Your Adult Child Is Learning To Ride Motorcycles? Here’s How To Respond

motorcycle

Let’s face it, motorcycles and road bikes are cool. Seeing a sports bike scream past a track at impossible speeds, or a fantastic road bike grumbling its way down a residential street, they can inspire our interest, certainly grab our attention, and in some cases, make us weak at the knees if we ever have the chance to ride on the back of one.

That being said, we also know that bikes have an inherent increased chance of danger, which is why they’re so cool. It’s stimulating to know you’re accepting the danger and enjoying a fantastic piece of engineering anyway, even if you’re safe.

It’s one thing for our child to learn to drive a car of course, but learning to ride a motorcycle can be a different story altogether. For this, we might have immediate pause and worry about their safety, capability, and responsibility on the bike, knowing that even good riders can make a mistake. To deal with these very natural emotions, let’s consider some truths to reflect on:

Open Communication & Express Concerns

It’s essential to open communication and express concerns with your child where appropriate. That’s not to say you have to dissuade them from riding a bike, if they’re an adult they can make their own decisions, only to make sure they’re doing so for the right reasons and they know the course involved. You might also help them find a better-reviewed riding school or help them search for the most protective suits and helmets to enjoy their time more easily. All of that can make a profound difference.

Take A Healthy Interest In Their Bike

Typically, bike training courses proceed across several CC engine power grades, so for example, during a full course, your child might qualify for 125cc as a first stop. From there, they may choose to continue or perhaps even just stop and remain happy on a smaller moped. Taking a healthy interest in their bike and its functioning, as well as the various types they may be qualified for can help you understand more about their riding habit and hobby, and also understand exactly what they’re qualified for.

This helps you speak their language which can also permit you to feel a little more connected, instead of simply letting them speak in vague jargon you don’t understand. This can give you peace of mind, and it can also help you during milestone moments, such as traveling with them to find a bike that works well.

Encourage Responsible Riding Behavior

It’s good to have a heart-to-heart with your child about how you’re not worried about them, but other road users. You can then talk about how you do approve of them learning to ride, but to please never take unnecessary risks, to never let anyone on their bike they don’t 100% trust, and to make sure they plan routes in advance.

Encouraging this kind of responsibility first opens that conversation that helps you learn more about their biking, but it also helps you cut through any awkwardness or weird communication between both sides. Otherwise, they may feel tempted to hide certain issues with you, like a problem they encountered at practice. When you feel closer, you’re more able to encourage the kind of behavior or offer gentle advice when they need it, like not just taking the bike along to impress dates alone. They might not listen, but at least we’ll be fulfilling our role as parents.

Don’t Condemn Them If They Do Encounter Issues

Outside of a fault that they were explicitly at fault for, make sure to remain on their side if they encounter an issue on the road and need to escalate it further. Getting into a collision or difficult road experience on a bike can be a shaking experience, even if you did everything right.

Thankfully, a capable motorcycle attorney can act as your advocate and discuss your roles for prosecuting the issue or seeking the compensation they might deserve. They’ll also tell you that while motorcycle accidents and road law are their expertise, the portion of motorcyclists who use those services compared to the amount of bikes on the road should give you pause in thinking this is an inevitability. Understanding that can be worthwhile.

Negotiate Space On The Driveway & Other Rules

Of course, one of the conveniences of a bike is that it can park in many easy places, and can be looked after well. But perhaps you need to negotiate space in the garage to keep it truly safe at night to prevent it from being stolen. Having that conversation can at least help you know they’re not parking around the corner where theft is more likely.

It might also be that they’ve decided to place a muffler in their exhaust which creates a loud and spluttering sound, cool on the surface, but utterly aggravating to neighbors. This is one of the areas where we can come down as a parent and say “uh no, that’s not on.” That way, you can help your child, cool as they are on their bike, avoid the chance of being “one of those” riders that give others a bad name.

Encourage Them To Learn Maintenance & Mechanics For Their Morotcycle

Of course, if you can’t dissuade your child from doing something you’re unsure of (and it’s not always a good idea to do so anyway), you can at least convince them to be hyper-competent at it. That might involve encouraging them to learn the maintenance and mechanics of their bike, how it works, how to check for safety and engine issues, and how to know when a service is due. From learning to change a tire to refitting the footrest, joining a relaxed motorcycle enthusiast club (note: not a biker gang), and learning online among motorcycle community members can be a great place to start.

With this advice, you’re certain to not only cope with your child learning how to ride a bike, but you’re sure to be very proud of their efforts in kind.

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