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Ride only a little shorter than their attention span

Must following 100% of your rules, or no rides for what ever length of time is appropriate.

Tap me on my stomach (depending on where their holding you) if you have a real problem. Describe what some real problems are. They can't find the left foot peg again, they burned their leg on the long shiney pipe, they feel like they may fall etc...

flw wrote:Ride only a little shorter than their attention span

I grew up riding on the back of a bike. I agree with this 100%. If it was just getting warm and I hadn't ridden a bike in months, then I was eager to hop on, but it didn't take long for a ride to get boring. Towards the end of the summer my desire to go for rides would diminish to nothing. Riding on the back isn't nearly as fun as actually driving the vehicle

they burned their leg on the long shiney pipe

I did this too. My Dad never told me those pipes get hot. I burned my leg real bad. Be sure to let your kids know all of this kinda stuff.

my daughter found out my pipes were hot by melting her boot heal to it...
took hours with a brass brush to get it off without screwing the chrome.

My nephews consider it sort of a rite of passage when they get to go for a ride on my bike. This usually happens when they are around 8 yrs. old. The main reason for that is that they have to be able to reach the pegs with their feet. Otherwise, it's no go.

If you're passenger can't reach both pegs, puttering around a parking lot might be OK, but you shouldn't take them on the street.

flynrider wrote:My nephews consider it sort of a rite of passage when they get to go for a ride on my bike. This usually happens when they are around 8 yrs. old. The main reason for that is that they have to be able to reach the pegs with their feet. Otherwise, it's no go.

If you're passenger can't reach both pegs, puttering around a parking lot might be OK, but you shouldn't take them on the street.

he can touch the pegs. I am taking him out to eat in a little bit. bout a 10 minute ride going to faster than 45mph. I may do under that. I am telling him he will follow what I say or no more rides. I am about to ride to the harley shop and get him a jacket though cause he doesnt have one.

*edit well he had no problems doing 45mph. Might be that he didnt quite feel the full blunt of the wind since I have a windshield and then I am in front of him lol. we went to McDonalds and then we went to the ICE cream shop. He had lots of fun. He sat very straight cept his head. He is one of those kids who NEVER fall asleep while driving. gets kinda annoying sometimes cause of it lol. I dont know if it may be a different scenario while riding though? But like you guys said it was short trips of no more than 10 minutes.

Deleted

Check this out - http://www.abatewis.org/docs/msfstates2006.pdf

Personally, I would never let my kids (both 11 year olds) on the back of my bike without a helmet, jacket, and backrest and instructions to hold on tight to me. Saw a fella today riding through town with his 7 year-old daughter (I'm guessing) on his Valkyrie and neither had any protection. Hope his riding skills are better than his judgement.

As far as the "buddy belt" my buddy uses this for his snowmobile, actually it is pretty commom for snowmobilers with younger kids, I can base only on sleds but they seem to be the safest way, if you wipe out with a child the best place IMO is for them to be with you. I say use the belt.


I rode with my dad when i was younger, it was probally one of the best memories with him.

Ok, I've split the threads as best I could. Hopefully we can have 2 sensible discussions now. If you wish to continue the "Should you take small kids on the bike" discussion, its here viewtopic.php?t=22199

Andy

Thank you nibblet