This is around Oct of 2021 when I first got the bike. I had it in the lot more then I rode it as I knew I needed to go through the entire thing and make sure it wasn't going to blow up or destroy itself. Around the same time I was pouring over all the threads in various forums created by BMW owners about the dreaded "ticker" FJR bikes created out of their own propaganda farm and dismay for motorcycles that actually worked. I didn't want it to blow up and I certainly did not want to take my child on a bike I did not know was sound.
I came up with an idea and a way to feign off her relentless desire to ride with me by purchasing a small electric dirtbike.The idea being if she could learn to ride that and learn to lean and be respectful of the bike I would consider getting a "safer" bike and bringing her for rides. The little bike, a 350, while well above her age range for a 6yr old, my kid is unlike yours. Yes, all kids are different but I assure you mine would win in an age-limited gladiatorial fight, she is for lack of a better phrase, an absolute savage. Boy or girl, big boned and corn fed or fast as a ninja, this little shit is relentless and a menace to society in physical form. Humans like her are the reason we aren't gifted super powers and the days of magic are over, humans like her are why we cannot be trusted with such power. I felt confident she could figure the bike out. She did first try.
She was on training wheels on her pedal bike but she took to the E-Bike like it was second nature. I would give her pointers and step up the ante but every step along the way she told me how she was going to ride it and ride the F out of it she did. Well into winter and well into the snow. She would opt for her E-Bike over her sled.
"It's too slippery out for the bike lets just go sledding in the park."
"How about I ride the dirtbike to the park and carry my sled! Then we can do both?!?!"
We have run through every battery setup on Amazon and even the nasty fast ones. Burned two sets of brakes. She snapped the rear frame and we had to weld it "doing rough stuff". This is all before the spring of this year and well before I had to change the rules to "when your feet touch the pegs."
She learned to ride with a throttle before she learned to ride a pedal bicycle without training wheels. So-be-it.
Before the bullshit about "taming" behavior and curtailing childish impulses comes in let me please preface. My child is incredibly well mannered, respectful and moral. She is God loving, has impeccable manners and would get your grandma a drink of water while petting the cat gently without being asked or told to do so. Please and thank you are never asked for, she looks out for her fellow kiddo and is a Manitou on the playground against bullies. She is being raised the best she can be, 50% of the time. She is an amazing kid but if you give her a chainsaw, she gonna cut some trees down.
So, back on track, this little chick wanted to ride and the next spring arose. I formulated a plan that included a full set of gear for her birthday (early June) and to the dismay of my much alive Mother and sister, of whom had tried motorcycling with my late father and just found it tedious but enjoyed riding with him, had a large birthday that was focused on making her acceptance into riding motorcycles as "safe" as could be. Every present was **geared** for her to be able to get on the FJR. One thing in particular was the hardest unobtaniom in existence to acquire. My mother was adamant that she needed a backrest to keep her from falling off. As if I was going to drop a gear and have my daughter disappear?!?!?! I abided by her wishes and began to explore options. If I let my own mother down then what type of example am I setting, right? The options became very clear, spend a K and a half on some over priced seat combo from a factory that used to make custom seats or look for someone that had a remnant from the past. I wanted the Gerauld backrest but he wasn't making them and every forum I was on was bereft of even an inkling of his mastery.
Three days before her birthday one came for sale on EBay. I bought-it-now and messaged the seller to have it next day. It actually was kismet.
I am slightly religious but even more so I am a man that believes in the hive mind and things happening when they need to. Shit may roll downhill and cream rises to the top but if you can step out of the way shit passes you and if you don't want to get creamed on then don't try to be the top-guy. This fell into our laps and it was meant to be.
We drove the 158 miles home after that weekend in the F150 XLT but in her mind we were already on the bike. She wore her armor for the ride and wanted to eat Tabasco Slim Jims with her gloves on. Sadly, it was her mom's turn the next morning after getting home and the weather was awful the next week. Booger would get her chance though, she was sure of it.
I picked her up on Tuesday as usual in the pouring rain and talked to her like I always do about school and what she did.....she wasn't having it.
"I didn't tell Mommy about my birthday stuff. Are we going for a ride on the motorcycle today?"
Booger it's cool if you tell your mom. We can't go riding now its pouring rain!
"Can we go tomorrow?"
If its not raining then absolutely.
"Even if it's raining can we go?"
I then decide to describe physics and the Mu coefficient to a 7yr old for what reason I do not know.
Long story long
We had an opportunity.
The Thursday (I have her from Tues-Fri) of that week cleared up for a few hours and the pavement dried and I had the confidence IN THE ROAD CONDITIONS to bring her out for a test run. I use caps because I still had to muster the confidence in myself to plop the only thing Ir give a f@$k about in this life on the back of a bike that I had done 99% of the work to and roll around in NY traffic. <<deep breath>>
We made it.
The State Office Complex in the capitol of Albany is a vast array of 45mph well-kept roads and many ramps and turns that you can navigate to practice a great many things. A perfect place for someone learning to motorcycle for their first time as there are HUGE parking lots and exits to streets and, as I often do, teach people to use manual shifting cars/trucks because of the many obstacles and things you would experience on a regular basis. This entire place is vacant after 6pm. Not a soul in sight and what better place to see if my kiddo can handle riding for 15 mins let alone an hour with leans and turns, stops and pauses... A great place to be able to teach a regular pillion what to do when on the back of a bike.
"Don't f@$king wiggle when we are stopped or not moving!"
"Get your boots out of the way my foot goes there."
"We are about to take off fast hold on."
All these instances available in the safety of a vacated dystopian 1980's office complex.
Priceless.
