Saw a girl about 10 getting on the back of a motorbike(making the assumption it was her dads). I would never take any kid of mine on the back of a motorbike.I have a full bike licence and stopped riding because the roads are full of idiots. But when I rode my bike if the worst came to the worst it would be me that copped it.I could not live with myself if something happened to my kid whilst on the back of one. Anyone any other thoughts on this please feel free to discuss.

my dad used to take me to and from school younger than that,

but he did have sissy bars on the back of his xs 400

Took my nephew put for his first ever spin yesterday and he loved it. Only went 3 or 4 miles but i had his mothers blessing and it was all good.

It’s down to personal choice isn’t it, i don’t like the idea of wrapping kids in cotton wool and think they should experience all sorts of things.

People take their kids out in cars when there is a chance of an accident (although i realise the risk is far less)?

People wax lyrical on here about the joy of taking their kids for a first bicycle ride which will almost always result in their first crash at some time but that is deemed acceptable. A child could be killed or seriously injured when losing control on a bicycle and hitting a tree or even just the ground?

I think people take far more care when they have a child on the bike and wouldn’t take the risks they might if they were on their own.

I stopped riding motorbikes a few years ago (just never found the time between hillwalking, biking etc), but I’d not think twice about taking my daughter on a motorbike.

I wouldn’t generally take anyone on the back, for purely selfish reasons in that it affects the bike so much.

Ive taken the next door neighbours kids out for a drive on their birthday with the blessing of their m+d. I was intensely aware of the consequences, pick a road and weather to suit, a quiet tootle along the coast from Musselburgh to North Berwick. One of them has now passed his test and has a 125 now.. my nephew in Germany has passed his test and has a GPZ 400….. Even 40 mph on a motorbike was fast for me the first time and I wanted my passengers to be able to look around and enjoy the trip… so steady away…. job done. I hate hospital food too at the end of the day….

I wouldn’t say I wrap them in cotton wool (1st time at glentress she fractured her wrist on the fireroad) and my son has been doing the full red since he was 10.Its just I feel that although there would be a small likliehood of anything happening its just if it did I would always think I should never have allowed them on the back.

or never allowed them on a bike, or a trampoline, or to climb a tree or swim in the ocean……

Just got back from Thailand – reccomend you don’t go there!! Some of those crazy guys had their entire family on their moped without helmets. Some of them even had lit BBQ’s attached in sidecar shop type things.

this was a common sight

I gave up the motorbikes years ago. I’ve got two kids and I would take them as pillion.Can remember riding pillion on my Uncle’s scooter,I must have been about 5,or 6. Loved it,which lead to me yearning for a motorbike of my own,until I finally got one.

dad got me, mum and the dog on a BSA 650.

(and took me lamping with a solar 4000 torch fitted to a .22 on a lambretta scooter)

Take my seven year old out sometimes. Rarely, but sometimes.
Normally just across town for an errand.

Personally, I ride every day and am very aware of the dangers and my own limitations.
Yes. Any accident, in any situation would be dreadful and, avoiding pillion rides would indeed eliminate that particular situation.
But, life is for experiencing, yes?

gusamc what is lamping? sounds like dogging but a bit more modern.

I have taken my friends kids out and my nephews. I don’t have kids of my own but would be more than happy to take them if I had.

I have to say encouraging them to go MTBing but refusing them t go motorcycling seems odd to me.

TJ on the bike if they feel out of their comfort zone they will ride and slow down to suit however on the back of a bike they are not in control. And also if you have an off they are more likely to come off better on a mountainbike.

Mark – you pays yer money and takes yer choice. I disagree with you on this one. Its purely a matter of opinion.

You could say on the motorbike you control it – on the MTB you have no control.

I’d certainly make sure they tied their shoelaces if my kids got on the back of an bike 🙂

Nioce shot Horatio. I especially like the kid’s shoelaces waiting to get caught in the chain…

EDIT: Damn it Chomp! Too slow Smith 😉

wow, you’ll wet yourself at this.
Guy runs a Wall of Death and gets his 10 year old son on it

Yup, lots of other traffic on a wall of death…

Riding a bike as such isn’t dangerous, but I reckon too many other risks from oil, traffic and so on to take my kids on the back (not that I’ve got any yet). Not sure I could do it.

Whoosh, I know.

I’d never take my kids or anybody else’s on the back of a bike. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for encouraging them to take up biking when they are young.

The risks to the young rider are far greater than those presented to the seasoned biker – and for them it’s still damned risky.

I used to ride bikes, but gave it up. Too dangerous with “numpty” at the wheel!

Falkirk_m

lamping – if you shine torch at a rabbit etc they stare at the light, if the torch is tied along a gun barrel you go bang…..