Safe Pasenger Riding Age

[Kevin-RT1150]

I started riding " "Mini-Bikes" and Schwins with Lawn Mowers like at 8 years old. Well then I got married, got a house, ten two girls and then surgically 3 years before my oldest was going to start college and knew I needed to strike before I would be to old to get back in the saddle. So my girls were 11 and 16 and took them out from time to time and not with much interest on their part. I'm on my second RT and my oldest gave me a Grandson 2 years ago. He is a natural MotorHead. At two he can name every car or bike by make and model that goes by. He knows the Make and Model of all of Friend and Families car. It kind of crazy. Anyway, he loves bikes and he loves helping me work with me on mine. I've done more work on my '02 this summer then I have since I bought it in '05. At at the point I'm starting to make things up to work on so we can play.

 

Anyway, he loves starting it up and rev'ing her up. He sits in the saddle with such a natural balance.

 

My question is I can't wait to take him for a ride. I know it will be a huge debate with: My daughter, My Son-In-Law and his Grandmother. What is the youngest anyone has taken someone for a ride? Are there any laws?

 

Just had a crazy idea. Going to put strap his car seat to the bike and puts some pictures up on FaceBook and see how the Family reacts!!

 

But seriously, how many more years do I need to wait. Love to hear other peoples opinions and understand the Law, if any?

[Boffin]

In the UK and most of Europe, the legal requirement is that both feet must reach the footrests - which need not be the original equipment.

My boys rode behind me from about 10 years old - when they could reach the OEM footrests and understood the need to hold on and sit still.

 

Andy

[upflying]

It's like that in Ca too, MC passengers must be able reach the foot pegs.

I was giving my son rides at 9.

[tallman]

It isn't age, it is size, maturity, gear that fits, experience (gradual).

Good luck.

[Matts_12GS]

my son has been riding with me since age 4

[tallman]

my son has been riding with me since age 4

 

And is a great passenger who has moved into riding his own mc's, Matt did a fantastic job and wiil have great advice.

 

What I saw was Matt made sure that the right gear, practice, supervision, education, and opportunity coupled with responsibility

were a big part of the process.

The joy of father and son was a privilege to see.

[Kevin-RT1150]

All Great advice. Thanks.

[EddyQ]

Yup, up here in MA your child must be able to stand on both pegs.

 

My son, age 8 has been on a few local rides. His first ride was age 7. Max speed is like 40mph. I avoid traffic areas. I brought him to baseball practice a few times this year. He really enjoys going and working on the bike with me.

 

Naturally, he has all the gear and I wear a belt around my waist for him to grip onto.

 

My daughter, age 11, has been on the bike too. But doesn't have the same kind of interests as my son. She would never last 10 minutes into some repair project.

[Green RT]

I will take an opposite, and maybe unpopular position.

 

We all know motorcycling is dangerous and bad stuff can happen. How will you feel if (when) something happens with your grandson riding pillion. How will you explain it to your daughter, your wife.

 

I think kids don't belong on the back of a motorcycle until they are old enough to make life and death decisions for themselves. To me, that means maybe 16. Riding off road on their own bike may be fine for younger kids, but not riding on the street as a passenger. My kids never did, until they were adults.

 

I suggest you get a couple of dirt bikes and take up off-road riding with him on his own bike when he is ready. That can be done at a young age. And if he is like most kids, he is going to be much more engaged as a rider than as a passenger anyway.

[ratfink]

I started taking my son for rides when he was about 10, it probably would have been earlier but I didn't have a bike during his earlier years.

 

About the same time I got him a quad and we had lots of good times riding off-road. He later graduated to dirt bikes and once that happened he viewed quads as inferior.

 

Now I have a grandson and I don't know how things will go, I imagine we'll just do some off-road stuff but I won't venture to do anything that even has a remote possibility of causing a debate with his Mom and Dad.

[Quinn]

They just have the one kid? You need to wait until there is at least one more so if anything happens to this one, they'll have a spare.

 

Get this one a bicycle and see if it can morph into a mini dirtbike. Probably need to get his Dad a dirt bike before the morph will take place. Dad gets first crack at breaking the kid's arm, not you.

 

------

 

 

 

 

[Pat Buzzard]

My daughter first rode with me when she was 4. We don't go very far, nor fast (just across the village to day care and back, max speed 30mph..) Thing is she loves it! My daughter is huge for her age and could reach both stock pegs at 4 years old. Another thing I take into account is how well she is paying atteniotn and following instructions on a given day. As with all kids, some days are better than others.

[racer7]

Agree that pegs and mental maturity (plus proper gear. of course) are the keys with kids. They almost always like it- the only exception I've seen was one who got claustrophobic in a full face, even with shield up and comms on. I think about 6 is the youngest I've had on my bike but age isn't the primary driver.

 

Giving them their own wheels is where it gets a bit trickier. You are responsible but have a lot less control. I tend to think about it in the same way as teaching kids about guns. Only when they're ready and have expressed interest and only under direct supervision with regular feedback on how they're doing. Kids love to learn almost anything and if the experience is fun for you and them they'll get good at what they're doing and want to do more. Kids who have low key positive experiences enjoy meeting their parents expectations..It takes the kind of negative experiences that some kids get in schools to beat the fun of learning out of them. But no two kids are alike and you've got to tailor the teaching method to how they like to learn and not try to cram it all into the same mold. I'd say there is a growing tendency these days to try to protect kids from all risks and that its often overdone and whiney kids seem to be a common result. Broken bones are no big deal - I think I was the only kid in my circle of friends when young who was lucky enough to get off without one and that was completely luck. We did all kinds of stuff where we could have been hurt or killed like jumping off 30 ft cliffs into rivers, swimming at the base of wing dams, shooting, king of the mountain off the 2 story garage roof, running farm machinery, etc but parents and grandparents worried less back then. Motorcycles properly taught are well within the range of what's suitable for kids...

[New2Wheeler]

A little bit of a highjack... but related. I started riding dirt bikes at 40 years old with my 10 and 12 year old sons. My wife was the instigator (she grew up with brothers riding dirt bikes with her father). One boy loved the sport, the other didn't. Twice during our 10 years of riding with my oldest son we have witnessed the death of two young boys... I still have mixed emotions about the whole deal. He is now 23 and loves riding dirt bikes. I don't ride dirt so much any more, but have learned to enjoy the road. In fact, I am thinking of getting a second street bike so he can ride with me .... I really miss the rides together.

 

I used to tell my colleagues there weren't many fathers who had teenagers that would get up at 5am on Saturday to go out with their dads. From that perspective.... dirt riding was a wonderful activity for son and father. Not to mention many hours in the garage wrenching.... and now he is a mechanical engineer.

[randy]

I can take/see both sides of the street riding/passenger question. I do think that is individual. I started with my son around 7 maybe 8. But as for dirt bike riding, I think 5 maybe 6 if they are motivated. dirt bike riding is a great learning experience. And if stickly trails riding (that is all we did) no jumps or flips etc that we see on TV, those riders are amazing, I felt dirt bike riding was safer than bike riding on the street. I wish I had rode dirt with my oldest, we only did street. My youngest has done dirt for 10 years now. He has ridden street as a passenger a couple of times, but never really liked that. But dirt riding he loves. as noted every one is different, but looking back, I would start dirt as early as possible, and street as late as possible. just .02 from a person who lived through both scenario's.

[Peter Parts]

Experienced bikers have acceptably low mortality rates (asymptotes to long-term level around 5 yrs). So I have no problem with my kids being bikers. The problem is getting there from here involves a lot of risk.

 

I suppose if you are a biker, it is inevitable your kids will want to emulate you (2 out of 3 for me). No way to stop that whether you take 'em riding when young or not.

 

So are they more likely to survive better if you get them riding early or if you inhibit them all you can till they are more mature?

 

Ben

[Foxy]

Ok. First I used to ride my kids around our backyard to give them practice before we ever went on the street. Even then they had to be big enough that their feet reached the passenger pegs. My son never really got interested in motorcycles but my daughter liked it and when she was about 9 or 10 we used to go for early morning Sunday rides. I always ride extra safe & aware when with a passenger & even more so with kids. Always ore-ride instructions regardless of how many prior rides. Biggest scare for me was one time returning from a Sunday ride I could feel my daughter relaxing behind me & falling asleep. Stopped immediately & roused her. Made sure she was fully awake & then finished tip home.

 

Grandkids & friends kids are a somewhat different matter. I have two grandsons who right now are way too young but I will sit them on my parked bike. Hope when they are bigger they will ride a little with me but hat is entirely up to their parents. Like friends kids, the grandsons are not MY kids. I have to respect their parents wishes. Like the previous writer said, how would you feel if something happened & they were injured?

 

Just my thoughts. Others may agree or disagree.

 

Foxy

[SuperG]

This is a great topic! And so many good replies. But it involves much more than what it seems. First, if your grand son shows interest that is a great starter. (Unlike my own son...I bought him a honda CRF50, two ATVs, offer rides on my street ride but still "no spark" the kid is into electronic more than mechanical.)

 

But here is the ethical part: does his dad ride motorcycle?

The reason I ask because with grandchild you have two other people in between you. Your daughter and her husband. If the husband rides bikes he understands the risk and may give his blessing.

On your part this is for fun and with love and good intentions.

but even with the mom's and dad's blessing taking someone's child as a passenger on a motorcycle present lot of "what if".

The "if" rarely cross my mind riding solo, but with any passenger it is always in the back of mind. Regardless of your riding experience and protective gear the motorcyclist is always at the mercy of the cage driver or nature (wild life- deer,armadillo...road condition (spilled fuel, oil slick) you get the point.) Think about it: we are at the mercy of two wheels on the ground with gyroscopic force keeping us upright and balanced with no metal cage around us. So fragile. SO we are working with much less odds in our favor. Riding solo...we are on our own. Further more, driver is in control and can react and brace for events, a child passenger not so much.

Riding double you/we have a great responsibility.

 

All of us that read this forum ride and know the risk.

I am not trying to be a debby downer or suggest not enjoy having fun with grand kids; but just a thought of a moto accident where a child passenger is involved... it is devastating.

A positive approval from mom and dad of the kid is a must.

 

[Matts_12GS]

Well said.

 

If anyone is interested, I'm going to sell my son's BMW Stoke Suit. I have 2 jackets (sizes M and L) and the size M pants for it. It has not been worn probably a dozen times the little bugger grew so fast.

 

PM me and I'll send pictures and prices.

[lkchris]

I'd guess the Haydens, the Bostroms, etc., started riding at a pretty early age.

 

Lots of top athletes started really young.

 

Lots of 2nd generation top athletes, too.