2 Up Riding w/ Kids

Discussion in 'General VFR Discussions' started by Brandon82, Feb 11, 2017.

  1. Brandon82

    Brandon82 New Member

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    Thought it might be interesting to see what sorts of experiences/stories are out there regarding when your kids started riding 2 up - my kids (ages 7 & 9) are just now this year able to reach the foot pegs and are bugging the life out of me to get them geared up so they can go riding once the bike comes out of winter hibernation. My son is the younger one who is more athletic while my daughter is the older, more cautious one.

    We've already done the parking lot thing a few times last season and they have some experience with quads, snowmobiles, etc. I'm not thinking about anything crazy but the odd short distance, local ride around some country roads sounds about right. I seen a kid harness which looked interesting and may be something to consider if they really latch onto enjoying going for rides.
     
  2. CatHerder

    CatHerder New Member

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    Might be just me, but I'm not a fan of children on motorcycles, or two up in general.
    There are enough people coming at or around you you have to worry about. Don't have a problem bailing if I have to, but anyone with me really doesn't have a vote in it.
    Not a situation I want to be in.
    Real piss off is the moron riding a small child on the seat in front of him.
     
  3. TOE CUTTER

    TOE CUTTER Mullet Man

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    I am very opinionated on this subject and believe only children old enough to mental deal with a motorcycle accident where their parent is unconscious or dead should be on the back and ONLY the back of the bike.
    My two cents.
     
  4. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    Man, you guys are weird. Both my daughters rode with me when they wanted to, my grand daughter too, and now my great grand daughter. She rode for the first time last year and loved it. She's 6 this year and she's already bugging me to take her for a ride again.

    I can't imagine not sharing what you love to do. And not doing it because you feel they need to be ready to deal with you laying in the dirt bleeding just freaks me out completely.
     
  5. Brandon82

    Brandon82 New Member

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    FJR12rydertoo - was this on your VFR? If I had a hesitation it would be starting them out on a bike that is on the sportier side of touring.

    To CatHerder and Toe Cutter's point - I appreciate your thoughts as well. This is definitely a topic with a wide range of strong opinions and the risks are definitely there.


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  6. OOTV

    OOTV Insider

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    Raising children is definitely not for everyone and sometimes those who have children shouldn't. Then there's the upbringing part of it, some parents do little to no "real world" education of their children, others may go too far.

    I came from a house hold where my parents were very honest and open of how the world is and even got to experience many things some people would have deemed "controversial" for a child/young adult to experience. I actually am grateful that my parents raised me in this manner, not only did I learn a lot about how life can be but I got to experience a lot of what life can bring, thankfully I survived! :wink:

    As much as I understand the fear of taking a child on a motorcycle and/or the responsibility of taking a passenger in general, I think just like riding a motorcycle as an individual, to each his own. Although if it were me who was giving the ride, I would not bring someone, young or old, who I felt was ready to be on a motorcycle. I guess this is something that each of us will have a different option of what that is.

    Brandon, if your children are savvy on the quads, that to me is a good indication that they would be ready to be on the back of a motorcycle. Choosing where to ride, will also be just as important.
     
  7. Brandon82

    Brandon82 New Member

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    Well said! Thanks for the feedback.


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  8. FJ12rydertoo

    FJ12rydertoo Member

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    No, the bikes varied depending on the kids. Different kids, different bikes. Although one grand daughter rode on the back of the VFR, and the great grand daughter wants to ride on it.

    FWIW I also have the Sargent back rest/rack mounted on the VFR so that will give her some reassurance about staying put. The model/type of bikes don't matter as much as the mindset of the riders involved. Maybe part of it is the fact I've been riding for over 50 years, hundreds of thousands of miles, and never had an accident/crashed/low sided/high sided on a street bike. I've had several of the aforementioned on dirt bikes however. :glee:
     
  9. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I can see arguments on both sides of the coin on this for sure. Personally, I don't know if I would be riding with my kids, had I had this bike back when they were young. My son has never been on the bike and my daughter rode with me once. But they were adults by the time I got this bike.

    But one thing I do have a strong opinion on. If the child is that uncertain that you would consider a harness for him/her while on the back of the bike with you, then that is a definite indicator that they should not. I don't know what kind of harness this is, but can you imagine what would happen to a child regardless of the gear they wear of they were to be tethered to a tumbling bike or a tumbling person much bigger than they are. That scares the shit out of me.

    The child must be able to easily reach the pegs. And not by their tip toes. Feet firmly planted on the seat. They need to know the basics on how bikes turn and stop. Then maybe it is OK. They are your kids so you need to weigh things out for yourself.

    Most jurisdictions have regulations that cover this. Brandon, you can check gov.bc.ca and find a link that takes you to the laws and statutes and research what is required here in BC. Give me a shout on PM if you find this site confusing to get through. After all, it is a government website. I can get you the link and section numbers as I have been on that site often.
     
  10. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Wow.. being I'm one from the 50s and survived that era. has me on the WTH fence. First off it's more a case of generation and how life is today vs. what it was. I had taken my kids for rides as early as 18 months, does ATCs count? No worse off than a ride on the lawn mower. Was it on the freeway? oh hell no, just a putts around the driveway. Once in awhile when I and the wife thought it was okay we would go down the road, which was way out in the sticks. Same went for the other two. Now as they grew older different rules came about with each situation. I had on a couple occasions where they all 3 want to take a ride, on this one particular trip out to the ocean, in fact they would get into arguments who got to go first. again all done with safety and risk management in place. I see no reason other than the obvious what might happen, SMH our family doesn't live in a box. if all was ok. then lets go get on the gear and all learn some hand signals and pats, we where off, good times. Nothing like sharing an experience like this. Thanks for taking me back in time when life wasn't so politically correct. FWIW the grand kids as of yet haven't shown the interests to ride on the vfr or, but interesting enough the 3 wheeler and lawn mower is a different subject, can't get em off ,or, it's asking when can they ride it. They want their own ride.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2017
  11. JIMLARCH

    JIMLARCH New Member

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    I'm 100% in agreement with you. A child is totally unaware of the dangers and isn't mature enough to make such a decision. Seems to me that no one who has crashed a bike would even consider taking a child out on a public road. I saw a guy years ago on a wet Sunday riding around with his 3 year old son sitting in front of him, hands on the tank. From speaking to him it was obvious his riding experience was minimal. What a moron!
     
  12. 34468 Randy

    34468 Randy Secret Insider

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    I hear what you are saying Jay and can't disagree with you for the most part. However, the traffic on the road is far different today than what it was back when you were young. Cars were a new thing back then.

    I can remember back as a kid, a car collision made the news locally in Brandon Manitoba. Even back when I first joined the mounties, collisions were not a regularly occurring incident. Now, police seldom come out to an accident unless there is serious injury or jump out and get into your face, criminal activity on the part of one of the drivers. People get involved in a Collison now and their attitudes is most often, "Oh well. Shit happens." Pathetic attitude these days.

    If there is any way we can protect or kids from injury, then we should do what it takes. That very well may be getting them on the bike at some point and teaching them the right way to ride, and proper gear to wear. It is just that we cannot rely on everyone to use commons sense so we need regulatory ways to try to ensure the safety of our kids is kept at the highest possible.
     
  13. Brandon82

    Brandon82 New Member

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    I agree that this conversation is made much more interesting and polarizing due to the difference in generational tolerances for certain practices and political correctness. Also, being raised in an urban vs rural area may be another consideration. I'm not judgmental towards people who choose either way - my personal preference is to let my kids enjoy and experience life and to accept certain risks while using common sense.

    I appreciated Randy's comments and agree that the harness thing, if it's necessary, should be an automatics red flag that probably indicates it would be too early. As far as I can tell from the reading I've done regarding BC laws, as long as they can reach the foot pegs, it's is not considered illegal (someone is welcome to correct me if I'm wrong).


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  14. Brandon82

    Brandon82 New Member

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    I have to agree with you - my perspective may be different if I personally had been involved in an accident or been affected because of a scenario where an accident had occurred. There is also distracted driving issues, road congestion and a number of other factors that weren't an issue even as little as 15-20 years ago.



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  15. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Could the same thoughts and opinions be applied to elderly people? My great grandma loves to pillion on my trips to Wal*Mart. Now she wants her own Harley.
     
  16. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    No Harleys for Great Grandma until she is old enough to deal with the reality of being seen on a Harley.
     
  17. Terry Smith

    Terry Smith Member

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    My daughter had to wait until she was 12 before she could come on my bike. Was an absolute blast, and she has turned into an amazing pillion passenger. She loves it too, my wife...not so much.

    [​IMG]
    The early years...only allowed to change the oil, nappies turned out to be very absorbent.

    [​IMG]
    Worth the wait, Dad! (later rides included proper boots)
     

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  18. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Each state has it's own laws about kids riding as passengers on bikes including helmet laws. These laws change. Some reading that was done even a year ago (2016) can be different.

    Lots of BS out there too.

    http://www.snopes.com/children-motorcycle-ban/
     
  19. PawnBoy

    PawnBoy New Member

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    I got my first motorcycle helmet when I was about 7, and then immediately started riding the family ATV and on the back of my dad's VF500. I'd have no problem with my daughter riding on the back of mine once she can reach the pegs and has a helmet of her own. Of course, she already rides pillion on my nomotorcycle.
     
  20. zombie

    zombie New Member

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    Good for you, glad its going well. Sadly, my 12 year old has now determined that riding is too dangerous for kids blah blah blah. The exact same blah blah blah she started hearing from my wife as soon as she professed an interest in being a passenger. Something I had been looking forward to but now it isn't going to happen I guess.
     
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