...and my son, and new and exciting things that will give me an ulcer...
Picked up the bike from storage this past Saturday. Compared to last year, when it was 25ºF with a 10º windchill, the light drizzle and 40ºF temperature actually felt pretty good.
Dealership was having an open house - tent sale, demo rides, live band, the whole works. It's their annual "Kick Off the season" deal. Offered 15% off everything in the store (well, 'cept bikes. Probably would have come home with a Buell Blast if they had...).
We bought my son his first helmet - a Youth Size S/M fits him perfectly. It's an HJC 3/4 open face helmet - just like mine.
Put the helmet on him, then brought him out to the bike to see if he was big enough to ride. I wanted him to be able to reach the foot boards before I took him as a passenger - it will reduce (not eliminate) the amount of fidgeting he does to have him actually touching the boards as opposed to having his feet dangle.
Last year, before we put the bike in storage, I put him on the back of the bike to see how much longer before he was tall enough to ride. His feet were ~ 4" from the boards. This was November.
His feet now touch the footboards. This kid has grown 4" in 5 months. Holy smokes.
He is now big enough to ride on my Harley. He can't wait. I am simultaneously excited out of my mind and frightened beyond the capacity for rational thought (thanks Egon). We're starting small - he already sat on the bike with it running at the open house - most likely trips up and down our street until he gets used to riding as a passenger.
*sigh*
Now, of course, I need to get him a jacket. And boots. And a vest. And chaps... This is gonna get expensive, I can tell.
I also don't care. Riding time is about to at least double - it's now father/son time as well.
Life is good.
That is all.
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7 comments:
Up for a tag?
can you please wrap him in bubblewrap too?
Now for the obvious questions:
1) Does the lad know and practice the four rules?
2) When's his first range trip?
EBM,
Give me a little bit, I'll play along.
breda,
Oh, believe me, I've been accused of wanting to do just that a time or two...
Part of me is scared to death of putting him on the bike. Not because of me, or my riding ability, but because of the sheer volume of moronosity out there on the roads. The simple fact that I've devoted an entire blog category to it should tip me off.
We'll start small - mostly trips around town - to get him used to being on the bike and getting the hang of being a passenger. Where it goes from there is up to him...
brad,
The four rules of motorcycle riding? ;)
He knows the four rules by heart - I drill them into him with his Nerf™ guns for practice. As for his first range trip, I need to become a member at a private range first.
Or I could take him along the next time I go to the sooper seekrit private range. Hmmm...
And before you know it, he'll be wanting his own motorcycle, and be old enough to ride it.
AWESOME!
Kudos on the 'gear -- I see too many asshats in armor, with the kids on the back wearing an adult helmet too large to even stay on in the accident. IDIOTS.
That said, I turned my scoot into a one-seater six years ago, and will never ride a passenger again.
I did so because I learned -- the hard way -- that having a passenger requires you to "ride it out" and do your best to protect them if G*d forbid) things go wrong.
I ended up with a shattered tibial plateau, nearly an amputation, not to mention a quad-compartment fasciotomy, six-years of pain and finally a total knee replacement a few weeks ago.
Yes, I still ride, but I ride solo. Solo gives me options. Passengers require me to do whatever necessary to protect THEM.
Just want you to think...
DD
PS: The "Asshats in Armor" I referred to are usually dragging a kid with a non-fitting adult helmet and some shorts. Tee-shirt and shorts usually complete the ensemble, while Dad's wearing full leathers with kevlar inserts.
I want to choke 'em all...
DD
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