Kids on inappropriate bikes

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Okay, I was riding out in the California high desert over the Memorial Day weekend. Weather was great, not hot at all. We were camped out near Apple Valley in a nice area, lots of other people around but not crowded.

Sunday night a few of us fired up the quads and went for a night ride (none of the bikes had lights). We are heading back towards are camp and I see a light facing us. From a distance it looks okay but it isn't moving. As I get closer I can tell that the light is really close to the ground. When I get close enough for my light to illuminate the scene I can tell that there is a bike laying on its side and someone standing next to it.

I stop to see if they need help, discover that it is a young boy, couldn't be more than 12, definatly not more than 5 feet tall or over 100 lbs. The bike is a new looking KTM 625 SMC (street legal dirt bike). This bike is huge! The basic problem is that the kid can't pick it up.

I help him lift it up (damn, it was heavy!) and expect him to jump on and take off. Instead he starts pushing it and immediatly drops it again. I pick it up again and then help him push it back to his camp. There are about 8 motorhomes in a circle, and we wheel the bike right through the center, right past all the adults sitting around a fire to where all the rest of the bikes are parked.

No one said a word when they saw the kid pushing the bike back in. It didn't even appear to register with them that a stranger was helping the kid push the bike back. I turn around, wave to the folks at the fire and leave. Not a single word of thanks or even acknowledgment.

Can someone tell me who lets a kid that small get on a bike that big?

And who the hell lets a kid go riding off into the night alone?

There was no moon at all that night, it was pitch black out. If he had fallen in a gulley a 100 yards from their camp and knocked the light out they might not have been able to find him or the bike until daylight.

Its been a couple of days and I am still upset about it.

 

[Patman]

Those are the same "parents" that drop their kid off for (fill in a sport/orginization/birthday party... here) and then show up 15 to 45 minutes later on a regular basis. They would also be the same ones that send their kid to school/day care sick as a dog........

 

[MXGirl230]

The same ones that let their 7yr old take a cruise in the pits on their Raptor...(saw that a couple of weeks ago).

 

[AnTs]

My dad drop's us off to ride where we ride, but im almost 18 and my friend is 17 and we bring a cell phone so were fine. And i can drive so it's cool, he just brings us since he has a truck.

 

[CaptainObvious]

The same parents that don't enforce a helmet rule. These kids get hurt, or worse, and we all look stupid.

 

[kdx200chick]

The same parents who go out to the desert to get drunk. It's like a giant happy hour! Meanwhile, who's watching the kids??? Generally, the kids are watching the kids. Obviously, this is only a very small percentage of families but it happens.

 

[squeaky]

The same parents who ride an SDG Mini with their child on it with them and let the childs toe get smashed up so bad the kid needs surgery...

true story...

 

[Orange Rider]

hey, that sounds like me, except for the riding by himself part. my dads da bom he takes us out with him and lets me (5'3, 100 lbs.) ride his 525! if i drop it i can pick it up by myself...

 

[MXGirl230]

The same parents who pit race on their kids 65, with them on it too. Of course no helmet and they slam into another pit racing 65 rider. Dad ends up with head injury and a trip in the ambulance. Kids are okay, just shaken up...oh 65 kid riding by himself still has a moto left and now his bike is mangled...true story

 

[2-Strokes 4-ever]

The same parents who go out to the desert to get drunk. It's like a giant happy hour! Meanwhile, who's watching the kids??? Generally, the kids are watching the kids. Obviously, this is only a very small percentage of families but it happens.

BINGO! Selfish adults are selfish parents too.

 

[Kawidude]

I remember when I was learning to ride at a young age my dad always told me if I couldn't pick it up and start it by myself, I wasn't riding it.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

I also do a lot of boating and have a houseboat and other support boats. I had an inflatable boat with a 9.9 Hp outboard that my son always wanted to drive. I had a clear rule: If he could start it he could drive it.

He was about 8 when he succeeded!

 

[SoCal250]

I remember when I was learning to ride at a young age my dad always told me if I couldn't pick it up and start it by myself, I wasn't riding it.

yep, i've gotten "you can ride it when you can start it" before. i can't tell if its a nice way to say no, or a saftey thing, though.

 

[vintage79yoyo]

rabble rabble rabble

 

[mtk]

I see this even more with small kids on adult ATVs.

A friend of mine just bought a 400 Big Bear and he lets his boss's kid ride it all the time (he has one of the little Suzuki ATVs of his own). For some reason he seems to think that if he can see the kid that will somehow make it safe for the 75lb kid to ride a 600+lb ATV. Yes, if he goes slow it won't be an issue, but it only takes one gopher hole and some throttle at the wrong time to cause a problem.

When they ask to ride my 350 Big Bear parked right next to it, all I say is, "No." I'll take them for a ride on it (yes, I know that two-up is frowned upon by the ATV Council) but there ain't no way junior is wheelin' it alone. I don't want it wrecked. More importantly, I don't want junior's injuries on my conscience.

Even worse, every time a kid gets injured riding an adult ATV it is one more round of ammo for the "it's for the children" safety wankers.

 

[Dirt Rival]

That's nuts. :yikes:

 

[mg89]

I remember when I was learning to ride at a young age my dad always told me if I couldn't pick it up and start it by myself, I wasn't riding it.

Yeah that's what my dad told me with his fzr600 (streetbike) but I did start it right when he said it, i turned the key saw the nuetral light held the clutch in and pressed the start button, it fired right up. Then right when I said "Ha I started it" he pressed the kill switch and took the key out of the ignition, and said "I was just joking." That happend right before I turned 13, but once I turned 14 he taught my cousin and I how to ride it in a parking lot. My cousin was 17 and had his endorsement, he got a little cocky and tried to wheelie, he almost crashed into my dad. My dad never let him ride it again.

 

[RedRacer1137]

Well obviously they were drunk and they didnt care much. And that kid needs to get slapped in the face for being stupid enough to hop on a bike he cant pick up! Isnt that the first rule to riding a dirtbike? " If you cant pick it up, I wont let you ride it. " Dunno bout yall but that what my father and my friends father says.

 

[Daddio]

How bout this folks. How bout an old fashioned NO. Too many parents just want to be their kid's big buddy. Case in point is a gang of 8th graders who show up at our house every weekend on dirt bikes and 4 wheelers. They are riding on the street to get here. My son says he should be able to. I say NO. I also tell his friends it is illegal and I am not letting my son brake the law. It is parenting 101.

BTW, all of those kids parents know they are driving the streets. Amazes me!

 

[Moose]

well, about driving on the streets. out at our cabin, we have to go on the road to get to the trails, unless we wanna load the bikes up, drive them maybe 30 seconds, and unload. we just ride on the side of the road, the police don't seem to care because we're only in 1st tapped.

 

[rickyd]

We wnet out too Metcalf a few years ago, was teaching a friends son how too use a clutch on his kx65, he was about 9 at the time.. SOme guy shows up on his YZF426 w/a ( about 12 and 5 year old) We were in a training area.. He has the bike running, hops off and he held the bike up and let the 5 year old take off on it :ohmy: The kid was standing and had just enough room too shift and brake.. The kid was FAST also!! That one blew me away!! :whoa:

 

[mg89]

We wnet out too Metcalf a few years ago, was teaching a friends son how too use a clutch on his kx65, he was about 9 at the time.. SOme guy shows up on his YZF426 w/a ( about 12 and 5 year old) We were in a training area.. He has the bike running, hops off and he held the bike up and let the 5 year old take off on it :ohmy: The kid was standing and had just enough room too shift and brake.. The kid was FAST also!! That one blew me away!! :whoa:

Wow, :ohmy: are you sure he was only 5?

 

[rickyd]

maybe 6, either that or he was TINY!! :whoa:

 

[pidro_el_pirata]

yep, i've gotten "you can ride it when you can start it" before. i can't tell if its a nice way to say no, or a saftey thing, though.

It's conveniently both. If they can start it, they can ride it... Rather than having them ride it behind your back and whatnot, you just put it all out there so everyone knows the rule. If they cant start it, then you dont have to worry about them riding it and hurting themselves.

 

[Moose]

I kinda have to disagree with that.

I can kick over a 250 2-t, does that mean I'll be safe on it? No.

Heck, I wouldn't be safe on a 65.