When is a kid passenger old enough for a longer ride?

[ShowMeMo]

When I was a kid (ok, at 42 I'm still a kid around here ), some of my favorite memories were the rides with my Dad to friends houses for picnics, fishing, etc... I believe I was 10-12ish. These rides were part highway and part country roads. Never felt unsafe...and not even sure I wore a helmet!

So, my question is: When did you all start taking the kids for 'longer' rides? If they fit comfortably (feet on passenger pegs), any reason they would be less safe than an adult?

 

[SLK50]

My youngest son, now 8, started riding with me last year when he was 7.

I was able to get him to wait until his feet reached the passenger pegs.

He has already been on several day long rides with me.

By the time my oldest son was 12 he had already crossed the country twice.

The ability to sit still for lengthy periods and take direction are probably the

most important qualities in a young passenger.

Each of my three kids likes to sing and play "airplane" while riding but

my 10 yo has a propensity for falling asleep.

I've found the best way to keep youngsters excited about riding is to

always pick an interesting destination. ( Interesting for them. )

It seems they tend to remember and talk about the stops more than the ride itself.

This is a win-win situation for us; they go someplace cool and I get to ride more.

I'll assume any discussions about ATGATT will be unnecessary.

 

[frank]

I was giving my daughter a short ride - felt her helmet hit my back and had the bike stopped in a couple hundred feet. This really caught me off guard as it was only ten minutes into the ride. I asked her if she was tired but her eyes said it all, so we sat in a restaurant and waited for Mom to give her a ride home in the car. Scared me good and a sleepy passenger is something to think about – something about the droning vibration and nice warm sunlight…

 

[FJRMaineiac]

I have 3 sons - ages 12, 9 and 5. The two oldest ones started riding with me around age 8 when they were big enough to reach the pegs and aware enough to hold on, etc. They are usually good for day trips - rides of a few hours at a time. I haven't tried any multi-day rides with either of them yet. The 12 year old is already counting down the days when he can get his own scoot and join me on trips.

Here is a pic of the oldest taken a the 'Height of Land' overlooking Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Maine.

 

[Big Sky]

My son would ride in front of me when 3-4 as we putted around our five wooded acres on an old SL 350. Then he rode 60 miles of four-lane when he was five on my 1100 F. When he was 10, we went over the Beartooth Highway on my 1100 XX. Some would say I was irresponsible. Maybe, but all has turned out well.

 

[Fred W]

I have 3 sons - ages 12, 9 and 5. The two oldest ones started riding with me around age 8 when they were big enough to reach the pegs and aware enough to hold on, etc. They are usually good for day trips - rides of a few hours at a time. I haven't tried any multi-day rides with either of them yet. The 12 year old is already counting down the days when he can get his own scoot and join me on trips.
Here is a pic of the oldest taken a the 'Height of Land' overlooking Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Maine.

I love Rte 17. Not so much for the road, as the views. And I've seen a whole lot of moose on that stretch. I like moose a lot more than their little ruminant cousins (deer). They don't jump out in front of you willy nilly and break all your plastic.

 

[FJRMaineiac]

I have 3 sons - ages 12, 9 and 5. The two oldest ones started riding with me around age 8 when they were big enough to reach the pegs and aware enough to hold on, etc. They are usually good for day trips - rides of a few hours at a time. I haven't tried any multi-day rides with either of them yet. The 12 year old is already counting down the days when he can get his own scoot and join me on trips.
Here is a pic of the oldest taken a the 'Height of Land' overlooking Mooselookmeguntic Lake in Maine.

I love Rte 17. Not so much for the road, as the views. And I've seen a whole lot of moose on that stretch. I like moose a lot more than their little ruminant cousins (deer). They don't jump out in front of you willy nilly and break all your plastic.

You are right about Rt. 17 - excellent views. They were doing some work on it a year or two ago and I haven't been back there since. It was pretty rough before - hopefully they have smoothed it out some.

As for moose - I agree during the daytime, but at night they can be worse than deer. Their fur is nearly black and their eyes don't light up like deer and other critters. Either one is devastating to hit. Never heard of anyone walking away from a moose strike though. :dribble:

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

My kids got rides at 10-11 but don't like more than 20-30 miles (boy), and daughter prefers to ride in circles around the neighborhood so friends will see her. She gave up on a ride after 5 miles once. Now they are 13 and 14. Long rides aren't something they want to do at this point.