To all those with children

[junglejim]

If your young 18 year old Son or Daughter approached you one day and out of the blue, said, Mum - Dad, I want to get a bike, be honest, would you actively encourage them to go for it.
Serious question.

[CaNsA]

I havent got kids but...

I would be straight on the phone booking them a CBT
Better than them stealing bikes and tearing arse without proper gear on.

/thread

[Llama-Farmer]

[Musketeer]

Rather than trying to stop my son from riding motorcycles I would probably try to support and teach him from early years (off-road).
Once old enough to do CBT he will have more experience and knowledge before going on a public road all by himself.
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Current Bike: Yamaha XSR900 Previous bikes: Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade, Kawasaki ZX-6R Ninja, Aprilia RS125 2-stroke

[andym]

I let one of my step kids ride my scooter around the back lane, when I got a 125 he didn't want to try cause it had gears and that meant he would have to do more work on it.

If I had kids of my own I would encourage driving and riding at a young age, then let them make their own minds up (I guess cause no one else in my family can drive or ride a bike)

[Qwiktune]

I would never stop my 2 lads, granted its going to be a long time before they'll have big bikes. Gonna get them mini motos as soon as theyre old enough.

My oldest is 2 1/2 and ive already bought him one this christmas (ignore the obligatory Christmas jumper!)



https://img577.imageshack.us/img577/5097/40699810150555445756718.jpg
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CBT Passed: 25.05.11, Theory Passed: 12.07.11, MOD1 Passed: 01.04.12, MOD2 Passed: 20.07.12
bikes: Lifan LF125(stolen), Sukida sk125, GPZ 600r, CBR 600F

[CaNsA]

Parenting fail.....

No PPE

[Qwiktune]

[Polarbear]

My daughter rides a CBR400, and a horse. I know which I worry about more.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Teflon-Mike]

Already done it; eldest is now 24, and been riding an RF900 for the last three and a half years, having started on a C50 I fixed up for him when he was 16.

Crashed a lot, mind, but then he has NEVER listened....

Others have never shown the inclination; other than my daughter, but she's only 13, so few years to go before we find out if she wants to follow it.

Have had to contumaciously AVOID, putting them on a bike; buying a School-Boy Trials bike and expecting them to come along to events with me or anything though; never wanted them indulging ME and doing it for the 'wrong' reasons. Have to follow the kids leads, and encourage and steer best we can.

Sure its dangerouse; but end of the day I do it, and we cant wrap kids in cotton wool thier entire life;

And bottom line; 15-25's more likely to end up killed, seriousely injured, as a result of 'something' on a typical friday or saturday night on the town; from dropping a bad e, having thier drink spiked; getting into a fight and being bottled or stabbed; falling off a pavement drunk, or falling out of a josteling night-club queue infront of a speeding taxi; ANY number of 'risks', much more likely to hurt them than riding a motorbike....

And bikes keep us poor! Dont leave much money for drink or drugs or falling under busses! Better buying crash-bungs than wraps I say!
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My Webby'Tef's-tQ, loads of stuff about my bikes, my Land-Rovers, and the stuff I do with them!
Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[junglejim]

I only ask because some friends of my Sisters are all bikers, and it's very much in their family but sadly, their 19 year old Daughter on only her second time out on a bike, lost control on a bend and suffered massive internal injuries after hitting a tree.
It's touch and go at the moment, but it looks like she won't ever have movement below the neck again.
Yeah I know you can't judge the whole situtation in the context of an isolated incident like this, but it does make you think.
I wouldn't be happy about my lad taking up biking because I remember what I was like.
My parents worried sick, but I always told them that I was safe and responsible.
Of course like a lot of teens, I was lying to keep them happy.
Truth be told I was a complete liability on the road.
When I was together with my mates we used to ride like lunatics but of course parents never really know what their kids are doing all the time.
30 years later and I often think I shouldn't still be here in one piece.
We all think our kids are little saints and would never lie to use, but the reality is very different, and I think it's naive to believe that kids present the same image of themselves to their parents, as they do when they're in a crowd of their own age.

[TheSmiler]

If I had children the first thing I would do is get them to agree to one thing; When on the bike they wear the correct equipment no matter where you go on a bike if they agreed then the following would happen;

1. Get the equipment (helmet/gloves/boots/jacket/trousers) make sure it fit.

2. Get them booked on a CBT course making sure they wear equipment on the day.

3. Get good japanese/possibly chinese bike depending if the quality had improved and get them insured.

4. Get down to a local supermarket and practice slow movement riding

Regarding any feeling on whether they got a bike it is their choice if I did attempt to stop the child then I know they would go behind my back and get on a bike anyway. Better to make sure they are ready and have the equipment than send them off on there own.
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CB125>CG125>GN125>ER5>K100RS>R1100RS>K100RS
A2 completed 23/07/15 Ready for the Golden Crisp Packet

[firefox]

my parents said no, had loads of bikes since and now a k7 gsxr 1000, they give up in time, id be rather concerned if i had children riding bikes or driving cars, as i know how many close calls i have had
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bye bye gti <^>( ' . ' )<^>
*officer* what caused the crash ? *firefox* you see that wall up there sir ?
*officer* yes what about it *firefox* i tooted my horn but it refused to move i had to teach it a lesson.

[groovylee]

i would absolutely 100% encourage my two. unfortunately my daughter is only 3, and my son only 1

the wife isn't so sure, but she's had the daughter on a horse already ffs

and if they do take it up, i'll be teaching them to maintain it themselves, and wear ALL of the right gear.

i keep repeating the same mantra to them at night -

"when I grow up i want to be like Teflon Mike"



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Past - 1988 honda revere 600, 1996 kawasaki gpz500s, 1999 Yamaha R6

Current - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R & 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R

[neil.]

[Irn-Bru]

I would start them off on off road bikes early so they have a head start, that's what I would have loved anyway for myself. Not really sure how much it would help really, maybe it would make them over confident on the road... still, it's an excuse to get muddy every weekend Kids are a long time away for me hopefully
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KTM 990 SMT & Suzuki DR-Z 400 SM

[pinkyfloyd]

Mrs Pinky has 2 kids before I arrived and we have one together. I already take the eldest on the back of the bike if she wants a lift anywhere and if she chose to ride a bike I would encourage it. So far she has shown little interest in actually owning one for herself otherwise her 17th birthday present would be a CBT from me.

The middle one is only 8 so its too early to tell and the baby, being the seed of the pinky, will be encourage and she will ride a bike.
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illuminateTHEmind wrote: I am just more evolved than most of you guys... this allows me to pick of things quickly which would have normally taken the common man years to master
Hockeystorm65:.well there are childish arguments...there are very childish arguments.....there are really stupid childish arguments and now there are......Pinkfloyd arguments!
Teflon-Mike:I think I agree with just about all Pinky has said.

[Dazbo666]

My 17 year old step-daughter expressed an interest in bikes within the last year or so, but only seems to like the Piaggio MP3, and the BMW C1.... so that's not going to be in my garage any time soon.

My 16 year old son has also been asking about getting something like a DT125 as a non-runner then strip and rebuild it, and eventually do his CBT.... which to be honest is much more likely.

I have no problem seeing both of them thru their CBT's and tests etc, cos I know that they're both quite sensible, and they know I can keep an eye on them
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1st bike (Sept'06 - May'10) : 1991 GPZ500S / Current bike (since Nov 2009) : 2003 Suzuki Bandit 600N
Word of the day : DILLIGAF

[Rogerborg]

I wouldn't encourage it, but I suspect it's going to become a necessity for a lot more Yoof as we slump further into a post-industrial society ruled by mutants and tort lawyers. It'll be 9 years before it's an issue for me, by which time I expect that cars will be essentially unaffordable by anyone under 25 or so.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[carlosthejack...]

Absolutely encourage it 100%. Teaches road sense, self discipline, fear control and other responsibilities, and ultimately, will make them a better driver of any vehicle due to the heightened awareness you develop when riding a bike.

Proof of my opinion here: https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=226299&highlight=
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Responsibility. It's a difficult reality for some. I'm running the 2014 Sheffield Half Marathon on behalf of Bluebell Wood Childrens Hospice. Please sponsor me, even if it's just a quid.
DonnyBrago: "I think you may be confusing rain and napalm..." Paulington: "It's not what you ride, it's how you ride it."
Current rides: '05 VFR800 VTEC, '57 Mondeo 1.8 TDCi #58LEGEND

[lydanial]

i actively encourage my kids to be involved with bikes, as pillions and riders and now my son is 16 with an rs50.

However as a parent of kid who rides and a husband of a wife who rides I must admit that when any of them are out I worry about them and ask them to text when arriving at destinations or check in regular.

They say it to me and I think they are just been arseholes!

[CaNsA]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

[FBSF]

Yup. Properly kitted out, but yup. Daughter is 10 this year, so it's going to happen soonish anyway!

Am trying to get the missus back into biking as well (probably with something a little more girly than her old TZR!)...and get her to pass her test on a 125 before the new dafty laws come in next year.

[hmmmnz]

my mother put me and my brother though our bike licences when we were 15 (nz)
made us do out restricted as soon as we could and paid for our full licence when we were 16,
we never pushed for it, she pretty much made us do it,

cheers mum,

if i ever have kids, they are fucking doing there bike licences, whether they want to or not!!!
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the humans are dead
I kick arse for the lord
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