How old does a little person have to be?

**Wenier** · 14th July 2004, 20:21

Originally Posted by Milky

I used to get motion sick on some tighter, twistier rides when I couldnt see my way past the rider, and I can tell you that throwing up in your helmet is not a nice thing to do

OOO that doesnt sound good i luckily havent managed to make myself regret any nights of drinking with that yet. And since im the first to have bikes in my family never really been on the back of one.

**Posh Tourer :P** · 14th July 2004, 21:53

Originally Posted by Milky

I used to hang on around the waist of the rider, mainly because I wasnt big enough for the grab rails to be comfortable. Just try it on short rides, and make sure that they have some sort of prearranged signal to you if they want to stop for a toilet break/to throw up/to wake up.

If they hold round your waist, it's easier for you to know what they are doing, and they are less likely to suddenly decide they are scared and sit up straight. The holding onto the waist thing serves many functions, especially for new riders. For new pillions, I'd always get them to hold onto the waist, unless they *really* dont want to.... In which case they probably wouldnt go....

**FROSTY:Me** · 14th July 2004, 23:20

Originally Posted by Jim2

Good point Bungbung.

Frosty's yer maun MDU. He has a 10 year old that goes for rides with him as a pillion

Um jim --nope not 10--hes 5 been riding with me since 1
--just up and down the street.
On a propper ride since 3
But never just on the bike.-He has a special bike seat
that he can't fall out of but that he can jump out of if he needs to. (you can see it in my profile pic)
and I have blocks that lock onto the rear footpegs so he can reach them.
-For a jacket -theres a crowd in Chch that makes kids jackets for $80 -and theyre propper leather jackets.
For gloves he wore BMX gloves -to be small enough to fit.
For his legs he wears a bibn brace ski suit .
Boots are a worry but girls leatherfashionish boots protect his ankles.
The helmet was the hardest part. The neck needs to be able to support the weight in an impact. Origonally he had an open face polycarb lid with a chin piece witha weight of 1.0 kg.
He now wears a shoei composit helmet. that is only 1.5kg and fits him perfectly.
I have been pulled over a few times by cops but only to look at the setup.
The law is slack but specific.
Correctly fitting helmet is compulsury.
Feet must rest on footpegs is compulsury.

**FROSTY:Me** · 14th July 2004, 23:27

Originally Posted by Motu

I think the issue with really young one is them falling asleep and that it's better to have them in front of you,legally with foot pegs and something to hold onto.

Um motu I dissagree -I prefer the carseat on the back
The kid tends to sorta lol around and its hard work riding around em
On the back in a seat I found he just falls forwards onto me and thats as far as he goes He cant really go any furthur so i can focus on riding.
Mind you thats only my opinion not like fact

**ManDownUnder** · 15th July 2004, 09:13

Originally Posted by Milky

...and I can tell you that throwing up in your helmet is not a nice thing to do

Never done that, but I did do a thread about sneezing in your helmet... from personal experience.

Not good - NOOOOT good!
MDU

**boris** · 15th July 2004, 09:52

i have seen on the net somewhere a car type seat made for the back off a bike.It bolted on like a packrack/topbox.My parents had only a motorbike and sidecar when my oldest brother was born.But it was in 1950,s England.

**toads** · 15th July 2004, 17:47

I think slowly does it, let him have a ride around with you in the back yard from say age 3 onward every now and then and once he's about 6ish he'll be no sweat as a pillion, the main thing is he needs to be able to hang onto you consistantly, my younger kids tend to let go randomly which is scary, ( they are 10yrs) however my son who is now 16 started riding a 50 cc 2 wheeler around the paddock at 8 and was thrill seeking soon afterwards, they tend to either like that stuff or not like it, we also had a homemade go kart which all my older kids used and fought over, it went like stink and was great fun

**FROSTY:Me** · 15th July 2004, 20:32

I must agree with toads here. I was very very lucky with baby bikie. He was bassicly hanging out for a bike ride almost from birth. He used to get almost hysterical if I headed off without him.
With him it wasn't a matter of if he went on the bike but when.-The when was dictated by his ability to support a helmet
It may be your lil fella hates the bike at first.
A good freinds daughter was like that. She wouldn't go anywhere near the nasty smelly motorbike.
A few months later she sat in BB's seat and a week later we went for a ride.
She loved it -but I think if i'd pushede the issue she would have hated bikes for life.

**Motu** · 15th July 2004, 22:39

Originally Posted by XJ/FROSTY

Um motu I dissagree -I prefer the carseat on the back
The kid tends to sorta lol around and its hard work riding around em
On the back in a seat I found he just falls forwards onto me and thats as far as he goes He cant really go any furthur so i can focus on riding.
Mind you thats only my opinion not like fact

Well,I've never really had that problem,but I carried them when younger (off road) on the front,when older they went on the rear on the road,on the dirt track the girls went on the rear of bikes,in front of me on quads,because of more side force.

The going to sleep bit and carrying in front was told to a couple of friends by traffic cops,and one of them gave up taking his boy for a ride when he nodded off a couple of times on the back.We took my daughter in the sidecar from 2 mths,she was never awake - she was asleep just from kicking the Norton over,open megaphones and all!

**FROSTY:Me** · 15th July 2004, 22:51

Originally Posted by Motu

Well,I've never really had that problem,but I carried them when younger (off road) on the front,when older they went on the rear on the road,on the dirt track the girls went on the rear of bikes,in front of me on quads,because of more side force.

The going to sleep bit and carrying in front was told to a couple of friends by traffic cops,and one of them gave up taking his boy for a ride when he nodded off a couple of times on the back.We took my daughter in the sidecar from 2 mths,she was never awake - she was asleep just from kicking the Norton over,open megaphones and all!

sounds like you and me have the same idea--start em young.-breed the next generation of bikers

**ManDownUnder** · 16th July 2004, 08:46

Originally Posted by Motu

The going to sleep bit and carrying in front was told to a couple of friends by traffic cops,and one of them gave up taking his boy for a ride when he nodded off a couple of times on the back.We took my daughter in the sidecar from 2 mths,she was never awake - she was asleep just from kicking the Norton over,open megaphones and all!

Apparently it's a common thing with really small children (i.e. babies). Noise and stimulation makes them nod off.

Case in point - I did the shotover jetboat thing - V8 thundering away. The baby right at the back of the boat went from wide awake to out like a light by the time we reach 1/2 way. I laughed and pointed it out to the driver who just said "yeah - they do it all the time"

It's something to be aware of on the bikes for sure.
MDU