A young motorcyclist

[Dror 18]

My 16-year-old daughter fell in love with a motorcycle ride. Now she's taking lessons. I believe she was infected by my love for my motorcycle. As someone who is aware of the fun and danger of riding, I am debating whether to buy her a scooter or encourage her to learn to drive a car. When I was her age I rode a small motorcycle but it was not as dangerous on the roads as it is today. Have you experienced such a dilemma and what would you have done?

Edited May 1, 2018 by Dror

[Scootabout 2,267]

My son decided to take up riding just over a year ago when he turned 18. Since he's always known me riding bikes I didn't really feel I could try to dissuade him.  We helped him with some of the costs and made sure he got good training.  The other factor that made me reasonably relaxed was that I feel he has the type of personality that would make him cautious on a bike.  He prepares, plans, checks, monitors things and so on.  In that respect he's rather different from his brother (who doesn't ride - perhaps fortunately).  

 

In practice he hasn't been exposed to a great deal of risk so far, as apart from a family trip to France last summer in the company of my wife and myself he's barely ridden it!  Says he wants to get an off-road bike, as that's all that really interests him.  

[Jeffprince 4,923]

My son's wanted a bike since he turned teenage. I told him that he needed to get street wise by cycling.  Being a lazy git, he didn't bother. Now 20 and passed his car test when able, I think he has enough savvy to ride, once he finishes uni. It's in his blood, same as for me. It certainly is far more dangerous than years ago. 

[ScooterCommuter 151]

All depends on her mindset really. I nearly got a scooter but ended up spending the money I'd saved and later got a car instead. I was a little bit of a boy racer when I got behind the wheel so I'm glad I got it all out of my system in a car as I definitely would have been taking more risks than I'm prepared to now. Of course when I had the money and had my heart set on a Peugeot Speedfight 100 at 17 you probably wouldn't have been able to talk me out of it anyway!

 

There's definitely a lot to be said about getting streetwise too, when I did my cbt there were teenagers with no clue at all about roadcraft and it was scary to watch. They didn't pass but I've heard there are plenty of examiners out there with very low standards!

 

I definitely wouldnt go for a 50cc scooter as theyre just not safe enough in faster traffic, but if you're/she's happy to wait til she's 17 for a 125, if she understands the road and isn't going to go crazy then go for it!

[Bart Stilgo 428]

I had a full bike licence then took my car test.  It did give some help as you were more aware of the road conditions when you started to drive

But this was back in 1985.

[Finlayson99 1,009]

My 15 year old daughter has no interest in cars. She rides pillion with me for fun as well as the school run.

She wants to do her CBT at 16 but not ride till she's 17 and have a geared 125 progressing on from there.

The idea of her riding pillion is to begin to generate road sense, awareness and observation. We have an intercom so continually chat about the ride.

I've no problem as I don't see that it's really any safer for teenagers in cars.

She's well knitted out and is a sensible girl.

You're best to support and encourage making sure they're as safe as possible otherwise you risk rebellion.

 

I did ask her what she would do if I said she couldn't do her test. She said she'd call me a hypocrite !!

Fair point.

[Tex 36,817]

You can’t stop an offspring from doing something they, reasonably, would enjoy doing. Especially if you do the same thing yourself. Lots of fun activities carry a degree of risk, horse riding, bicycling, swimming and so on.

 

What you can do, is make sure they get good training and decent gear. Alan raises a valid point about the cars, teenagers in those have plenty of opportunities to get hurt.  

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

Suggest she does her car test first which helps her with road sense and then if she still wants a bike then support her with that. 

 

Just a thought 

Grumpy 

[PoppetM 16,867]

You can’t buy common sense. Provide lots of training either bike or car, both require you to pass the theory test for each licence.

I rode on main roads as a child so the Highway Code has been instilled in me at a young age. Then 16years of driving 15k+ Miles a year before taking the jump to the bike. 

You know the dangers of a bike, you also know your daughter. Is she sensible? Is she generally risk adverse? Or is she gung-ho and looking for speed?

I am the wary, sensible twin. My brother got his bike licence after realising I had got mine. There is no way I would ride pillion, he drives and rides like an utter maniac. 

[Finlayson99 1,009]

19 times more likely to hurt yourself riding a horse than a motorcycle 

 

[embee 7,288]

I notice Dror puts his location as Israel. Could be that road/traffic conditions are somewhat different. May be a significant factor.

[Dror 18]

True, there is congestion on the roads and everyone is in a hurry. The weather is also hot. We can ride the motorcycle even in the winter. There is no snow unfortunately

[PoppetM 16,867]

1 hour ago, Finlayson99 said:

19 times more likely to hurt yourself riding a horse than a motorcycle 

 

That's why I swapped Horsey for a different type of horsepower (Honda!)    At least if I fall off I know it's something I did wrong rather then the Horse just having enough  

[Trev 18,806]

After an accident on his moped at 16 my lad decided he didn't want to ride a bike which was fine by me (I loved playing football as well and he never like that), passed his car test at 17 and proceeded to crash his way around the country for a couple of years. Then at 19 he spent six months travelling in Asia which included riding various mopeds and full blown bikes (one guy rented him a 400cc!) all with no bike licence of course. He came back and announced he wanted to ride a bike, he did his CBT again, we bought a CBF125 Honda and he spent a the Winter getting used to two wheels with some Dad training. Did his A2 last year and bought back my old MT03 660 off the mate I had sold it to and he's been blatting around on that ever since, not driven his car now since October.  He's worldwise, sensible, a decent rider (he rode off road as a 11/12 year old) and has gotten the worse of his 'yoofulenss' out of his system but he's still a young 'un with a 'live for ever' attitude and a healthy disregard for rules and regulations - in short, like many of us probably (?) were as youngsters.

 

Would I stop him? I can't and wouldn't even if I could, he's a young man who is making his own choices. Do I worry about him on a bike? You bet. Do I enjoy going out with him for a ride? It's one of the most pleasurable things I have ever done. Having said all that, on balance (and it's a fine thing) still would rather prefer he didn't ride a bike 

[Rocker66 34,480]

Whilst obviously I wouldn’t want anything to happen to my son I wouldn’t want to stop him taking up any sport or pastime that he wanted to. What I would do would be to ensure he had the right training and had the right equipment. Many years ago when I was young a friend was banned by his parents from going anywhere a motorcycle. Sadly he conned another friend into letting him have a go on his claiming he knew how to ride. He crashed it and still carries the injury all these years latter. If somebody wants to do something badly enough they will probably find some way to do it so better to make sure they do it properly.

[baben 11,786]

Teenagers eh. Cannot teach them anything as they know it all already. Amazing how much their parents learn by the time the kid is 21.  My youngest is a proper headbanger and of course wanted a bike. I made sure he did a decent CBT and bought him decent kit then prayed. He started on a 50cc at 16 (unknown to me he got it derestricted) and he had a few minor spills (didn't tell me till a few years later). At 17 he bought an RS125 (derestricted of course) and I was able to go on a few rides with him. He had good riding skills and no fear and of course you can lay those RS 125s right on their ear.  Fast forward to borrowing my CG 125 and losing control on a bumpy road - straight through a hedge - nasty cuts and a broken collar bone. First time in his life he had actually hurt himself. Cannot do tests - dunno why  - so still on an L plate - taken out on a bend when he tucked the front of my Yamaha SR125 and slid into a van. Wrote off the bike, took the front wheel off the van. The boy was bruised and winded but otherwise completely unhurt. Hospital could not believe it and kept running scans!  Then twice  in fairly quick succession he was rear ended by dopey idiots and wrote off his own bike so he gave up for the moment and went travelling.  I realise none of this will fill you with confidence but bear in mind these  points - he ALWAYS wore the right gear. He is a famous maniac (legend in his own lifetime in our village). He is a boy and they suffer from terrible testosterone problems as teenagers - girls are not as mad generally speaking. So, get her as much training as possible, talk endlessly about how to ride sensibly - tell her to trust her tyres and make sure she has decent gear and wears it. Good luck.

[Finlayson99 1,009]

Does he take after you Glendon??? 

[baben 11,786]

48 minutes ago, Finlayson99 said:

Does he take after you Glendon??? 

Unfortunately yes but luckily I have survived long enough to calm down and the love of a good woman gives me a reason to stay safe.  We tend to be best mates (me and the boy) but we also fight like fury. Worryingly, my grand daughter (his niece) seems to have got the same gene to the bemusement of my ultra sensible older son.

[Finlayson99 1,009]

Sounds just as it should be!! 

[suffolk58 2,286]

7 hours ago, Finlayson99 said:

19 times more likely to hurt yourself riding a horse than a motorcycle 

 

Don't you just love statistics?

That's a mile for mile statistic, how many people do 10,000+ miles a year on a horse, but I see what you mean Alan.

I understand more people are killed playing rugby in a year than those involved in motorsport. Sounds scary until you consider just how many people play rugby compared to those who race.

 

As a person who works with young people a lot, I have some good news for you Dror....by having a daughter, rather than a son, her risk factor is halved, just by being female.

I have two sons.

[Dunnster 1,650]

My son wanted to follow me onto two wheels, he wanted a 50cc scooter at 16 I managed to persuade him to wait a year until he was 17 so he would be able to ride a 125cc. I felt better knowing he wouldn't be getting bullied by other motorists on a 50cc and having the extra power of a 125cc would make it 'safer' for him, and allow him to travel at the speed of roads, rather than stuck at 33mph riding a 50cc on a 40, 50, 60 or 70 mph limit designated road, which to me is ludicrous. 

You can get injured doing anything. 

I worried the first couple of times in the first week he was out and about, I couldn't go to sleep until he came home the first day, I still worry but it's more at the back of my mind rather than the front now, but that's the same with anything my children do, you never stop worrying, no matter what they do.

I advised him on good clothing and defensive riding, which he seems to have taken on board and I think will stand him in good stead when the time comes he decides to learn to drive. I really think all motorists should spend the day on two wheels on the road, if the want to learn to drive. 

[roddy 845]

Both my teenage sons dislike motorbikes so I reckon I have got off lightly on this one.Saying that I had absolutely no interest in bikes until I saw the light at the ripe old age of 48 when I was stuck for ages on a hot summer day in traffic and gazing at all the motorcyclist whizzing by.

[Finlayson99 1,009]

1 hour ago, suffolk58 said:

Don't you just love statistics?

That's a mile for mile statistic, how many people do 10,000+ miles a year on a horse, but I see what you mean Alan.

I understand more people are killed playing rugby in a year than those involved in motorsport. Sounds scary until you consider just how many people play rugby compared to those who race.

 

As a person who works with young people a lot, I have some good news for you Dror....by having a daughter, rather than a son, her risk factor is halved, just by being female.

I have two sons.

 

Absolutely agree with what you're saying. It's just a stat that's all but sort of points out that motorcycling isn't the spawn of the devil as some people would suggest it is.

For what it's worth, my daughter rides pillion, rides horses and jumps them, skis, snow boards and plays rugby.

She's got no chance 

[Tex 36,817]

4 minutes ago, Finlayson99 said:

 

Absolutely agree with what you're saying. It's just a stat that's all but sort of points out that motorcycling isn't the spawn of the devil as some people would suggest it is.

For what it's worth, my daughter rides pillion, rides horses and jumps them, skis, snow boards and plays rugby.

She's got no chance 

 

Au contraire mon ami! I would suggest your daughter’s activities point to her as having good athletic skills, good hand/eye co-ordination, great balance and good self control. She’s going to make a wonderful rider.  

[Finlayson99 1,009]

I'll let her know that, she'll be buzzing!