Too young to ride?

[kikazz]

I bet most of you probably had this problem. How on earth did you convince your parents/family (especially your mother) that you were going to ride a motorbike??????

[The Tazman]

I bet most of you probably had this problem. How on earth did you convince your parents/family (especially your mother) that you were going to ride a motorbike??????

Is it the same as a car over here 15? My personal opinion is that 15 is too young.

I didn't have a problem as my Mum had ridden bikes, My Dad rode bikes and my step brother rode bikes so I was in a good position to get one. As I said in my other post My Dad actually went and got mine, I had to pay for it though :D

[jrandom]

I feel your pain.

Personally, at your age, I got around it by remaining frustrated for many years, and then eventually buying a motorcycle when nobody could stop me.

For the moment, you pretty much just have to suck it up and handle the jandal.

Unless you can afford to move out of home and support yourself.

Can you afford to move out of home and support yourself?

[Karma]

I'd been driving a car for about 3 years before riding, so she knew I could handle myself on the road anyways.

Plus since when do you need permission? HTFU.

[jrandom]

Plus since when do you need permission? HTFU.

Dude's living with his parents, dude has to live by their rules, s'way it works innit.

Sure as hell will be for my kids, anyway.

[Romeo]

Well, first you need to decide whether or not it's the right thing for you. If you convince yourself that you're going to get one (for the right reasons), there's nothing your folks can do to stop you. If you approach them with the attitude that "I AM getting a bike one day" rather than "Can I have a bike one day?" it'll definitely be easier to get support from then down the track.

Everyone thinks bikes are dangerous, and people who care about you are obviously going to try and keep you away from danger - so do your own fact finding about the safety of motorcycles and then decide whether or not you're in this for the right reasons. They'll take your word for it if you can prove to them that you fully understand what you're getting yourself into - if they cant? Well, then they're selfish I guess...

Has anybody got that link for the website where all the guys are torn to pieces and stuff? DieToRide or something? Maybe Kikazz is a bit young for that though...

That said, there's no need to get a bike right now. Get yourself a car and learn the road rules and stuff, that's what I did. I'd hate to learn the road rules all over again on a bike - that would increase the likelihood of a crash exponentially.


Good luck though...



WTF kind of positive reputation is this!: "Should i quit my job and run my own business full time?" - Unknown

[swbarnett]

I had no trouble. The decision was more my Dad's than mine and my Dad was riding when my parents met so Mum was no stranger to them.

[Jantar]

...That said, there's no need to get a bike right now. Get yourself a car and learn the road rules and stuff, that's what I did. I'd hate to learn the road rules all over again on a bike - that would increase the likelihood of a crash exponentially.
...

Bad advice, from someone who hasn't yet learnt to ride. The best cage drivers are those who learn to ride a motorcycle before learning to drive a car. On a bike you quickly learn to respect other road users, to keep a good lookout, and most importantly to not overreact. You'll get to appreciate different road surfaces, different weather conditions etc, all which combine to make you a safer road user overall.

The road rules are (almost) the same for both, and you must prove that you know them before you get your learners. Its the application of the rules that's a bit different, but choose the right bike and it isn't an issue.

[Boob Johnson]

If you approach them with the attitude that "I AM getting a bike one day" rather than "Can I have a bike one day?" it'll definitely be easier to get support from then down the track.Excellent advise :niceone:

[Romeo]

Bad advice, from someone who hasn't yet learnt to ride. The best cage drivers are those who learn to ride a motorcycle before learning to drive a car. On a bike you quickly learn to respect other road users, to keep a good lookout, and most importantly to not overreact. You'll get to appreciate different road surfaces, different weather conditions etc, all which combine to make you a safer road user overall.

The road rules are (almost) the same for both, and you must prove that you know them before you get your learners. Its the application of the rules that's a bit different, but choose the right bike and it isn't an issue.
I agree to a certain extent, your point of view would work perfectly if we were talking about a responsible adult. But I feel that being a road user requires a lot of self control and decision making capabilities, most of which aren't the best in an sub-18 year old. As I said in my post somewhere else it's much easier to get in trouble on a bike and the consequences are a lot higher if you let the adrenaline or red-mist get to you.


"On a bike you quickly learn to respect other road users, to keep a good lookout, and most importantly to not overreact."
... And the consequence of NOT "learning quickly" is likely to be an accident, just as if you were in a car, except it's likely to be more servere.

[Karma]

Hmm... car first or bike first... who knows eh...

All I can say is that it's advantageous to have both for sure, I've seen more than enough dickhead bikers whilst driving the car for sure.

I've come to realise when riding the bike that certain things I do such as race up behind a car can be very aggressive and led to mistakes by that car driver.

So yeh... get both for sure...

[janno]

www.ride2die.com

I don't think a 16 year old wanting to get a bike is too young to look at this. Unless you'd argue they're too young to kill themselves on a bike . . .

My advice - act responsibly in your family environment, (I'm sure you already do) and then as Ma and Pa see you are rapidly becoming a young adult whom they can trust, they will start to treat you as an adult who can make his own decisions.

If you act like a snot nosed little brat (not saying that you are - but I was at that age) or do dumb shit which makes them grit their teeth and roll their eyes, you've got diddly squat chance of getting their support . . .

An easy but simple way to get Ma on side is to do household chores every day without being asked. And for more than a week, too!

If that's too hard, then you can't want a bike that badly . . .

Or else move out of home, making sure you get a job which will allow you to afford a bike. Hard at your age, but not impossible.

[Mole_C]

My parents didn't take much convincing. They went away for 6 months on a boat and when they got back i had a new toy in the garage :cool:

Just go buy one. It's a lot harder for them to tell you ya can't have one when u already have one :rolleyes:

[Coyote]

Sure as hell will be for my kids, anyway.
Seeing the rate of change in society, I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were imprisoned for not letting your darling children with their poor upbringing make the rules.

I started riding at 15. After 2 and a half years, I'm still alive aren't I? I was and still am sensible. I did have a few offs on the road but that was due to a horribly unsafe bike (plastic tyres, shit suspension), my previous and current bike I've had no problems on. I think teenagers are more likely to get in trouble in a cage since they have extra seats which you can hear your friends peer pressuring you, whether it'd be speeding, passengers on restricted or drunk driving. Can't really hear a pillion over a whining engine, and when you're drunk you don't tend to make it out of the driveway. What's more I'm now the one when I'm travelling with mates in a car that says 'slow down, this isn't a race track'. I may be a killjoy but at least my mates and I are still alive, that's the respect for the road I've learnt through riding a bike.

By the way kikazz, that's a picture on an R1 in your signature.

[Dodgy1]

I'm going through this with my 12 yr old already. He's ridden pillion on my bike and his mums.He is keen as a bean to get a bike when he's old enough to ride. We have talked to him about the pros and cons of motorcycling and he has started saving for his first bike which we will work with him and advise him on whats best to start out on. I will also be enroling him with a riding school. My wife learned to rid through one and she is now riding a 900 hornet. The bottom line is if your kids are keen to do somthing then you should work with them instead of against them.

[NighthawkNZ]

I just turned up on me bike... nothing they could do... then I left to join the navy

[Coyote]

I'm going through this with my 12 yr old already. He's ridden pillion on my bike and his mums.He is keen as a bean to get a bike when he's old enough to ride. We have talked to him about the pros and cons of motorcycling and he has started saving for his first bike which we will work with him and advise him on whats best to start out on. I will also be enroling him with a riding school. My wife learned to rid through one and she is now riding a 900 hornet. The bottom line is if your kids are keen to do somthing then you should work with them instead of against them.
Might be an idea to get a non-threatening 4 stroke dirt bike, such as an XR100 or if he's too big for that a CRF150 (air cooled, not the fire-breathing water cooled version that came out when I was too big for it). He'll be able to learn the basics on the dirt at slower speeds and no traffic. Only problems with that are cost (a crappy XR is still around 1000-1500) and finding a dirt paddock to ride (council doesn't like you using the riverbank as you'll tear it up, but they're fine for a police speedcamera to park itself on the side of the road, carving huge trails behind it). You could look up a local MX club cause they will generally have a paddock near the track.

I started riding when I was 13 (on a CRF150) which did help the transition onto the road. It was more about learning the road than learning to ride.

[Goblin]

An easy but simple way to get Ma on side is to do household chores every day without being asked. And for more than a week, too!

If that's too hard, then you can't want a bike that badly . . .
I agree with this little pearl! This is THE best way to get Mum on side. She'll be putty in your hands if you do this. :yes:

I got my bike licence at 15 then my car at 18. Mum couldn't really say no as my brothers and sisters all had bikes/scooters. We were like a teenage bikey/scooter gang...:scooter::scooter:
My Grandparents paid for proffesional driving lessons for everyone but me. I had to learn the hard way. Cost me 10k.:angry:

[Blackbird]

In addition to all the good advice here, go the extra mile and research all the bike training schemes in your area (including defensive driving) and understand what they offer, then discuss them with your folks to show that you're taking the whole thing seriously. As Jantar said, riding a bike makes you a better driver overall and it's a good investment in your future. I wish all car drivers had ridden bikes first!

Best of luck!

[Dodgy1]

Might be an idea to get a non-threatening 4 stroke dirt bike, such as an XR100 or if he's too big for that a CRF150 (air cooled, not the fire-breathing water cooled version that came out when I was too big for it). He'll be able to learn the basics on the dirt at slower speeds and no traffic. Only problems with that are cost (a crappy XR is still around 1000-1500) and finding a dirt paddock to ride (council doesn't like you using the riverbank as you'll tear it up, but they're fine for a police speedcamera to park itself on the side of the road, carving huge trails behind it). You could look up a local MX club cause they will generally have a paddock near the track.

I started riding when I was 13 (on a CRF150) which did help the transition onto the road. It was more about learning the road than learning to ride.

He already rides the xr to get the cows in as we live on a dairy farm....I was thinking something like a cb250 honda quite sedate yet nible enough to go through the training course at the riding school....I went along to the wifes class once on the 1200 bandit and couldnt do half the stuff they were doin through traffic cones....funny...:laugh:

[marioc]

Well I just didnt tell my mum :yes:,dad is into classic bikes so no probs there

[Crisis management]

I bet most of you probably had this problem. How on earth did you convince your parents/family (especially your mother) that you were going to ride a motorbike??????

Lots of good advice already so try it all out.

My 5c worth:
Get yourself on a dirt bike, off road, as thats arqueably safer than on the road, it's relatively cheap, there's squillions of similarly minded teenagers to hang out with and you get to do all the stuff we aren't allowed to do on the road.

There are difficulties with that obviously; transport and distance to travel etc. Here are some of the solutions.......
Want some quality time with your parents?
Alternatively turn up at the local track (there will be a local track you live in NZ) and help out until someone takes pity on you.
Lurk around on KB and someone will offer to help out.

This may seem a bit left field if your wanting a fireblade but we all have to start somewhere and dirt riding will give you the skills you need while appearing as a safe option for your parents.

For the record, my son is 19 now and there is no way in hell I would let him start riding on the road at 16. (luckily he was happy to fall off the dirt bike until he discovered bikes weren't him)

Good luck, and work with your parents so everyone is happy-ish at the end.:grouphug:

[Grub]

Hey Kikazz, welcome to KB. I don't know about your 'rents, but I'm already impressed with you. You found us :)

It's not going to be an easy task, but circumstances may work for you because with school/work/uni/sports a guy needs transport. Bikes are convenient cost efficient transport.

I like the advice so far that said just tell them you're "... going to have to get a bike ..." and I like the other point about a bike rider being more road-savvy than a car driver.

If you can keep a straight face just add "... I don't want a car and end up as one of those boy racers mum ...". Oh and FFS don't talk about the Fireblade!!! Only talk about nice sensible, useful 150's and 250's.

Oh and BTW, she's right. You will fall off and hurt yourself, we all do - but you knew that anyway. Didn't you?

[PirateJafa]

My mother rode a bike back when she was my age.

Hell, now that I've got it, she is eager to have a ride again. :O

[Pwalo]

Sorry mate, but I don't think you'll ever be able to convince your parents. I don't know your circumstances, but if they don't like the thought of you being on a bike that's the way it is.

You are quite entitled to make your own decisions when you are an adult, and your parents will have to come to terms with that. I have two teenage sons and I can understand a bit of where your parents are coming from.

Funnily enough I was introduced to biking by my Dad. I needed transport when I was sixteen, and back in the good old days (hmmm), cars were too expensive and there weren't any Japanese imports. So I became a motorcyclist.

My mother is still a bit concerned about my riding a bike, and I've been doing it for almost 35 years!

Don't stress about it. Just keep plugging away at it, and see what happens.

[deanohit]

The only thing I can think of is you get a bike, give your dad a go :scooter:and get him hooked. That way your mum will have to deal with him wanting a bike too and will have to give in then.
Now the best part. Now she has givin in, give her a go :scooter:and when she sees how much fun it is, she'll be hooked as well.:Punk::woohoo:
Problem solved I hope.

[NotaGoth]

Dude's living with his parents, dude has to live by their rules, s'way it works innit.

Sure as hell will be for my kids, anyway.


Agreed. As my old lady says... "its my way or the highway."

She didn't want me to get a bike. She helped me with cars, I paid back every cent. But she wanted nothing to do with me buying a bike.

I worked my little butt off. Worked 7 days a week and she barely got to see me because of it. Got my first bike on my own. Though.. She did loan me gas money so I could get to Auckland to pick it up. So I guess she gave in a little at the end of it all.

The day she seen me playing around on it on our driveway, and the more she sees me out there tinkering with my RG the more supportive she has become about my decision.

I guess parents love to see the smile on their kids faces.

Start saving. Everything else will work out from there. Did for me. ;)

[Dazza]

I just turned up on me bike... nothing they could do... then I left to join the navy Similar situation here, I had an XT125 which I got my licence on, then left home joined the Army had a car for 12mths then turned up on my Ducati 900S2, not much they could say really. Even my Grandfather had to have a change of heart, hated MC (or so he'd say) but always was the first to tell anyone that his Grandson rode a Ducati/Moto Guzzi/Aprilia now a KTM. I'd have to agree that learning to ride before the drivey thing certainly makes you a more aware Cage driver !:Punk:

[scracha]

I bet most of you probably had this problem. How on earth did you convince your parents/family (especially your mother) that you were going to ride a motorbike??????

I got my finger out my arse and got a job to buy my own motorcycle.

[avgas]

There was a brilliant article many moons ago about how you lie cheat and steal your way to getting and riding a bike.
It was by Groff i think, but dont quote me on that.
Said how you buy a bike (its example was TS185) by stealing money of of dads glovebox, mums purse, your sisters piggy bank etc, then u use the money to buy a cheap shitter, and you sneak it out of the house. but everyday you go home sit it up, take the wheel off and say that your still 'working on it' as a long term project to one day get it running.
I'll see if i can find it still as it was how i got riding.

[Sparky Bills]

your never too young to ride!!

[MidnightMike]

Is it the same as a car over here 15? My personal opinion is that 15 is too young.

Im 17 atm and I would have to agree with you there, though i started at 15 on 2 wheels.

Id say half of the 15 year olds i see are too immature and have poor judgement to be behind the wheel or on a bike. :chase:

You just have to convince the olds that you aren't that half, and prove it.

Which is what i managed to do.

If you got your new bike and rapped it round a tree in the first week, your not only a tool, but one of the useless half who shouldnt be on the road.

Just my 2c.

[The Pastor]

just store it at your mates house like i did.

[caesius]

I went through hell to get my bike. The old man took the car away, I was threatened with being booted out but I went and bought it anyway. Once my parents realised I was going to do it no matter what they came around very quickly. Even helped me bring it down.

Or just take the easy way out and do what RM said - a lot less fuss but then your mates will be hooning round on your bike when your not there...

[The Tazman]

your never too young to ride!! That's true matey but you are for the road. As said by MidnightMike allot of 15 y.o. aren't responsible enough to be on or in a vehicle let alone on the road.

[peasea]

I don't think I mentioned it until I was about 26! It was just a case of "I'm going out, see you later" and then when I was 16 I moved out. Simple. Then I was my own master, did what I wanted and rode/drove whatever, whenever.

Provided you stay legal wtf does it matter?

[McJim]

I finally sat my car licence when I was 30 and got my first motobike when I was 35.

Parental approval didn't really come into it.

[Sleepr]

I always wanted a bike, but dad never approved of it. I been driving cars since I was 16 or so. It was my mum who put the biking seed in my head. She said "Why dont you get a bike instead of a car?", I was so suprised when she said that. She always supported me in whatever I did. She knew I liked bikes, because I used to drool at bikes which went past us everytime and I kept saying I want one :P. But dad on the other hand didnt want me near bikes. I think its because he used to ride bikes in India so he knows the pros and cons.

But I have a bike now. This is what I did to convience my dad:
Started to brainwash my dad by saying "I am going to get a bike" every month or so and before he knew it he was ok with it. The more you try to get your point across the better the chances are for you to achieve the things you want.

So goodluck :).

[Hanne]

My parents couldn't really say no to me, because when they were younger they would commute auckland to paeroa on my Dad's dirt bike. What they could do was advise me on gear (good call, pink stockings do not offer much protection), and teach me to drive a car.

The whole bike fisrst/ car first thing wasn't really an issue because i was already driving a car when I sat my bike learners, but I do know that they have told my sister she needs to get her car restricted before she can get a bike licence.
That was just about getting confidence on the roads really, and sensible too, seeing as she has a car to borrow and learn in and might as well make the most of it while she can. Plus it is useful to be able to drive a car and have more than one passenger.

It is useful to be able to drive/ ride both. Would your parents be more likely to agree to your bike if you arrangend something like getting your car full first?
Iam not saying that is the way to make the best drivers/ riders out of people, just suggesting another tool of negotiation :P

[kikazz]

wow, alotta replies to that..


Has anybody got that link for the website where all the guys are torn to pieces and stuff? DieToRide or something? Maybe Kikazz is a bit young for that though...

That said, there's no need to get a bike right now. Get yourself a car and learn the road rules and stuff, that's what I did. I'd hate to learn the road rules all over again on a bike - that would increase the likelihood of a crash exponentially.

thanks for the site romeo but i did not scroll down. If i had, it would probably put me off of riding for years.
I have been wanting one since i was like 3 so i dont think its going to change anytime soon.:2thumbsup


I have already asked my parents casually but they always give the same answer "Nope!!! your never gonna get a bike"
kikazz: yeah im gon get one!
MUM::mad: (all you really see is the mouth moving, the rest is like the fat lady singing.)
Kikazz::crybaby:

And yeah getting a car and learning the road rules would be nice. but then i gotta pay for a car az well!:Pokey: lol if i wanted a car "id want a mazda rx7"yea yea i know lotsa dreaming going on...

but really i "am" a responsible guy. im not going to go and race anyone (not yet anyway:rolleyes:) or try to do silly stunts etc. IF i had one i would just mind my own business and cruise along at 50k.

And sucking up to my mum and doing the chores would be a good idea but that really wont get me anywhere cos i already tried!!:(
I'm almost 17 now, and most of my mates have their car licenses (almost got their full) and i dont even have learners (know how to drive tho:apint:).

So im guessing the best thing for me to do after listening to most of you guys is..."Get my self a job and get a bike!".
when i do ill ride safe dw;)


>EDIT<
But seriously check out that fireblade:devil2: