Young, Inexperienced Riders

    • Moderator
    • 277 posts
    March 7, 2009 1:45 AM PST

    My heart breaks everytime I read about a 16 to 18 year old that gets killed on their bike.  Mostly because of inexperience or have no fear.  My son is 18 years old and he talked about getting a motorcycle.  I told him he could, if he took the California Highway Patrol sponsored class first.  I truly believe young and inexperienced riders NEED to take some type of hands on class before getting on that bike.  Moms would feel much better too! 

    • 51 posts
    March 7, 2009 3:23 AM PST

    I agree 100% wth having your son take the course before he hits the road.  The problem is motorcycles are actually very easy to ride, especially if you "have no fear".  But the fact is being able to "ride" a motorcycle is a lot different then being and to safely go out in traffic.

     

    The course will be a big plus, but nothing can replace experience.  Even the simple things like backing off the throttle, pulling in the clutch and shifting gears, need to become second nature and not something you need to think about.  As soon as you take your concentration from the road there is going to be trouble.

     

    Hope your sone has a safe and enjoyable experience!!!

  • March 9, 2009 9:08 AM PDT
    I think everyone should ride a dirt bike for a couple years before getting on the roads. They should be limited to size and power also until they have experience.
  • March 10, 2009 10:18 AM PDT
    I love motorcycles, even though I only ride on the back, but I hope my son doesn't want to ride one while I'm still alive. Go ahead call me a hypocrite, he does
  • g
    March 10, 2009 10:48 PM PDT
    in scotland u have ta take a test called the c.b.t ,after that u can ride up to a 125 cc for two years then u have to go for ur big test ,but if under 20yrs old, i think ,ur bike is restricted .to 30 horses .
  • g
    March 12, 2009 2:49 AM PDT
    it's the same we ure car .only allowed to start off with no larger than a 1.3 liter
    • 1161 posts
    January 3, 2010 7:37 PM PST
    I agree. Very Cool , G did not know that!
  • January 3, 2010 8:19 PM PST
    HDBEECH,YOUR SO RIGHT,i'm giving my nephew a motorcycle for christmas and it scares the hell out of me to think what can happen to him,exspecialty when i look at my HISTORY!!!
  • January 3, 2010 9:42 PM PST
    jrobinson wrote...
    I think everyone should ride a dirt bike for a couple years before getting on the roads. They should be limited to size and power also until they have experience.



    i agree with this, dirt, mud, sand, water all gonna screw with the handling of the bike and teach reflex responses that can't be learned any other way. and after a couple of face plants, a little respect for the machine.
    • Moderator
    • 19007 posts
    January 3, 2010 10:38 PM PST
    Hey Laura, Having taught my daughter to ride and insisting she take the MSF safety course I still had some trepidation. With a boy it might have been different. Most young guys are full of p*ss and vinegar and are untouchable as far as they see. There is the problem as I see it, being fearless. So I guess education that gets through their thick skulls is what is needed. They have to know it is not a video game, you can not just push restart if you screw up.
    • 126 posts
    January 3, 2010 11:22 PM PST
    I agree it is scary I just had my 17 year old daughter take the saftey course and it does make me nervice to think that she will be riding. We have talked and talked about it. She would like to get a ninja 250 to start with and I told her if I even think she has done something stuped I will take the bike. I know I can not protect her but I will do everything I can too. In the spring I will get her out on my wifes vstar around the nabourhood. Then when she is ready I will follow her on the main streets to give her a safe zone. I don't know what else I can do. She rides good on my bike I don't even know she is there. and she did good with the course. But it still scares me.
  • g
    January 4, 2010 1:08 AM PST
    i had a 125 for 2 years ,was good for me ,i was on it in all weather ,i wid say thats when i learned to ride bikes .
    • 467 posts
    January 4, 2010 1:12 AM PST
    My husband and I took all 3 of our boys through the local safety course as they each turned 15. Just as a standard with their driver's permit. With the permit they can ride with a fully licensed buddy for a year before moving on to solo. Not adequate--I know, but for us it worked because we were the buddy's they had for that time period. As they have moved on in life, only one ended up buying his own bike and the other two are not really interested, but I know they all have the ability and the knowledge to do it safely.
    • Moderator
    • 19007 posts
    January 4, 2010 1:16 AM PST
    g wrote...
    i had a 125 for 2 years ,was good for me ,i was on it in all weather ,i wid say thats when i learned to ride bikes .

    Hey G , for the young riders that think they are bullet proof, that might be part of the answer. I don't want to restrict anyone with rules and such but starting out slow is a good way to learn to respect the dangers while still enjoying the riding. Most 'off the shelf bikes' today are capable of much more than a novice can handle, heck more than I can handle.

  • g
    January 4, 2010 1:17 AM PST
    if u bring up ur kids the right way they will go about it the right way ,their is loads of kids in aberdeen flying about on mopeds n off road bikes ,they just dont know the dangers involved .loads of crashes with young kids and bikes ,the safety course sounds good .
  • g
    January 4, 2010 1:20 AM PST
    RexTheRoadDog wrote...
    g wrote...
    i had a 125 for 2 years ,was good for me ,i was on it in all weather ,i wid say thats when i learned to ride bikes .

    Hey G , for the young riders that think they are bullet proof, that might be part of the answer. I don't want to restrict anyone with rules and such but starting out slow is a good way to learn to respect the dangers while still enjoying the riding. Most 'off the shelf bikes' today are capable of much more than a novice can handle, heck more than I can handle.i did start out slow ,had a 125 cc for two years ,and i was on it in all weather ,snow n sun ,never got ma kawasaki till 2 years past ,ive had ma licence for 15 years .

     

  • g
    January 4, 2010 1:26 AM PST
    ma wee girl come's on the back with me ,she's only 11 yrs old .she's been up the lech ski ressorts and loads of other plasce's ,i want her to learn from a young age how to ride and respect bikes ,not just bike but other dangers on the road ,she also wants a bike of her own ,and yes i will get one for her one day soon but its for her to decide not me ,wee can only do ur best when i come to looking after our wee ones .she is at that age were she has no fear ,its good to have fear it keeps us sain .
  • g
    January 4, 2010 2:16 AM PST
    aye its all good .try tell folks that dont ride ,they dont understand what bikes can do to u .u will never look back .
    • 513 posts
    January 4, 2010 2:34 AM PST
    My buddy just let his son out on a bike, my kids are a long way from it yet.
    My buddy got his son lots of training and advice and some training you don't get on the road from us. He is a sensible young lad and he has been riding now on the road for about six months and still my buddy's fear is written all over his face every time the young lad goes out on his bike, tis the joy of being a parent I suppose.
    • 601 posts
    January 5, 2010 8:38 AM PST
    Both my son and daughter ride bikes. I dont have a problem with that, they have been hanging around bikes since they were kids, both could ride before they were in they're teens.They have seen a few of my friends(and thereby they'res) funerals after smashes, and it taught them respect for safety.They both drive cars too, and they show good attitude to bikers while driving them.Do I worry ? ya! same as i worry when they ..swim,or go boozin'. My view is
    " Let the Freebirds Fly"...............and anyway, my wife worries enough for the both of us.
  • January 5, 2010 9:07 AM PST
    To be honest I never wanted my boys on motorcycles. (that's me, the hypocrite) I know what I did when I was their age, to this day it amazes me I survived at all. Add to that the fact that they were raised at the drag strip, so all I can ask that they be careful and (hopefully) they'll not do the things I did.
  • July 29, 2011 1:50 AM PDT
    My 22 YO son just got a sport bike - GSX-R 1000. Got to admit it is a pretty cool looking motorcycle.

    He has always been a pretty responsible kid, and hopefully will continue to be on his now toy. But I know at 22 if I had that bike I would be tempted to use that power on occasion!
  • July 29, 2011 2:02 AM PDT
    Part of the problem besides inexperience, is that there are motorcycle dealers who will sell high powered sport bikes to anyone regardless of whether they are experienced or even have a motorcycle license. A friend told me that while working for a dealer he saw two crash before they even left the parking lot. Another dealer sold a high performance sport bike to a young man and didn't bother to tell him that the new tires are slick and need a a couple of hundred miles to break in. This young man raced up the highway and then a car crossed in front of him, he hit the brakes, but slid directly into the car killing him
    • 3006 posts
    July 29, 2011 5:23 AM PDT
    jrobinson wrote...
    I think everyone should ride a dirt bike for a couple years before getting on the roads. They should be limited to size and power also until they have experience.



    i agree with this, dirt, mud, sand, water all gonna screw with the handling of the bike and teach reflex responses that can't be learned any other way. and after a couple of face plants, a little respect for the machine.

    I agree with the above posters,I cut my teeth on bikes riding in the dirt,started out when I was 9 yr old,fortunate enuff to be raised in an area where we had access to excellent dirt trails,if it were not for my experience riding dirt bikes I would have never considered riding street bikes..yet after taking a few hard spills,n learning to handle the bike thru cruddy conditions,it certainly made my skills increase & improved my confidence.
    Street riding seemed almost too easy,till I had a few close encounters with Ahole drivers.Then the fear factor kicked in,learned I am very vulnerable out in traffic,and rode accordingly..

    stay safe n enjoy the ride !!!
  • July 29, 2011 6:24 AM PDT
    As the son of lifetime Harley rider, my father never let me get my own bike. We rode dirt bikes all the time, my first was a YZ80...I still remember the first time that powerband hit lol. Keeping me away from the Harley and street riding he really only succeeded in peaking my interest in it. After spending some time abroad in the Navy I decided to take a BRC, in WA state. I learned so much! My dirt bike knowledge helped me out alot but i walked away from the 3 day class, with not only more knowledge but also the confidence I will need should i encounter an emergency. Im sure if I would have taken a class similar to this one my dad would of let me ride....shoot take the class with them, there were lots of couples and parents in the class.