kids on bikes!

[flumpy7]

So my wife and I had our first baby 3 weeks ago today. Little girl, we've called her Erin.

Now, when she grows up, although i'd prefer my my daughter to look like a girl, that doesnt mean she cant do boy things. In particular im thinking motorcyling. Obviously, its a few years off yet, and she may turn out to be as interested in bikes as i am in the history of the royal family but....

anybody have any advice/interesting tips on getting a child into biking and what ages to start at?

I didnt start riding till i was 17, so never had any childhood motorbike fun, but would have loved it. Is motorcross easy for kids to get into? How about off-roading? Track racing?

I realise that there are plenty of you that will think its highly irresponsible to be thinking of putting a young child on a bike but i dont really agree so no need for the safety police to comment!
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2012 Sinnis apache

[kerr]

You have to let her find her own interest's, if you push her into biking too early it could make her hate it.
Chances are she'l want a motorbike like daddy when she grows up anyway.
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aprilia 125 Af1 Futura >> Suzuki gsxr 600 srad >> J1 zx6r >> cbr 600rr >> Speed Triple

[flumpy7]

[plugger147]

My daughter Jamie had her first and only bike at 4 a little pw50 copy and she loved it (we still got it now cos I haven't got the heart to sell it) her little helmet hangs on her wall. She stopped riding it and didn't want another but she'll get on the back no problem at all she's 13 now and been pillion for the last 4 years. I ride like a saint with her on the back and the little buggers always egging me on, faster dad, we coulda beat him dad, go past them dad....

Don't push her, let her choose if she wants to be involved with bikes if she don't then buy her a pony...
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Tristan the wrote: just whipped off my trousers to find a big bruise on my arse, caused by matt rear ending me...

[kawakid]

Congratulations on your new baby.

I'm a dad of 3 but I don't force my hobbies or likes on my children and I have let them develop their own. My eldest 2 love football wheras I don't. One of them, sings in the school choir, that's something I also have no interest in.

I have however taken them to the NEC and they have all been up my drive and in to the garage on the back of the bike many times.

One thing with young children, is the exhaust, I never let them on the Z750 or near it when I come back from a ride the exhaust could easily serverley burn them. My ER6 is perfect as the exhaust is underslung.
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I've a twin and a 4.

[Teflon-Mike]

Leave them too it & enjoy the moments you can grab as they fly-bye!

My first is 13 now & she's been eyeing Donna's bike... it's 'Purple' so she reckons it ought to be 'hers' when she's old enough.

HOLD-ON! Get back in your cradle, I haven't finished changing your NAPPY yet! What do you mean you started BIG-SCHOOL .... 'YEARS' ago! LOOK! Stop GROWING! Just hold on a second I cant keep up, it was only last week all you were interested in was 'Bratz-Dolls' and Pony Computer games.... what do you MEAN "My-Boyfreind"... yes, he can come round.... ... Yes, I DO have to chop the sausages up with a pair of scissors! And Err.. WHAT have you been doig with my razor?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Believe me you WILL NOT see how the clock starts racing round!

If she has the inclination, she'll be on a bike before you can stop her... if not? Well, there IS more to life I am told!

Mine always came with me to trials, & theres pics some-where of them when they were toddlers scrabbling for a ride on the tank up the garden path when I got home...

I pondered getting a TY80 and letting them have a crack at trials, since I was doing it anyway, but, made conciouse effort NOT to, as I didn't want to make them feel they HAD to do it just to please me...

Asked them a few times if they'd like to try, and they have not been THAT interested...... but daughter just takes it as a matter of course that when she is old enough she'll 'get a bike'..... DONNAS!

And she's not having a bloomin SCOOTER..... she says a PROPPER bike..... And if she has a boy-freind, she's NOT going to take him pillion HE'LL have to have his own bike!

Pretty forthright my daugher.... certainly knows her own mind!

Can see her getting 'in' to it, but wont be because I have 'encouraged' her.... just not discouraged her.

Eldest step-son, is influence and quite positive one too..... "I'm NOT going to be a LOONIE like Crash-Test EITHER, she says...." and goes on to critasise the way he accelerates away from the house when he comes to visit, and all the"Crashes' he's had!

KIDZ! They aren't tomatoes.... you cant hot-house them, and try and make them supermen!

They more like a good lawn. Pampered and Preened you get a show-lawn, very pretty but utterly useless vacant 'space'... Leave them to grow wild, you get an unmanageable jungle, thats an unsightly waste of space full of nettles; But dont take much to just let it grow, keep it in check with a little trimming now and again, maybe give it a feed from time to time, and you have some-where you can kick-a football, have a picnic, or just sit back and relax and enjoy a sunny day.

They are robust little things, and they grow up quick and simultaneously keep us young, and make us old.... JUST ENJOY the ride.... it's ALL you can do!
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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?'

[fozzym]

I'd be more worried about her "doing boys" rather than doing boy things. Although its ages off yet so don't stress about it.

Like others have said children find there own interests unless pushed in which case they either take to it or go the oposite and say they hate it to spite you.

If you are intent on getting her into bikes then introducing her to them at an early age will help. You know little off roader ect.

[moppy]

This reminds me of those ridiculous threads where people ask for advice on which bike to buy in 2 years time. Bit on a keen bean aren't you?