How young is too young...

[Kazza]

I think it's a very personal decision. I don't have children so I won't judge or make a comment.

Saying that, there are some adults that should NEVER get on a bike LOL

 

[psnbye]

Thanks everybody, I feel a lot better about riding with my daughter. She told me she wants to ride with me forever, or until she has her own bike. Made me feel pretty good.:thumbup:

 

[Esra]

I wouldn't have your pillion strapped to you, you come off and land on her at speed and you'll do some real damage, same reason you don't strap to the bike.

 

[greg]

uk law is that their feet need to reach the footrests

as long as everybody understands and accepts the risks, and isn't forced into it, then i don't see the issue

as a side note i think it's also illegal for the pillion to be drunk here (which makes sense)

 

[agf]

This is an extract from Vic Roads- Road Rules here in Victoria Australia:


Pillion passengers and animals
Riders must not ride with:
more than one pillion passenger.
more passengers in a sidecar than the sidecar is designed to carry.
an animal between the rider and the handlebars (working farmers exempt for 500 metres on a road).
a child under 8 years old unless the passenger is in a sidecar.
Pillion passengers must sit astride the motorcycle and behind the rider, face forward and keep both feet on footpegs provided for them.

 

[Marthy]

I don't see any problem. If it's done safe why not. I rode with my Dad back in the day around that age. Actually I was riding my own bike by 6, and I learn the summer before at 5 with my older cousin on dirt bike sitting on there lap and holding the throttle.

 

[Wh0M3]

I feel the same way most do here, feet touch the pegs, ability to hang on, and able to wear properly fitting gear.

I saw someone riding with their daughter and they had a rider strap holding the two together. I didn't think of it as being that dangerous but the thought of being tethered and falling off doesn't sound great. I would say that i'm divided on if that's a good idea or not. I'm all excited about taking my daughter for a ride when she's old enough but right now she's only two... so I have a few years to wait till she can. Maybe I'll get something with a sidecar.

 

[Canteen Boy]

God Bless ya! I just got my 6-year-old daughter on the back of mine, and she had a blast! She has a full-face HJC helmet that fits great, a heavy leather riding jacket, and some gloves. We did some drills in a parking lot for a while, then putted around town. This is the start of something special betweena daddy and his daughter!

 

[Nelly]

Can both of her feet firmly reach the passenger pegs? Is there an age restriction for passenger's in your municipality? If you answered yes to the first question and no to the second one; ignore the lady.

I was always under the impression that the UK restriction was 11 years of age?
I only say this because when I used to go to work with my Dad we would go on a bike.
He used to say to me " If we get stopped, say your 11 or it might have been 7".
I was pillion from as far back as I remember and it taught me loads about how bikes handle.
+ it was way cool. Thanks Dad.
I have taken my son on the back ATGATT from the age of 10. No problem, I just ride uber defensive.
It's correct to say that children are at risk in amusement etc.. I would strongly ask people to consider the implications of taking your kids on a bike. The mechanism of injury falling off a swing is considerably less than falling from a bike.
What I am saying is, way it up, get the gear, ride defensively and get ready to have your ear bent by the next generation of bikers.

Nelly

 

[CoolATIGuy]

as a side note i think it's also illegal for the pillion to be drunk here (which makes sense)

psnbye, if you and your 6 y/o ever head to the UK, be sure to remind her no putting down a lager or brewski beforehand...

 

[CoolATIGuy]

It's correct to say that children are at risk in amusement etc.. I would strongly ask people to consider the implications of taking your kids on a bike. The mechanism of injury falling off a swing is considerably less than falling from a bike.

While you could use a playground as a reference, when I mentioned amusement parks I meant Disney World, Six Flags, the like - chock full of large/fast rides, massive crowds with possible creeps...once you process all the ways that you can make it a safer event, you then evaluate that against the possible risks, and decide if you feel that it's reasonable and acceptable.

Not sure if it helps, but since we're all so emotionally and personally attached to our bikes and motorcycling in general, using another sport may prove useful. Would you take your child kayaking? Would you let your child ride horses? Would you allow your child to go swimming in water deeper than they are tall?

This topic is interesting, because it concerns several topics of great interest to me, and I'm not fully gung-ho one way or the other; there are good arguments both ways. Thanks for the enlightening topic! (and sorry for the prose. )

 

[jrevans]

I too have fond memories of riding on the back of my dad's Suzuki GT750 motorcycle when I was in kindergarten / early grade school. And to my amazement, I recently found and scanned a slide that my mom apparently took of my dad and I on that motorcycle in 1975. (Picture attached.) I can clearly remember him riding me to football practice once, and how cool I felt.

I'm waiting until my kids can touch the passenger foot pegs before they can ride. My daughter is going into third grade, but the poor thing is still too short to touch yet.

I'm glad that I have the big Givi top box on my bike, as I think it will make me more comfortable knowing that they won't be sliding off of the back.

I spent many years riding on the back of my dad's motorcycles and then next to him on my own motorcycle. Wonderful memories.

 

[going going.....gone]

uk law is that their feet need to reach the footrests

as long as everybody understands and accepts the risks, and isn't forced into it, then i don't see the issue

as a side note i think it's also illegal for the pillion to be drunk here (which makes sense)

Yea uk law says it is illegal to ride with anyone that is above the legal limit, if you get pulled by the police and the do breath test they will do you both.

I can't wait to be able to take my boy out but he is 3 in November so got a little wait yet.

Dan


---
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.975298,-0.030024

 

[Have2BeFree]

I started allowing my daughter to ride on the back when she was 10 - old enough to have proper fitting gear, reach the pegs and understand the consequences of falling off or falling asleep while riding (not that we went that far but it did seem to make her a little sleepy).

I'm not for tethering because I would hate to see what would occur if the worst did happen and I went down. I figured she would be better off clearing the bike than having me land on top of her.

And by the way, my daughter STILL wanted me to ride her to school when she was a senior in high school! :thumbup:

 

[windsor]

My son is 6 and absolutely loves riding with me. He always wears his helmet and I ride like an old lady when he's on the back. My 2 year old desperately wants to ride, but he only gets rides in the driveway.

 

[CoolATIGuy]

And by the way, my daughter STILL wanted me to ride her to school when she was a senior in high school! :thumbup:

Well done.

 

[FinalImpact]

I don't see any problem. If it's done safe why not. I rode with my Dad back in the day around that age. Actually I was riding my own bike by 6, and I learn the summer before at 5 with my older cousin on dirt bike sitting on there lap and holding the throttle.

Today and here in the states (despite laws and such) teen and adult cagers are SOOOOOOOO distracted! ipods, phones, DVD's, base riden stereos and all that stuff. Face it, there are way more distractions in the cities these days than there were 20 years ago. Just something to think about. . .

Personally I can't imagine going down with a backpack on let alone a child strapped to my back.

 

[Philippe1985]

In Belgium kids must be at least 8 years old...

 

[FZ6_WVU]

Boy, this post brings back good and bad memories..

First the good..

I remember being 5 or 6 riding with my dad. At some point during every ride my Dad would have to make me ride in front of him, between him and the gas tank because I would get so comfortable on the bike, I would fall asleep.

Now the bad.

My daughter has been riding with me since she was 8 or 9. About five years ago she was with me and we were following the wife on her bike. My wife missed a corner and tried to mountain climb a bank on a cruiser. Pretty tense time, trying to keep my daughter calm and to stay by the bike, while went and check on my wife. Needless to say, everything turned out ok. Took a year or so, but my daughter still rides with me on either bike.
But the wife did give up riding.

 

[dean owens]

my rule...
touch the pegs
reach your arms around my big belly
geared up

once that happens i have no problem with her riding with me. right now i just take my oldest for little trips around the backyard.