Megan rides out!

[Hairy_Mark]

I got my 7-yr old out on the bike, yesterday.
we had a little run to a village three miles away, with me acutely conscious that I was holding up a couple of cars for once!

Then we pottered back to Wigton and off to Caldbeck on the edge of the lakes for lemonade, ice cream and the duck pond! Still held up a car on the way there, but got up to 55. On the way back we hit 60 and actually got past a car! (Got past a bus on the first trip, but that was nothing to crow about...it was only doing 40!)

All in all, it went great. Megan didn't pull my love handles (ooh...err. That's the proper name for the handles on a belt, I'm not into anything seriously dodgy!) to ask me to stop. She seemed to enjoy it.

Only slight disappointment was the Albrecht AE600 intercom system. Very fiddly to connect, especially with a child as pillion. Worse still, it only worked below 35mph, whatever sensitivity was set on it. At that speed I could shout and be heard! I'll put a post about it and see what other people think. I've already e-mailed Albrecht.

[Araf]

When my eldest used to ride pillion, I never had an intercom - but don't think it was really necessary anyway. I'd give her a pat on the leg to ask if she was okay, and she's pat me back to say 'yes'

She did fall asleep on there once.

[shebee]

Glad she had a nice time !

[Hairy_Mark]

araf,
yeah, know what you mean, but the tech should be there these days and it's nice for us both if it's working. also, kids get complacent. If I'm going to overtake, or even pulling out from a junction, i'd like to be able to make sure Megan,s holding on. I know of a responsible biker whose kid had ridden pillion for years...the kid fell off the back and was killed. It wrecked his marriage and him too. don't see the harm in using what's there.

[Araf]

Good point.

[snapdragon]

Megan Biker Girl

[cagiva_girl]

Glad to hear she enjoyed it and better to be safe than sorry where your kids are concerned - my rap came with the Ventura rack which made me feel better as it stopped them from falling off!

Yes I know its not a back rest but then it made me feel better

As far as I am aware the only radios I have known people have and be happy with are the Autocom ones. I have tried the Maplin bike to bike walkie talkies which were ok but a bit intermittent.

[pod]

When my kids were wee, I would sit them on the BSA fuel tank for short ( low speed) runs up the glen.
When their legs were long enough they moved to pillion, a tap from me on their knee meant hold on tight for an overtake, a tap from them on my back meant slow down or two taps for a stop.
As a pillion myself I prefer the rider to be as smooth as a sea of mercury on a moonlit night with no wind.

With the incredibly powerful front brake on the Rap I tell pillions to reach round and brace their arms against the fuel tank when slowing down to prevent genital crushing.
I also have the Ventura rack fitted , since there isnt a decent grab rail on the Rap.

Something I found very important, a wee person on the back cant see corners coming up, as a visual clue for them I dip the relevant shoulder before initiating lean so they get a pre warning the bike is going to lean over.

[raptor996]

My oldest daughter wanted a "go" on the back of the rap. So i took her a short distance, told her to hold my jacket at the sides as there is'nt anything else to hold onto. As we left the close & turned left she used my jacket like a sterring wheel pulling it to the left then to the right as we turned right. A little off putting but she did enjoy it.

[Red Mist]

I'm afraid that I'm a bit irresposible with my daughter. Admittedly, she is a bit older (recently 16) but I felt that it was important that she could tell her mates that she had done 100 mph on a motorbike.

Another time we met up with a load of BMW riders going over the Trough of Bowland. I should have let them clear off (like they were trying to do) but the spiteful sod in me had to show them that the fact they had got their smart new adventure bikes didn't make them any faster on twisty moorland roads than me.

I was actually taking it steadier than normal - it was quite easy to keep up with the BMWs.

And my daughter enjoyed it. I do have to keep reminding myself that she's on the back though. She's only light and holds onto the grab rail as opposed to me. She's a really good pillion actually.

[pmogs]

Glad to hear that Megan is enjoying on the Raptor .

Both my kid's have been on various bikes with me from a young age , from approx the age of 4 or 5 .

My daughter is now 20 yr's & my son nearly 13 yr's .

They both come out on the Raptor , mostly my son . Never have either of them told me to slow down at all , but have gradually gone faster over the year's .

They both enjoy , but have kind of grown up with bikes .........

[AZ]

Took my ten year old boy for his 1st ride of the year last night and he loved it,kept on saying faster,faster,so i told him that he`ll get me in trouble with the plod ,and he said not to go really quick just get to speed faster.Just no wheelies.So ,it`s the acceleration he likes and now he informs me that when i`m old he`s having the Raptor as well as my jag .News to me ,i`ll be well old before i give up those seats.