[HartSplash]

Anyone know where I might find good protective riding gear for kids? I'm not impressed with simply a leather jacket. I'm looking for something like mine that would have padding/armor. The most I'm finding are the Harley style jackets (no padding) and dirt bike apparel - i.e. jersies. Any advice from any out there who have kids and take them for a ride??

 

[andyauger]

The only armor I am aware of that comes in child sizes is off-road gear. Better than nothing. Some of it is pretty good stuff.

How young? My personal view (and it's just my opinion, I don't mean to be judgemental) is that I wouldn't ride anyone younger than 16. I'm not about to say that if you ride someone younger it's wrong. It's just the way I fee.

 

[acedeluxe]

good topic. I was thinking the same thing the other day. I was discussing with the wife if my 9 year old was ready for a slow ride through our neigborhood. Upon looking on the internet and the Dennis Kirk/ Chapparal catologs, I found nothing. Seems like even the kids sized helmets are chopper beanie styles or open faced. No way that's going on my kid's head. Full faced helmets for kids? Maybe there's a reason why they don't make them ???

 

[shermans_shazaam]

My boyfriends son who is 6, has been wearing my small arai and my small mans phoenix jacket and my small joe rocket gloves. They fit perfectly. He also made him a belt that goes around both of them while they ride. They only thing I can think of is having a smaller helmet on hand and maybe a small adult jacket on hand. Especially if you know a child your going to ride on your bike enough. All my jackets fit him and they all have armor in them. And he isn't really big for his age either. So that might be something to look at. Plus if you did that, you would have that on hand if an adult wanted to ride too.....

 

[acedeluxe]

Shazaam, Good god woman what type of gargantuan children is your old man producing ;D j/k

I don't think the small jacket would fit my 9 year old very well but I won't knock it till we try it. maybe take him to the M/C closeouts store and try stuff on. I like the idea of the belt going around the rider and the chitlin. I was just telling my ol' lady that same idea.

Thanks for the tips and hopefully the amazon people you live with won't step on you. LMAO.. sorry...I couldn't resist

 

[shermans_shazaam]

Shazaam, Good god woman what type of gargantuan children is your old man producing ;D j/k

I don't think the small jacket would fit my 9 year old very well but I won't knock it till we try it. maybe take him to the M/C closeouts store and try stuff on. I like the idea of the belt going around the rider and the chitlin. I was just telling my ol' lady that same idea.

Thanks for the tips and hopefully the amazon people you live with won't step on you. LMAO.. sorry...I couldn't resist

HAHAHAHA!

Don't worry. My 8 year old can't wear my helmet or my jacket.......

 

[shermans_shazaam]

Shazaam, Good god woman what type of gargantuan children is your old man producing ;D j/k

I don't think the small jacket would fit my 9 year old very well but I won't knock it till we try it. maybe take him to the M/C closeouts store and try stuff on. I like the idea of the belt going around the rider and the chitlin. I was just telling my ol' lady that same idea.

Thanks for the tips and hopefully the amazon people you live with won't step on you. LMAO.. sorry...I couldn't resist

Oh yeah....EBAY. that's where we have gotten all our riding gear except for my ICON Kitty set.

 

[andyauger]

Please don't belt the child to the operator. If the child isn't old enough to hang on for themselves don't ride them. The most secure position is for the child to have their strongest arm around the operator's waist and their other hand holding the grab rail. That way they are well-braced both directions. Alternately they can have both arms around the operator.

I get chills thinking about a spill where the two are tied together. Internal organ injuries, crushing injuries, etc.

Around the neighborhood, slow rides are a different animal. If your neighborhood is quiet (I've been up since 5:00 A.M. and haven't seen a single car, and I live on a corner) and the speed limit is 20 MPH (like most residential neighborhoods) then a toot around the block is probably O.K., with or without gear. Just don't do anything like demonstrate the acceleration, braking or turning capabilities. Just being on a motorcycle for the first time is plenty enough of a thrill. Oops, just saw the first car pass and it's 9:52 A.M.

 

[acedeluxe]

Eh, I knew this would bring opposing viewpoints. To me, belting the child to the operator is only extra safety for the chance that the child loses a grip, feet come off the pegs etc. I'm  not intending on riding down the interstate with a 9 year old on the back, belt or not. However if a low speed spill were to occur, I would imagine I would land front first thereby . Remember we are talking about through the neighborhood, max speed of maybe 40 with little to no traffic.

I'm interested to hear other opinions/suggestions. Who else has ridden with kids?, what age would you or would you not?

 

[shermans_shazaam]

Sorry, but the belt is for longer later rides.

 

[HartSplash]

Thanks everyone for your responses. I know Alpinestars has size 0 and 2 in their womens gear. I think that I will see if she can fit into those sizes and then go from there.

 

[PricklyPear]

good topic. I was thinking the same thing the other day. I was discussing with the wife if my 9 year old was ready for a slow ride through our neigborhood. Upon looking on the internet and the Dennis Kirk/ Chapparal catologs, I found nothing. Seems like even the kids sized helmets are chopper beanie styles or open faced. No way that's going on my kid's head. Full faced helmets for kids? Maybe there's a reason why they don't make them ???

I have a HJC CS-12 child's full face helmet.  It is DOT and SNELL approved.  Helmet harbor sells them for $100.

http://helmetharbor.com/streethelmets/helmets/hjc/youth/opening.htm

Other than that, my 9-year old daughter rides with a leather jacket, hiking boots, and women's riding gloves.

JP Cycles sells chaps for kids, but I don't have any experience with them. Phoenix summers are just too warm for them. I think I will get her dirt bike pants.

 

[RandyO]

www.womanbiker.com has child sized gear

 

[HartSplash]

www.womanbiker.com has child sized gear

I just checked out their webiste and didn't see any kids stuff. Are you reffering to their "custom" gear ???

 

[punkjumper]

a buddy with his 6 year old...I'll ask him where he gets her gear.  I have a 5 year old that is getting ready for rides too.

 

[shermans_shazaam]

Here is my boyfriend and his son on the first ride. My boyfriend made him a belt the next week and I don't have pictures with that on here yet. I will post when I get them....Cale is wearing all my gear. My helmet, jacket, and gloves.

 

[HartSplash]

a buddy with his 6 year old...I'll ask him where he gets her gear. I have a 5 year old that is getting ready for rides too.

Here is my boyfriend and his son on the first ride. My boyfriend made him a belt the next week and I don't have pictures with that on here yet. I will post when I get them....Cale is wearing all my gear. My helmet, jacket, and gloves.

totally cute!! My 10 year old sis is really wanting to ride. She fits great into my helmet, but my jacket was way tooo big for her. So we only took her for a real short ride around the block.

 

[RandyO]

I just checked out their webiste and didn't see any kids stuff.  Are you reffering to their "custom" gear ???

I would call them or sent them an e-mail, I have several friends who have purchased youth sizes there and remember when I took my now ex wife there, they had quite a bit of small stuff in their retail showroom in Concord, NH

 

[stranger]

this might be a better option than a dress belt for the kids: http://www.buddybelt.com/

 

[shermans_shazaam]

Hartsplash I'm sure that your sister will have a blast when she gets a jacket to wear.

this is the belt my boyfriend made for his son. it works great! It is really simple, but provides ALOT of security for both Scott and Cale.