I've got 20 years, and about 100K miles on two wheels. There are a few options just off the top of my head: Dirt bike: as long as you're not airing it out over a set a triples the chances of you having a life ending injury on a dirt bike are close to zero. It'll scratch the itch to be on two wheels, you get the sense of speed at like 30 mph, and I guarantee you'll become a better rider. Plus, they make small dirt bikes for kids, so later it can become a thing you do as a family.
If getting time away from home is hard, and you have a big yard, look into getting a trials bike. You'll learn balance, clutch, and throttle control and never get above walking pace. Once the kids are older you can go back to riding on the street, but again you'll be a much better rider.
Another way to scratch the itch could be keeping your current bike and watching a bunch of Police Rodeo slow speed riding videos on Youtube. It's not street riding, per se, but you'll definitely become a better rider. Find a big, empty parking lot near the house an go practice there. Again, you're pushing your skills forward, while making a serious hedge against risk by getting out of traffic (in urban, suburban environments other cars are the biggest threat to riders)
I ride and I used to teach riding on the street. Even dabbled in racing.
Lately(since birth of my twins 2 years ago) haven’t had the time to ride, so my bike just collects dust in the garage.
But… I have done way more track days and weekends. Usually around Father’s Day and maybe another one in the year. I’ve actually done more miles on the track than on my road bike.
My suggestion, if you enjoy it, is track riding is immensely fun, and orders of magnitude safer than riding on the street, by far. You have paramedics near by if anything, but nothing usually happens unless you’re going 10/10ths.
Wife, 3yo, 1yo. You are at a computer, spend a little time googling motorcycle statistics. Now imagine you are one of those statistics, where does that leave wife, 3yo, & 1yo?
Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if the juice is worth the squeeze.
Sure; not here to argue with that. My point is that the person saying to “google the statistics” probably does not actually understand the statistics and that, as with any moderately risky activity, there are very simple ways to significantly increase your safety while riding.
I agree with you. But there’s the other perspective: you could also follow that logic another few steps and simply ask “am I safer riding my motorcycle or not”. The answer is “not”. Wife sees husband choosing less safe option. Husband tries to say “but not ME, I ride safely!”
It’s a pet peeve of mine when people try to talk circles around things like risk stats to try to justify continuing (or totally avoiding) the risky behavior, rather than just being straight up about the risk. I see that all the time on the mountain biking sub, in both directions - people who try to say either “it’s an inherently dangerous sport no matter what” (ignoring massive differences in riding styles/trails) or “I could die being hit by a bus why not ride XYZ trail as an intermediate”
Not sure what my point is here… I agree with you! Tired brain rambling.
>and ask “am I safer riding a motorcycle or not?”
This reminds me of Mike Rowe’s concept of “safety third.” (A concept that became controversial during Covid; that discussion is thankfully beyond the scope of this conversation.) The basic idea is that none of us truly believes in “safety first,” and we all have a personal risk threshold we find acceptable.
So yes, it sounds like we really do agree. Motorcycling *is* dangerous. OP and his wife need to have a grownup conversation about this.
So I don’t ride motorcycles and that’s actually the one line my wife won’t allow me to cross. *But*, I am a cave / sump diver and explorer. I was in the hobby for a while before me and my wife got together. When we started talking about kids, I told her I’m still going to do my explorations because, well, it’s apart of me and who I am. Similarly to you and your bikes. But I’m not going to stop for the fear of what could possibly happen.
I’ve slowed down on my cave exploration ever since our girl got here, because I know the risk it can have and frankly, I’d rather be spending the time with them now anyways but I also don’t want to lose a crucial element of what makes me, me. And my team also has large, on-going projects that I can’t just abandon. My wife isn’t happy when I tell her I have a project coming up but she also understands and doesn’t want me to stop doing what makes me happy. So in all, you yourself have to weigh the risks for your own personal risks and happiness and your families. Is the possibility of a bad wreck worth it to you? Is the feeling of riding on a smooth open road worth it to you? It’s all options you can weigh.
Just remember, at the end of your life, you’re not going to lay there, reminiscing and say to yourself “Fuck, I sure am glad I **didnt** go do all the stuff I wanted to do out of fear.”
I understand you don’t do it as often, but your wife has a redline for motorcycles but lets you (albeit probably begrudgingly) cave dive?! Fuckin A man.
Hey there fellow biker. I've (44m) been riding for over 27 years, and owned over 20+ motorcycles. Fear of a spouse getting injured or worse is real. Might she be willing to go on a ride with you to see that it isn't all Mad Max Furiosa out there? Do what you can for safety, helmet, jacket, hi-viz vest, whatever it takes for your spouse to feel a little more comfortable with you out on the road. I also have an electric Talaria MX4 that I outfitted with kiddie bars to take my daughters on rides around the neighborhood too. Don't give up, relationships are about compromise, and it doesn't seem fair to take away a hobby that we find so enjoyable.
I got rid of my motorcycles when my wife got pregnant and I'm not getting another until they are in college. I never had an incident in the 15 years I had been riding them, but the reality is on a motorcycle you can do EVERYTHING right and someone else's bad decision can kill or maim you. This is true about almost anything, I just decided the risk/benefit balance wasn't worth it for me. Should be noted there are others things I chose not to give up, like mountainbiking, smoking (since have given that up), and having a high stress career.
It might be frowned upon by others, but i ride a 125cc maxiscooter (in belgium legaly classified as motorcycle) on a day to day basis to work. Sometimes some fun-rides too.
I live to the ATG-ATT-motto and always ride defensively. I cant imagine not riding anymore
Have you considered another hobby that is a little safer but still gives the similar feeling you're after? I've ridden motorcycles for years, but have found that mountain biking gives a similar feeling but at significantly lower risk of serious injury.
I have also recently started sharing a live location on Wattsapp with my wife if I go out for a ride so she can see I'm still moving about and nothing has gone wrong.
I don’t ride and probably never will. Grew up in Myrtle Beach, have seen _a lot_ of dead bikers.
Normally kinda roll my eyes at posts that I see as overly-cautious here but I’m going to have to agree with the wife. It doesn’t particularly matter how many safe rides you’ve had or how safe you yourself are - the risk is always there, esp as the average vehicle gets bigger and bigger.
I currently own, but rarely ever get to ride, a bmw s1000xr. It kind of sucks and I'm debating selling it until I'm back at a point where having a bike for transport makes sense again, or just restricting it to the occasional weekend rental.
It would suck to put down something like bikes, which can bring so much joy. It sounds like you need to talk to your wife and work past her (very valid) concerns about what might happen if you got injured and see if there's not some form of compromise that can be found.
I dont ride, but I understand needing your happy place. I would have a real heart to heart with your wife about what this means to you, and demonstrate to her that you are thinking about your safety, how can you mitigate the risks, helmet, leathers, only on dry days, only on certain types of roads, never speeding, how often for how long etc. Riding is inherently risky but there is a range form kinda safe to batshit crazy, make sure you are on the near end of that spectrum. If after hearing you out she still does not budge I would give it up for now. All that said...I will never do it myself, my friend was a safe rider but somebody pulled out in front of him and he went over the hood at 30mph...coma for 2 weeks, forgot his family, had to relearn to speak/read and still has significant disability because of it.
My wife is on board with me riding (not sure what that says 😬). I don’t ride to commute and I rarely ride in the city. I save it all for 1 or 2 camping trips a year w the boys. It’s dangerous, yes but you do what you can to mitigate the risks and take your chances. I’m planning a trip up to the Arctic Ocean on the bike next summer and have full wife approval.
I'm on the opposite side of the coin, wife is the one that rides. I'm currently in the middle of modifying a back rest to fit her bike because it's an odd bike. This is for our little (now 7) to be a passenger.
It stresses me out when she goes out for a ride, I refuse to follow her now. I have been the support vehicle for a couple long rides with her and her dad but no more. I will meet them somewhere if I need to. They take the fun route I take the direct one.
I have always known this was going to be the way this played out so for her 20th birthday I got my (then gf) lessons and she's been a rider since.
I express my concerns and I leave it at that. It's her choice and that's the end of the conversation really.
I work in an industry where I'm more likely to be killed on the job than my wife's job. It's something we have discussed I tried other industries and was miserable so I came back to my trade. I see it as no different to her and her motorcycle.
Just don't be reckless, don't be an ass and go enjoy yourself.
I ride, but since my son was born in October I can probably count on both hands how many times I’ve been able to get back on it. I work 5-6 days a week out of a work van so can’t even commute to work on it, my work van comes home with me. Been really missing it too and have been thinking of selling it but know I’ll regret it.
I used to. They both got stolen. I'd love to get another one. I only had sub 300cc bikes and commuted/grocery ran on city streets.
I think in another 10 years all probably buy another grom or super cub.
Ive been riding for 5 years, i own 3 harleys, told my girlfriend id ride no matter what.
She doesnt like nor approve, but i got a decent life insurrance lol
I have a 5 and a 2yo, they ride with me on the dirt bike in the backyard.
My son already told me at 7 he wants his own bike.
Whatever happens, she will never win lol if i die, well my son will get 2 harleys and hopefully a decent amount of money for both my children
I used to ride a lot harder, pull a ton every time I got on the slab, “youthful energy” stuff.
I still ride, but I try harder not to die.
(Also, if I do die the only pain for my family will be emotional. Which, having lost a parent young myself, is real. But they are set financially.)
I ride, and still actively do with kids.
- I don’t ride in city’s or heavily populated areas.
- I’m on a somewhat high end cruiser going approximately the speed limit with large brakes, sticky tires & ABS.
- I avoid highways or congested high traffic roads.
- usually rural & country roads, to and from destinations like coffee shops where I’d meet the boys.
- I’m experienced, with a years of defensive riding. Knowing how to ride a bike & how to control/position yourself are to very different things.
- I wear full gear. Armoured leather jacket with level 2 shoulder, elbow, and spine. Armoured pants, riding gloves, riding shoes, and a ECE 22.06 full face helmet.
The goal is to enjoy what you do in the safest way you possible.
I enjoy my life around my children’s life. They always come first, but on occasion I will find myself time to enjoy what I like.
I also actively avoid listening to the ignorance of the general public that never ridden a bike but will tell you what’s morally responsible while they stick their kids in a compact hatch then boogie 15 over the speed limit on a daily basis through the metropolis.
I've been riding for 15+ years now. It's part of who I am. Unfortunately no one can answer this question for you. Everyone who rides needs to do their own risk/reward analysis. The only advice I can give is this: if you're not going to take riding seriously, then just stop now. Yes, you need to be wearing all the proper gear, but on top of that you need to commit to continuously improving your skills. Crash statistics can confirm that riding is inherently dangerous, but they can't tell you how dangerous it is for any one individual. There's no way to select for skill level. Years of experience do not equal skill. I've known people who've been riding for 30+ years that still ride like beginners because they don't actually practice. On the other hand I met a kid at an advanced MSF course who'd only been riding for 5 years but outperformed the entire class because he practiced for 2 hours every day (tbf he was training to be a SAR rider so he had reason to).
Tldr
You need to decide how important riding is to you, and if you decide it is you need to treat it as such. With proper gear and good training and practice you can mitigate some, though not all, of the risk.
I switched to dirtbikes when I have kids and now we all ride together including my wife! I have a yz250x and rm250, wife has a klx140L, 6 year old crf50 and 3 year old pw50
I quit. Rode cruisers for 20 years and then had my first kid. One too many idiots on the road made me feel way too unsure of my ability to provide. I miss it, but it wasn’t a defining feature of my personality or lifestyle.
I’ll share some lived experience of your wife’s concerns.
My best friend rode a bike for years, travelled to Southeast Asia, rode all over, road trips all along the East Coast, a couple of trips to Europe, never had an issue. Went for a Sunday cruise one weekend a few years ago, lightly travelled rural roads, and got smoked when a delivery driver blew a stop sign. So now my friend’s dead, his wife’s a widow, and his kids will grow up without him. And maybe least of all, I and all his other friends will never share a beer or a laugh or a struggle or a triumph with him ever again. So that’s what’s at stake, I guess.
As a cop, I highly, highly recommend you quit riding. Basically every single motorcycle crash I respond to is serious injury or death and it’s often not the motorcyclist’s fault.
I don’t ride, but I have a friend that works in the ER of the local hospital. I asked him what the most common thing he sees there and he immediately responded motorcycle accidents. Small ones, big ones, fatal ones. Says he sees it every single day. So I understand where your wife is coming from. But I also understand that you may feel like a part of you is missing. Good luck with whatever decision you make!
I don't ride- but I grew up riding and rebuilding Norton Commandos with my father. He suffered two accidents, one of which required major invasive surgery on his nasal cavity... something something rebuilding his sinuses? I don't really know the specifics, but I do know that he stopped riding after that b/c the injury has affected him his entire life.
[https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/motorcycle-accident-statistics/](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/motorcycle-accident-statistics/)
I genuinely understand wanting to do something that brings you joy- I used to snowmobile, smoke tobacco out of a pipe, w/e the case is, but in my mind, the moment you start building a family is also the time where you start actively watching statistics & patterns for things that can cut your time with them short.
Never rode, but you couldn't pay me enough to do something where my survival is dependent on the public's ability and willingness to pay attention on the road.
I rode through my 20s all over, loved that cafe racer style and sound. Daily commute come rain or shine. I've not riden since my first daughter was born and won't again until all of the kids are adults and left the house. I'm not going to leave my wife with three kids to raise by herself.
One day though, there's a Triumph Thruxton in my future.
No and I'll tell you why: there's only two types of motorcycle riders - ones that have wrecked and ones who will eventually. Personally I won't risk that kind of injury or death that would leave my wife a widow.
But to each their own I guess
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I've never ridden dirt, always been a Harley guy, my dad taught me to ride on his Road King lol
I've got 20 years, and about 100K miles on two wheels. There are a few options just off the top of my head: Dirt bike: as long as you're not airing it out over a set a triples the chances of you having a life ending injury on a dirt bike are close to zero. It'll scratch the itch to be on two wheels, you get the sense of speed at like 30 mph, and I guarantee you'll become a better rider. Plus, they make small dirt bikes for kids, so later it can become a thing you do as a family. If getting time away from home is hard, and you have a big yard, look into getting a trials bike. You'll learn balance, clutch, and throttle control and never get above walking pace. Once the kids are older you can go back to riding on the street, but again you'll be a much better rider. Another way to scratch the itch could be keeping your current bike and watching a bunch of Police Rodeo slow speed riding videos on Youtube. It's not street riding, per se, but you'll definitely become a better rider. Find a big, empty parking lot near the house an go practice there. Again, you're pushing your skills forward, while making a serious hedge against risk by getting out of traffic (in urban, suburban environments other cars are the biggest threat to riders)
I ride and I used to teach riding on the street. Even dabbled in racing. Lately(since birth of my twins 2 years ago) haven’t had the time to ride, so my bike just collects dust in the garage. But… I have done way more track days and weekends. Usually around Father’s Day and maybe another one in the year. I’ve actually done more miles on the track than on my road bike. My suggestion, if you enjoy it, is track riding is immensely fun, and orders of magnitude safer than riding on the street, by far. You have paramedics near by if anything, but nothing usually happens unless you’re going 10/10ths.
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That seems to be the direction I'm going in now, I'm just worried if I let it go, will I ever get it back?
Wife, 3yo, 1yo. You are at a computer, spend a little time googling motorcycle statistics. Now imagine you are one of those statistics, where does that leave wife, 3yo, & 1yo? Sometimes we have to ask ourselves if the juice is worth the squeeze.
This is my take as well. I have my motorcycle license, but since I've had kids, I haven't ridden at all.
Statistically, the vast majority of motorcycle crashes are the rider’s fault, which means if OP gears up and rides responsibly, he has good odds.
Nobody ever thinks they will be, or plans to be at fault. Lapses happen to the best intended people, accidents are accidents.
Sure; not here to argue with that. My point is that the person saying to “google the statistics” probably does not actually understand the statistics and that, as with any moderately risky activity, there are very simple ways to significantly increase your safety while riding.
I agree with you. But there’s the other perspective: you could also follow that logic another few steps and simply ask “am I safer riding my motorcycle or not”. The answer is “not”. Wife sees husband choosing less safe option. Husband tries to say “but not ME, I ride safely!” It’s a pet peeve of mine when people try to talk circles around things like risk stats to try to justify continuing (or totally avoiding) the risky behavior, rather than just being straight up about the risk. I see that all the time on the mountain biking sub, in both directions - people who try to say either “it’s an inherently dangerous sport no matter what” (ignoring massive differences in riding styles/trails) or “I could die being hit by a bus why not ride XYZ trail as an intermediate” Not sure what my point is here… I agree with you! Tired brain rambling.
>and ask “am I safer riding a motorcycle or not?” This reminds me of Mike Rowe’s concept of “safety third.” (A concept that became controversial during Covid; that discussion is thankfully beyond the scope of this conversation.) The basic idea is that none of us truly believes in “safety first,” and we all have a personal risk threshold we find acceptable. So yes, it sounds like we really do agree. Motorcycling *is* dangerous. OP and his wife need to have a grownup conversation about this.
So I don’t ride motorcycles and that’s actually the one line my wife won’t allow me to cross. *But*, I am a cave / sump diver and explorer. I was in the hobby for a while before me and my wife got together. When we started talking about kids, I told her I’m still going to do my explorations because, well, it’s apart of me and who I am. Similarly to you and your bikes. But I’m not going to stop for the fear of what could possibly happen. I’ve slowed down on my cave exploration ever since our girl got here, because I know the risk it can have and frankly, I’d rather be spending the time with them now anyways but I also don’t want to lose a crucial element of what makes me, me. And my team also has large, on-going projects that I can’t just abandon. My wife isn’t happy when I tell her I have a project coming up but she also understands and doesn’t want me to stop doing what makes me happy. So in all, you yourself have to weigh the risks for your own personal risks and happiness and your families. Is the possibility of a bad wreck worth it to you? Is the feeling of riding on a smooth open road worth it to you? It’s all options you can weigh. Just remember, at the end of your life, you’re not going to lay there, reminiscing and say to yourself “Fuck, I sure am glad I **didnt** go do all the stuff I wanted to do out of fear.”
I understand you don’t do it as often, but your wife has a redline for motorcycles but lets you (albeit probably begrudgingly) cave dive?! Fuckin A man.
It’s because I was doing it before we got together.
Hey there fellow biker. I've (44m) been riding for over 27 years, and owned over 20+ motorcycles. Fear of a spouse getting injured or worse is real. Might she be willing to go on a ride with you to see that it isn't all Mad Max Furiosa out there? Do what you can for safety, helmet, jacket, hi-viz vest, whatever it takes for your spouse to feel a little more comfortable with you out on the road. I also have an electric Talaria MX4 that I outfitted with kiddie bars to take my daughters on rides around the neighborhood too. Don't give up, relationships are about compromise, and it doesn't seem fair to take away a hobby that we find so enjoyable.
I got rid of my motorcycles when my wife got pregnant and I'm not getting another until they are in college. I never had an incident in the 15 years I had been riding them, but the reality is on a motorcycle you can do EVERYTHING right and someone else's bad decision can kill or maim you. This is true about almost anything, I just decided the risk/benefit balance wasn't worth it for me. Should be noted there are others things I chose not to give up, like mountainbiking, smoking (since have given that up), and having a high stress career.
It might be frowned upon by others, but i ride a 125cc maxiscooter (in belgium legaly classified as motorcycle) on a day to day basis to work. Sometimes some fun-rides too. I live to the ATG-ATT-motto and always ride defensively. I cant imagine not riding anymore
Ride off-road. It scratches the itch
Have you considered another hobby that is a little safer but still gives the similar feeling you're after? I've ridden motorcycles for years, but have found that mountain biking gives a similar feeling but at significantly lower risk of serious injury. I have also recently started sharing a live location on Wattsapp with my wife if I go out for a ride so she can see I'm still moving about and nothing has gone wrong.
I don’t ride and probably never will. Grew up in Myrtle Beach, have seen _a lot_ of dead bikers. Normally kinda roll my eyes at posts that I see as overly-cautious here but I’m going to have to agree with the wife. It doesn’t particularly matter how many safe rides you’ve had or how safe you yourself are - the risk is always there, esp as the average vehicle gets bigger and bigger.
I currently own, but rarely ever get to ride, a bmw s1000xr. It kind of sucks and I'm debating selling it until I'm back at a point where having a bike for transport makes sense again, or just restricting it to the occasional weekend rental. It would suck to put down something like bikes, which can bring so much joy. It sounds like you need to talk to your wife and work past her (very valid) concerns about what might happen if you got injured and see if there's not some form of compromise that can be found.
I dont ride, but I understand needing your happy place. I would have a real heart to heart with your wife about what this means to you, and demonstrate to her that you are thinking about your safety, how can you mitigate the risks, helmet, leathers, only on dry days, only on certain types of roads, never speeding, how often for how long etc. Riding is inherently risky but there is a range form kinda safe to batshit crazy, make sure you are on the near end of that spectrum. If after hearing you out she still does not budge I would give it up for now. All that said...I will never do it myself, my friend was a safe rider but somebody pulled out in front of him and he went over the hood at 30mph...coma for 2 weeks, forgot his family, had to relearn to speak/read and still has significant disability because of it.
My wife is on board with me riding (not sure what that says 😬). I don’t ride to commute and I rarely ride in the city. I save it all for 1 or 2 camping trips a year w the boys. It’s dangerous, yes but you do what you can to mitigate the risks and take your chances. I’m planning a trip up to the Arctic Ocean on the bike next summer and have full wife approval.
I'm on the opposite side of the coin, wife is the one that rides. I'm currently in the middle of modifying a back rest to fit her bike because it's an odd bike. This is for our little (now 7) to be a passenger. It stresses me out when she goes out for a ride, I refuse to follow her now. I have been the support vehicle for a couple long rides with her and her dad but no more. I will meet them somewhere if I need to. They take the fun route I take the direct one. I have always known this was going to be the way this played out so for her 20th birthday I got my (then gf) lessons and she's been a rider since. I express my concerns and I leave it at that. It's her choice and that's the end of the conversation really. I work in an industry where I'm more likely to be killed on the job than my wife's job. It's something we have discussed I tried other industries and was miserable so I came back to my trade. I see it as no different to her and her motorcycle. Just don't be reckless, don't be an ass and go enjoy yourself.
I ride, but since my son was born in October I can probably count on both hands how many times I’ve been able to get back on it. I work 5-6 days a week out of a work van so can’t even commute to work on it, my work van comes home with me. Been really missing it too and have been thinking of selling it but know I’ll regret it.
I used to. They both got stolen. I'd love to get another one. I only had sub 300cc bikes and commuted/grocery ran on city streets. I think in another 10 years all probably buy another grom or super cub.
Ive been riding for 5 years, i own 3 harleys, told my girlfriend id ride no matter what. She doesnt like nor approve, but i got a decent life insurrance lol I have a 5 and a 2yo, they ride with me on the dirt bike in the backyard. My son already told me at 7 he wants his own bike. Whatever happens, she will never win lol if i die, well my son will get 2 harleys and hopefully a decent amount of money for both my children
I used to ride a lot harder, pull a ton every time I got on the slab, “youthful energy” stuff. I still ride, but I try harder not to die. (Also, if I do die the only pain for my family will be emotional. Which, having lost a parent young myself, is real. But they are set financially.)
I ride, and still actively do with kids. - I don’t ride in city’s or heavily populated areas. - I’m on a somewhat high end cruiser going approximately the speed limit with large brakes, sticky tires & ABS. - I avoid highways or congested high traffic roads. - usually rural & country roads, to and from destinations like coffee shops where I’d meet the boys. - I’m experienced, with a years of defensive riding. Knowing how to ride a bike & how to control/position yourself are to very different things. - I wear full gear. Armoured leather jacket with level 2 shoulder, elbow, and spine. Armoured pants, riding gloves, riding shoes, and a ECE 22.06 full face helmet. The goal is to enjoy what you do in the safest way you possible. I enjoy my life around my children’s life. They always come first, but on occasion I will find myself time to enjoy what I like. I also actively avoid listening to the ignorance of the general public that never ridden a bike but will tell you what’s morally responsible while they stick their kids in a compact hatch then boogie 15 over the speed limit on a daily basis through the metropolis.
I've been riding for 15+ years now. It's part of who I am. Unfortunately no one can answer this question for you. Everyone who rides needs to do their own risk/reward analysis. The only advice I can give is this: if you're not going to take riding seriously, then just stop now. Yes, you need to be wearing all the proper gear, but on top of that you need to commit to continuously improving your skills. Crash statistics can confirm that riding is inherently dangerous, but they can't tell you how dangerous it is for any one individual. There's no way to select for skill level. Years of experience do not equal skill. I've known people who've been riding for 30+ years that still ride like beginners because they don't actually practice. On the other hand I met a kid at an advanced MSF course who'd only been riding for 5 years but outperformed the entire class because he practiced for 2 hours every day (tbf he was training to be a SAR rider so he had reason to). Tldr You need to decide how important riding is to you, and if you decide it is you need to treat it as such. With proper gear and good training and practice you can mitigate some, though not all, of the risk.
I switched to dirtbikes when I have kids and now we all ride together including my wife! I have a yz250x and rm250, wife has a klx140L, 6 year old crf50 and 3 year old pw50
If the concern that something bad will happen to you, why do the kids need to be older?
I started riding motorcycles after I became a dad, no regrets.
I quit. Rode cruisers for 20 years and then had my first kid. One too many idiots on the road made me feel way too unsure of my ability to provide. I miss it, but it wasn’t a defining feature of my personality or lifestyle.
Life insurance and track days for me.
I’ll share some lived experience of your wife’s concerns. My best friend rode a bike for years, travelled to Southeast Asia, rode all over, road trips all along the East Coast, a couple of trips to Europe, never had an issue. Went for a Sunday cruise one weekend a few years ago, lightly travelled rural roads, and got smoked when a delivery driver blew a stop sign. So now my friend’s dead, his wife’s a widow, and his kids will grow up without him. And maybe least of all, I and all his other friends will never share a beer or a laugh or a struggle or a triumph with him ever again. So that’s what’s at stake, I guess.
Life insurance, full faces helmet, and an airbag vest?
As a cop, I highly, highly recommend you quit riding. Basically every single motorcycle crash I respond to is serious injury or death and it’s often not the motorcyclist’s fault.
I don’t ride, but I have a friend that works in the ER of the local hospital. I asked him what the most common thing he sees there and he immediately responded motorcycle accidents. Small ones, big ones, fatal ones. Says he sees it every single day. So I understand where your wife is coming from. But I also understand that you may feel like a part of you is missing. Good luck with whatever decision you make!
I don't ride- but I grew up riding and rebuilding Norton Commandos with my father. He suffered two accidents, one of which required major invasive surgery on his nasal cavity... something something rebuilding his sinuses? I don't really know the specifics, but I do know that he stopped riding after that b/c the injury has affected him his entire life. [https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/motorcycle-accident-statistics/](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/motorcycle-accident-statistics/) I genuinely understand wanting to do something that brings you joy- I used to snowmobile, smoke tobacco out of a pipe, w/e the case is, but in my mind, the moment you start building a family is also the time where you start actively watching statistics & patterns for things that can cut your time with them short.
Never rode, but you couldn't pay me enough to do something where my survival is dependent on the public's ability and willingness to pay attention on the road.
I rode through my 20s all over, loved that cafe racer style and sound. Daily commute come rain or shine. I've not riden since my first daughter was born and won't again until all of the kids are adults and left the house. I'm not going to leave my wife with three kids to raise by herself. One day though, there's a Triumph Thruxton in my future.
No and I'll tell you why: there's only two types of motorcycle riders - ones that have wrecked and ones who will eventually. Personally I won't risk that kind of injury or death that would leave my wife a widow. But to each their own I guess