[57335]

Simply put, have her take an MSF course and she'll discover if concerns 1-3 are warranted, and discover if she wants a motorcycle, a scooter, or nothing at all. Just depends.

My wife rides a Volusia 800 after learning on a Virago 250 (great little bike). I'm still amazed how many men AND women are shocked she rides and doesn't just sit on the back of my V-Strom. I though we were past all that bull... it's '07 afterall.

 

[57335]

It depends on the type of person she is and how she learns. If she gets flustered or embarrassed easily when she is learning than take her to an empty parking lot so she can gather some sort of confidence on a bike before the MSF. She doesn't have to ride it. She can sit on the bike with it running, push it in a straight line, put it on full choke so the bike will move under idle. It will allow her to understand the weight of the bike and how everything works.

Some people are timid. Some people hate learning in groups. Some people don't want to feel embarrassed. If you give the person an opportunity to feel a little more comfortable they will get more out of the class.

True enough, however before dropping serious cash on any bike she might want to find out if she even wants to ride. That's where an MSF course (or equivalent) is valuable. Besides, if a person can't handle learning in a group course then I pity the foo that drops their own bike the first time, or overruns their first stopsign, or runs wide on a public road. Now that IS embarrassing and potentially dangerous.

Learning on a trainer bike (ego aside) removes the trepidation of wrecking your own bike and you can learn by observing as well, with people in or around your own skill level.