Now that I have some children I was wondering what the consensus was on a good age to let children on the back. My best guess is if they can reach all the way around me and hold their hands together, and are at an age where they can understand and follow instructions. And of course I did buy them a helmet that fits properly. My biggest complaint when trying to buy a helmet was that there are not alot of full face street helmets for kids. Everyone wants to sell you an open face, wouldn't you think that most people would want the same, if not better, protection for their kids?
Passenger age
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You know what really sucks? Trying to buy riding gear for your kid, like a good mesh jacket or riding boots or small gloves! I had to buy womens extra small for my son! BTW HJC makes youth size helmets and they're pretty small.
Good luck and stay safe!
Ed
Good luck and stay safe!
Ed
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BTW my son is 12 and rides with me everywhere!! As far as how young is too young, hmmm... that's a tough one, I guess it depends on your child. But beware! Kids do fall asleep while riding, specially the younger kids.
I hope this helps! :?
I hope this helps! :?
My 10 yr old is small for her age and is just chomping at the bit to get out on the road with dad. Both the 15 yr and 14 yr old have both gone on rides and love it. I take the youngest around the block to quelch her desire but I'm not ready to expend cash on a helmet that I know she'll outgrow as soon as I buy it.
The idea that she'd fall asleep on a long ride has never crossed my mind so that is something to consider, thanks for mentioning that. She does drift off on car rides.....
The idea that she'd fall asleep on a long ride has never crossed my mind so that is something to consider, thanks for mentioning that. She does drift off on car rides.....
My son is 5 now. He started riding with me when he was 4. Naturally his mother freaks out. But we never go far or fast, and we never leave our neighborhood streets. The police told me that if he's old enough to reach the pegs, he can ride anywhere anytime. But that doesn't mean I'll take him on a country highway at midnight.
My son and I have a set of matching gear: white helmets, red/black gloves, red/black jackets, black jeans. Our boots don't match yet.
We both have HJC Symax flip-up helmets. I wanted the flip-up to make it easy to communicate quickly if we have a problem. Our next helmets won't be flip-up, since he's patient enough to wait to communicate. Fortunately for me, his head is too big for an extra-small adult helmet, so he wears a small adult helmet. Those were easy to find.
His jacket is an adult extra-small Joe Rocket Phoenix 2.0. I tailored the body and sleeves to be shorter and thinner. It's still too big for him, but it's better than it was.
His gloves are adult size extra-small.
I bought some kevlar material to sew into our jeans (knees, hips, and seat), but I haven't done the work yet.
To answer your question, I think you're dead on. If the kid can hold on securely, and he has the desire and the ability to follow instructions, then he can ride. With age and experience (you need both), the kid can ride farther and faster.
Curt
My son and I have a set of matching gear: white helmets, red/black gloves, red/black jackets, black jeans. Our boots don't match yet.
We both have HJC Symax flip-up helmets. I wanted the flip-up to make it easy to communicate quickly if we have a problem. Our next helmets won't be flip-up, since he's patient enough to wait to communicate. Fortunately for me, his head is too big for an extra-small adult helmet, so he wears a small adult helmet. Those were easy to find.
His jacket is an adult extra-small Joe Rocket Phoenix 2.0. I tailored the body and sleeves to be shorter and thinner. It's still too big for him, but it's better than it was.
His gloves are adult size extra-small.
I bought some kevlar material to sew into our jeans (knees, hips, and seat), but I haven't done the work yet.
To answer your question, I think you're dead on. If the kid can hold on securely, and he has the desire and the ability to follow instructions, then he can ride. With age and experience (you need both), the kid can ride farther and faster.
Curt
Agreed. My 8 and 10 year olds ride with me and love it. As long as they are properly equipped, can follow instructions, are not afraid, and can reach the floorboards, they are fine. Last week, I took the 10 year old on an extended ride. He has AAD and I was uncertain what to expect. Long story short, we rode 200 miles around two of the Finger Lakes here in western New York, and he loved every minute of it. I was thrilled.
You want to hear a story that will freak you out; this is one my brother did. My mom almost shot him. (This was about 18 years ago)
When my nephew was 1 my brother and his wife both rode, my brother pulled a trailer behind his. They said they were not going to let there son slow down there riding so my brother bolted a car seat to the seat rest bar on the back of his bike. Made a mobel(sp) that hung in front of his son with a pacifier, a bottle of water and two toys suspended from it. Found a helmet that fit him, don’t know where, they would strap my nephew in the car seat and off they would go. He had over 15,000 miles of riding in that car seat in a little over two years. My brother said he loved it. He is lucky my mom did not kill him!
When my nephew was 1 my brother and his wife both rode, my brother pulled a trailer behind his. They said they were not going to let there son slow down there riding so my brother bolted a car seat to the seat rest bar on the back of his bike. Made a mobel(sp) that hung in front of his son with a pacifier, a bottle of water and two toys suspended from it. Found a helmet that fit him, don’t know where, they would strap my nephew in the car seat and off they would go. He had over 15,000 miles of riding in that car seat in a little over two years. My brother said he loved it. He is lucky my mom did not kill him!
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just as soon as their feet reach the pegs for me :wink:
just as soon as their feet reach the pegs for me :wink:
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You can fall asleep on a bike. Trust me I have. Lol. I was 14 or 15 and on the back of a full dressed Harley with nice coushy leather seat with arm rests. We were cruising through Yosemite. What woke me up was when he went to slow down my helmet hit the back of his.
As far as letting kids ride. My opinion would be that if they can reach the pegs and hold on good then they should be okay but it would depend on where they were going. Personally I would feel more comfortable if there was a back bar.
As far as letting kids ride. My opinion would be that if they can reach the pegs and hold on good then they should be okay but it would depend on where they were going. Personally I would feel more comfortable if there was a back bar.
Kids riding gear
ZX6RRNewbie said:You know what really sucks? Trying to buy riding gear for your kid, like a good mesh jacket or riding boots or small gloves! I had to buy womens extra small for my son! BTW HJC makes youth size helmets and they're pretty small.
Good luck and stay safe!
boy this brings back memories. all my family has been riding motorcycles before i was born. (33 now) i can remember being 5yrs old and riding with my oldest brother sitting on the tank holding onto the cross bar on his XT550 (or whatever he had at that time) enduro. he would do wheelies and all with me sitting there enjoying every second. guess i had some influence to get into bike riding huh ? :wink:
its your choice about when to ride the kids. i dont have any so i cant say. i would have them on a bike ASAP if i was a parent though. unless they didnt like it. :?
its your choice about when to ride the kids. i dont have any so i cant say. i would have them on a bike ASAP if i was a parent though. unless they didnt like it. :?
kids and bikes
My kids are 13 and 16. They just now became interested in motorcycle riding. Took my youngest son out on a short local rally. He wore a demin jacket and a open face helmet. Can't afford leathers yet....they grow too fast. Patrick loved it....my oldest son Joshua was a little afraid and very stiff at first, but I put him on my 750 with the sissy bar and after about an hour of steady, easy riding on some of the bendy roads around here, he was able to relax and enjoy himself. In the Spring or this coming summer we plan to go on a motorcycle trip as a family. It is important not to be pushy with kids and take it easy... I am working on the next generation of bike riders :lol:
Heather
My kids are 13 and 16. They just now became interested in motorcycle riding. Took my youngest son out on a short local rally. He wore a demin jacket and a open face helmet. Can't afford leathers yet....they grow too fast. Patrick loved it....my oldest son Joshua was a little afraid and very stiff at first, but I put him on my 750 with the sissy bar and after about an hour of steady, easy riding on some of the bendy roads around here, he was able to relax and enjoy himself. In the Spring or this coming summer we plan to go on a motorcycle trip as a family. It is important not to be pushy with kids and take it easy... I am working on the next generation of bike riders :lol:
Heather
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