similar topics merged.

Kartikpai - No words can appreciate your post narrating a very very similar mindset of my parents would react to such words called 'touring on bike'. Last year, when I told my parents that I've Tri-state meet at Yercaud where KA, TN, KL members would meet up and it is going to be a bike ride. I heard one humble and polite suggestion from my parents, 'do you want me to try train tickets for you? Tatkal tickets could be possible.' It took some time for me to explain what biking/touring etc is all about as they know I do some very short rides around the city but touring on bike they were not happy. Took few days to convince them by saying I have all the protection gears for the ride and we are going in a group. Slowly they started to ask more and more details and finally they let me go.

Now, I have done enough, they understood in course of time, now that I have convinced them and know my passion about touring on bikes as I keep telling them stories when back from the ride.
What ever said and done, parents are parents, they would only wish we communicate regularly and always wanted to come back home soon!!

Ha ha ha .......

We can understand parent's concern ,the number of accidents we read everyday on newspaper is a matter of concern.I am sure if I were in their shoes I would be concerned ,the fact is even if we are careful there are some crazy guys and those wild truck drivers who think they are the only people on the highway,so it could be dangerous for us even if we are careful.

Shows the amount of love and care our parents have for us,no matter how old we are ,we will still be kids to them

Ah..! Yet another 'KID' here. Myself is Sooraj, a 19 yr old engineering student.
It was exactly two years ago ( when i got into a reputed engineering college as my parents wished ) that I first had the thoughts of buying a bike. Although I didn't have a license then, I had already made the first motorcycle accident in which my left knee was totally damaged. I underwent a surgery and was bed-ridden for a month. ( still have steel inside ).

When i introduced the topic, dad said " first get a license."
I was excited, waited a year and did the same.

Then he said "You are too young to ride a bike. I will buy you the bike you wish for, after competing yous degree."

That was too much waiting for me. So tried everything I can, and finally, with no other resort, they bought me a bike. Just a month back. As I used to drive our car without any hassles, they didn't doubt my riding skills as well.

Then comes the twist in the tale.

Just 2 days after getting the bike, I had my second spill. Not on the new bike, but a friend's Platina. It was raining that evening and the tyres just slipped like butter. I wasn't wearing a helmet, (Damn..! I just bought an LS2 the very day before)
but still wasn't seriously hurt. Thank God. Only some minor bruices and a small cut on the fore head.

This was more than enough to make my already scared parents Super-Scared. Dad said, "Ok, we shall sell off this bike. And buy a new one after your degree". At that point, I had a similar mindset and I said Ok.
I advertised in newspaper, and people started calling.

At that point, I still don't know why, but I started feeling terribly bad of loosing my first bike. I couldn't sleep, eat, read or even give a smile. Dad realized I wasn't feeling good, and said "Ok we are not selling it, but one condition - u are NOT taking the bike to college" (which is 50 kms away). And I was more than happy with the condition.

And now, after a month, the bike is in my garage, having done only 180 kms on the odo. I am not permitted to take the bike
- more than 15 kms from home.
- while i am home alone.

Hope these will improve with time.
But I am sure, atleast for 2 years, I am not even attending any G2Gs, let alone touring..

Its OK when they try to reason with you......its a nightmare when they bring up things like judgements on your skills based on their own abilities, accusing mountainous crimes out of minor mistakes, stuff based on horoscopes and the ominous writing on the forehead.

But, even Id hate to see a family member or friend hurt or worse, enough to go to similar lengths to convince them otherwise.

Seems i am late to the party,
Almost same situation as of everyone here,
I wont inform them where am going but after coming back i say i have gone here and they keep their faces like WTF

I was there on my birthday for my license. . . :P..!... they kept giggling throughout the tests..lol..so was i. . . :P

Wish i had the courage to tell them even after i came back :P

But really, after going through this thread i think i really should tell them where i'm going..

So i'll start doing that after a SS to Bangalore

Way back in 1990 (ya , 21 years back) I planned and executed a trip - 4 of us on an RX100 and a KI-HO(kinetic honda) from Kannur in Kerala to Ooty.All of us guys were just past 21 then.Two of us were just employed and the other two were looking for employment ! I bluffed (well , O.K., lied) to my dad that we'd go half way on the bike and the rest by bus . Heck !....I didn't even have a valid license then even though it was my RX100 !!!One of my friends had to sell old news papers to get enough money for the trip ! It was a great trip-the only place where the Ki-Ho gave up was at the Dhoda Petta peak , two up. . .! Never knew anything about bikes then , have learned quite something since then . .Didn't have any mobiles (a.k.a. cell phones) then . We were lucky if we could get an STD connection at night . Well , once I was back home , I told my dad that we had gone on two wheelers and that we hadn't told our families earlier since we expected opposition . The next trip , same route , had my mum seeing me off at 3.30 AM from where I was working at that time-she'd landed the previous evening !
If possible , be fully honest ..if not possible , try to avoid a lie .

Exactly the same thing i did in the past, As I do it often and now they got used to it, i keep them informed now. But everytime they let me half hearted, even i feel bad making them feel bad. I always prefer safety over anything during rides and give no space for anything stupid during the ride which may worry many minds. But once i start the ride i forget everything else and always keep them informed when it is done.

That's experience talking so i guess we should listen eh?

Thankfully my parents are easy going when it comes to tours(after advising on highway and ghats riding), though they dont really agree with me spending on jackets and gloves and such.. But all my friends parents are like that. They say go by bus! Hope they get permission for the ooty trip planned for dussera holidays.Keeping my fingers crossed

I dont tell my parents about my touring since am gone only for a day but I dont know how to do it for a week. lol I spoke/fought/dint talk with my parents over this. But not going anywhere. Just feel like taking my bike and going.

I understand their POV, maybe I will feel the same way too, but accidents happen everywhere and death lies in wait in every space of life. But NOW i just wanna ride !!! Am so pissed at them.. and so jealous of all the guys who do long distance rides.

The longest I've done is 500kms, the same day ! I like a nice, slow, long ride but did it just to satiate my passion.. parents in india choose the girl we will live with for the rest of our lives, dont think they are gonna give up on this either.