who takes young kids out on the bike?

[malcky]

Hi folks, just wondering who takes their kids out for a run on the back of your bike and if so:

1) how old were they when you started?
2) what gear do you kit them out in and where's a decent place to get stuff for them?

cheers.

my 6 & 7 year old girls are asking all the time to go on back, but not sure if there is a legal age limit for pillions and if 6 & 7 year olds on back of a bike is just plain stupid or not.

[ddfjr]

malcky said:

Hi folks, just wondering who takes their kids out for a run on the back of your bike and if so:

1) how old were they when you started?
2) what gear do you kit them out in and where's a decent place to get stuff for them?

cheers.

I take my son Jason out on the back of the bike.
he started riding (Pillion) as soon as he could reach the footpegs on the back of the bike (about 8 years old)
He wears FULL bike gear when he is on the bike, its Moto-Cross gear we bought from EBay, his helmet we bought from a local shop so we could make sure it fitted correctly.
He has his own Off Road 110cc bike and knows that if he goes out on the bike he MUST ALWAYS wear full bike gear.

Try EBay 1st
Go for the GOOD STUFF and not the Carp that people try and flog on there.
DO NOT buy a helmet from EBay.
Go to a shop and make sure you get one that fits correctly.
Other than that, I can guarantee they will have great fun (as long as you don't go to fast, to quickly )

He's now 11 years old and has covered a couple of thousand miles by now ;D

[kabulcalling]

I used to use a garden chair cushion, strapped with a cargo net to the top box to help keep my son (aged 5) in place on the back of the bike. I did not know about the "Touch the foot pegs" rule at the time. I used to take him very gently and carefully to his school each day - four or five miles through 30mph roads. He thought he was the coolest kid in the school - and he was! A Divi beats a range rover any day!
He has always had his own (fitted) lid and has been through a large amount of bike gear in the last 10 years. Fortunately he was wearing full gear when I slipped on diesel and we both went down. He is now so blase about being on the back (10 years experience) that he falls asleep on long runs.
When ever I can, I take my nephews and nieces on the back for a run around the block. They all love it to bits. I am most definately the coolest uncle they have!
I'm too old to die young, but old enough to know better.
RMJ

[Fiasco]

My eldest Daughter has been riding pillion since age 5, my 6 year old had her first ride last week.

Very important to get them properly kitted out, gear for Kids is readily available as they grow out of it quickly.

Also "Love Handles" pillion straps from Motrax are a great buy.

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Motrax-Love-Handles-Pillion-Handles_W0QQitemZ190111565756QQihZ009QQcategoryZ25632QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

An intercom is also a great investment so you can talk them through what is going on, and more important they can tell you when they are worried.

Enjoy the experience, it's great to see that first grin

Dave ;D

[Pops]

I started taking my son pillion when he was about 8 years old and made him listen to my instructions regarding how to behave while we where on the move. As an added safety precaution I fitted a back rest, or top box on later bikes. I never knew about rule of their feet touching the footrest. Not too much of a problem as he has always been tall and the bikes I used to ride were mostly custom style. About 16 years ago, no safety bike gear as such apart from a helmet, bought specifically for him so good fit and we always made sure he was padded out as much as we could and he had gloves.
My grand daughter has asked if I can take her on the back but at nearly 5 think it will be a couple of years before I consider it and even then she will have to have all the right gear no matter what the expense, but that is my opinion.
This has got me thinking about these bikes you see nowadays were the pillion passenger have their knee's tucked up under their chin as the footrest is so high. Surly that can't be a good thing for a young pillion passenger.

[Tigger]

My lad has been riding pillion since 6yrs old. Loves it to bits and hassles me every time I mention getting the bike out. We have some kit here he has outgrown. I will measure it and let you know what the sizes are if it will be of any use.

Matt

[HRHpenfold]

i never took pillions, cos when they were young, i could not afford a motorcycle ;D


oh how times have changed

[Doofer]

I've been taking my Son pillion since he was 4

The law regarding pillions is that they must be able to reach the footpegs (doesn't say you can't raise the pegs though) and wear a helmet there is no specific age limit, but do make sure your insurance will cover then as several I rang last year at renewal time said that they wouldn't cover an under 16 pillion, one even tried to tell me it was illegal to take a pillion under 16 .

Regarding hemlets I was advised to buy the lightest helmet I could find each time I replaced his helmet until he had stopped growing to avoid damage to his neck. Get some advice from someone you trust about making sure the helmet fits well if you are unsure.

If you are ever in Matlock Bath there is a shop there called Biker's Gearbox, they don't have a wide range, but often have a reasonable selection of kids bike gear at very good prices.

As Dave says, a set of Love-Handles (or Pillion Pal) is a big help, but unless you have a very wide girth you may find the handles are too far back for your comfort, I altered mine so the handles were nearer the front so my Son was in effect hugging me while he held on. He no longer uses the Pillion Pal, so if you want to try it out let me know, its up for grabs.

Some kind of intercom helps too (not necessarily one of the expensive fully integrated systems), that way your pillion can tell you if they need you to stop or slow down and you can tell them to sit still when needs be and check they haven't dozed off, mind you having your 7 year old sing christmas carols for an entire 30 mile journey in the middle of summer can become rather irritating, but at least I knew he was still awake, lol

Small Satan (my Son) started with short journeys to and from school (normally about 10 min walk), slowly building up the distance, time and speed of the journey as he got used to riding pillion. He did his first club run in 2005 and has done most of the runs I have attended since including last years Scotland Run. He's now 13 and I have trouble keeping him on my bike at club runs as when it comes to blagging a pillion seat he makes Linz look like an amateur

Doof

[CD]

fazerian said:

i never took pillions, cos when they were young, i could not afford a motorcycle ;D

oh how times have changed

Absolutely and now we are divorced, madam makes sure the girls are too scared of bikes to even consider riding with me. And I dont have the cash to buy kit they'll refuse to use

[Fender 54]

I asked about kids m/c gear a few weeks back and I managed to buy a textile jacket from Bikers Gearbox in Matlock Bath for my 13 year old.
It was their own label with full armor.
Cost £35 offer price.
A bargain.
Thanks Doofer it was you that suggest it to me.

[Andy-Red-Divi]

Only ever had my eldest on the back once, but that was just to ride the bike into the garage after washing it, so I guess it doesnt count.

Cheers

Andy

[alpaholic]

My rides on the back of my Father's VT500 are some of my happiest memories. I'd hate to deprive a lad of that for fear of risk.

Anorak and denim jeans was all we could afford protection wise... (...and we had to miss out on our family evening meal of thin porridge for the petrol...)

[General Gman]

Don't take anyone out on the bike unless absollutely necessary.
Last person I took pillion screamed and moaned so much it's put me off.

[justso]

My 14 year old son loves riding pillion, and the huge boost in street cred when I arrive on the bike to pick him up from his mates'. It is a good bargaining chip when dealing with the usual behaviour/attitiude issues adolescent boys have. (I was never like that though )

A big top box comes in handy for putting his bike gear in as well as being a back rest.

I was able to kit him out cheaply with a combination of stuff from fleabay and Aldi, with the exception of the helmet which was fitted in the shop.

[pebbles]

a padded topbox works well when they r very young

[theviking]

Hmmm, DO NOT DO IT!!

My daughter was 5 1/2 before she managed to nag me in to taking her on the bike.
Now, a year later she's a speed freak! As soon as I approach the speed limit (from above) she starts giving me snoring noises over the intercom!

But as everybody else says:
-The law says that they need to reach the foot pegs (NOTE: This is in UK! Abroad there are age limits and some young pillions has had to be sent home by public transport)
-Proper clothing
-Good helmet
-Good attitude
-Intercom
Top box and panniers adds protection and feeling of safety.

(Now she also got 2 bikes of her own and that's really scary!)