How Did you teach your kids how to ride?

sleetdawg
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sleetdawg
Edited Date/Time 8/3/2017 7:29pm
My boys are only 6 and 4 but I've had some wild moments teaching them how to ride. I've actually had so many questions like if my boys were going race? or what bike they rode first? I felt I should write my own blog post about it. What are some of your stories teaching your son or daughter how to ride? I'm sure we have some good ones on here.



here is my experience- https://mytwowheellife.squarespace.com/config/pages/586d18f620099ee6dd9…
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FTB
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FTB 8/2/2017 6:06pm
8/2/2017 6:06pm Edited Date/Time 8/2/2017 6:08pm
Got on the bike with them on the front, start riding, get them to take the controls, bail off the back.
That's how I learnt as well. On an XR 75. My kids had a PW 80 so no clutch and only 3 gears..
sleetdawg
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sleetdawg 8/2/2017 6:08pm
8/2/2017 6:08pm
FTB wrote:
Got on the bike with them on the front, start riding, get them to take the controls, bail off the back. That's how I learnt as...
Got on the bike with them on the front, start riding, get them to take the controls, bail off the back.
That's how I learnt as well. On an XR 75. My kids had a PW 80 so no clutch and only 3 gears..
haha... this seems legit! Can't over think it that way
MotoChris
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MotoChris 8/2/2017 6:51pm
8/2/2017 6:51pm
When my youngest son was 3 I put him on a kdx50 on a stand with the bike running. I went through drills (gas, now brakes) to see that he could operate the controls comfortably and confidently. After a few drills on the stand we took him to a fairly flat area at a local track and let him ride straight from me to my wife ( about 50 yards). After a couple of times doing this he was riding on the track and racing a short time after. He raced his first race and several races when he was 3. Every kid is different but he was riding a bicycle without training wheels at 2. I wouldn't let him ride a motorcycle with training wheels so he had motivation to get rid of them on his bicycle.
TbonesPop 8/2/2017 8:50pm
8/2/2017 8:50pm
I first got both our kids "chonda" (Chinese Honda) quads, but that didn't last long for him. He didn't like the quad. So I got our son onto an electric dirt bike to ride up and down the street when he was 4. Once he could do that ok, PW50. Then a KTM 50, KLX 100, RM85, and soon to be YZ125. Outside of some of the very basics of riding, it's best to get your kid a professional lesson. I've found kids listen to others better than they do their parents. Just my $0.02
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garagedog 8/2/2017 9:23pm
8/2/2017 9:23pm
First...I taught them where the brakes are. I'd push them (motor off) and have them stop. Repeat a few times before starting up the jr50.
mattyhamz2 8/2/2017 9:29pm
8/2/2017 9:29pm
Bought my daughter a TTR50 in 2015 just before her 3rd birthday. Started out riding around the backyard with her sitting in front of me and showing her how to twist the throttle and use the brakes. Did that for quite a while until we got training wheels a few months ago. Now she cruises around the backyard and the kids tracks with her training wheels. She enjoys every little bit of it. She's even working on standing up. Thank God for the adjustable throttle screws haha. It's nerve racking but so fun. My son is almost a 1 1/2 and we've already started putting around in the backyard and he loves it!
sumdood
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sumdood 8/2/2017 9:50pm
8/2/2017 9:50pm
garagedog wrote:
First...I taught them where the brakes are. I'd push them (motor off) and have them stop. Repeat a few times before starting up the jr50.
That was our technigue. First they had to ride a bicycle and practice skidding. Then onto the pw engine off, push them and let them pull the brake a few times. next step was me and my wife stood about ten feet apart, and made them ride to the other one and stop. then gradually moved farther apart. When we finally cut them loose it was on a big flat area in the desert with not much to ride off or crash into. Then after that follow us all over Ocotillo Wells. They'd hit hard pack, rocky spots, sand, ruts, uphills, dowhills, sometimes mud, (if we were lucky) Once they figured the sand out everything else was easy Laughing
sumdood
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sumdood 8/2/2017 10:06pm
8/2/2017 10:06pm
These are our friends 2 kids. The tire tracks say it all Laughing A bike with a kickstand helps once they start getting out of camp and you're helping them up every 35-40 seconds lol


jnickell
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jnickell 8/3/2017 6:06am
8/3/2017 6:06am
garagedog wrote:
First...I taught them where the brakes are. I'd push them (motor off) and have them stop. Repeat a few times before starting up the jr50.
Same thing I did with my son. Learning how to stop is THE most important thing. I also did the same thing when teaching him how to drive. I took him to a back road and told him I was going to just randomly tell him to stop to simulate a surprise road hazard. I told him to stop as hard as the vehicle would allow. My intent was to show him how it feels to slam on the brakes in a controlled situation instead of next week when a car pulls out in front of him. We did that over and over. The first few times he didn't lean on the brakes enough. He figured it out after that though.
Log Hopper 8/3/2017 6:23am
8/3/2017 6:23am
First thing I worked on was throttle control. After watching the races and I suppose playing video games everyone thinks wide open is the way to go. I put them on the front of the ATV (sorry for swearing) held onto the brakes and let them work the throttle. I make a big deal about reving it out and then we went for a cruze and I explain throttle control on hills. After a few times doing that I do the brake drill without a running engine then let 'em buck. I always said "good one" when they ate it, didn't listen to the tears and got them going again. Dirt bikers don't cry is another famous saying in our household.
sgrimmxdad 8/3/2017 7:12am
8/3/2017 7:12am
Honda 50 with training wheels when he was 4. Wide open spaces and let them have blast....
GuyB
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GuyB 8/3/2017 7:24am
8/3/2017 7:24am
sumdood wrote:
These are our friends 2 kids. The tire tracks say it all :laugh: A bike with a kickstand helps once they start getting out of camp...
These are our friends 2 kids. The tire tracks say it all Laughing A bike with a kickstand helps once they start getting out of camp and you're helping them up every 35-40 seconds lol


So you're suggesting take them somewhere sandy to ride. Wink

I sure wish Striders had been around when I was a kid (or was teaching my son how to ride). I did sort of make his first pedal bike a Strider by lowering the seat enough that he could straddle it flat-footed, and taking the pedals off. Once he mastered the balance part, I put the pedals back on and it was a quick transition.
cjharris314
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cjharris314 8/3/2017 7:27am
8/3/2017 7:27am
Put him on a strider @ 11 months old , at 1 put him on a crf 50 with training wheels and throttle lock and a rope system tied to the handle bars this let me steer the bike slow it down and if he started to fall of cross my arms and ropes would hold him up. He started racing peewee tracks at 3. Originally he found it easier to ride the crf 50 even though it is a way bigger bike but the low end power kept him from falling over as much over the PW, Now that he is faster he is all about is PDUB

cjharris314
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cjharris314 8/3/2017 7:28am
8/3/2017 7:28am
Here is the rope system

cjharris314
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cjharris314 8/3/2017 7:30am
8/3/2017 7:30am
Here is him racing at 3 he now Just turned 5

cjmx
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cjmx 8/3/2017 7:32am
8/3/2017 7:32am Edited Date/Time 8/3/2017 7:33am
strider, then bmx bike, now on a Oset electric bike. Next will be a 50. I explained throttle control and had him practice on his bmx bike. Also practiced stopping. The strider replaces training wheels and helps a ton with balance.



aroark247
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aroark247 8/3/2017 8:53am
8/3/2017 8:53am
I don't have a kid but I did teach one from 4 years old to the B class. First thing I taught him was how to properly pick a bike up off the ground and start it. We practiced it in the pits, and on various conditions. I showed him no matter how small you are you can do it with the right technique.

For motivation I asked, Don't you want to be the strongest kid in your class? You can be the first one who's a big boy and doesn't need any grown-ups help. Mainly because I didn't want to walk that much, but it worked haha
roundtheoutside 8/3/2017 8:59am
8/3/2017 8:59am
put them on the bike and tell them to hit the throttle. They'll know what to do in no time


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peelout
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peelout 8/3/2017 9:08am
8/3/2017 9:08am
sumdood wrote:
These are our friends 2 kids. The tire tracks say it all :laugh: A bike with a kickstand helps once they start getting out of camp...
These are our friends 2 kids. The tire tracks say it all Laughing A bike with a kickstand helps once they start getting out of camp and you're helping them up every 35-40 seconds lol


sick Keid lid bro!

my dad had that one when i was a kid, your pic brought back some cool memories.
Acidreamer
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Acidreamer 8/3/2017 9:12am
8/3/2017 9:12am
My dad put me on an xr70 and let me rip....right into a new car at a dealership we lived by
peelout
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peelout 8/3/2017 9:21am
8/3/2017 9:21am
taught my girlfriend's boy how to ride this year, now i can't get him off the bike. i imagine next year i'll start going to the motocross races again...

i sat on the seat with him and taught him the throttle and the brakes. made a couple passes then let him do it alone. he wrecked a few times, got up crying, picked up the bike himself and got going again. i've been getting him out to ride a couple times every couple weeks and he absolutely love it. gets me the good brownie points with the lady, but more so i love seeing him happy.

here's a pic from the first day he learned to ride



Juice_Mann
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Juice_Mann 8/3/2017 9:29am
8/3/2017 9:29am
I said "Here son hold my beer so i can show you the fast way around the track" and started ripping around on the PW 50.
captmoto
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captmoto 8/3/2017 9:32am
8/3/2017 9:32am
I did the same as others here brakes, non running PW50's. First they were competent on pedal bike. i was not into them riding at 3. I think they were 5. Once they got the feel for brakes, it was on to throttle but only in a straight line to learn throttle on and off and breaks. 20 minute of that and it was once around mom, back to dad and stop. Then figure 8's. This was all in one day, they were looking for whoops in the desert they could jump on the same day.
byke
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byke 8/3/2017 9:44am
8/3/2017 9:44am
Biggest problem I've seen with kids is it takes a minute for their brain to make the connection between turning the throttle and what it does and how it feels. The best/safest method I've found in helping them make that connection is to teach them to "go" by constantly chopping the throttle on and off. If you teach them to throttle the way we do, they'll have that runaway moment where they just pin it until they crash. So, chicken wing it and keep flapping that arm, helps them figure it out.
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Tracktor
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Tracktor 8/3/2017 10:34am
8/3/2017 10:34am
Started both on PW50 with training wheels so they could learn the controls first then worry about balance. Older boy started a 4 and the younger at around 3(he thought he was older)- I always love it when people say training wheels teach bad habits - My opinion is find a way to teach them that let's them learn control first. Speed comes later. And don't project on them where you think they should be let them just have fun and develop. that is if you want them to love moto. We have always made it fun first and my kids are addicted to it (unfortunately). Speed comes and goes good memories stay forever.........
C at 3


C at 12





p0wn
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p0wn 8/3/2017 10:39am
8/3/2017 10:39am
sleetdawg wrote:
My boys are only 6 and 4 but I've had some wild moments teaching them how to ride. I've actually had so many questions like if...
My boys are only 6 and 4 but I've had some wild moments teaching them how to ride. I've actually had so many questions like if my boys were going race? or what bike they rode first? I felt I should write my own blog post about it. What are some of your stories teaching your son or daughter how to ride? I'm sure we have some good ones on here.



here is my experience- https://mytwowheellife.squarespace.com/config/pages/586d18f620099ee6dd9…
Your link is wrong. https://mytwowheellife.squarespace.com/mytwowheellife/2017/8/1/teaching…
Polski934
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Polski934 8/3/2017 10:48am
8/3/2017 10:48am
Everybody will be a little different. Both my sons started on PWs, my oldest did the training wheels thing, then took them off and let him go. With my second son we did the strider bike at 2, pedal bike just before 3, and the parking lot practice on an electric razor dirtbike (oset wasn't in the budget but would be way better) then it was an easy transition to the PW. I did feel the training wheels made it more like a quad to ride but were still helpful. I know we live vicariously through our kids and somehow the earlier they ride the cooler it is but I thought letting my son learn the progression through the pedal bike worked better, but each kid is different.
Brad460
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Brad460 8/3/2017 11:29am
8/3/2017 11:29am
Having twins we are able to see how drastically different each child progresses...for example our daughter was able to balance and ride her strider at 18 month but my son at 2 yrs still can't balance and ride. I have started both of them on the PW with training wheels to learn throttle, braking and the sensation of the speed...here she is at 20 month old:

Predator
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Predator 8/3/2017 11:30am
8/3/2017 11:30am
Similar teaching techniques with my son. I just bought him a PW50 for his 4th bday and this was the first day at the track with him. All things considering he did really well. I attached my tie down straps to the rear fender just in case he got on the throttle and spooked himself I could pull him back in. I chased him around the kiddie track for awhile (wore myself out) and he loved it. As someone said above... my brother and I stood about 25' to 30' apart and had him ride to each of us working on his throttle and braking.

My advice is to just start slow and get him on the bike as much as possible. My son is getting more and more comfortable on the bike each time he gets on it. It's just like anything else... practice, practice, practice. The more seat time the better. Good luck and have fun!





beaterktm
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beaterktm 8/3/2017 7:05pm
8/3/2017 7:05pm
I had my son role on and off the throttle constantly after he whisky throttled in to my truck.

4 yrs later he is now 8 yrs old. It's hard to admit but he is going to smoke me. Dam kid just doesn't get tired.

https://youtu.be/V9DJIuz4vxo

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