Starting kids on bikes, riding scooters on 1L/IR?

[neels]

Firstly, I am one of the born again motorcyclists that the government/ACC hates, a lot of years off motorbikes due to bills/mortgage/kids etc.....

I had a non motorcycling family so I learnt to ride by buying a bike and finding out the hard way how not to do it.

I would like to give my kids the opportunity to experience as many different things as possible before they leave my care, including a car and bike licence if they so desire.

My XL250 is primarily for fun for me, and the secondary purpose is as something that the kids can learn to ride off road away from traffic. Is this something suitable for a 15 year old at about 6 foot tall to learn on or should I be looking at something smaller?

Alternatively, I probably have access to a scooter if this is a better option for the kids to learn but I don't know what the legality is of him riding a scooter on his learners/restricted, or whether a motorcycle licence is required.

Thoughts?

[Slyer]

Riding a scooter a scooter doesn't really prepare you for riding a motorbike, they are quite different animals. If he can drive a manual car and ride a pushbike I'd start straight on a bike.
To answer your question he can ride the scooter on a car license as long as it is registered as a moped. 50cc etc.

[FROSTY]

Mate if he has Never ridden befor an XL250 could be a tadd daunting.

[neels]

If he can drive a manual car and ride a pushbike I'd start straight on a bike.
Yup, he's driving a carburetted 5 speed manual with no power steering :2thumbsup and has no trouble with port hills singletrack on his pushbike. So ya reckon he'll be OK on the XL?

[Slyer]

Mate he's an ideal candidate.

[neels]

Mate if he has Never ridden befor an XL250 could be a tadd daunting.That's what I was wondering, I've only got the thing because it turned up for $50 in bits, so it wouldn't really worry me (once it's run in with a few hours of me riding it ;) )to trade it down to something the kids could all learn on.

[neels]

Went out visiting friends with 10 acres today, so I thought I should take the 250 along for it's first decent outing and give my son a go at it.

After a short training session he was out in the paddock. Brakes, clutch and gear changing sorted, learnt that if you let the clutch out too fast the front wheel head upwards but hung on OK, low speed balance looking very good for his first time on a bike.

I think him and myself need to spend more time out in the dirt to improve his skills, of course it won't do him any harm to have a break every now and then & I can keep the bike warm for him ;)