Getting our children interested in motorbikes

richeyroo · Post by **richeyroo** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 9:19 am

Given the demographic of motorcyclists these days, I think this may be an issue that is pertinent to many.
My 14 year old son has watched my obsession with motorbikes over the years and is staring to show a greater interest than ever before. He has even bought a copy of ABR recently.
The obvious first step is to let him ride pillion which I have done but riding is a million times more exciting for a 14 year old lad than sitting on the back like a sack of spuds.
He doesn't want to race motocross (and be beaten by 8 year olds like I was) and my bank manager doesn't want him to race motocross either.
Any solutions that anyone knows of ? Are there any starter days/trial days that riding schools (both on and off road) offer to younger completely inexperienced teenagers to light their motorcycling lamps ? We are in the West Midlands.
When I was his age, the solution was to borrow the FS1E that belonged to my best mates older brother and we ragged it around the quieter roads of rural Worcestershire. Happy days

AlanHolt · Post by **AlanHolt** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 10:23 am

My dad started me at 9 years old by buying a barely running Honda C90 mot failure for £3. He took me and the bike to some waste land and let me run off a tank of fuel each Sunday. The bike didn't have any brakes, so I quickly learned how to control a bike.

johnnyboxer · Post by **johnnyboxer** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 11:41 am

My lad is approaching 17 and has dabbled with bikes offroad - but not shown any huge interest despite having 20 acres at home to ride a PW80
He's had the opportunity to ride Trials on a spare bike, but not committed enough as he is to club rugby every Sunday
He's desperate for a car at 17 in a few months
He is more interested in rugby/gym/clay shooting (at home) & game shooting/beer and girls than motorbikes - despite me being into them
So I guess they make their own choices

BlueUK · Post by **BlueUK** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 12:52 pm

richeyroo wrote:Given the demographic of motorcyclists these days, I think this may be an issue that is pertinent to many.

My 14 year old son has watched my obsession with motorbikes over the years and is staring to show a greater interest than ever before. He has even bought a copy of ABR recently.

The obvious first step is to let him ride pillion which I have done but riding is a million times more exciting for a 14 year old lad than sitting on the back like a sack of spuds.

He doesn't want to race motocross (and be beaten by 8 year olds like I was) and my bank manager doesn't want him to race motocross either.

Any solutions that anyone knows of ? Are there any starter days/trial days that riding schools (both on and off road) offer to younger completely inexperienced teenagers to light their motorcycling lamps ? We are in the West Midlands.

When I was his age, the solution was to borrow the FS1E that belonged to my best mates older brother and we ragged it around the quieter roads of rural Worcestershire. Happy days

KTM 125/200 exc on pay and play enduro days?
Beta Rev3 and join a trials club?
Ride to Wales, get on the single track deserted roads and let him ride? Did I really just say that?!

Andy A · Post by **Andy A** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:02 pm

I think trials is a great start, that's certainly what my little lad will do if he shows an interest, at the moment he is obsessed with all things motorbikes ......but he is only 2 :laugh:

Tonibe63 · Post by **Tonibe63** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:30 pm

BlueUK wrote:
KTM 125/200 exc on pay and play enduro days?
Beta Rev3 and join a trials club?
Ride to Wales, get on the single track deserted roads and let him ride? Did I really just say that?!

:pinch: :whistle:
I think juniors may be restricted to 125's at trials events but worth a trip to your local trials club to have a look. Cheap to get in to and easy to get out of without losing lots of money if he doesn't like it.

92kk k100lt 193214 · Post by **92kk k100lt 193214** » Sun Jul 16, 2017 3:24 pm

I love boats, sailing, had a few and loved racing them and have had some great trips on them including some cruising around the Western Isles of Scotland, North coast of Spain and lots more places that are stunning and can't be accessed on a bike.
Took kids out, encouraged them with it both as a pastime and some racing but none of them took to it. As it was important to me to spend time with them it became less and less and we did other things none of which I regret.
Fast forward one of my friends going back to teenage years always had a bike as in a brand new BMW /5 and /6 at a time when they were scarce. He looked after a lot of boats for folk and a summer house for a friends dad and part of the deal was to run the bikes there too.... He kept bikes over the years and in time his son and my son became best friends at school, played music, had a band etc.
Then my son told me he was going to get a bike with his 21st money. Which he did and I took it and sorted service etc etc. So it went that we have some nice trips etc together. When he bought the bike the day after his 21st I told him I had a bike, licence etc and he never grasped that he had never seen me on one, which he didn't. I just didn't tell him. Why did he do it? As a three year old two of my brothers came to visit on a Yamaha 750, they took him out on it sitting on the petrol tank and he never ever forgot the feeling.
I can't say encourage or discourage, just expose them and see if they embrace it but don't be disappointed if they don't.

Allan F · Post by **Allan F** » Mon Jul 17, 2017 9:26 pm

My parents hated bikes & totally discouraged me in every way. I had a fascination for them that wouldn't go away. Was never allowed to get one. Until, at 21 I bought a Bultaco scrambler to mess about on. Much to my parents disgust. Joined my local club & started competing. Had great fun & lasting memories for many years. Also some painful memories when it went Pete Tong ! Introduced my son to bikes taking him pillion & trips to road races. He passed his test & went on to buy ZX 1000 & now has a Multistrada. He know has got bored with the bike scene & prefers competing in MTB. I'm sad in a way. As I planned to do some Euro trips with him. Mind you probably more down to me, than him it never happened. In the main, due to business commitments. Mum is pretty happy he has decided to sell the Multistrada.
Definitely off road is the best way forward for any youngster. Trials, MX. Both great fun & doesn't need to cost the earth.
Regards Allan F

Mawsley · Post by **Mawsley** » Mon Jul 17, 2017 11:14 pm

richeyroo wrote:Given the demographic of motorcyclists these days, I think this may be an issue that is pertinent to many.

My 14 year old son has watched my obsession with motorbikes over the years and is staring to show a greater interest than ever before. He has even bought a copy of ABR recently.

The obvious first step is to let him ride pillion which I have done but riding is a million times more exciting for a 14 year old lad than sitting on the back like a sack of spuds.

He doesn't want to race motocross (and be beaten by 8 year olds like I was) and my bank manager doesn't want him to race motocross either.

Any solutions that anyone knows of ? Are there any starter days/trial days that riding schools (both on and off road) offer to younger completely inexperienced teenagers to light their motorcycling lamps ? We are in the West Midlands.

When I was his age, the solution was to borrow the FS1E that belonged to my best mates older brother and we ragged it around the quieter roads of rural Worcestershire. Happy days

Beginner off-road day course, Wellingborough
http://www.90-one.com/orpublic.html

richeyroo · Post by **richeyroo** » Tue Jul 18, 2017 5:55 am

Cool. Sounds perfect, thanks