I have a passion for motorcycles, and I was hoping that one day I could share that with my son. I honestly didn't know if he would like them as much as I do and if he would want to learn to ride. I didn't want to force him into liking motorcycles or riding them, so I've taken it easy and eased him in gently. So not to annoy my neighbours and anyone else in the village I decided to start him off with an electric bike, an Oset MX10. I thought he could ride on the fields, on a mx track and with some minor modifications on a kart track. We started on the field, and it was fun but he was bored after 10 minutes or so which is fine. We then tried a flat track which went very very wrong. Too soon, to noisy and way too much for him to take in. I had to change tack, I didn't appreciate that for a child who has never experienced anything like this in their lives before it is a bit of a shock to the system, never mind the banter and swearing which he isn’t akin to yet! I decided to take him to an indoor mx track and kart track to show him what it's like without the fear of having to ride too. This worked wonders and he liked what he saw. As the weather is improving and Dad hates mx (because I’m shit at it!!) we went to a kart track, Fatcat Moto Parc. First time there I hooked us up to some intercoms and went out every session with him. This was to keep him safe and to give him pointers which I thought was considerate of me, but it just annoyed him!! I was worried he'd panic and crash and hate it, but he didn't. He just plodded on and improved every time out. We were only there for 2 hours but that was more than enough for his first ever time out on track. This weekend just gone we were back at Fatcats and this was at his request! He also didn't want the intercom or for me to ride with him, so I thought why not, you go for it. The sun was out, and it was very busy. There was a lot of very fast young BSB riders there so I was a bit concerned as to how he would cope. To my amazement he did amazing, going faster and faster, scraping his footpegs in the corners and not being phased at all by the other faster riders on track. I had my Dad with me, his grandad, so I could share my proudness with him and it was a great day. The MX10 although brilliant looks too slow for him so I will look to buy a minimoto next. I'm super proud but secretly hoping that he doesn't have any talent like me, so he doesn't bankrupt us!!!
You can't take it with you and you never know, he might be a future British and maybe a world champion in the making No pressure dad Andy
Brilliant! There goes you’re bank balance though!! Nothing better though,I absolutely love doing track days with my four lads!
nice one. hopefully his passion for riding will include a passion for repairing. go on, ask me what i have been doing for the last two days.
Getting children into bikes ? Jesus. I wish i had been more successful in steering them away. Awful life choice.
Teaching a child life lessons that I was never fortunate to receive is not bad in my book. We can't roll them up in cotton wool for ever so why not teach them the skills they need and show them where they can use them safely. My hope is that when he grows up, he'll not feel the need to race around the streets like I did when I was a teenager but do it on track instead. Life is for living but I understand it's everyone’s cup of tea.
Tell that to my lad who was in A and E after smashing his knee in a track based , ACU governed event on Sunday.
