I don't know how you can let your son ride a bike...

[Scouse]

My mum let me buy a GSXR600 and I'm 22 so I really can't complain.

Fookin Mummys boy

[LBD]

My Dad Dad started riding a WLA after the war and he got me into bikes at the age of 10...40 somfink years ago.

And I got my daughter into bikes when she was 12...and she still rides now.

And those occasions when we have ridden together are great

[Gremlin]

Dad used to ride around the age of 20, but mainly for cheap transport, so the biking bug never really bit him. Then he came home too often in the back of an ambulance muttering that "that one really hurt", his poor ol mother couldn't handle it and bought him a car.

For that reason, he did say from the outset he couldn't say no. Mum worries, but that's what they always do. Recently my brother picked up riding, but it seems to be more about transport than the bug of riding... Woe betide any girl that gives me the ultimatum of me or the bike...

[Oblivion]

Got my first bike as a present for my 16th birthday. Almost 18 now and its almost time for the full license.

My mum was always against bikes, mainly after Dads accident. (Metal rods in arms anyone?) But its too late to stop riding now

[clmintie]

For us it started out as a bit of trail riding at Woodhill, the girls were 11yrs. Now they're 16, on 125 mx bikes and we spend every cent and every weekend travelling to motocross/dirt events, wouldn't listen to anybody trying to tell us it's wrong to have amazing family time with a shared obsession....

[Jay GTI]

Yep! When I was learning to ride Dad's bike and did a lowside on gravel, his response was "for gods sake don't tell your Mother she won't let me give you the bike to ride again!" Next door neighbours kids told my Mum and I was 35 at the time

It never stops, I'm 38 and my Mum still keeps checking to make sure I wear a helmet when I go riding...

"no, I ride naked Mum"

"Really?"

"No, I am covered in the best protective gear I can buy, I am an adult ferchrisake...."

"Yes but I remember when you were seven and got your first BMX, you were so dangerous and fell off so many times. You didn't wear a helmet then!."

"So, what, I'm still seven? I'm not capable of learning from my mistakes, maturing, becoming a responsible adult?"

...and so on, and so on, and so on.... that instinct never dies, it just gets stronger....

[SPman]

Dad rode and raced before the war (WW2), so I never had a problem when I turned up at home one day on a bike....in fact, he insisted on taking it for a spin, even though he hadn't ridden for 25 yrs! My older son has bikes and has ridden for years, but the only qualms I have, are about the clapped out pieces of old shit he rides!

[baptist]

Over my DEAD and ROTTING body.

You mean HIS dead and rotting body don't you?

As I have told my daughters... Pastor or not ... I have guns

[hellokitty]

It never stops, I'm 38 and my Mum still keeps checking to make sure I wear a helmet when I go riding...

Yep! My Mum keeps turning around to check on me when we ride and my Dad tells her off! (sit still!)
She always says she worries about me, then she turns to MrHellokitty and says "I blame you for this" She has forgotten that I was riding dirt bikes with the intention of getting a road bike before I met him! It is Dad's fault

[DMNTD:Me]

Yeah well DMNTD is due for a visit so there's bound to be snail trail sooner or later.

His cup will runith over

[PrincessBandit]

While your kids are at home I think it is quite hard to trust that they will be fine and return home safely each night they go out. I still lie awake listening for both mine when they're late in, and I always tell both of them "take care" when they go out regardless of mode of transport.

Of course as a rider I know how much more vulnerable you are on a bike. However I get cheesed off when people tell me "oh, the weather doesn't look too good I don;'t think you should head out on your bike" (generally NOT my hubby saying that to me - it's my daughter!) so I avoid doing to other riders, including my son, what I don't like having done to me.

[Little Miss Trouble]

Of course as a rider I know how much more vulnerable you are on a bike. However I get cheesed off when people tell me "oh, the weather doesn't look too good I don;'t think you should head out on your bike" (generally NOT my hubby saying that to me - it's my daughter!) so I avoid doing to other riders, including my son, what I don't like having done to me.

Maybe she thinks you'll melt




My Mum was already so used to me being a handful and doing the unexpected that when I told her I was buying myself a bike for my birthday, she offered to pay for some of my riding gear. I guess she knew full well that I was gonna go right ahead and do it, so her best option was to make sure I had all the gear. Best Mum ever

[hellokitty]

My Mum was already so used to me being a handful

You? A handful?

Yes I could imagine you can be.... I have only seen you on your best behaviour

[Tosser]

I guess the word "headstrong" politely describes a lot of us.

[sondela]

My boys have both been riding since they were old enough to, and they both love riding, and they actually like riding with me, which is cool =)

I bought a bike in pieces in a box with my first pay check expressly against my mother's wishes, she was a nurse.. if my dad had been around it might have different, but I was a wee bit stubborn.. and I've only had two bad offs in all the time of riding.. second one a couple months ago on the track (Ducati only just fixed this week)

From my experience, if your kids want to ride, they will, forbidding it doesn't work, so may as well encourage them to ride safe, and keep an eye on their learning..