Tips for Riding Your Motorcycle With a Child

If you’ve got both kids and a motorcycle, chances are good that your kids have expressed interest in riding with you. Motorcycles are exciting and fast and fun, so it’s not a surprise when children and teenagers want to join in. 

However, due to the dangers of the road, it’s very important to educate and prepare both yourself and your child before you bring them with you on your bike. Here are some recommendations for how you can safely ride your motorcycle with a kid on board.

Get Child-Appropriate Riding Gear

First things first: you simply cannot allow your child to wear helmets or other types of riding gear which are designed for adult bodies. Kids are small and they need appropriate riding gear, including a comfortable and well-fitting helmet that is DOT-rated and, most appropriately, specifically designed for a child to wear. A full-face helmet with a chin bar is the safest option.

As for the rest of your child’s attire, you can invest in a thick, padded leather jacket that will protect your child well if the motorcycle skids out. Pants, riding gloves, and riding boots made from abrasion-resistant fabric and designed for the height and weight of your child are also essential. 

Follow Local Laws

It’s up to you to make sure that you’re properly educated and licensed yourself, with an insured motorcycle in good working order. You’ll also need to investigate the laws of the state you’re in to make sure that you’re complying with any age restrictions or rules about riding with kids, such as avoiding highways.

Secure Your Child on the Bike

Your child should always ride on a seat behind you, never in front of you. You can invest in a passenger belt that has handholds to secure your child to you as you ride. Typically, these belts secure around your waist and your child’s body with the buckle in front of you to keep them from undoing it. This is especially helpful if your child is younger. 

Educate Your Child

You’ll also need to make sure that your child is educated on what they need to do to be safe while riding with you. You’ve probably determined that your child is responsible enough to behave themselves and pay attention, which is a great start.

Teach your child how to get on and off the bike with you and have them practice getting into the proper position. This may require some repetition to get right. Educate them on how to keep hold tightly and to use hand signals or taps to communicate with you. 

You’ll have to start riding slowly around the neighborhood at first to accustom your kid to how riding on a motorcycle feels. Talk to them about their experiences on the rides to see if there are any questions you can answer or any improvements you can make. 

When you’re ready to check out a great selection of new and used motorcycles for sale, stop by our dealership in Upper Darby, PA, to see what’s available. Crossroad Powersports serves our customers in Philadelphia, PA, and Wilmington, DE.