I was going to post this as a poll, but couldn't figure out how.
Anyway, my son is 9. He has been riding dirtbikes and racing them since he was 3. He wants to ride with us when we go on long trips. So I'm going to take him shopping for gear on saturday. Wish they made pants and jackets in his size. I found a full faced helmet. Not sure if I should get him a ladies XS jacket with all the padding or get him the dirtbike body armor. At least with the body armor I know he will wear it on his dirtbike too. They really don't make any street gear for kids do they?
He would be riding with my husband who has a back seat rest on his FJR 1300, we have the communication system hooked up already. I'm just still a bit weary of letting him tag along. Must be a mom thing, but I hate to not take him too because I just know he would do a great job and would love every minute of it.

What about you guys, do you take your little wippersnappers along too?

All my kids are grown.......... You can find tons of kids jackets, chaps, vests ect on E-Bay.....

My Grandson has been riding with me since he was 3 or 4... Boots, Jacket, Chaps, Gloves and a Child's small Fullface Helmet. He's now gonna be 8 in a month and has outgrown 2 sets of riding gear and a couple of helmets! Only thing is, they grow so fast it gets expensive buying gear for them that fits properly! Last year I bought him a Kawasaki dirtbike and started teaching him about riding. He's already learned that it hurts when you crash! He earned the money for his safety equipment, which he had to buy himself in order to ride that dirtbike! MX helmet, chest protector and MX boots... He's been on a couple LONG trips and will invariably try to go to sleep! Watch out for that! Other than that, Tally-Ho!!! Sarge...

my daughter and son always rode with me from age 5-6, they are now 24 + 22 and ride their own bikes...although I am ashamed to say they also have cars !!! must be their mam's influence, cos' I never rode a car

Mine wanted to so bad that I let him when he was 9 and he found out what a 'ride' entails! He wussed out and did not ride with me again (that's way too long mom and my but hurts!). Now that he has his own, he is still the same--took on a group ride through Custer State Park--he loved it until half way through. (mom that's way too long and my but hurts!) I just don't understand.

Great to hear you all riding with your kids. I've been holding off riding with my 9 year old because of the proper gear issue but I'm going to start looking. The XS helmets are fine, I've tried them on her.

I really don't think they make any gear for kids for the street. All the jackets I have found are motorcycle "looking" jackets. (No protection in them.) But he does fit into a ladies XS jacket. If I don't find any pants this weekend, I think I'll just make him some out of an old pair of mine.

I have been riding with my boy on the back for a while. When he was like 10 or 11 we would just do short stuff, never any major roads or freeway. Now he's 14 and I will take him just about anywhere on the back of the bike.

My only concern with your little one is that his feet fit squarely on the passenger pegs. He is not real stable back there if he can't plant his feet.

My daughter and son, 14 & 8 get up behind me sometimes and love it.
Try J&P cycles or I think I got some from custom chrome, can't remember but will have a look to let you know where I got them.

yes i often take hayley on the back ,..she loves the bike ,she's been coming on the back since she was 9yrs old .

I think when my boy was small- I got his stuff from Hudson Leather and it was good heavy top grain leather. I can't be sure though, it's been a while.

As a kid I rode on that back of dad's Harley for as long as I can remember. I would check the local laws though. Many states have restrictions on size (vs age), and they must be able to site in the seat with their feet securely on the passenger foot pegs.

Hell NO, we got our bikes to get away from the kids!

I like the way you think.  We use the bike for our away time too, but I do give the boy a ride every now and then.

I tried to get mine into it and let him ride my 650 a few years back, cagers made him too nervous on the road, I let it go.

My son loves to ride with me, he's 10. I'm working on a bike for him. If he don't like it when it's done I got another bike. He is real big for his age. I'm going to get him a street and trail this summer. He looks about 14 now, 5'4" and 160.

My son is 10 and has been riding with me for 2 yrs. now helmet and backrest and he's good. He loves it and has done a couple of 300 mile days with me and his Ipod.

my boys like the novelty of showing up somewhere on a harley, the whole i'm a badass thing,  but they share their mom's love of windows and a/c, my scoot is to get away. matter of fact, this is the first one in a while with a back seat.badinfluence 

My youngest rode with me when he was younger but now that he is 14 going on 15, it's just not cool to do anything with dad...or mom for that matter. Now I just take mom with me. :-)

I took my youngest daughter on her first ride when she was 4 months old. Just stuck her in my shirt and put the ridin leathers on me. - she's 32 now and has two of her own kids 10 and 13 who both ride with me. The 13 year old went to TN from Indiana with me last year and is already buggin me about doing again. The 10 year old just made his first 100 mile poker run last weekend and hes ready to go again. They love ridin with the pack on runs. Can't wait until they are old enough to ride their own and tag along with me when I do my Indiana to Florida runs.