send her out here to go hunting with me....lol....

seriously, you can get hurt hammering a nail in the wall, it happens.....serious ATV injuries are far and few between, those people riding over their heads get hurt....and the fact is, you went over the handlebars and didn't get hurt...

i flipped my Polaris 700 EFI a couple of months ago, heavy machine, I didn't get hurt....well, hurt my ego alittle and caused me some pain when I had to replace a few parts...

driving in a major city like where i live is much more dangerous than driving an ATV....

and most of all, ATVing is relaxing, enjoyable, keeps the mind straight and keeps the family tight.....what you need to do is plan an ATV trip....go somewhere you haven't went before, with the wife, more like a sight seeing trip....take along the digital camera and show all your friends and the in-laws the pics when you get back, and brag how this wouldn't be possible without the ATV's....go do a camping trip...or something

 

"which also included any kind of crash he got grounded for two hours. "

Then I guess Marky is grounded for two hours on the next trip, and crash20 for 4 [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]


But sticking to the thread. My brother and I were raised on quads. In fact we have pictures of when my brother was about 1 riding on the quad with my dad asleep. My mother hated following us boys through the trails and made her a nervous wreak. We all took proper courses, wore good gear, and the worst we ever had were brusied egos. And now I am teaching my kids to ride. I can't wait to get them thier own rides. Great things in life yet to come. I am already imaginig the memories with them.

Good Luck

 

The inlaws really have no say in this. Like the other guy stated "Do they pay the bills". If I were you, just get your wife a machine that fits her perfectly. A ds is a little to much for her I would say. I bet the big bore Utilities might be too much for her also. A 400ex might be a good choice. Or a nice z400. Something of that nature. If someone tried to take away my quads or dirtbikes I would be really POed. Just take a nice little trip to the mountains with your family and quads and get her back into it. I would also get them to take that atv safety course. They pay you 100 bucks, so you can put that money into new gear. Get some boots, chest protector, gloves, a good DOT approved helmet, riding pants, ect. If you ride with her then don't drive like a mad man, show her that your responsible enough so she doesn't worry about you crashing like she did. Good luck.

 

LMAO, Im going to make some "This side up" stickers for you guys. At the rate you guys were going you'll be stuck at the truck all day![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] How was ride on Monday? We had a blast with you guys, lookin forward to to ridin with you again soon. PM me you name (I get em mixed up) and number. Well get together again and see who can jump the pond on the 17th hole[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Im a B A D B O Y - !

 

Not going there Marky.....I will just say that goes well with your story...."I have to admit I did go to a ........." [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

The wife has been thrown and flipped twice (so far). First time she had a powder fracture of her wrist (take a hammer and a walnut and that's what it looked like). Second time just bruised (she's getting better at it). But she will not give up riding. She says accidents are gonna happen no matter what. Maybe your wife just needs the time away from it to realize she may still want to ride.

 

bahaman,
Sory to hear about your situation its amazing how life comes around in circles.
The Great Out Doors and off roading is not for every one I guess.
Back in the 80's I bought one of the vary first Suzuki Quad Racer 250R's and loved to go out with friends and family who got me into it. I rode that little 2stroke till it died .... Those were truely some of the best memories of my life prior to going into the military which is when I had to give them up for a while. (10 Years)
Now a decade later my wife has gotten me back into it again ... stronger than ever. I am vary fortunate to have a wife and a son that loves going out as much as I do. It does not matter if they ride or not (Several times she dosen't ride at all on trips) its the getting away and doing things togather as a family that count. If she does not want to ride I don't force the issue as we typically need some one to stay behind to watch the camp site any way especially early in the morning. The way I see it after the fact the ATV's don't really cost you anything to just sit there for a few years I wish I never sold my 250R's to this day.
I just look fordward to all the lessons my son will learn from me about controlling mechanical power, learning ones limits & skills, stearing, breaking.... packing for a trip, setting up the camp site, building a fire and respecting nature....& packing ones trash of course !!!
For with out the proper guidence kids growup not careing about these things and leave trash and just plain getting obnocous and dis-respectful to ones neighbors.
There are so many lessons we have to learn and teach to our kids if the Wife does not want to ride that's her choice to.
I hope you stay in the game for life is short and hopefully your kids will take there kids out to enjoy the American way of life.

 

on a serious note,

my dad and i use to go riding and pack lunches and eat in the woods and look for tadpoles and fishing holes on our lt 125 when i was very young and those are the best memories i have of him and myself together.....he passed away very young and it is what we had together, not to mention that is how i learned to ride and develope this passion/addiction

i will always have the memories

the funny thing is i even remember us crashing one time and rolling down a huge hill and the quad almost landing on us....GOOD TIMES!!!

dont let them go-- the things your kids will remember will be for a life time ....long after your gone

 

My wife rolled hers in the sand once ...the first words out of her mouth were don't sell it.....she was wearing the proper gear and she came out of it unscathed. She learned from that incident and has become a better rider for it.
We can't live our lives in a plastic bubble[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]