17 year old son's first time

Just got his permit. If he can start it, he can ride it. Had to chuckle as he wore himself out, but he finally got it, and off he went through the neighborhood. Nervous when he left, but came back with confidence.

EXCELLENT!!

Dirt bike experience?

Thats the age I brought my new 850 Commando, 17 and skinny as a runt but the Norton was what I wanted, very scary when I picked it up but was a great experance and I still own the Norton to this day, so good luck to your young son and hope he enjoys it as we all do and what a classic bike to get on the road first up.

Ashley

Thanks Ashley, and yes Concours, he had a beat up 250 Honda that he took to the desert this past summer. It's funny, I tried riding it, and kept tipping it over in the soft sand. I think I'll stick to the Commando for my thrills.

1973x75 said:

Thanks Ashley, and yes Concours, he had a beat up 250 Honda that he took to the desert this past summer. It's funny, I tried riding it, and kept tipping it over in the soft sand. I think I'll stick to the Commando for my thrills.

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Those off road skills will help him be a safe road rider. 8)

concours said:

.........Those off road skills will help him be a safe road rider. 8)

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+1 This is something that I truly believe, it surely helped me out

On the road it is more about avoiding the cars than bike handling.

Onder said:

On the road it is more about avoiding the cars than bike handling.

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Can't quite agree. Avoiding cars (and trees, sand/oil/debris on pavement) is indeed the goal if your going to have more birthdays. The ability to handle a bike at a masterful level, will absolutely ALLOW you to fully exploit the traffic management skills. Operating at lower levels can/will hobble those efforts. :idea:

concours is correct .... if managing bike is second nature ... then more opportunity to concentrate on traffic and challenges presented .... I thought most of us here would have started in the dirt , given the ages listed in recent poll , for me only place I could ride when I was 12 ...
Craig

When I first started road racing, I was flying down the front straight at Calder raceway passing bikes and when I reached the end I couldn't stop the bike even though I had the lever pulled to the bar. The leader in the drum brake heated up and locked the wheel, so I got launched at about 90 MPH and slid up the bitumen into the escape road. My two young sons aged about 10 and 12 were standing there watching and thought I was being killed. As a result I never had to watch them racing motorcycles (GOOD !). The older one bought road bike when he was 18, which he rode very sensibly, especially after he watched one of his friends die at the side of the road on his way to work. Teach your kid to take care and be safe.

i'm in the first ride owned at 17 with a 74 commando,

a rare treat at the time & i'd say exponentially so today for a 17 kid starting out