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That is definitely a sweet video. I'm torn, I actually don't want my only son to be interested in motorcycles. He's only 3.5 years old and the love of my life. It probably sounds preposterous but I'm currently hoping he does as I say, not as I do...
 
JeffD said:
That is definitely a sweet video. I'm torn, I actually don't want my only son to be interested in motorcycles. He's only 3.5 years old and the love of my life. It probably sounds preposterous but I'm currently hoping he does as I say, not as I do...
Click to expand...

Funny you feel that way because I'm the total opposite. 2 years ago I purchased a raced out pocket bike for my son from minipocketrockets.com who has his 7th bday on the 29th of this month and he is finally ready to start learning how to ride. I got him a bicycle that only uses hand brakes a year ago to help him transition so now he's comfortable with it n I feel he's now ready. He loves bikes and I'm in no way forcing him into this or any other thing he cares to try. How else will they know what they love n don't, right?

In a month or so, I'll start recording him n seeing how he does. I'm anxiously looking forward to it. The picture below is of him about 2 years ago.
 

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double0 said:
Funny you feel that way because I'm the total opposite. 2 years ago I purchased a raced out pocket bike for my son from minipocketrockets.com who has his 7th bday on the 29th of this month and he is finally ready to start learning how to ride. I got him a bicycle that only uses hand brakes a year ago to help him transition so now he's comfortable with it n I feel he's now ready. He loves bikes and I'm in no way forcing him into this or any other thing he cares to try. How else will they know what they love n don't, right?

In a month or so, I'll start recording him n seeing how he does. I'm anxiously looking forward to it.
Click to expand...

Good on you bro. That is actually typical of what I notice, that 2-wheel lovers pass that love on to their progeny. Perhaps when it comes to risk for my one-and-only, I just have a half-empty viewpoint. I simply remember being a 19 year-old having so many close calls on my first bike (an '87 Ninja 600) on the street, and then some of the crashes and near-crashes that I luckily survived completely unscathed during my club racing career (like crashing at the Hogpen at VIR at 90+ and tumbling on asphalt and in the dirt) and street bike life (like saving a front-end washout on my kneeslider, which was caused by spilled diesel in the middle of a North Georgia mountain switchback with a guardrail blocking a few-hundred feet drop off the roadway).

I told my wife that when he gets a bit older and if he starts to pine for a motorized 2-wheeler like "daddy", I will put him in a go-kart ASAP. I'd rather him have a lust for 4-wheeled cages as I do believe they're safer. I know I'll support the kid in whatever his true love is hobby/career-wise. But after what happened to Peter Lenz at Indianapolis in 2010 (the year my son was born), I swore that I would do whatever I could to not be in his father's shoes. For those that don't follow racing: Peter Lenz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After doing this for 23 years, it's stings just as much when heroes get taken away doing what they love in this moto-life, like the Dunlop brothers, Daijiro Kato, and more recently Marco Simoncelli, Jeremy Lusk and Craig Jones, just to name a few. That doesn't even take into account the many more people that are maimed in the sport we choose - Wayne Rainey, Vincent Haskovec, Joan Lascorz and on and on. Then there's the story of Eddi La Marra, who Panigale lovers may recall raced the 1199R very successfully in SBK Superstock, and might have won the 2013 FIM Superstock Cup if it hadn't been for a testing accident at Misano mid-season in which he suffered serious head trauma. Now recovering from brain surgery, he won't know if he can ever race again, much less have the "normal" life he was capable of before, for a few more months after more tests. What most people may not know is that his girlfriend, Italian 600cc Superstock racer Alessia Polita, was paralyzed in a qualifying session at the same track (Misano) only 2 months earlier.

Sorry to bring up the harsh reality of what can happen in our sport, but you better be prepared if you have real-world responsibilities. I take care of my family with appropriate health, life and disability insurance policies because I feel that's my responsibility since what I choose to do has significant risks. I can't help but think that steering the most important person in my life away from those potential consequences may also be part of my responsibilities.

I know there are vastly different opinions on this, and as I said mine is admittedly a half-empty viewpoint. If my ranting here has at least made someone else consider their "preparedness" for possible negative outcomes of what we choose to do, then it was worth sharing.
 
I feel ya JeffD. Well said.

The balance scale we choose to hold...
On one side: fun
On the other side: suffering

May your fun sides always be heavier, mates
 
Cute, she is not the least bit intimidated by it. As an X motorcycle racer that clanks and aches in cold weather and morning time. I decided to race my son in cars, and started preping him at 3. But he also started in on motorcycle training very early on also. There is nothing anyone can do to keep someone off of motorcycles, the best insurance is to make sure they are proficient dirt riders, comfortable with a bike slideing in either direction and moving around under them. Reflexive response when learned early gets hard wired into their little brains and stays there.
 
My Dad was an avid rider until he had me. He would talk about his road trip from NY to CA with his best friend on bikes. Showing me all these awesome pictures. Telling me stories of bar fights and crazy get aways. Then it would often end with "but I'm lucky to be alive, I dont ever want you on a motorcycle". I never understood, but now that I have my own little man... I dont ever want him on a street bike. I stopped riding the street myself. I respect anyone that does, just not a risk I can make at this stage in my life.

Awesome post OP
 
JeffD said:
Good on you bro. That is actually typical of what I notice, that 2-wheel lovers pass that love on to their progeny. Perhaps when it comes to risk for my one-and-only, I just have a half-empty viewpoint. I simply remember being a 19 year-old having so many close calls on my first bike (an '87 Ninja 600) on the street, and then some of the crashes and near-crashes that I luckily survived completely unscathed during my club racing career (like crashing at the Hogpen at VIR at 90+ and tumbling on asphalt and in the dirt) and street bike life (like saving a front-end washout on my kneeslider, which was caused by spilled diesel in the middle of a North Georgia mountain switchback with a guardrail blocking a few-hundred feet drop off the roadway).

I told my wife that when he gets a bit older and if he starts to pine for a motorized 2-wheeler like "daddy", I will put him in a go-kart ASAP. I'd rather him have a lust for 4-wheeled cages as I do believe they're safer. I know I'll support the kid in whatever his true love is hobby/career-wise. But after what happened to Peter Lenz at Indianapolis in 2010 (the year my son was born), I swore that I would do whatever I could to not be in his father's shoes. For those that don't follow racing: Peter Lenz - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After doing this for 23 years, it's stings just as much when heroes get taken away doing what they love in this moto-life, like the Dunlop brothers, Daijiro Kato, and more recently Marco Simoncelli, Jeremy Lusk and Craig Jones, just to name a few. That doesn't even take into account the many more people that are maimed in the sport we choose - Wayne Rainey, Vincent Haskovec, Joan Lascorz and on and on. Then there's the story of Eddi La Marra, who Panigale lovers may recall raced the 1199R very successfully in SBK Superstock, and might have won the 2013 FIM Superstock Cup if it hadn't been for a testing accident at Misano mid-season in which he suffered serious head trauma. Now recovering from brain surgery, he won't know if he can ever race again, much less have the "normal" life he was capable of before, for a few more months after more tests. What most people may not know is that his girlfriend, Italian 600cc Superstock racer Alessia Polita, was paralyzed in a qualifying session at the same track (Misano) only 2 months earlier.

Sorry to bring up the harsh reality of what can happen in our sport, but you better be prepared if you have real-world responsibilities. I take care of my family with appropriate health, life and disability insurance policies because I feel that's my responsibility since what I choose to do has significant risks. I can't help but think that steering the most important person in my life away from those potential consequences may also be part of my responsibilities.

I know there are vastly different opinions on this, and as I said mine is admittedly a half-empty viewpoint. If my ranting here has at least made someone else consider their "preparedness" for possible negative outcomes of what we choose to do, then it was worth sharing.
Click to expand...

Jeff what happened to the Dunlop brothers
 
Joey Dunlop is one of the greatest legends of Irish and Isle of Man road racing. His younger brother Robert was not quite as successful but still contributed to making the Dunlop name famous. Sadly, both died in racing incidents when they were in their 40s. Robert's two sons have now taken their places as some of the top racers in the ultra-dangerous real roads racing. One of the sons, Michael, is incredibly talented, but rides with such aggression that he is on the very edge of a tank slapper or crash at every corner of the 37 mile Isle of Man TT course. I makes me cringe, but at the same time it is incredible to see such talent and fearlessness on display.

This is William Dunlop, the other of Robert's sons:
2013-dunlop-wins-supersport-race-2-tt-4.jpg
 
Although beyond entertaining, Isle of Man is by far the dumbest form of motorcycle racing imaginable. To me, that's what defines the term "deadly." It takes a huge set of balls to even race there let alone push it to the limits of both your abilities as well as the bikes but more importantly, you've just got to be completely fearless and be willing to risk life while doing so. No run off space, no guard rails by cliffs, blind turns with walls right around the corner....... is bananas. Any kind of crash is borderline death. It's even scary to just watch it. Racing is deadly already but racing Isle of Man is just saying "let's increase those odds please."
 
I started my son riding at 3 years old , he's rode a motorcycle without training wheels (electric oset) before he learned how to pedal. He's my only child and I hope that starting him early he'll develop respect for motorcycles, I'd rather him race on a track than ride on the street .
 
She even rides in the wet ! Oh by the way she calls it her panigale wil shout at anyone who dares to dispute her! Shame at Christmas I couldn't get a red Ducati!
[/IMG]
 
JeffD said:
So.... you went ahead and spent $3,500+ on an upgrade that you weren't sure how much would be gained?

Through hard work and a little luck, l hope to make it to that socioeconomic status one day.
Click to expand...

Haha obviously cash must not be enough of a concern to find a reason to justify such an expense. Hell, I spent $2500 on my OZ wheels n still have done so if it was heavier than my base wheels. Just looks cool. Pricey but cool. And I only work about 20-25 hours a week. My salary is also less than the msrp of my base Panigale. Go ...... figure. Haha and no, I don't have mommy n daddy's money to live off of.
 
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