MotoLadies unite! Hannah Johnson, me, and Janell Mattson outside MotoCorsa. We’re holding the book “Chicks on Bikes” by Christina Shook.
Chicks on Bikes by Christina Shook
Video: 6 Year Old Kid Rides A Harley
April of this year in Midland, Texas, Jacob Hughes took his son out for a motorcycle ride. On a nice long clear stretch of straight, flat road, he motions for his son Ryan to grab the bars.
Many folks got their knickers all twisted because of this dad letting his kid ride a Harley. Perhaps rightly so… but is there more to the story?
While this is obviously a very controversial topic, especially since the child isn’t wearing any protective clothing besides gloves, but his dad Jacob says they’ve been riding together a long time, and Ryan even rides his own dirt bike.
Most states require a child be at least five years of age to ride on a motorcycle at all, and obviously aren’t allowed to pilot them until they’re eligible for a permit endorsement around age 16 (14 in some states).
The video just makes me think of when my dad used to put me on his lap in his big old truck when I was about four years old, and he’d operate the pedals and I’d steer like a champ. I personally believe this is one of the reasons I am a great driver, however, obviously there are other risks inherent with doing the same thing on two wheels.
So, what say y’all? Would you let your dirt bike riding youngin’ operate the throttle and steer? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
6 Year Old Kid Rides a Harley video-
source: kjr2.com | related: more videos ▲
Posted on September 9, 2014 in News & Features by Alicia Mariah Elfving
I’m less shocked that the child was aloud to take the reigns, so to speak, and more upset about the fact that the child has no protective clothing on besides his helmet. Even a pair of thick jeans and a jean jacket would have worked.
Thanks for posting. I started on dirt bikes when I was his age. Drove a car when I was 11. Dove from 80 ft when i was 12. At 15 I was the youngest class 4 hang-glider pilot on America. At 30 speed skating backwards down the hill to the Santa Monica Pier. 56 bungie jumps, 25 years later still going at it…advanced open water diver. Never broke a bone in my body, knock on skull.
absolutely. nothing unsafe about this. his dad is clearly a seasoned rider, and the situation is totally under control. i grew up with my dad letting me steer the car as well and i think it just helps the machine and the kid grow into each other. WAY better and WAY safer than an adult getting behind the wheel or on a bike with no experience!
Trust. There needs to be more trust in the world instead of dumbing things down to the lowest common intelligence.
Good on him for sharing his passion with his son.
I don’t approve of his gear. shorts and a tshirt and a pair of nike batting gloves do not strike me as safe. Since the kid rides, I’m not to shocked about the dad letting him take the reigns. It is a little nerve-racking to think he could hit that dirt on the side of the road and get tossed, but if he’s been riding, I expect he knows how to pilot a bike. just put some safety gear on him!
Beyond the lack of protective gear, it is illegal to prop children up in front of the rider on a moving motorcycle. There are several laws being broken in this video, and if the child had been injured in a crash . . . . this doesn’t much differ from the video of the squid riding at 300 kph in busy traffic or of the 9 year old killing her shooting instructor with an Uzi.
The parent should be tracked down and charged.
Hope he goes to jail and you lose advertising. Completely reckless on the “father’s” part.
Driving a tractor at age 6 on the farm……..we all did stuff like this way back when, it was just before everybody had a Go Pro sticking out of their head…………………
Sorry, no matter how seasoned your are, anything can happen. Especially with a six year old. This is stupid.
I know its an old video by now but I just want to two say two things. First of all, yes, the child should be wearing more gear. Second of all, Im sure that the child weighs nothing compared to the dad and bike, so dad can still steer with his butt. All the kids doing is holding the throttle.
And like many here, I also “drove” the family sedan as a child. On the lap of my grandfather in a parking lot having fun after saturday morning breakfast at the local greasey spoon.