17 and on the road............I hope he is ok

[Hilux]

Ho Hum

My son Jonathan is 17 and has saved and worked hard for........................an old Mini

or so I thought.

He`s messed around with an old motoX bike and is into mountain biking.

He recently came down on the side of bikes and got his CBT and chose a yamaha xt 125 on/off road bike after being persuaded by a number of dealers that an Aprilia crotch rocket thingy was bloody dangerous and broke down a lot.

So, in an hours time we venture forth and he picks it up. I`ve helped him with the best clothing/helmet etc and am paying for a one to one days tuition with an ex police motorcyclist but I still worry.

Its all the bloody idiots on the road (I dont pretend that I'm a brilliant driver either) and you are seriously vulnerable on a bike.

If anything happened I just feel like I helped him with the thing that hurts or kills him.

Just thought I`d share this with you really.................

 

[944psi]

I hope he is OK too. He sounds to be better equipped than most, with the correct equipment and training. I have a number of friends who are bikers some of whom have had incidents but nothing serious.

I too worry about which side my son & daughter come down on, i.e. bikes or cars, although I have a little while to wait as they're 3 & 6 respectively.

Phil

 

[Siggy]

Being a parent you will worry what ever your kids do.

I know I do

Siggy

 

[zeb]

well...having been on bikes for over 20 years and crashed 4 times i would say i am fairly well versed in two wheeled attractions. I rode at the TT this year (for fun not reward!!!) and was undertaken coming down to the aptly named windy corner at 138mph...which was fun[]. A couple of weeks later I was coming away from Devils Bridge ( a popular bike meet ooop north) at 30mph when a manky green escort full of chavs crossed to my side of the road, hit me and drove off. I was left with 3 broken fingers and about £750's worth of damage to the bike.

Point to Jonathon (and no doubt he doe's not want to hear this from some middle aged old fart) is it don't matter how quick ....and i was...you are....you will always be vunerable on a bike. My 10 year daughter crying in A&E was enough for me.

Jonathon....save up buy a porsche...they are nearly as fast, equally as sexy...and girls prefer 'em!

best of british to you both

jez..

 

[Guest]

When I was 17 borrowed the boyfriends Harley (it had king/queen seets so could put feet on the ground), unlike Honda 900 I rode in heals! Normally rode after having a few, never had any training prior to getting my licence ( few years later). Felt immortal, no fear (probably because normally pissed) and drove like a total idiot. Only came off once- while stationary wind blew me over, too short to put foot on ground. Thinking back lucky still here.

Teenagers will do what the hell they like, but at least yours has a responsible parent who is doing everything right, unlike mine - all they ever did was moan about the noise or parking in the runner bean patch!

Get the lad into cars - many years later I know how dangerous bikes are and wouldn't take one on a road now (wouldn't trust myself). Get him to trade the bike for a 924 (cheap insurance) . The girls wil love it is he has a PORSCHE.

 

[Guest]

Ex-biker myself with 15 yr old son, who I have so far distracted away from bikes by encouraging an interest in the hot hatch type chavcar things. One way or another it will be expensive, whatever its a worry. A year ago I had to get my hysterical 20yr old daughter out of her written off citroen after a Jeep literally drove through her car, shes ok now though. Its just something us parents have to go through. Hope all goes well.

 

[uktrucks]

You have taken all the correct precautions, you need to let go and put on a brave face, be concerned, ask where he is going, does he have his mobile, fuel money, a phone card [good backup] I.D. etc but dont smother them. I'm 47 and raced motorcycles until 44 [was still winning, so saw no reason to stop] My son is 22+ he rides, my daughter is 16 has a Gilera DNA deristricted, pipe etc , proper clothes instructer etc they will soon get bored of being cold, wet , never being dressed when they go out etc. Cars will be a natural drawcard when the first chick blows him out because he rides a bike. Let him live a little.

Regards

Allan