Who has kids? How does this effect your riding habits?

[Bruce Bogtrotter]

I'm not a conservative rider (a bit crashy), so I couldn't justify the risks after having the first of 2 kids. Was tough to let the motorcycle go at first.

2016 is when the youngest turns 18, and when I go back to motorcycles with my full attention and with a clear conscience. Maybe at 50 I won't bounce as well, but my right wrist might be a little less spastic.

In the meantime, my motorcycle pacifier (bicycle, 5K miles a year) has kept me more or less happy.

[Mastros2]

We have 2 sons (3 and 1) and although I haven't had a chance to ride as much, I still can get out.   I stopped commuting since I was tired of fighting the traffic and it worried my wife.  Although she wouldn't limit me, she much rather me do track days than commute so we agreed on that.  Although I am not a risk taker, I made sure that the life and accidental insurance is up to par just in case.  Family always comes first but when life works out, i'll try to squeeze in 2-3 trips and 2-3 track days.

I would love for my boys to learn how to ride or even just being a passenger would be wonderful. The oldest already is showing an interest.  We'll see.

Motorcycling is great.  Family time is priceless.  

[2RR2NV]

i have 2 lil girls: 2 & 4. i haven't really changed my style of riding but i have cut way back on riding in general cause i don't know the area very well and my wife made the stipulation i have a riding partner. not that big of a deal cause with the right rider, it's still fun whatever the speed.

my wife, she has not been on the back of a bike since shortly after the first was born, and then quit quick cause she missed her baby a lot. now, with the girls older, she looks forward to riding once again, but has vowed to wait til we get back to SD and the awesome Black Hills. whether she has her own bike or just rides on whatever ST we have, i will leave it up to her. My wife has made it known to me since day one that she will never tell me to sell a bike unless she absoF'inlutely has to. she loves riding as much as me and if she made me get rid of em, then she couldn't ride either. for example, i sold the FJR back in Mar 2011 for job/finance/lack of riding reasons. well, i tend to talk about bikes a lot and do a ton of research just for the heck of it. well, last month, my wife said that i could have a bike once again. i didn't put much weight into it until she started doing research for me and checking out deals and whatnot. before i could make a final decision, she had already called a bunch of dealers, picked out the bike and deal and set up the date to get it. next thing i know, we head to the dealer to get my 750. now that's my kind of woman. I most definitely love her   . she's already planning for when we get back to SD. once we are financially set and can swing it, looks there will be another bike in the stable. oh darn the luck.  

[Emerson00]

Just brought our son home in late February. He's 1.5 years old and already a real dare devil, which I think it's great. I don't want my son to be afraid of trying things. I look forward to sharing lots of my hobbies with him, and through example, showing him that Daddy measures and mitigates the risks.

I somehow feel it's important that he doesn't grow up hearing some version of "your dad had a motorcycle for years before you came home, he used to like that a lot, but he sold it when you got here." There are too many negative messages implanted in that statement.

I don't have the $ or time to do track days or long trips, but I never have; I commute on the bike and might do a weekend trip once a year. The money for track days is really gone now, and the weekend isn't that important to me anyway. Since my time is more important at home, I'll save my weekend adventures for sailing races, and just enjoy the motorcycle commute.  I have alternative routes I've been taking more often both coming in and going home.

I have noticed when I find myself acting stupidly on the bike now, I think of my wife first, and the idea of leaving her a single mom slows me down as much as anything. My son thinks I'm pretty awesome - a walking jungle gym - but he's so young and already been through hell and back, so he'd forget me easier than my wife would. We are ensuring my life insurance is in good order, and working on all that stuff like wills, trusts, and  

So the only change is pretty peripheral, though I make a very conscious effort to slow down when the thought occurs I could make my wife a single mother, and not get to hold my boy when he's falling asleep that evening.

[Liquidsilver]

Four kids.   When the first ones were little, some big questions occurred to me.   I thought about it and prayed about it.  
 
Then I resolved that I 'ride' - and if I ceased to ride, I would cease to be me...
 
I don't ride more conservatively, but I do try to stay aware of my desire to be with them as they grow up.
 
 
And, I take them riding whenever I can...
 

 
 

[phaze5]

never stopped or slowed down, just took less chances, taught my girls to ride and found out today i am gonna be a gramps to my own offspring now, raising my stepsons kids don't count, i'd do that anyway and i won't love them any less but told my kid it better be a boy or blake will reign supreme lol

[bluepoof]

 

 

That is an AWESOME photo.  

[bluepoof]

found out today i am gonna be a gramps

Congrats!!!    

[LENSMAN]

  I increased my term life insurance. I used to take my daughter for rides often, now once a year on average,  she's 16, and I taught her how to ride a couple of years ago. I have sacrificed family time for ride time in the past; won't do that again.  

[phaze5]

thanks bluepoof,

looks like a december baby though oof there goes christmas money haha

[mbishara]

I'm dying to finally go on a Multi day tour sometime. I'm fully equipped for it with the Concourse 14 but I have three young children at home so it's tough to get away. Certainly my wife and I can't just go together just yet.

We'll see what happens this year.


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[bluepoof]

thanks bluepoof,

looks like a december baby though oof there goes christmas money haha

Well?????  

[RedCBRRider]

My son is 22.  He doesn't affect my riding at all, unless I'm riding to go see him.

[ReSTored]

Married almost 32 years, 2 daughters, now 24 and 26.  Had no money for years.. so that definitely affected my riding ;-)  Got ST about 10 years ago when girls were 14 and 16 and wife did not ride with me.  Definitely a risk management thing.  To each his own and whatever you're comfortable with.

[Shizoku]

I've always owned a bike since I was 17, I'm now 54.  The wife has ridden with me since high school.
After the kids were born, 2 boys now grown and on their own, I still rode, but she did not.
My philosophy was I didn't want to chance leaving the kids parentless.
The boys are now grown and out on their own, the wife now rides again with me.  
Life is good.  

Dave in Valencia

[mbishara]

How difficult was it getting away for a few rides now and then when the kids were younger .

I've got three of them under ten years old.

I'm lucky in that I'm self employed so I try to take a few Fridays off now and then (while the kids are at school and the wife is at work) so that I'm not missed too often.

It also helped that a few of my childhood buddies all ride so going out on a weekend trip here and there is not too difficult.

When I have a solo errand to run around with I also take my bike. Easier than driving a big suburban around town anyways.

I'm a,so a real early riser. The family doesn't wake up before 9 AM on weekends and I wake up at around 5 AM. So I can take off and be back for noon without ruining their day, yet I still get five or six hours of riding time.

It's great being in your own sometimes with some music or the news via my blue tooth hookup to my phone.

One thing is for sure. With three young children weekends are jam packed with activities and family obligations so I can't just disappear for full day weekend rides.

As far as security is concerned it's always an issue but so is skiing, ski dooing, mountain hiking, cliff climbing, parachuting, hand gliding, flying, car driving.

There was even a guy who died a few years ago right in his living room. A truck lost control and just smashed into his house.

In other words we should be careful, obey the safety rules, enjoy the ride and not be scared s----less every time we go out because that will also affect our abilities. Like a goal scorer in a slump. The more stress the less he scores.

Anyways that was my argument to my family when I decided to take my motorcycle safety course at the old age of 42 yrs old two years ago .

They thought I was crazy but no one realized that I've been wanting a bike for twenty years but put that on the back-burner.

I'm not putting my family life behind my own enjoyment now but why does it have to be a choice? Why not enjoy both?

My wife is now taking short rides with me and we have a blue tooth comm package so we can chit chat and enjoy some nice summer days together.


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[mbishara]

Wow that was a long post


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