Daughter's new hobby

[Redfish Hunter]

One of my girlfriends back in the day would ride with me sometimes on Dad's GoldWing. Her father used to ride her in his lap around the neighborhood when she was a baby. He said that at night when she would not sleep he could cruise around in 2nd gear with her and she would fall asleep happily. Unfortunately, she did the same thing all grown up. He did not like his little girl riding with me, in fact he did not like me, but he warned me that she would fall asleep back there. She would go to sleep every time. I don't have many good memories of her besides that one, and the fact that she was really beautiful, but it shows how starting them out young can condition them to the bike. I don't miss her or her dad, although she was fun to look at...

 

[HotRodZilla]

I'm gonna go off topic just a hair here, since Big Sky's post brought it up and spent a paragraph or two on it.

Most cops...And by saying most, that means some shit head will do the opposite......

Most cops do not have a problem with kids being disciplined by their parents. My siblings and I got spanked, me more than them cuz I like to push the envelope. We turned out fine: Two successful cops and a nurse who still respect their parents today.

My kids get spanked because they are not allowed to act like jerks, and they will learn that now that they are little instead of when they are15. It seems to sink in better.

In almost 16 years, I have never taken a parent to jail for disciplining their kid. Actually, quite the opposite; to the dismay to the few that have been ballsy enough to actually call the cops when they got punished. Nearly all of them have been told they deserved what they got and should get it more if their BS attitude continues. It wipes the smug look off their face.

I worked in the Crimes Against Children Unit for 4 years, so I have dealt with my share of abuse and sent some people to jail for very long times. But, Most discipline doesn't cross that threshold and gets treated as such. As always, if you spank your kids, use common sense.

A paddle or belt to the ass is prolly ok. That same object to the face...Not so much. Electric Dog Collars, starvation, cigarette burns, boiling water, hours locked in a closet, broken bones and bruises are not acceptable either...Just in case you were wondering.

Most of the time, we would rather the parents discipline a child because if they don't, that child becomes our problem sooner than later.

I threatened to call the cops on my dad once. He told me to make sure I requested an ambulance also. I don't think no he was kidding, and I wasn't brave enough to test him.

That man taught us to hunt, shoot, drive, work, use tools, cook, endure pain, make decisions, fight, survive, be decent people, and just about everything else we take for granted as common sense. He did what a parent should do.

I expect us to do the same for our children, and in my house, that includes the motorcycles, guns, horses, cars, tools, and other items some people might call dangerous. BUT...they are my children, so if someone doesn't like it, that's too Goddammed bad.

I promise you...A motorcycle is not the most dangerous thing our children will be subjected to before they are 12.

Now...Back to your regularly scheduled thread. Sorry!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

HotRod, I agree with you 100% I remember in a moment of frustration after I had just spanked my young son, looking at my Father-in-law, not quite sure what he thought. He told me, "If you don't make it bend while it's still a twig, it will grow into a tree you can't bend". I don't like to punish my son but I know if I don't I will have problems later and that I will be unleashing those problems into society. So, he goes in the boat, he gets on the 4-wheeler, he shoots, and if I can get the courage, he'll be on the back of my bike soon.

 

[Wbehel]

Josh, Thanks for the heads up on the BILT 4 Kids. We drove up last night and got our 10yo the jacket and pants. We have been searching for ridding gear for a while with no success. The guy at Cycle Gear said this line has just came out, so now we are ready for SFO 2012.

 

[oldryder]

4 years ago my daughter turned 16 and I taught her to ride. I started her on a 250 ninja, first with several sessions at the high school parking lot learning basic operation, then the state sponsored motorcycle safety course, then her license test, and then many many rides that 1st summer with me coaching her. It was understood before we started that she would solo when I thought she was ready. She wanted to ride to school that fall and I refused. She wasn't happy.

The 2nd summer she graduated to my TL1000R. Based on advice I got here we did several advanced riding classes (track instruction)on matching SV650's which were more fun than I can say. We also did a couple track days at a 2.5 mile road course. 1/2 way thru that summer she got my OK to solo and it was a lot less nerve wracking than I expected because I had developed considerable respect for her riding skills. That summer culminated in a trip to Yellowstone with her on the FJR and me and younger daughter on my GOldwing.

The whole exercise was a wonderful father/daughter experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.

 

[garyahouse]

Kathleen and Kelly were 11 and 10 in 2001 when I got me a sickle again. Both of them helped me push it back home on the first 3 or 4 rides - as I was sorting out various used bike ailments. But once I got it running, I never had to ask twice if the girls wanted to ride. They asked me to go slow and I was careful not to scare them. That was 11 years ago. Kelly still loves to ride with daddy on his new FJR. She says it's FAR better than the Zookie GSX1100G I had. Kathleen not only owns this '73 Honda CB350 four, she wants to start a business restoring classic bikes. Imagine that. So... guess I better get working on expanding the old shed out back into a workshop.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Kevin_Ireland]

Congratulations!!

My son turned 21 in March and just bought this bike

This is his 4th bike. He first got his moped license when he was 14 and had been riding ever since.

 

[iceaway]

Kathleen and Kelly were 11 and 10 in 2001 when I got me a sickle again. Both of them helped me push it back home on the first 3 or 4 rides - as I was sorting out various used bike ailments. But once I got it running, I never had to ask twice if the girls wanted to ride. They asked me to go slow and I was careful not to scare them. That was 11 years ago. Kelly still loves to ride with daddy on his new FJR. She says it's FAR better than the Zookie GSX1100G I had. Kathleen not only owns 73 Honda CB350 four, she wants to start a business restoring classic bikes. Imagine that. So... guess I better get working on expanding the old shed out back into a workshop.

Gary

darksider #44

That bike looks amazing! Seems like she has a talent which could come in handy for that future career of hers

 

[PhilJet09]

I'm gonna go off topic just a hair here, since Big Sky's post brought it up and spent a paragraph or two on it.

Most cops...And by saying most, that means some shit head will do the opposite......

Now...Back to your regularly scheduled thread. Sorry!

I agree with you Zilla and just to be clear, I was lamenting the system, not the people who are tasked with it's enforcement.

 

[RPrice]

Zilla and Big Sky "pegged" it. +1, Gunny!

 

[FJRBluesman]

Very cool VS99! Enjoy the newest member to your family affair! :yahoo:

 

[HotRodZilla]

So, I just thought I would post up again. My 9 year old and I went yesterday and bought her some pants and a new pair of gloves. Until now, she has been wearing Carharts just because they are thick, and I don't think dirt pants are sturdy enough to do the job. She has also been wearing Fox dirtbike gloves with the hard CF (probably not real CF) knuckles.

I wanted to go while the stuff was still on sale, so I took a $40 gift card I got for my birthday or Christmas or something and took the 10 year old shopping. The small pants fit her pretty well. The knee pads are a little low when she is staning, but we'll see how that translates to sitting on the bike. The pant's waist adjustment brings them in just right, and they will fit her for a couple years. Sweet.

She picked up a new pair of the Bilt leather street gloves with the hard knuckles and really likes them. So, now she has motorcycle specific Bilt pants, gloves, and a Tourmaster Youth Jett jacket. When the Bilt boots show up, maybe I'll get her some of those too. Right now, she wears waterproof hiking boots.

She's excited to go for a ride. I just gotta get some time away from work and take her. Now I can't wait either.

Maybe we'll ride to Red River to see her uncle Patch...

 

[beemerdons]

Maybe we'll ride to Red River to see her uncle Patch...

+1, Gunny; I love to see Dads and Moms taking their children for motorcycle rides with them, it has been so wonderful for my Son Seth and his Old Daddy Don.

'Zilla, that is great that your Daughter will get to see her Cousin Hannah!

 

[pmspaul]

That man taught us to hunt, shoot, drive, work, use tools, cook, endure pain, make decisions, fight, survive, be decent people, and just about everything else we take for granted as common sense. He did what a parent should do.

I expect us to do the same for our children, and in my house, that includes the motorcycles, guns, horses, cars, tools, and other items some people might call dangerous. BUT...they are my children, so if someone doesn't like it, that's too Goddammed bad.

HRZ, I couldn't agree more with this and the rest of your statement. Both my boys have ridden the FJR with me, they're 6 & 8. Both ride dirtbikes and a few weeks ago the 8 yr old even kicked me off the TTR125 big wheel I used to chase them around the yard so he could learn the clutch.

I'll have to look into this youth line of gear for the 6 yr old. I bought the 8 yr old a used Stich, there's a pic of him with me in my avatar. He's done a few hundred miles with me in a day so far, but says he wants to try LD distances too. We'll have to see if he can work up to that this summer. I hope I can handle having to spend that much more time on the bike with my son just to find out...

 

[viperspeed99]

Well, we've done some more riding and she seems to still like it. :lol:

Nothing more than about an half an hour or so at a time, but getting there. Gotta work on getting her to not move around so much, she says that there is so much to look at, she keeps forgetting to be still. Luckily, she doesn't weigh very much, so I barely notice, but I do still notice.

Weather's gonna be great on Sunday so we're gonna take a ride down to Tampa for the gun show (daddy's looking for a good deal on an LCP, but that's another thread) :yahoo:

If she does good on that, we'll start working in some real rides, just gotta finish putting the Sena in her helmet so I can talk to her and make sure she doesn't fall asleep.

Josh

 

[Warchild]

Anybody else do any riding with their kids?

Lauryn had well over 15,000 miles of pillion experience *before* this 2009 trip:

In Aug 2009, shortly after turning 19, she decided to do the MSF Beginner's Course:

The very next month, she picks up a well-used 1994 Kawasaki Ninja 500.....

So in 2010, she rode the tiny Ninja all the way to Utah with me for World Superbike races....

And got to experience over 20 miles of snow riding between Jackpot and Wells, NV. Here she is refueling at Wells after the snow treat:

She fell in love with the R6.... ain't going to happen without lowing the bike considerably:

About to go on Parade Lap at Miller Motorsports Park:

Parking at the Miller racetrack....

Gearing up for on a Superbike Hot Lap!

That's my girl... about to hop aboard that extremely fast Yamaha Champion School FZ-1....

In 2011... we did it all over again.....

Her Superbike Hot Lap pilot was this guy here.... some know him as "Mr Daytona", and he's also know as Scott Russell, 1993 World Superbike champion:

She has become an extraordinarily safe rider, and she can crank out the miles, lemme tells ya....

This year at Wolrd Superbike races, she became convinced that her next chapter of motorcycling effort will be on the racetrack itself:

Still, I look at her sometimes and see an accomplished young Endurance Rider.....

 

[Cabernetnut]

I bought my son, age 17, an 08 Ninja 650R because he wanted to learn to ride. Spent six or so hours in a high school parking lot to get him comfortable (and me) with controlling the bike before we hit the public roads. He then took the MSF class to polish his skills a little more. Now we ride together whenever we can. I also bought a pair of Sena SMH10's so we can talk to one another while riding. We have a blast together and it has certainly brought us closer. I was concerned the 650R would be too much for a first bike, but he has shown very good judgement, caught on quickly and now I'm glad I didn't start him out on a 250. He now has a bike he will enjoy riding for years to come. He still hasn't gone on a solo ride, but he turns 18 this month, so he'll go out on his own soon. I've enjoyed riding with him and glad I've been able to watch and coach him before he hits the road on his own.

 

[dsmack]

Warchild ~ I remember all those posts about your lovely daughter's adventures with Dad, the abysmal rain you had that first trip , and how she couldn't wait to do it again the next year. Getting the chance to follow along again today was a real kick, and it has been fun to watch her mature into the exceptional young lady she is now. She is a real trooper!

You have every right to be an proud Papa! I look forward to following along with you two on your next adventure.

Don