Before you consider giving a child a ride on your motorcycle, check your state and local regulations. In Washington, the child must be at least five years old. New Child Safety recommends that a child be at least thirteen before getting that ride. Certainly the child should be tall enough to reach the pegs comfortable and mature enough to follow instructions and sit quietly for a fairly long time.
Get your child “geared up” before the two of you take that first ride. A helmet is essential—and no, a bicycle helmet is not enough. The helmet needs to be fitted to your child. A helmet that’s too small will be uncomfortable; a helmet that’s too large can actually cause a child to lose balance while riding. Your child should wear the helmet for at least five minutes and you should be sure it fits symmetrically. There should be no red marks when the helmet is taken off.
Make sure the chin strap is the right length and can be easily tucked in. Your child should never ride without having the chin strap fastened. You might want a helmet with a visor that’s been treated to be anti-fog and scratch-resistant. The experts at Eagle Leather can help you find the right helmet for your child. Check out our kids helmets options.
Sunglasses will keep the sun from your child’s eyes, especially if the helmet doesn’t have a tinted visor. Gloves and boots are necessary, and so is a long-sleeved jacket and long, protective pants. Again, our folks at Eagle Leather will help you find just what your child needs within your price range. Click here to review our kids gear.
We’ll have more tips on riding with children as passengers in newsletters to come.
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