Kids on bikes

Hello Tommyqunnlz1. Here in Michigan what you want to do is not legal. Anyone on the back of the bike must be able to reach the stock footboards/pegs without any alterations. The 3 year old in the sidecar would be fine.

Now if you want my opinion, if you moved the footboards so your 6 year old can use them, it would be fine. I believe the passenger needs the stability of their feet on the footboards. If you had a panic stop your passenger would slam into your back if they could not use their legs to hold themselves in place. With a sidecar your passenger would slide left and right as you turned because you don’t lean. A friend of mine has a ’08 Electra Glide Classic (no sidecar) and he mounted highway pegs to the crash bars around the saddlebags. He takes his grandkids for rides all the time and they love it. I’m not sure on their age but they can’t reach the stock pegs. I have seen others make a plate that allowed the footboard to be raised, this gives more of a stock appearance. Again this is just my opinion.

Kids fall aspeep soon in an auto from the motion. Smaller ones almost as soon as you started the engine, then would waken as soon as you turned it off.
They fall asleep quicker on a bike. Back when my bride and I used to ride two up I would reach around every once in a while, pat her and ask: Are you still there? Sometimes I woke her up.

A neighbor uses a wide strap with velcro and wraps both he and his three year old with it when he takes him for a short putt. The lad loves riding with Dad.

Lonnie

Wow thank you very much I never thought, nor did I ever think about either moving or adding the foot pegs higher. Someone had suggested possibly straping the rider on the bike w/ a velcro strap or a bucklable belt. What are your feelings on this? I haven't yet gotten the sidecar and it's still going to be awhile (maybe a yr) till I get it and wanted to do serious research on this before riding w/ them. It goes w/ out saying of course that I want them and myself to have the safest ride and experience as they can get. I've taken them on my brothers bike around his block a couple times sitting on the gas tank and they were nothing short of all smiles. Now I want to do it legally and safe(r) This whole sidecar business is totally new to me, I've never had a sidecar and I'm figuring the whole dynanics of it all is MUCH different. I appreciate all your time and advice you've given me.

Tom, I have four grandkids (boys 12 and 9, girls 6 and 4). The boys have been riding with me together for three years now. The 12 year old on the back (he could reach the pegs at 9 and is level headed enough I could trust him to hang on) and the 9 year old in the sidecar. He is special needs and part of the deal is he is off the charts for size to age so he could brace himself in the sidecar, hand bar and floor cleat at age 6, worked great. I don't think he will ever be able to ride behind me. The six year old has to use the seat belt to keep her in place and has been going for 2 summers now. This was the first summer for the 4 year old. We had to let the little peanut grow into the XS helmet. Bottom line is they are all different and need different things and the safty of the passenger(s) is up to the operator. Seatbelt is a must if they aren't strong enough or big enough to brace themselves even if not required by law. As a loving Dad just take it slow to start to find how your kids will act and react to the ride. It is a way cool thing to be seen by their friends, pride and excitement can cause them to act??????????? That being said, they will love you forever for your involment with them.
As for falling asleep,it happened to me. When my daughter was 9 we took a trip around Lake Huron, only rule was to stay as close to the lake as possible. Last day out I could feel her dipping so I pulled off at an ouerlook and let her nap on a blanket. (full dressed GolgWing/ no sidecar at that time). You have a great plan doing your research now, best luck and be safe.
Note 1: A owner installed seatbelt hasn't been tested as a safty device and should be viewed only as a position holding aid.
Note 2: Strapping them on the back, be careful with little feet, strong shoe laces, loose clothing and any rope, velcro or anything that can come in contact with moving parts should it come loose. Be better to fab some type of arm rest/child retainer that you could take on and off.

My grandchildren. The boy to the rear is now a U.S. Marine, the one in the middle just turned 17, and the young lady is 15. They literally grew up in my sidecars. On here I believe they were 6, 8, and 10?

If you haven't got a sidecar yet, you might try to find one big enough for both kids to fit in, I think that they are still a little young to safely ride on the back of a bike. I remember our two rode with my wife and I when they were about 10-12, and still often fell asleep. They always enjoyed riding, and my 41 year old son has had several bikes, and my daughter has always wanted one. They both grew up loving motorcycles, and my son always tells his friends that he has been around bikes all of his life, and wanted his own since he was 2!!
Good luck with it, and be safe.

Up to about 8 to 8.5 years old two of my kids(twins) use to ride in velorex. After it one of them ride on the back of Goldwing. Box on the back, rear of driver back rest and arm rest on the side - give us good support in case of snoosing. We use some extra restrains for safety. For footpegs I use plates to rase them to good level.

My wife has the same problem as most kids, she can’t stay awake. Rather than strapping her in I added arm rest that flip up instead of swing out. When she is in her seat and I am in front of her, she cannot fall out. I chose not to have a driver’s backrest, because in the event of a bad accident she would then be locked in and possible get hurt worse. Strapping people to 2-wheeled motorcycles always concerned me because you would get hurt far worse in a crash. I haven’t thought about a 3-wheeled bike though. A person was broadsided yesterday on a trike and the bike rolled 5 times. I would not have wanted to be strapped to that bike.

My 3yo loves the sidecar, has over 5000 miles in just over a year. We just did a 7 day 1350 roadtrip. They make a harness for the older one to keep them ffrom falling off. I seen ne in use on a poker run last year. But I also like the idea of a larger sidecar fr both to set in. If I find the harness I will post a link

Search "childrens recreational vehicle ridng" on Ebay. There is also one called "The Back Rider". For the 6yo

Thank you for your reply Barry, much appreciated. I'm liking that back rest set up that you have there, where did you get it? What I can see from the photo the arm rests and trunk assembly it appears to be one solid piece or am I not seeing it right? I will agree w/ you on the fact of not having anyone strapped in/on to a bike just for that reason of an accident. I've been in a couple of doosies and non of which would want to be strapped into at the time.

Wow I can't believe you got all 3 kids in that sidecar that's awesome. You rode w/ them in the car just like that? What did you fasten to or lay on the floor for your granddaughter? I was concerned that there wouldn't e enough room for my 2 daughters now 6 and 3yrs old. But after seeing this, throws a wrench into my knowledge of sidecar room. Love the photo thank you very much for showing me.

Thank you for your reply Trudy, can you describe the floor cleat or possibly take a picture of it. Is it something you came up w/ or you had someone put in for you? As I told another person that replied to my issue, I was concerned about there being enough room in the sidecare for my 2 daughters that are now 6 and 3yrs old. But you've been riding w/ children older than mine and there seems to be enough room for them. Now did you add the seat belts yourself or did you have someone do it for you?

Thank you for the post wvsporty, I looked up "the back rider" on Ebay and will keep it in mind.