Imagine riding your new motorcycle and enjoying the view on a warm sunny day. You feel good, appreciating your freedom and a sense of well-being overwhelms you. Now imagine you have your child on board with you.
You don’t feel that comfortable anymore, do you? Parents usually have to worry about a lot of situations their children go through every day, and the responsibility of keeping them safe during their childhood can take up a lot of mental and physical energy.
Some parents prefer to keep their kids inside their comfort zone and avoid new experiences just to keep them safe. You do not have to be that type of parent. We did our research and we will tell you everything you need to know about how to keep your child safe while enjoying a ride on your motorcycle and having him or her as a passenger.
First things first
It is very important to know when is the right time to introduce your child to this activity. If his or her feet do not reach the passenger pegs, you will have to wait until they do. If he is too short, try to postpone his first ride; otherwise, you expose your child to unnecessary risks.
Also, it is very important that you go to your local biking accessories shop and ask if they sell moto helmets for children. Make sure that it has a hard foam in the shell and that it offers full coverage. The size is essential, as well as the chin bar. The helmet should be well-strapped when he puts it on.
It may feel uncomfortable at first, and your child might complain and want to take it off, but he or she will get used to it. Remember, facial scars can be traumatizing for everybody, so it is best to avoid them. And scars can be the least of your problems!
Positioning
As you might know, it is not easy to teach your child to keep a good balance while riding a motorcycle. Due to its size, your bike may seem like riding two bulls at the same time to your child. In other words, it is too much for your kid to handle. That is why positioning him/her in front of you is dangerous.
The same goes for positioning the child behind you. He/she won’t be able to hold on to you because the arms are too short. What should you do? The answer is simple: the best way to keep your child safe is to hold him or her next to you using a special belt that you can buy at your local biking accessories shop.
Make sure you don’t forget something important: your bike has to have a special design that makes it possible for two people to ride it. Otherwise, you will have a problem with space and balance.
Remember that your kid is like any other passenger. He or she has to look forward and the legs have to be on each side of the bike. The kid should never cover your view. This is important for the safety of you both.
Laws, laws and again, laws…
Last, but not least, you have to take into account the laws in your country or state. Some countries have special laws regarding the age of children riding bikes.
Check with the local police department to see if your area has special regulations for kids on motorcycles and their safety. This way you can also make sure that you are legally covered.
A child’s perspective
Scared of taking your kid for a ride? We hope not anymore. If you love motorcycle riding and you want to pass that love on to your child, do not be afraid to unveil your passion to him or her. New experiences can enrich your child’s view on life and make him or her want to try new things without remaining stuck in a comfort zone.
This is a skill we should all at least try to develop. As a parent, you want to teach him/her good values and to have a good approach when it comes to trying new things, but at the same time, safety comes first. If you keep your child safe, he/she will learn to take care of themselves as well and think about safety when you won’t be next to him/her all the time anymore.