Riding Motorcycles When You Have Young Kids At Home....

[moshe_levy]

This week's Moto Mouth focuses on the controversial issue of riding motorcycles when you still have young kids at home. Some give up riding altogether. Some curtail it. And some keep on going.... How did you handle it?

 

 

-MKL

[James L.]

That was a good video.

 

I actually didn't ride for a number of other reasons.

 

I'm a very eclectic soul. I have always found myself participating in strange hobbies (high powered rockets, live steam, etc).

 

For a long time I participated in the ultralight movement. It is very similar to riding, but without the potential to be run over by someone texting and driving. It does have some risks, but I believe it to be many times safer than riding a motorcycle. My wife called my ultralight a flying lawn chair. I guess to some degree that is accurate.

 

I would be flying ultralights now, but I want to involve my empty nested wife, and she refuses to get into a flying lawn chair. I chose to start riding again based on her reluctance. I've never lost my swivel headed nature of being on the road (one reason I've never had a wreck and no tickets since 1988). It is taking some time to get back to be proficient at riding though.

 

I agree that balance is needed with a family, and the possibility is there, but each person must weigh the risks to their own situation.

 

James L

[OoPEZoO]

I have a 3.5yr old and a 1.5yr old. I have picked up two more bikes within the past 18 months.......unfortunately, I don't have time to ride any of them

[tallman]

Keith,

When ours were young, Beth wouldn't ride.

Once they were "old enough" (YMMV), a Will, and the will to got her back on.

After an 1800 mile weekend to the Smokies, the Cherohala Skyway, the Dragon (pre BS), and having some great times on all the other wonderful roads there, she was onboard literally and figuratively.

Everyone has to make the choice that works for them and their family.

Best wishes.

[moshe_levy]

This one was a shocker. Normally, I get a few dozen responses to the product reviews. For this one, I'm getting a few dozen every half an hour straight, since I posted this video. It seems to have resonated with people, perhaps because it's such a personal subject.

 

-MKL

[John Ranalletta]

Really enjoy the videos. Your kids are precious. Would you mind listing the some of the better roads in the comments section for the videos?

 

My oldest son & fam live in Linden and we occasionally get the chance to ride in your vicinity.

[Rougarou]

I honestly can't believe it is a concern.

 

To each their own, but to say stop riding because of kids is like saying get out of the infantry because of kids, get out of law enforcement because of kids, get out of firefighting because of kids, stop all "potentially" dangerous activities because of kids......nah, I don't think so.

 

I've curtailed nothing since having my kids and have actually had a near rollover on one of the trail rides when I was into the rockcrawling scene. Both girls strapped in the back seat.

[tallman]

There is a difference between a vocation and an avocation.

[Rougarou]

There is a difference between a vocation and an avocation.

 

But they're still choices. You can choose another vocation as you can choose another hobby. No one is completely stuck doing a perceptively dangerous job, they choose that line of work.

[Endobob]

Very nice video and import subject for all that ride and have family responsibilities.

 

When my daughter was born (17 years into our marriage), my wife stopped riding with me. When my daughter turned 14, and we had established a guardian should my wife and I both not be alive, my wife started to ride with me again.

[moshe_levy]

Thanks for the kind words, guys. I appreciate it. You wouldn't believe the grief I get from some forums. Just today I was attacked and banned for "excessive spamming." As though I am selling something by talking about riding with kids! These videos take me all of Saturday and Sunday to make, every single week. The grand sum total of Youtube income, for all 23 videos so far, is $13. After 23 weekends. Where do I spend it all? Spamming, indeed!

 

Re roads, that was footage I took from a recent course I took called "Stayin' Safe" run by Eric Trow, for an article in MCN. Those roads are in CT. My sense of direction is horrendous, so I wouldn't know their names or where they are if my life depended on it, BUT the GPS is often in the screen with the names of the roads I'm on. Sorry....

 

-MKL

[Green RT]

Very nice video and import subject for all that ride and have family responsibilities.

 

When my daughter was born (17 years into our marriage), my wife stopped riding with me. When my daughter turned 14, and we had established a guardian should my wife and I both not be alive, my wife started to ride with me again.

My experience was similar. I never stopped riding. My motorcycle became the second family "car". My wife stopped riding with me when the kids were born. The kids never rode with me. In fact they are in their 40s now, and unless I am forgetting something, neither has ever been a passenger on a motorcycle with me. My son did buy one of my motorcycles (for 1$) and rode himself for a bit, my daughter also had a motorcycle for awhile, but neither of them has ridden regularly.

[Lester V]

This week's Moto Mouth focuses on the controversial issue of riding motorcycles when you still have young kids at home. Some give up riding altogether. Some curtail it. And some keep on going.... How did you handle it?

 

 

-MKL

 

I'm in the 'keep on going' camp as I had a m/c 8 years before getting married. When our first son was 1.5 years he rode with me hanging onto my tank bag strap with his feet on the carbs ( my still owned 73 75/5). Then I attached a squire sidecar to it which had a large seating area in the front and a small one in the back. #1 son rode in the back in the car seat with helmet and mom rode in the front. Gear was on the back of the bike and in front of moms feet. #2 son came along and he got to ride in the back of the s/c, #1 got to ride in the front, and mom on the back of the bike.

Longest trip was 10 k miles across Canada/US in 1984 with #1 son in the sidecar when he turned 2 in Winnipeg.

 

Never looked to quit riding (except for the winters), just tried to make it work. Having a supportive spouse was the key as she still rides with me.

[szurszewski]

We opted to keep riding, and started taking him with us - in the sidecar - as soon as he could wear a proper helmet, and letting him ride on the back now that he has proper gear. It is a decision with serious potential ramifications though, and I understand people who choose to curtail riding. Obviously we can't eliminate all the risks in life, but for most of us motorcycling is done as a conscious choice (vs taking a car or other transport) that raises our risk.

 

(sorry these are kind of large - don't know how to resize them for here)

 

 

[OoPEZoO]

Wow.....thats one hell of a rig.....in a good way

[Mike]

I kept riding, and when my son was five he started riding with me.

 

I wouldn't fault another who made a different choice, but for me the decision was guided by my thought that the best gift you can give a child is the example of a life well lived. I like to think that the way my wife and I lived our lives when he was young--traveling, serving our community, and showing devotion to family, friends and community--played some small role in making his prospects for a good life better. A huge part of his upbringing was strapping on the helmet and hopping on the seat behind me for three or four hour adventures.

 

It was great. I had no misgivings about it, nor about my solo riding.

 

It's life. Live it.

[szurszewski]

Wow.....thats one hell of a rig.....in a good way

 

Yes it is. But when you have to fit three people two dogs and all your crap for a year...