Kid wants a street bike

[fixxervi6]

Kid has a dirt bike, mom and dad are both on street bikes, kid just turned 15.

I've purchased and 100% funded the dirt bike

In Texas, you can get a permit to ride at the age of 15 with certain restrctions, not at night, cc restrictions etc.

Anyway

She found a motorcycle that she is drooling over, and she has the money for it, she has been saving since she was 7 years old, an older ninja 250.

I've agreed to go look at it, but I'm still hesitant on going down this road. I've put down additional "restrictions" that she said ok to and I'm still iffy

1. can only ride with mom or dad on a country ride, no city riding (DFW)
2. you must assume all of your own expenses such as insurance, oil, tires, etc
3. owning a motorcycle or not, your primary mode of transport is car (city)
4. I don't care if you bought it with your money, under my roof, my rule is rule and the machine can be removed/sold regardless (punishment)
5. pay for your own track days
6. if you get a speeding ticket you lose the bike and you must pay the ticket, 1 shot only no retries.

My biggest fear, cars, riding a street bike is the single most dangerous thing I've ever done in my entire life, and I've done some serious shit in my day, traditional and sport rock climbing, active cave diver etc.

I'm scared to death of her being out with retards on the street, but with my restrictions agreed upon I have little rational justification to say no.

I've burned through hobbies with her to get her to "latch" onto a passion, sports, scuba, music, you name it nothing "sticks". Motorcycles stuck with a flaming passion so I do not want to discourage it, there are worse things she could get into.

I need an outside opinion, would I be ding-bit-shit loony for allowing her to do this?

[wuzup76020]

sounds like your going about it the right way... Good luck and enjoy the time with your daughter

[SVS]

I know kids who started racing pocketbikes at a third her age Sounds like you're going about it smartly.

[gixxerbaxter]

sounds like an okay deal to me. those retards are gonna be on the street whether she's on a 250 or a bicycle - something we all have to deal with.

and maybe you should pay for her track days.

[JetBlast]

i think you are going about it just fine. its going to be difficult to enforce it because kids can be unpredictable. i think she will have her head on right for this so i wouldnt stress too hard.

[fixxervi6]

Originally Posted by gixxerbaxter

sounds like an okay deal to me. those retards are gonna be on the street whether she's on a 250 or a bicycle - something we all have to deal with.

and maybe you should pay for her track days.

I'm thinking car vs motorcycle, I've been teaching her how to drive a jetta diesel manual tran for a while now, when she starts to drive that will be her car.

She can do "track work" and get free track days, also part of the reason she has to agree to take on all of the expenses is to learn the true cost of owning something, just because you bought it doesn't mean your done.

Now, with that said there is no rule that mom and dad can't buy things for birthdays and christmas and such, but you gotta make them sweat it out a little otherwise nothing gets learned.

Originally Posted by JetBlast

i think you are going about it just fine. its going to be difficult to enforce it because kids can be unpredictable. i think she will have her head on right for this so i wouldnt stress too hard.

Thinking about the shit that I got into as a teenager is part of my hesitation, she is a good kid, straight A's head on straight but at the end of the day, a teenager is a teenager. If I had a motorcycle as a teen I'd be dead, no doubt in my mind, but that's me, I was an extra wild variety.

Thats why I also said, for now, rides with mom and dad only so I can supervise, when she decides to pull a stupid teenager move when she is out of sight, I'd rather have her do that in a cage.

When she gets older with more freedoms, I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it. This wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't so damn bad as a teenager, I know what they can get into, cause I was doing it and more, hehe

[rickcash26]

Originally Posted by wuzup76020

sounds like your going about it the right way... Good luck and enjoy the time with your daughter

This, stress over it but don't let it take the enjoyment of sharing something with your daughter. They are only that age once.

[Zlow28]

#1 is probably the best rule you put up there. That way you get to observe her, less traffic, and most likely she wont be fooling around on the bike.

[fixxervi6]

Alright, well the one we just looked at didn't work out, but she is happy that I am open to going down this path.

[93goatfucker04]

Sounds like a good set of rules you have. Thats about what my parents and I agreed to so that I could get a bike. Definitly glad they didnt just let me go where ever, when ever on whatever(i wanted a 600) I honestly think I would have gotten in to much trouble if they hadnt put the foot down, even tho I hated it at the time.

Good luck on the search

[Roughneckgsxr]

Sounds good bro. But it sounds like you are putting restrictions on her from the things you used to do. She is not you man you already said she is a great kid. But to say the least the rules are good.


Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app

[Minibull]

Sounds like your doing it the right way

Best thing for her is having you there. My Father taught me heaps. The only other experience I had was pillioning. Hopped on a 150 2 smoker at 15 and then a 250 3 years later. Now on a 750 at 6 years and still going strong and learning heaps

[easter bunny]

I'll be the voice of dissent. I wouldn't let my kid ride at 15. Not without experience in a car first so they can practice obeying traffic laws AND seeing what stupid shit other drivers can do. Maybe trackdays first so she can get some seat time.

The last thing you'd want is for her to be in an emergency evasive situation (can happen anywhere, even a country road) and not have the skills to maneuver the bike.

[fixxervi6]

Originally Posted by easter bunny

I'll be the voice of dissent. I wouldn't let my kid ride at 15. Not without experience in a car first so they can practice obeying traffic laws AND seeing what stupid shit other drivers can do. Maybe trackdays first so she can get some seat time.

The last thing you'd want is for her to be in an emergency evasive situation (can happen anywhere, even a country road) and not have the skills to maneuver the bike.

Agree, I've already told her she will "learn" to drive with the traffic laws and such in a car first, we've already been working on that.

The motorcycle would be in the parking lot for now

When I see how she handles a car, then we can talk about the bike on the streets, but it doesn't mean she can't start parking lot bike stuff now.

[john kinzell]

sounds like a good bunch of rules..
and from your statements, it sounds like she is going to be a "rider" no matter what you say, just a matter of time. If ya dont let her have the skoot now, she will have one later in life.. best to do the teaching while they are young and just hope the instructions will be learned and stay with her..
I kno its every parents worst night-mare watching their "spawn" ride into the wild blue yonder aboard a skoot, but there isnt a lot we can do about it, teach um well and wish them luck..

[just browsing]

You're definitely going about it the right way.

While certainly very dangerous, it's clearly something that she's passionate about. And since you're taking the right precautions, it could even turn out to be something that brings you and her closer together.

Good luck

[Dezman]

<it doesn't mean she can't start parking lot bike stuff now. >
Please supervise 1st times !
We dont want to hear another story like the boy last year who was very responsible, did all the things dad asked, super kid, dad did as promised and got his kid 1st bike at 16 and did his first riding in a parking lot unsupervised ,
and died in that parking lot that day when he put the bike thru a wall.
Normally I would not print this, but I have a 15 yr also and going thru same almost but she has no interest in the bikes right now.
I am trying to take her to desert and train driving with quad.
When she can correctly ride with us using a clutch and brakes in the rough, I see her making the right decisions for terain with clutch , throttle, brakes, gears, I will start to consider street and the car.

good luck, be vigilant, stay frosty
show the love !

[Minibull]

One thing to notice is that she really seems like a proper rider and has a genuine interest in it. That should also means she will take it very seriously, to the point of being critical on everything she does, doing her best to learn everything about it. Even more so having you there with her. I know it was the same for me, didnt want to piss off or do something stupid with my Father there.

Much better than the guys who get 750's and squid around coz it looks cool to their mates...

[dJt3xtbook]

i see you're from texas where I believe there is no helmet law. Might want to add a helmet and full gear to the list.

[dLegend82]

you are going the right way about it.
Best you do it together as a family then any other way.

Good luck