My Son Wants to Ride

I've been enjoying my time away from the office and yesterday was shaping up to be a rather uneventful day. I decided to run some errands (picked up the Twist of the Wrist II DVD which I will watch and review later) and asked my 16-year-old son if he wanted to come along. His response was, "On the motorcycle?!" I said, "Yup." He jumped up off the couch and said, "Yeah!"

Until yesterday, he had never ridden on a motorcycle. This is now my fifth bike and I decided that it was time. I guess I was just nervous before; afraid of something happening to him. I could never forgive myself if I took him for a ride and we went down for whatever reason and he was hurt (or worse). I don't mind taking the risk that comes with riding every day but it's something else when I'm responsible for someone on the pillion; especially when it's my kid. Still, it was mid-morning, light traffic, and it just felt right.

I geared him up, talked to him about the bike, the hot parts to avoid, how and when to get off and on, how to lean with me in the turns, how to signal me if something was wrong, all that fun stuff. Then off we went. We ran our errands - at the cycle shop, I was chatting with the cashier about the California Superbike School and the new beemers they're running - then on the way out, got a compliment from another rider on my 25th Anniversary VFR. My son made the comment, "It seems like you guys are all part of some kind of brotherhood." I smiled and said, "We are. We all try to look out for one another." I asked how he was enjoying the ride and he said it was amazing. He asked if we could keep going.

We rode to the coast and went north. Blue skies above, green and brown rolling hills to our right, the blue gray ocean to our left. We stopped at a little taco shop next to the ocean and had a couple sodas and talked. We talked about motorcycles, about what I look for when I ride, why I ride in certain parts of the lane, how I scan ahead and try to anticipate the actions of others on the road. We talked about school starting up soon and his thoughts about college. The conversation eventually circled back to riding. He told me how he saw things on this ride, on roads he's been on countless times before, that he's never noticed before. He said that the city's skyline looked so cool when we were coming south on the I-5 and the planes were coming in. He said he wants to get a motorcycle. I smiled (a mix of joy and nervousness) and told him, "Get your driver's license first and some time on the road in a car, then we'll talk about you learning to ride."

I'm sure he'll remember yesterday as his first time ever on a motorcycle. He'll remember how his dad gave him a ride on his '07 Honda VFR800. He'll remember the sights and smells and how his familiar world somehow seemed to shift and change and come alive. He'll remember the sound and feel of the engine and the roar of the wind. I, on the other hand, will remember introducing him to motorcycling but more than that, I'll remember sitting at that taco shop, our helmets on the table, talking about the ride, talking about life, making a genuine connection that seems to happen less and less as the boys (and I) get older.

Yesterday was perfect.

 

Good for both of you but, you have created a monster. You may as well have taken him to get laid. Hide the key's to the bike is all I can offer.

 

lmao...............

 

metallyguitarded, I have Three sons (Maybe more!!!) and they all ride with me. They do have their own bike as well. I have the best time of my life to be able to share and doing thing with my kids.
BTW they also Scuba with me as well. Enjoy and be safe ATGATT

 

Now how the hell am I supposed to get the coffee out from between the keys of my keyboard?!

 

I have another son who's 18 and who also says he wants to ride some day. Their mom (we're not together anymore) has a 250 Ninja sitting in the driveway with a dead battery from non-use that would be perfect for them to learn on. It would be great some day to have father and sons road trips, each of us on our own ride.

I haven't been diving in years but did work as a Divemaster for five years at Ocean Enterprises in San Diego. I also managed their Encinitas shop for a while until it closed (not because of my management). I think about going back under the water every now and then but sold all my gear and just lost the bug after hundreds of dives in local waters. It's when I start talking about some of the best dives I've done that I start to get excited about possibly doing it again. Still, I'll probably only dive if and when I go on a tropical vacation.

 

I am a total hyprocrite, which I hate more than anything. But I do not want my kids getting a motorcycle.

 

I totally get it. My biggest concern is the lack of maturity and feeling of invincibility that goes hand-in-hand with young adulthood. I want them to experience the love of motorcycling that I have; a feeling that we all know but which is difficult to fully express to people who don't ride. Still, I want them to respect and fully appreciate the danger of what we do. Mixed feelings for sure. If and when they decide they want to ride their own motorcycles, I'll make sure that they get the proper training and talk to them (and set an example) about the need for always wearing the appropriate gear and maintaining their bikes.

 

I still remember when my dad took me along on rides when I was around 12 years old. He never really geared up other than long sleeve/pants and a helmet; which I also wore. I remember that feeling of seeing the roads and area differently than I had before, I also remember how my butt was not as iron as his was, often we would stop at the halfway point and my tolerance for sitting was long gone. I also remember when he asked me one summer afternoon if I wanted to try putting the bike in gear in the driveway, while his 5 minutes of training was enough for me to grasp the clutch in if anything goes wrong concept, especially as the bike was now accelerating towards the back of his truck. We both agreed that was a mistake. Between then and now, almost 20 years, I often thought of getting a bike, he was always supportive, always suggesting I not get more bike than I could handle and taking the msf courses. Though one of the last things he said to me after I told him I was going to look at my vfr before I bought it, was "I can't make another one of you, be careful"

The bikes are something we can now always talk about, I don't have any siblings from him, and none of the rest of our family has ridden. It's this special connection only we understand. I regret not getting a bike sooner, before he sold his last bike, I think rides together would have been awesome. I think he really got a kick out of the ride we did a few weeks ago, me on the vfr, him in his new cruiser, a pontiac solstice.

I think it's great you are involving your children, only advice I'd give is teach them those good habits now, gear them up and stay geared up yourself, they will follow your example always.

 

My step-son has hinted around about getting a motorcycle. At first he was really against them. He hasn't been on a ride with me yet. He wants a Porche when he gets his driver's license. I told him if he could afford the car and the insurance he could get whatever he wants. He talks about going FAST!

I don't think I will be letting him loose on a motorcycle any time soon. Too much piss and vinegar in this one yet!

 

Metally, that sounds like the all time PERFECT day with your boy . If and when my son shows interest in riding EVER I will first by him a dirt bike, thats how I learned after riding since 9 and buying my first street bike (84 750 Interceptor). It help me so much that I know fer sure I would have not made it threw those initial years of street riding, especially riding with all my Very experienced riding Buddies which included Barry Burk (Formula USA Champ) . Your boy will tell that story of his first ride with Dad for the rest of his life. Be safe

 

metally, at 16, now is a good time to get him a learner bike, ie., dirt bike maybe, don't know where you live, but we are out in the country, my 11 yr old girl rides her Yamaha 110 dirt bike on the county roads with me. I got her started on a scooter to get used to the physics, then graduated to the Yamaha. Now she's good on the dirt or the pavement. Just waiting for her to get to the age for a license for a street bike. I can't leave the house without her wanting to ride with me. Defense & Gear are my main points to her.

 

It is indeed awesome that you have shown your son the joy of motorcycling. There is only one problem.

1) Now you have to purchase your son his own motorcycle.

Why, you ask? The simple answer is, Man Law.

Man Law clearly states: "Upon reaching driver's licensing age, a male may not occupy the rear position of a motorcycle unless he is gay." There is no exception to this policy.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

enjoy the time while you can. Soon he will be out on his own. Just teach him to ride correctly & defensively, and you will have done your job.

 

If you have given them the best that you can in their upbringing, you can only point them in the right direction and pray to God that they will be safe. I still scares the hell outa me but , so far 4 for 4 is thye best I have done. Totally proud of all of the girls achievements. Yup 4 daughters!

 

As others have mentioned I think it is a great idea to start him off on an entry level dual sport or dirt bike. This will help him with his basic motorcycle handling skills in a safer environment than public streets. Unfortunately the most important street motorcycle skills are defensive driving skills which are typically learned through experience.

Rollin

 

"lack of maturity and feeling invincible that goes along with young adulthood"

so what is my excuse or is 42 considered the new "young adulthood? ;-)

 

That was an awesome story. Ironically, my Marine son, who has had two tours in combat, says he'd never own a bike "too dangerous"... He's never ridden with me, and doesn't seem to want to. He has a Jeep, and explains to me "the Jeep thing", which is ironic as well, cause I bought my wife a Jeep this summer...

At anyrate, my youngest daughter on the other hand, who has spent the most time at home since I started ridding again (the others were either out or close to leaving the house when my wife gave me permission to "kill myself if I wanted to, since the kids were old enough now"), rides with me all the time, was with me when I tossed Cap off the side of the mountain, and STILL can't wait to do her MSF course and get started... I too worry about her; in some ways worse as she's a girl (I know, sexist, tough), and in some ways easier for the same reason. She seems to have a better head on her shoulders than most the young men I see around, and believes in the rules of ATGATT, and such; but, because she's been through a crash, and has been around racing (armchair and local tracks) with me so much and witnessed enough of them, and has heard me say "crashing is part of ridding", I worry that she's a bit desensitized to the issue. So not the macho, invincibility issue, just the young person "oh that? Hell I've been thru that before..." type of thing...

At anyrate, she's got a while to go yet, as she's got other things she's working towards at the moment, but the day is coming...

 

My oldest, a 15 year old girl, started drivers ed this week. I said when she was done we would find a car. She said she didnt want a car. But has found a scooter she wants. She said she would ride it and then decide if she wanted a bike or a car. I told her it was a good idea, but I would still find a car for her.