Considering getting your child a motorcycle?

Stewart Crouch

Giving a child their first motorcycle is bound to make a lasting impression. Picking the right one will make it a pleasant one. Consider the following points before you purchase.

The child’s physical size:

• Unless you are buying a 50cc cycle with training wheels, the child must be able to sit on the seat and be flatfooted on the ground. If they are learning to ride they cannot be worried about touching the ground and holding the cycle up.
• On kick-start models they must also be able to hold the cycle up with their left leg while they operate the kick starter with their right (can be quite tricky for the first-timer).
• Are they strong enough to operate the controls? Are their hands large enough to hold on to the handlebars, twist the throttle and pull in the levers for the brake and clutch (if manual shift)?

• How well do they ride a bicycle?  Having the ability to ride a standard, self-propelled bicycle is not necessarily required for riding a motorcycle.  However, it is an excellent way for a child to learn balance and the mechanics of controlling these types of vehicles.  It is also an excellent way for parents to assess a child’s aptitude to control and enjoy a powered two-wheeler.  If your child has little or no experience on a bicycle, give them some opportunity to step up to that challenge, and watch how they handle it.  Then use that experience when introducing them to a motorcycle.  Of course, as mentioned above, a child may transition to a small training-wheeled motorcycle to give them more time to learn control before they master balance.
• What is their physical ability? Assess your child’s aptitude to master a new physical activity.  If they are riding a bicycle, you already have one way to assess their aptitude.  Are they active in other sports or physical play? If their physical ability and experience with sports/bicycles are low, you can take measures to ease them into power sports. You’ll watch their confidence increase along with your comfort level.  One way is to use training wheels as mentioned above.  Another way is to limit challenges due to terrain by mastering flat grassy areas first and gradually introducing more varied terrain.  There are also some good techniques to limit power/speed, mentioned below.
• What is their general attitude? Are they high-spirited or calm? Are they competitive or easy going? You may think a high-spirited, competitive child would do well, but not necessarily. They need to take the time to learn how the cycle and its controls work before holding it wide open and taking off across the yard.  An over-confident child can be as much a danger to himself/herself (and others) as a child that lacks confidence.  Again, we want this to be a pleasant experience. The smaller models usually have an adjustment for you to control how far the throttle can open, so you can limit speed.

The child’s ability: You need to honestly answer these questions.

When my nephews were learning to ride I also limited the speed by leaving the cycle in first gear and removing the shift lever. This prevented them from accidentally shifting to a higher gear that would allow them to go faster. Only once they had mastered the throttle and brakes did I reinstall the shift lever and teach them how to shift gears. 

Riding a motorcycle is a great experience for a child that teaches them lessons they will carry the rest of their lives. To safely ride they must decide how much throttle to apply to go a certain speed, how much speed is required to go over various obstacles or different terrain, how to use brakes to stop or slow the cycle, etc. These are all skills they will use once they are old enough to start driving and borrowing the family car.

Owning a motorcycle is a good way to teach responsibility. A cycle will need to be cleaned and basic maintenance performed. These tasks should be up to the child to perform (with proper supervision of course). Performing these duties will show them how to take care of what they have. This is also a great time for parent/child bonding.

With the answers to these questions and with the help of a good salesperson you should be able to find the model that is right for your child. You never know you might just need something for yourself to chase them around.

Stewart Crouch