How to safely ride a motorcycle with a child

BERLIN: Whizzing around with your son or daughter along while running errands on your motorbike doesn't have to be an ordeal - all that's needed is a bit of practice and a child who's eager to tag along.

A passenger seat, including footrests and grips, is a basic necessity for taking a second person along no matter their age. If there's no passenger seat, it's also possible to use a child seat as long as the kid in question is between 3 and 7 years old and there are wheel covers; children under age 3 really shouldn't ride on motorbikes.

The right clothes

Before you take off together, it's tantamount that your child is wearing clothing that will protect them. According to Tuev Sued, a leading inspection agency in Germany, the clothes should be warm and fit the child snugly — no buying clothes that they will grow into.

Helmets in particular need to fit perfectly, and it should be one made specifically for children — they're usually lighter and put less strain on the spine. Good ventilation will ensure a pleasant ride.

A helmet with an integrated intercom system makes communication easy, but you can also agree on a way to communicate using thigh taps in advance in case the child wants to tell you something is going wrong.

Child preferences

Testing out the passenger seat lets you both figure out whether the child can reach the footrests and has enough strength to hold on tightly to the driver for a longer period of time, says Tuev Sued.

Try a few practice laps in an empty car park before going off on a real trip, as that will give the child time to get used to the helmet, clothes and narrow passenger seat. And no matter how used to riding a child is, longer trips should include regular break periods.

Most importantly, however: The child should want to tag along and enjoys the ride - instead of being forced to come along unwillingly.