Do you give children a ride?

As others have indicated, it's all about risk management.

Yes, both my children spent a considerable amount of time on motorcyles as both their parents ride.

Yes it's risky, however with proper training of the passenger who wears ATGATT, and proper training of the rider it's a manageable risk in my opinion.

Of course both my children also operated wood working machinery at home ranging from a scroll saw through shapers, planers, jointers, tablesaws etc. Once again training and ATGATT.

A few years ago I was following Gail and her daughter on their trip via the internet. My days of riding with my children had passed, however the experiences of Gail and her daughter made me smile as I read of their adventure.

I'm glad I didn't waste that opportunity with my children, and I'm sure Gail is glad she didn't either.

All reward comes with some risk, the trick is to maximize the former, while minimizing the latter.

Occasionally, there is a brief moment for a parent where you hear your child say something that proves that they may have listened to one of the many tidbits of wisdom you tried to impart to them. That occurred a couple of months ago when my 24 year old daughter refused to go for a ride with her boyfriend who had just received his motorcyle license, and purchased a new bike.

Michelle told him that she wouldn't go for a ride untill he had more practise, as a passenger really affects how a motorcyle rides. You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Regards, Rod.

My kids have rode with me their whole life (once they could reach pegs) I make sure they have the best riding gear just like me. When my youngest (10 now) was smaller, he use to want to fall asleep so I stopped a lot and made him walk around. They have become great passengers and I love taking them places with me. My wife and I both ride so we can take both kids with us when we go.
If you are going to worry about the risks, you have to remember that you could get hit in a car just as easy and you can not predict the future.
If you take kids riding when they are young, it is easier to influence them to wear proper safety equipment and riding techniques. Would you rather them learn from you or from those stunt guys who just try to look cool and go fast. I explain why I do what I do and why I wear what I do, sometimes it scares them but I am honest as to what happens and what can happen.

Before my kids could reach the pegs behind me, I would ride them around the neighborhood with them sitting in front of me and they would hang on to the gas cap on the /6. They loved it. And they loved it when they could reach the pegs in back. We've ridden to local rallies when they were kids and we even shared rainsuit halves. Never a complaint. They loved the antique motorcycle rallies (Antique Motorcycle Club of America). To each their own...Oh, yes, and always a helmet. Nowadays, when I ride them, it's ATTGAT - they wear Mom's gear.

Ben and I ride allmost allway togater, I rarely ride alone. He is now eight and has been riding since about 4. I did install ome 2x4's to raise the pedals. The U-Pac keeps him snug. I guess we could just stay home and watch tv and play gameboys or ds. But we do more camping on the bmw than with the cub scouts!

If Cindylu is not with me the rear seat for the GS stays in the garage.No seat =no passengers.Ed

I'm going to move this over to Just Ridin'...the subject is really not related the the MOA as a Club.

See you over there!

Rod's last remarks (post 61) really moved me. If Michelle's boyfriend stands the test of time, and also proves he can ride, I bet she will not be one of the gals we see riding around on the back of a bike in a t-shirt and shorts. WELL DONE, DAD!

This summer I took my 12 year old grandson for three less-than-an-hour rides. When we determined he could reach the pegs, the next question was gear. Somehow we found all the stuff that protected him from head to boots - none perfectly fitted except, strangely, the helmet. Of course he loved it and was the perfect passenger. (Remember to PRACTICE getting on and off the bike a couple times before the first ride and tell him/her to look over the shoulder in the direction you are leaning the bike, brace against the small of your back when you brake.) I rode very conservatively - even more so than usual - but gave hime a little taste of speed and accelleration on a straight section of highway. This normally pretty happy kid came off the bike after the first ride just bubbling!

Since my step-grandchildren live in California and I in B.C., I really don't expect to have a big influence on their lives. I just hope to introduce them to some new things, and - in the case of motorcycling - the idea that, yes it is fun, but it is dangerous enough that we take this gear thing very seriously.

Whether they get into riding later in life; well I don't think I will have an influence. But, again a few years down the road, when a friend asks them to hop on the back of his new sportbike with no gear - there is a small hope they'll remember old grandpa. This old guy took riding seriously, was absolutely anal about gear and procedure, but - looking back on it, I think he was having fun.

And, somehow, he also got old.

I went cross country on the back of my uncle's K100LT when I was 8. I've got two brothers who are 8 and 9 years younger than me. They both have been on the back of that same bike extensively, with me riding up front. I had my mother's permission, so I feel an adult (who understood the risks and benefits) was making the final call, not my younger brothers. Of course, everybody involved needs to give it the green light.

To me, it is more a question of what age can they appreciate a motorcycle ride enough to make it worth the risks. As soon as the benefits exceed the cost (in terms of risk), then go for it.

I gave rides to both of my daughters when they were old enough to reach the pegs. They both liked it with no problems over the years. When the first grandson showed up, I was told that no bike rides were in his future. So I got another bike and put a sidecar on it. He and his brother rode in it for about 18 years. Now my youngest (42) daughter still calls my up a couple of times a year and asks "When we going for a ride Dad?" I'm always happy to oblige.

Both my kids were riding in the tub by 3yrs old. My son (8) claims he can now reach the pegs, and should be allowed to ride behind dad. Maybe next season.
The pix is of his first 'road' ride at 3. Both kids got rides up and down our long entrance when they were two.

<a href="http://s878.photobucket.com/albums/ab345/angysdad/?action=view&current=firstride.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab345/angysdad/firstride.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The California got modified when his little sister started coming along...

<a href="http://s878.photobucket.com/albums/ab345/angysdad/?action=view&current=CanDay2009mod2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab345/angysdad/CanDay2009mod2.jpg" border="0" alt="kidz I"></a>

That is one you have to decide for yourself. I have changed my thoughts on it over the years. In the early '70's I let my kids (as young as 5) ride with me all the time. On longer trips I had to tie them on because they kept going to sleep. Of course they always wore a helmet ,but usually too big. On short rides back then (short ride to the store or cafe) I would take my wife and two kids (one on the tank, and one between my wife and I. OK, sounds stupid but it didn't then. We also let our kids ride in the back of the pick-up truck, stand up in the seat and sit in our lap and drive. Well, I don't do any of that now. I got remarried 7 years ago and I have a 3 and 5 year old of my own again at 64. I won't let them ride with me at all now, which doesn't make a lot of sense. If they were 18, would I love or care any less for them and would I not be just as careful no matter what age they were? Everyone just has to figure it out for them self.