The classic cliché for bikers is that once you have kids, you become ‘sensible’, sell the bike and don’t get back into it again until the kids are deemed old enough to cope without you. I know a few people who did this or are doing it, and I assumed that I was a bit unusual in that after my first kid was born, I actually went and bought a BIGGER bike.
But after stooging around here for a while it looks as though the cliché doesn’t necessarily apply, so this got me wondering just how many KB’ers have kids, and wether it affects their attitude towards riding, or the way that they ride. Do you ever think “I really shouldn’t be doing this”? Do you have moments where you think the risks may be too great, and the kids really should have the best shot possible of having both a mum and a dad? Have you never even thought about it? Is this too personal and I should just f^ck off?
When our first (Lexie) was born, the wife and I sat down and had a good chat about it. The general theory behind me keeping the bike is that you give up a huge amount of personal freedom when you have kids, so why give up the thing that makes you the happiest? If I couldn’t escape on the bike every now and again I’d be like a bear with a sore head, which wouldn’t be good for anyone. As for the risk thing, we decided that yes it’s more risky than driving a car, but there is risk involved in anything you do- a life without risk wouldn’t be much of a life at all. Plus you’d be pretty pissed off if you gave up riding the bike to be safe, and then broke your neck hopping out of the shower or something. Plus a couple of people we know have brushes with cancer, and still more have died, so that kind of reinforced the idea that when your numbers up, its up, so you might as well do the things you love while there’s still time.
Actually I think the reason why she lets me ride is because she thinks I look sexy in my leather jacket- there's no accounting for taste :unsure: 'Course, I kinda stuffed that when I bought a synthetic jacket
So here’s the poll (my first one- hope it works) I’ve tried to make it cover all the bases. I know money is also a huge factor in riders chucking it in when the kids arrive, but I’ve got 8 options already…
Note: you can vote more than once, so if you tick 'Have kids- kept bike', you can also tick wether or not it affects your riding style. Sorry, could've condensed all that into two choices.
Hmm, looking at the ‘new thread’ window, I can’t see anything for posting a new poll- hopefully it comes up when I hit “submit new thread” otherwise I am going to look like a right plonker…
The option "Have kids- Sold bike" can be taken as past tense (sold bike, kids grew up, now I'm back/ not back yet) or present tense (sold bike- HURRY UP AND GROW UP!!)
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Originally Posted by Two Smoker
, but it hasnt changed the way i look at riding, the way i see it ya only live once so make the most of it.......worst case(i die) then they get a shit load on cash from insurance, so no worries and like ya said i could get hit by a falling satilite or slip in the shower, bang lights out 
if its going to happn then thats just bad luck. hopefuly they have stunt bikes in heven.....i better ask ZED 
I sold my bike the year before I met my wife. 
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