Age Limit For Pillion riders?

[lijophilip777]

I am looking to buy a motorcycle - engine size 500cc or up.
One of the primary use will be drop my 6 yr old boy to school in the morning, is that legally allowed?? are there any restrictions?? any age limits ...
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Someday You Are The Pigeon, Someday The Statue ...

[Screw Loose]

Legally there is no age restrictions, however they must be able to ride the machine sat properly, with legs straddling both sides, and with their feet flat on the pegs, so it depends on the bike and distance between pegs and bumcheeks.

However I would be slightly cautious about letting a 6 year old ride on the back seat of a motorbike, I know I for one certainly wouldnt be putting my nephew on the bike seat who is the same age ...

but hey ho, your kids your choice.
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MBK Nitro 50cc -> CBF 125 <\s>
CBT: February 2012 - Full licence August 2013

[Screw Loose]

[EDIT]

Load of crap so deleted
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MBK Nitro 50cc -> CBF 125 <\s>
CBT: February 2012 - Full licence August 2013

[Dalemac]

There is no legal age for a pillion passenger, however a few requirements have to be met.

The pillion must sit behind the rider, with both feet touching the footrests.

That's about it really. Obviously they have to wear a helmet too.
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YBR125 -> GPZ500S -> SL1000

[Shinigami]

as above, as long as they can reach the pegs,

my lads also 6 but i'm not willing to put him on the back yet despite it saving me £15 every weekend to do so going forward.

also probably wouldn't help that my pegs are lowered for the woman as her legs are too long for the standard fz6 pillion pegs

i'll probably wait until my lads about 10
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Current: Honda City Fly CLR125 2003 Honda CB600F Hornet 2008 Yamaha FZ6 S2 + 1991 Kawasaki GPZ500
"Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.

[yen_powell]

I used to take my son to school on the back of my bike (on my way to work), I think he was about 7 when I started doing it, continued till he was 10 and he changed schools. It wasn't far, just the other side of town, not long enough for him to get cold in the winter.

You have to have a serious talk with them first, show them a few of the bikes moving bits so they know what could happen if they muck about.
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Blackmail is a nasty word........but not as nasty as phlegm!
XT1200Z and a DR350 in bits

[hedgehugger]

You could always fit a sissy bar to the back to hold them in a bit more.

[Rogerborg]

They need an approved (BSI or ECE) helmet "securely fastened" to their bonce. There's no requirement as to it fitting, other than that word "securely".

RTA 1988 S23: No person in addition to the driver may be carried on a motor bicycle otherwise than sitting astride the motor cycle and on a proper seat securely fixed to the motor cycle behind the driver’s seat.

...yehbut pegs but...

[map]

[Wonko The Sane]

Might be worth getting some 'love handles' grab handles on a belt to give him something to grab hold of, he might not be able to reach the bikes grab handle
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[Minty]

[map]

Ok, after some research I believe I have found the answer.

I believe the often quoted "must be able to reach the pegs" is from an old version of the Highway Code. This gleamed from this MAG document on pillion riders. This is back in 2004 (not sure when code re-issued/re-worded). Rule 68 used to say

[Nexus Icon]

I read the title as upper age limit and had an image of you ferrying your aged grandparents around.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[Cadbury]

When they use cameras on bikes (tour de France etc), they often have extra 'footplates' made up so the cameraman can get a better footing whatever way they are sitting.
Like this:
https://www.steadicam-facilities.co.uk/images/Motorbike1.jpg

Maybe look at getting something made up that you can clamp/bolt on to the frame or existing pegs, to give your Lad a more stable platform? That paired with a topbox to stop them rolling off the back, and those love handle pillion strap thingies for them to hold on to. Not advocating it of course, but if I had to, that's what I'd probably do.

[SteveSmith]

[DrSnoosnoo]

Although we're arguing about legally being able to reach the pegs, in this case common sense should prevail.

It's your kid, if he can reach the pegs I'm sure it would radically reduce the likelihood of him falling off.

Any reasonable person would want their child as safe as possible, and that would include not allowing them on the bike until they can secure themselves. I'm sure you could get some pegs higher up if he couldn't reach.

While I say this though, I like the fact that technically pillions can travel facing the other way, if being ridden sensibly (within the realms of the law), that's fine to me too.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[BIG ZOOK]

Might be worth getting some 'love handles' grab handles on a belt to give him something to grab hold of, he might not be able to reach the bikes grab handle Just make sure that you rotate them 180 degrees after front fastening them so if the buckle failed , the boy is still able 2 hold on.

[stuartt]

my kids have been on the back of my bike from about age 6-7 , using love handles & wearing full bike gear .

when kids are wee there bike gear doesn't last long with the speed they grow .....

they may only need a helmet by law but i think it would be totally stupid to have a kid on the back without full bike gear .

you can get kids bike gear from babybiker.co.uk

[guile]

When some numpty SMIDSYs you and your little kid goes head first into the tarmac with only his brittle arms to save him, what are you gonna do? Use some common sense and don't take your kid pillion on public roads.

[i.p.phrealy]

[Motorhate]

6-year old on the back of a bike ?

Mate, don't even go there.
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[barrkel]

You can always fit a child seat:

https://www.sip-scootershop.com/en/products/child+safety+seat+stamatakis+_14203000
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[Andy S]

[The Shaggy D.A.]

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