My mom and dad didnt even blink an eye when i announced me going Ladhakh. To top it all pop gave me 15000 bucks to get proper gear.
My girl read fiance loves my touring tales and also seems sporting enough to accompany in my rides..........lucky me it seems.

my mom is strictly against the idea of touring.. alike lots of you out here, i too got my bike from on own from my funds after I got a job. My parents were not even having a hint until i brought back home my new FZ back in 2009 on next day of my birthday which was diwali (Diwali's festive occassion helped me to get over initial bitter phase without much trouble @ home)

My initial idea for biking was purely city commutes for office work & few short night rides of less then 20-30 kms. But within a month of buying my bike, i stumbled upon a very beautifully written log by our fellow xbhp'ian Rachit Kohli on his Leh trip & it changed my entire perception for bikes use within a day. I knew I wanted to go touring now but unfortunately I could'nt coz I lacked the proper riding gears & thankfully Rachit hammered into my dumb mind that it is very important for touring to do it with all the safety gear. So I stayed back patiently & collected all the basic gears one by one until I finally started touring.

Problem is that I've been to several long trips (all above 300+ kms) to various destinations in maharashtra & also an interstate solo ride to Gujarat which was 800+ kms trip but my parents have no idea about anything. I really get worried at times for my parents & always be in touch with them, especially my mom but I dont have the heart to tell them the truth & leave them worried whole day while I'm out enjoying the open roads. But I know my touring can't continue this way till long since I really have some big touring plans for the coming year & wanna do them with my parents wishes. Thankfully, I have tons of pics+videos (never ever seen by anyone except my friends with whom I tour & these pics are not even on any social forums) to show it off to my parents to gain their confidence before the big event for which I need their permission. Till then, just keeping mum about my touring to my parents while gradually building up a collection of logs & pics for my parents to see. I know this is not the best way, but have no choice yet.
So Keep riding guys, but always know, 'There is someone back there at your home waiting for you' This thought always promotes me for safe touring.

Looks like most of us are sailing on same boat . Today finally I discussed my plans for ladakh this year and I got following replies
Mom : silent for some time later , fine as you wish.

Myself: wow that means you saying yes ??

Mom : As if you would stop if I say no

Myself: I didn't get it

Mom : Talk to your dad , I have no rights to advise you in such matters Its of no use to tell some one something who doesn't care to listen.

Evening call to dad

Dad: Hey our 25th wedding aniversary is coming up. We are planning a get together in june

Myself:
Actually I am planning a trip to ladakh .

Dad: Kewl ! So who and all are going.

Myself:Currently only two of us.

Dad: Only two ?? Well fine as you wish son.

Myself: I am planning to go by jhelum till jammu

Dad:<some family discussions for 10-12 mins>

Myself: We are planning to take our Bikes in brake van

Dad: He told me following points
1. Kashmir is not a place to tour
2. You are not going
3. I thought you got bike for commuting to office and not for touring.
4. There are terrorists all over kashmir (I seriously pity these words )
5. You dont have my permission, if you want to do it against me . You are free to, I cant hold you from doing anything. Your wish . . More scoldings .. Blah blah . .Then some examples.... More scoldings...

Myself: <Listen patiently> <Listen more patiently> <Keep Silent>

Dad : You listening (Harsh tone) . . . You got my words I suppose (More harsher) .. You know what people will tell me when they come to know I let you to leh (harshest tone)

Myself :<Still Listening>

Dad: Good Night . Dont think all such stupid things. Concentrate on your GRE now. You gotta leave for your higher studies ASAP. See this cousin . .(Some examples of my cousins who have excelled more in life )

Myself: Ok lets speak about it tomorrow

Dad: No more speaking. You are not going . Its final . Sleep now. Bye

Thinking of writing a convincing letter to him . Some times words convey our feelings better than our voice.

Hoping for the best.

Thanks brother for the acknowledgment..!!!
As you said, there is certainly a time, when your parents & other loved ones too understand. Though it takes time for some, for some its quick..!! But if one is serious & 'positive' it will surely happen. Repeatedly my advice would be 'dont ever lie to your family & go anywhere, specially on this tours'.
Just sharing one recent incident of mine :- I was suppose to get married in December 2009. Hall was booked, almost entire family from either sides where aware of this big day & preparations where ON. Suddenly I came to know that I was selected from thousands for a ride with Mahindra for 1.5 months. I didnt wanted to let go this oppurtunity. I thought, am going to get married sooner or later which is for sure. But this chance has come to me for some reason & if I let it go, ignore it, even god will laugh at me & think am a big fool. Then I tried making everyone understand one by one. It looked impossible the idea of postponing for a mere reason of motorcycle touring. Toughest thing was to justify my tour for pushing my marriage date. But I was extremely positive till the end that I dont know how, but I will be surely going to this tour. After around 2 weeks, everyone happily or somehow agreed to my decision & let me go.
Finally, the entire journey was excellent. It was totally worth from all possible corners. My new date of marriage was 14th of Feb 2010, a perfect day. Everything was back on track & now everybody realize my dedication & 'seriousness' motorcycling heart. Even I realized one thing while this battle days - 'If I cant overcome such obstacles/situations for a motorcycle, then I dont have right to think & pretend that I love bikes & it will be fake if I call myself a 'Biker'

Bottom line dont disappoint your loved ones for your passion, make them understand wisely. Some day they would. Just be positive

It's all about "loving your "lovings"

Rachit baba --lets make a movie on you now

Its real hard to convince parents. I too have nearly the same problem. I bought the bike after I got my first job mostly for commuting and a very little bit of touring. My parents know that I am a bike crazy fellow. They never allowed me to ride more than 50kms. Even then, my average distance covered a day was more than 110kms. My old bike Platina (had it for an exact year) read the ODO as 53990 while selling it off. Had bought it second hand on 10k kms.

Till today the maximum distance I cover in a day (known to my parents) is 150kms.
whereas in original, my long distance rides include Alibaugh, Nagpur, Dhule and 100kms more in a quest to get lost, Bhopal, Ahmedabad and this has been going on for years since the time I had Chetak.

okk..!! Pyar to hona hi tha

The same question my Mom asked me when I shared my idea of touring on bike ... I was like "damn others", why dont you think more about me than what others would think of this? .... but then she said even she is totally against biking after coming across all sorts of horror stories from her friends & my relatives .... Though I kept giving examples of my 2 cousins who used to tour a lot on their bikes (w/o proper gears though) and also tried to convince by showing her all my safety gears, still she said nothing doing, if I dont listen she will sell my bike the day I take it out for touring and all sorts of emotional blackmailing followed thereafter

@Rony

But I have taken the daunting task of convincing them . Mom is somewhat ok , but dad I dont know he delivered me exactly the same dialouge. "Will sell your bike" BTW he offered me a car for that But I am not interested in 4 wheels .

Haahaa .... Same here dude ... my mom purchased our first car (Swift Vdi) just 1 month back for the very same reason ... but like you I am not falling for the trap

I am really amazed at the way all our parents think, its kinda stereotype style of every Indian Parent !

this is a real problem ...... on my first real long tour from nagpur to delhi....i never said anything to my parents....when i reached ghaziabad....and they understood the whole thing.......they were shocked ....and i got so many lectures from my mom.....though my father just said that atleast you should have informed us. my father understood....as he also used to tour when he was young on his lambretta scooter and yezdi.....

today also i do the same......don't tell them....although its wrong....but thats the way it works for me.

I was raised somewhat different from the average family I guess. I was usually out on my own at an early age. Even during my school days, I would often disappear for couple of days without raising mush alarm. By the time I got to college, I could pretty much do whatever my allowance allows. Though my behaviour and lack of parental concern may seems odd. I was never actually wild and does not involve in wild activities apart from the rare drunk occasions, which by the way was pretty common among my circle then. Have not demanded anything expensive apart from a camera and a guitar with accessories. Most importantly, I never deceive my parents. Thankfully, my parents somehow recognized this and my occasional yahoo moments as a stage most teens goes through. Its a trust built through out my life rather than the moment that carried me till date. A trust where my decisions are respected.

I've known several friends who are mummy's favourite, but out of sight, there is little to merit such favouritism.

I started living on my own as soon as I completed my studies and started earning. Very modest initially indeed, nevertheless my own earning.

Now I'm a married adult. When I reflect back on my younger days, I marvel at my parent's strength. Make no mistake, I know my parents love me as any parent could. I marvel at how they had to struggle with the need to be protective at the same time not to overdo it to drive a teen to rebel, or at least become an under-cover rebel.

Now I am always deeply concern for my wife's safety. And at times I can be irrationally concern. A shrink may conclude its the result of the way I was raised. Sure hell it is. One may never know the actual weight of responsibility until one actually carries it. May I suggest, its heavy. I wonder how I would react when my time comes to confront my teenage child. Only time will tell. As I have learned that concern for love ones are not always rational. The mere though of harm happening to them is unspeakable. I only hope I will have the wisdom to know how to find the fine balance between freedom and restriction.

To sum up, part of the challenge to make your parents respect your decision rests in you. Excuse the long post.

I did manage a tour once from Ajmer to Jaipur and back. 260 kms in 1 day! Before the accident and with a lot of persuasion though.

I have a hard time too convincing my dad. Now, its even harder as now, I even have a fracture+accident added to my record now.

But it was pitch darkness that made me crash into a fool without headlights on, with in the city, not on a tour. They say "You're never really a leader until you have lost". I lost once. I paid the price once. So, doesn't that mean I improved in the process?

I never crashed during the daytime. So, don't I have a right to tour during daytime on bikes? Tours as small as 130 kmps shouldn't be too much, or should they?

Convincing the folks!

Almost all of us have the trouble of convincing our near and dear ones to let us go for long ride and invest in quality gear. So this thread is dedicated to share your stories and funny incidents of the same!

Let me start first

I went on a very short ride of about 100 km one way to a dam for my first ride on a Pulsar. I told my parents and brother (who owns the bike) that I am going there. They said OK but did not know how far it was. After returning I told them the ride was great, I enjoyed it, I felt like this that and all that. Finally my father popped the question about the distance and when I said it, they were literally on fire! Since then I am not allowed to go on long rides at all. Mind you, they consider even 20 km to be long! I manage to find my ways till 100 km though

I never touched any of our vehicles till i turned 18 , My parents thought i was scared of vehicles, but i was just a bit cautious as i have seen the kind of trouble my friends have got into after having accidents without a license. So i controlled my urge till i turned 18 and den took my bro's ZMA for a stroll, without any help for the first time!And then 2 weeks after that i had an accident and i thought.. "well.. There goes my dream of buying a bike in second year .." ,the repair costs 20k,:O but still my dad told me" look for a bike, buy it if u like it!"
Even my dad had a few bikes in the starting, rajdoot, RD350 and he changed to cars around 22 years back after he had an accident and stopped biking! But he dint say no to me nor my brother and my bro is a hard-core tourer .
I think it depends on the parents and the kind of confidence they have on their son or daughter! take them for rides on your bike and show them u drive cautiously, they will have no problem in u touring!