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Kids on motorcycles...


Casper
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I can't see the problem with it. I rode on the back of my dads old CB450 when I was roughly 9-10. The only gear back in those days was a gold metal flake open face helmet and leather gardening gloves. We never went far but it was fun. These days I still have to take a look anytime I pass an old Honda twin just to reminisce for the good old days. :rolleyes::D

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Absolutely not, When my girls were in pre-school I would ride them to school. My wife heard a lot of grief about it. Now I have two teenage girls that like to ride dirt bikes and one of them enjoys riding on the Aprilia with me. She prefers it over the Sprint ST with a backrest.

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I have an 04 Kawasaki Concours, I bought it two years ago with just under 1000 miles on it. I have 13K on it and I think that my 9 y/o has ridden over a third of them with me. We both wear helmets and jackets and gloves and jeans(I know,jeans are not saftey gear.). I am guilty of freeways. I do love the looks we get by the soccer mom's. The best was when I showed up at his school with his jacket and helmet! Ultimatly my wife was the only person I had to show that he was capable of riding.

Didn't I talk to you in Meijer about two months ago? I was the British guy the bright green jacket and my son was geared up with me.

Edited by Scruit
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Look at my avatar.

My 7yo rides home from school on the back on my Strom. About 7 miles. Country roads except for a mile of 36/327.

Starting in two weeks he'll be going to and from summer camp every day for 12 weeks - 15 miles each way.

Rules:

- No freeway yet

- He has all the same gear as me. Armored jacket, armored pants, proper bike bootsm armored gloves and helmet

- We have an intercom (Scala) so we can talk

Some days I ride with him, some days I don't It's not a black or white thing. You can't just say "the kid is ready". I have to consider the weather (traction, specifically), time of day (rush hour? idiot hour? = car), the route, his mood an demeanor on the day (flighty and spacey = car) and how he's feeling (tired or sick = car)

Once I can assure myself that he's got his head in the game, and I can ride a safe route in good weather on quieter roads outside of rush hour... Then it's a bike day. Some days he's not up or it, some days I'm not up for 2-up.

I actually ride right past my house to get from my work to his school, so it takes 5 mins to drop off the bike and grab the cage instead.

My boy loves to ride on the back of my bike. He's always asking to ride more. I pick him up from school in full gear and we get him geared up right there in the classroom. He's the coolest kid there. The look of pride on his face is worth a million bucks.

To me it's more quality time with my boy before he gets old enough to go all emo and hate me. ;)

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In all honesty, my son has been riding since he was 4 years old. Grew up at the track and has his own bike. I had the RC8R as a street bike last year and we rode together all the time. I'd drop him off at school and pick him up and we'd ride. Had a full face helmet and a jacket and jeans, etc. He was a great passenger and was always wanting to go.

Broke a few laws in terms of speed, but honestly, it was controlled and done with safety in mind if anyone believes that.

He wants to do some supermoto on his MX bike and wants to ride a 125 as soon as we will allow. I suspect when he is about 14-ish or when mom says she feels ok in allowing it...

Point is, the age has nothing to do with it. Educate your kids. They reflect what we do and they tend to want to be like us a lot of times. If you act stupid and treat it as a joke, they will too...

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Man things have sure changed when i was a kid i remember me and my friends in the back of my dads pick up while he drove 75mph down rt2 going to cedar point also on the back of his motocycle with no backrest flying down the highway. Its amazing anyone lived to make it out alive

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Man things have sure changed when i was a kid i remember me and my friends in the back of my dads pick up while he drove 75mph down rt2 going to cedar point also on the back of his motocycle with no backrest flying down the highway. Its amazing anyone lived to make it out alive

:) I wasn't even allowed to race bmx bikes when i was young. I think I was like 12 before my mom let me cross the highway on my own :lol:

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I think it is something that will be up to you and your wife. I plan on taking my kids in the future to school on the bikes. I already have a mini bike for my kids to race with. BTW, I don't have any kids right now so I play with the mini bike.

I personanliy don't really care what someone else says. From my personal experience, I think that people that gives you their opinion on the street don't have anything going for them or are too narrow minded and not have seen or experienced much in life.

Being asian, I grew up in a time where motorcycles were people's main form of transportation in Korea in the early 80's. I remember my whole family (5) being on the bike all together a couple of times. Was it the safest thing? Probably not. Shit, stuff like this still happens in Asia and in Europe, I'm sure in certain parts of the state. Common thing to see a mom and two kids on a Vespa in Naples, Italy. The traffic is way crazier than anything you will ever encounter in Ohio.

Edited by usafstud
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I had my kids on the back of my bikes since they were 6/7 years old. I have two boys and two girls and they all rode around the neighborhood with me. From my first bike 1996 ZX7R to 2003 SV1000 to now 2008 ZX6R. Never on the freeway, and always with a the right gear.

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Absolutely not, When my girls were in pre-school I would ride them to school. My wife heard a lot of grief about it. Now I have two teenage girls that like to ride dirt bikes and one of them enjoys riding on the Aprilia with me. She prefers it over the Sprint ST with a backrest.

...like 13, or like 19?

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My 17 y/o hates being on the back of mine, and has for years. All homophobic and crap, even when he was 13 or so. Normal teen stuff?

What kind of bike? Does he have to hold on to you or does he have his own handholds?

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How come UP hasn't chimed in on this thread? He puts his infant on the back of his bike inside a backpack, with no more than swimming pool goggles for eye protection taking excessive risks regarding speed and route.

And he's probably the coolest guy out there.

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There was a kid in my subdivision that could ride a bike when he was 2 almost 3 with no training wheels. His parents bought him a pocket bike when he was five. He rides it in the neighborhood all the time.... He is great at it. Stops at the stop signs use hand signals for turning. He even bike solutes to other riders.... Great kid.... Nether of the parents ride... When he turned 6 his mom asked me if I would take him out.... He already head all the gear since his parents bought him the pocket bike..

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Would he be less bothered by a bike that he doesn't have to glom all over you to stay on?

Maybe. But I'm not ready for a Goldwing just yet:). May also have to do w the fact he's a teen and can't stand his dad:)

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Mine have been on the back of the bike since about 5? They'll heal faster than me ;) jk, finally they can plant feet on pegs and they wear gear, plus the harness so taking longer rides with them this summer, before it was under 40 stuff. Screw the soccer moms, their friends see them picked up from kindergarten on a motorcycle instant street cred for your kids! Finally got some intercoms its an awesome feeling when your 7 year old is giggling in your helmet when you gas it a little.

sent from my phone

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Finally got some intercoms its an awesome feeling when your 7 year old is giggling in your helmet when you gas it a little.

AMEN! They like the power as much as we do!

My boy is the coolest kid in his class. Strapping up his helmet and boots all nonchalantly. "What is that, Maggie? Oh this is just my motorbike gear. Yup, riding home on the motorbike today... :D "

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