Gump, you're kind of becoming a sort of hero of mine.

Great kid. Great life. Brings a smile to my face. Thanks for that...

It's amazing what you can do with a $5 rattle can.

Mark

 

We're all different, and I respect that, however, it seems a bit odd to me for you to express that sentiment, then post a picture of him riding in a T-shirt & gym shoes. Good that he's wearing jeans & a helmet that will keep the top of his head intact in a crash. I know a leather jacket, boots & a FF helmet aren't any guarantee, but... I would imagine thinking about him lying in a bed at home with skin grafts on his face & upper torso, no jaw, and his toes ground off.

 

As my wife of almost 30 years said when I got back into riding a decade back ... "go put something exciting between your legs."


Any father worth is weight in ... you fill in the blank ... will have similar feelings. Both of my sons (27 and 24) ride, and I still worry about them.

Here's the best part ...

You haven't really ridden until you ride with your son. I've done several trips with my sons (both on bikes and ATVs), and you'll be surprised how fast those feelings disappear when you're on the road with them.

Funny thing is, I ride back to Oklahoma every year to see my dad (who is 77 and rode off-on my whole life) ... and he admitted this last year that he worries about me as well. I wonder what he'll do this year when I pull up to his front door with my two sons on their own bikes.

 

Good question. Tough question. I have a teenage son who wants to ride. Am I concerned about him getting hurt or worse? Absolutely. I love him.

The painful truth is that accidents and other bad things happen. Does this mean he won't drive a car, stop at a convenience store, go into a bank, play sports, eat junk food (ouch), etc, in other words do anything where he could be injured? Not likely.

I'll do all I can to make sure he's safe...take a riders safety, wear a helmet, etc, but I can only do so much. There's plenty to worry about, that's part of being a parent, but as with many things about being a parent you also have to trust, let go and pray alot (lol).

Ride safe...

 

And how would you feel if they want to join the armed forces? You set that example too. Raise them the best you can, turn them loose, and council them as needed.

 

You are right if my girls want to ride Ill be right beside them

 

all my kids ride or have ridden 7 of them
the three grand kids that live by me have all ridden behind me or thier dad. he started at age 8 racing motocross and then flat track so yes you do worry but not to the point of crazy.
they will get hurt that is a faact of life..

 

sound to me like you are just scared of getting a bike. with your logic you should of never had kids. that way they could never get hurt.

i sell bikes for a living. if you relly wanted to ride you would. there are so many guys that come in the shop that say they would ride but there wifes would kill them. they say that they could easily afford it but the wife just says no. and i tell them to there face if they relly wanted to ride they would. and there wife would respect a man more who wasnt pussey whiped.

 

My Dad bought me a dirtbike when I was 5, been riding ever since (25 years ago). We reguarly ride & tour together. If anything ever happened to me, rather than regret, I hope he would think of the years of enjoyment that brought me (and him).

 

Guys - these are two fantastic pictures! I LOVE them!! What I would give to have a picture like that with a stepdaughter, or niece - it's just so cool.