sleepy little town for the weekend! It should be fun and I may get a ride. (No, I am not going to ask DH for permission!)

I have been riding for about 4 years now. I also strongly suggest taking the motorcycle course. It was a great weekend, and I learned a lot. Considering that besides being on minibikes a long time ago I had never been on a bike.

Get the gear, have a ton of fun. After you get your license you will not be able to get on the BACK of another bike again.

By the way, what type of bike is it???

Here is a great mental picture for those of you visual artists:

My weight trainer(6foot 3 and about 240 pounds) sitting as passenger, with me riding him on the highway.(I am 5'6)
Not to mention I made sure that I was going about 85 miles an hour, he was SCREAMING!!!!

Happy trails,
Cammy

and to Ruthxxx-you go for it. and to ellis-you only live once. My kids are teenagers and thier friends cannot believe a MOM rides...

< -- biker (sorta)

I think I will sign up for a safety course, thanks. It is a black Harley sportster, i think a 883. Cammy, did it take long for you to learn? I can't even drive a stick car. I believe the classes start in the spring so for now I'm just getting used to it.

Cammy, maybe I'll get one when the kids are a little bigger. I'm afraid of being cut off in my prime while my kids are still young.
My Dad was a biker before he married, and he was very cool. He belonged to a few biking clubs in England. They used to go on trips together and do treasure hunts and that sort of thing...

cool, treasure hunts, sounds like great fun. Your Dad sounds like an amazing man.

I took my daughter to school this morning on the bike when I got out of work. It was a wee bit chilly!!! I was soooooo tired. But it woke me up (for about an hour!)

As for learning, sflake, it was about a 14 hour course taught in 2 weekend days. We rode and rode and rode. The thing is that here in MA you get your permit first and if you pass the class that counts as your ROAD TEST!! So that made it not only better, but less threatning.

Ellis, my dad now goes on rides with other 'old dudes'. He is SOOOO happy now that he has other cronies to ride with. Meanwhile I still pretty much ride alone-*sigh* Good thing it does not take much to amuse me. I keep telling myself that I am going to put a stereo system on there to REALLY freak people out. You know- Prince one minute, Metallica the next, Barbra Striesand and maybe a bit of Dixie Chicks to round it out. Gotta love compilation CD"s

DH has a Harley (Heritage Softtail)...I'm going to learn to ride hopefully next summer.

My dear old dad 71 has had a bike since he was 16. Doesn't ride much anymore, but he loves it.

Hey I was a biker chick with husband number one. We sold it when we had Cody, and decided we'd ride again when he was grown. The ex had two first cousins both killed on bikes, so we figured that was a good enough reason to sell it when Cody came along! Ooops, this conversation is going the wrong way!

Anyway, my best advice is to wear jeans all the time. I've been stung by collisions with bees, smacked with itty bitty rocks, nailed down with rain and blistered with tailpipes. The jeans take a bite out of it. Ok, I am really trying to make this sound fun! I enjoyed it, but it sure doesn't sound like it!!

Husband number one!?!? Are you old enough to be married even ONCE, Jennifer!?

I know about the jeans. First time I took my Honda 900cb out thinking I was cute to church(had on capris), I backed up and hit my calf on the tail pipe. Was the most horrible burn!!! With my PC800 it is all enclosed, no burns.

I wear a full face helmet and gloves. Most of the time I wear jeans and a denim (at least) jacket.

and about the FIRST husband, I tell people that when I get married for the LAST time...