Recently a man posted this video of himself riding motorcycle with his six year old son in front of him and then taking control over the bike. The video has received a massive response from people who have either supported him or have said that he was being reckless. The child did have a helmet on, but didn’t really have much else for protective gear. Many of the opponents claimed that the man was endangering his son, while his supporters understood that he was creating lifelong memories that they can share together.
If you have young kids and you ride, you know how awesome they think your bike is. They beg and plead to go for a ride with you. When done right, you can take your child for a motorcycle ride that they will never forget all while being as safe as possible. If you follow these tips, your kid will have lifelong memories and be hooked on riding just as much as you are.
Get The Gear
Unfortunately, the market for youth motorcycle gear isn’t very large. It can be fairly difficult to find good motorcycle gear for your child to wear on the back of your bike. But don’t make that an excuse to not get the proper riding gear.
Of course, the most important piece of riding gear for your child is a youth motorcycle helmet. Find a helmet that fits your child perfectly. Don’t settle for close enough. A helmet that rattles around on their head can be just as dangerous as no helmet at all. Small adult helmets may fit your child, but they weigh too much and can strain their necks. The youth helmet is designed to light enough and still offer good protection. If you are worried about your child outgrowing the helmet, you can find some really good HJC youth helmets for under 100 bucks. Some helmets can even grow with your child when you switch out the cheek pads.
Youth motorcycle jackets are fairly slim pickings, but the motocross world is full of youth protective gear. You can find high quality armor that your child can wear either on top of or underneath their jacket to keep them protected. Also, motocross boots are probably the safest youth boots that you will be able to find for your child. Youth motorcycle gloves and protective pants should also be worn when they go riding with you.
Set Up Your Bike
Your motorcycle may be set up for you and possibly an adult passenger, but a smaller child may find it hard to fit on the bike comfortably. If your child cannot reach the passenger pegs, it’s probably a good idea to hold off until they can. Having a good foot hold will not only give them confidence and security, but will also help them lean correctly in the corners with you.
If your bike doesn’t have a passenger backrest, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add one. Having the backrest behind them will give them an added sense of security and give you a little piece of mind as well. A backrest that has armrests is even better as it adds a barrier on all sides of your child.
A passenger handle strap, like the PowerMadd Rider Hold-Tight, gives your child something safe and secure to hold on to during the ride. The Rider Hold-Tight is designed to comfortably strap over your riding gear and has quick release buckles to make getting off fast and easy. Your child’s arms won’t get as tired when they can hold on to the handles and they will enjoy the ride even more.
Start Slow and Short
It’s a good idea to ease your child into riding. Go slow around the block a few times before you decide to head out on a longer ride. When you work them up to the longer rides over time, they will feel safer and more relaxed. When they feel safe on the back of a bike, children tend to have more fun.
A good indicator to tell if your child is having fun is to look back at them once you stop. If you can see their giant grin from inside their helmet, you know that you have them hooked and have a riding buddy for a long time to come.
If your kid really enjoys riding with you, it won’t be long before they want to take control of bike on their own. Check out this article to find some tips on getting your child started riding on their own.
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