Child car seat

[LittleJohn]

Ok all you Einsteins and Mother Teresas, i merely floated the idea!!! Holy cow!! Try for one second to be rational and think about why you're so angry at the idea! A child seat makes the passenger more secure than an adult passenger would be!!!! The adult passenger has to hold on!!!!! Come on use your own brain!! By the way, I'm a medical doctor, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, Summa cum laude from Saint Louis University medical school, and have 6 happy healthy children! ! Holy cow Get a Grip on risk/reward issues!

OK
I wasn't goin to comment on this, but I feel the need to now.
Ill try to address the issue without belittling you.
Please read this as an objective comment with no derision or attack on my part.

First you need to ask the question, "Why am I doing this?"
Is it for your pleasure or the child's?
If its yours, then I think I would have to agree that its not a good idea.
If it's the childs idea, and he rally wants a ride on Daddy's bike, then you need to consider ALL the issues.
Helmet, eye protection, body protection from wind, and possible abrasion in an accident (none of us plan an accident, but they happen).
Are you comfortable with placing your child in these circumstances?
I also heard someone consider the legal ramifications. I believe there are usually size requirements for legal passengers.
One other thing that caught my attention is the fact that you plan on using the grab handles as a tie down. Please note, these were not designed for this use, and some have broken.

Ultimately, it's your decision to take the risk / responsibility, (yes there is risk, and you make the decision every time you get on to accept that risk), since the child is too young to make the descision himself.

You did ask for opinions, and I will offer mine.
If your truly planning on just up and down the driveway or comparable ride, maybe it would be OK, but I personally would not subject a small child to the environment of riding at speed in traffic. My reasoning, children that age are more vulnerable than adults. They dont have the knowledge to understand the environment of riding, nor the reactions to help themselves in a situation (ie, possible accident, dodging road debris, etc.)
Regardless of any responses you've gotten here, please do yourself the favor of looking at the situation as objectively as you can, and go from there.

Thanks for listening.

 

[Lamonster]

I have the BRP backrest and I put a child car seat on the spyder and secured it with the seat belts to the backrest and the handlebars for the passenger. (2 separate belts that come with the seat).The third seat belt goes across the seat like standard seat belt in car and i strapped it to metal frame down below. It's very secure! Does anybody think putting a 14 month old or 3 year old on that seat is a bad idea? What if child wears helmet? If you're against this idea please don't yell at me I'm JUST EXPLORING at this point!!!! Just wanna hear folks' thoughts about it. I think it's reasonable but wife says No.

:wrong: Now that you've heard what people thought of the idea what are your plans? Are you going to do it anyway? Was this just a joke you were playing on the board members? I would really like to know. My guess is you're just having a little message board fun, just like the guys that post that shaft bike can't wheelie. :dontknow:opcorn:

 

[NancysToy]

Ok all you Einsteins and Mother Teresas, i merely floated the idea!!! Holy cow!! Try for one second to be rational and think about why you're so angry at the idea! A child seat makes the passenger more secure than an adult passenger would be!!!! The adult passenger has to hold on!!!!! Come on use your own brain!! By the way, I'm a medical doctor, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame, Summa cum laude from Saint Louis University medical school, and have 6 happy healthy children! ! Holy cow Get a Grip on risk/reward issues!

Obviously, you have hit a nerve. I suspect your repeated defense of the idea has not helped. The fact that you are an MD scares the daylights out of me, since your mind seems quite closed. No offense, but you need to be a bit more receptive. Trolling for reaction is one thing, but truly believing in such an idea is pure folly.

My parents rode me between them on a Harley when I was about one. I have the picture to prove it. Although I have been riding since I was eleven, I still could never find it in myself to pull the same bone-headed stunt they did...and that was in a day and age without heavy traffic, tailgaters, drivers on cell phones, and road rage. The most I would ever do with my children until they were old enough to reach the pegs was let them sit, with me, on the motorcycle at rest in the driveway.

A few points for you to consider. A car seat is not designed for a motorcycle seat, there is no way to restrain it in the manner it was engineered to be. There is also no way to support it properly in a reversed position. It may seem stable to you, but on a curved seat, and not properly restrained from the top, with a substantial structure to attach it to, it could easily tear loose in a crash, where the forces are many times those sustained in normal riding. If you ever worked ER, you are well aware of this. People hit dashboards and windshields of cars, although you couldn't get tose body parts shoved in there on purpose, if you tried. Car seats are also are not designed to prevent penetration of outside objects, as a helmet is, so there is a great exposure in a crash.

Yes, motorcycling is dangerous! It is far more so for someone unaware of the dangers, unable to hang on, unable to see what is going on, and unable try to react to protect themselves or avoid danger. You have the controls, the training, and the experience to be aware of the risks and minimize them, a small child does not. It is like letting a small child handle a loaded gun, they do not know enough not to hurt themselves. Hopefully, you do.

One more point. There are no approved helmets on the market that will fit a child this small. A helmet cannot protect if it does not fit properly. In addition, a small child's neck muscles are not well enough developed to prevent the weight of a helmet from causing serious injury all by itself in a crash. I'm sure you are aware that whiplash is one of the most common injuries in a crash. Think of the forces on a child's neck in that situation, while wearing a helmet that weighs a significant portion of his entire body weight. Can you say "broken neck?"

There are many reasons not to attempt, or even explore, such an idea. I would have hoped that a well educated person, especially with medical training, could see those clearly. I still hope so. It would be nice to see you say you have reconsidered. This is not something that you should defend.
-Scotty

 

[Bersquack]

I am just at a loss for words. My mom always said that if you have nothing nice to say then don't say anything...

 

[BRPjunkie]

At least the parents are wearing a helmet here. Yes there is a kid in the middle of those two. :shocked:

That's what I call front and rear air bags.

Whatever the reason this thread started, it's amazing that it has become the hottest topic. Whatever happened to squealing brakes, coolant leaks, fault codes, won't start, spring settings, etc?

 

[johnboyjohn.pretious]

and there i was thinking Spyder riders were sensible people !!!!!!:cus:

 

[ataDude]

Ok you all win but I'm just saying that, as a father of six, if this activity is SO DANGEROUS, maybe I should not ride AT ALL! I don't want to be hurt either! No one wants to be hurt! Let's all go back to our cars!

You're right... riding is dangerous... much more so than in a car. And, it doesn't matter how "safe" you think you are... what about the other folks on the road?

I have screws and plates in my left knee (three major surgeries and 62 days in the hospital) and 7" bolts in my pelvis from road riding. Most (but not all) of my major accidents have been the result of other folks' behavior. I have cracked open more than a few good helmets... maybe that's what's wrong with me.

However, as an adult, you can make a choice to take that risk. A child is incapable of making an informed choice.

If someone with small, dependent kids asks me about riding (even solo), I tell them to wait until the kids are grown... when they don't need their dad for financial support and to some degree, emotional support.

I, too, would like to know if you were just "pulling our legs". And... what your decision is.

.

 

[tatt2r]

i got the safe way to put baby on spyder

Why would you even think about using a brand new child car seat, that's such a waste of money, why not just strap him into the front trunk of your Spyder, make yourself a homemade redneck child seat?
(Tatt2R... LaMonster...photos please)

as long as you have baby on board windshield your in :2thumbs:,,,,

looks safe to me ....
one for you motza .....hope i didnt offend anyone and i just want everyone one to know that no baby's were injured in the photoshopping of this picture

 

[tatt2r]

one more thing ...

i'm a little ticked of that i go threw all this trouble for you peoples entertainment and i guy that asks a stupid question about putting a kid on a spyder get more comments than me ...:sour:

 

[tnfleming]

Judging by the reactions, i am DEFINITELY not going to ride my kids on the bike. I've never asked a victim, but i think being burned at the stake by an angry mob would be unpleasant. I try to be Rational but am surrounded by people who think with their hearts. As an eye surgeon, i guess I weigh risk/reward issues a little less emotionally!!!! Statistically I would argue that my position is better than adults who ride sans helmet! Or teenagers who ride ninjas! Or adults who smoke! Or adults who ride passenger style on spyder!!!! Come on!

 

[tatt2r]

we dont hold anything against you ... we are all here to help each other (and bash when we can) there is and old saying "ask a stupid question..." well you know the rest .... hope you and family have a "SAFE" holiday....
god bless us everyone...

 

[dltang]

Judging by the reactions, i am DEFINITELY not going to ride my kids on the bike. I've never asked a victim, but i think being burned at the stake by an angry mob would be unpleasant. I try to be Rational but am surrounded by people who think with their hearts. As an eye surgeon, i guess I weigh risk/reward issues a little less emotionally!!!! Statistically I would argue that my position is better than adults who ride sans helmet! Or teenagers who ride ninjas! Or adults who smoke! Or adults who ride passenger style on spyder!!!! Come on!

Tnfleming,
It is hard to believe that you were actually looking for anyone's honest opinion. The only posts you even responded to were ones that people blatantly told you that they thought your idea was not good. You never once agreed with any one person's point of view, all you did was defend your question. The few posts here that point out laws, equipment, reaction time, age, choice, etc... you skipped right over. As was mentioned, just because an adult does something, does not make it right for a child to do it, that is why we are supposed to be the parents. You obviously are going to do what you want. You also talk about weighing the risk/reward issue. I have news for you, there is no risk or reward worth losing a child. I know this from experience. My 17 year old daughter was out driving on a cold icy night when she was killed in a car accident. There is nothing I could have done. But I do have a feeling that lack of experience in driving in those conditions contributed to her accident. Yes, I am the parent that made the decision to allow her to drive at her age in those conditions. If I could do over again I am not sure what changes if any I would or could make. But I know for sure, I wouldn't purposely put a child in a position of potential danger. You are talking about doing something that has not even been tested for problems. When you go into eye surgery, do you say, hey I am going to try this because it may give this person perfect vision, but it's never been tried or tested before? The reward would be great, what about the risks, to both you and the patient. Please think about your responses here. I am off my soap box now.

 

[sleepman]

Judging by the reactions, i am DEFINITELY not going to ride my kids on the bike. I've never asked a victim, but i think being burned at the stake by an angry mob would be unpleasant. I try to be Rational but am surrounded by people who think with their hearts. As an eye surgeon, i guess I weigh risk/reward issues a little less emotionally!!!! Statistically I would argue that my position is better than adults who ride sans helmet! Or teenagers who ride ninjas! Or adults who smoke! Or adults who ride passenger style on spyder!!!! Come on!

Well one thing is for sure, you're certainly a doctor because you're the only one who is right in your own warped sense.

Nothing that you've said was rational. What is rational is the idea that a normal adult would not endanger their own child regardless of what activities that adult engages in when by themselves.

If any of your responses are actually genuine then I must say that I'm surprised you even own a car seat. According to your standards since you ride in a car without being in a special seat then why should a child need to be put in one?

 

[BRPjunkie]

Are we done??? Let's go back to Shell Rotella/BRP oil and 87/91 octane disussions or at least attacking writers who don't get the Spyder.

 

[Jeff in Dallas]

Wow...

That was an interesting diversion...

 

[ataDude]

Oh, tatt2r, you know we appreciate you.

Don't you?

.

i'm a little ticked of that i go threw all this trouble for you peoples entertainment and i guy that asks a stupid question about putting a kid on a spyder get more comments than me ...:sour:

 

[ataDude]

Wow...

That was an interesting diversion...

Yepper. :yikes: :yikes: :yikes: :yikes:

.

 

[tnfleming]

Well one thing is for sure, you're certainly a doctor because you're the only one who is right in your own warped sense.

Nothing that you've said was rational. What is rational is the idea that a normal adult would not endanger their own child regardless of what activities that adult engages in when by themselves.

If any of your responses are actually genuine then I must say that I'm surprised you even own a car seat. According to your standards since you ride in a car without being in a special seat then why should a child need to be put in one?

Ok lock your kids in a cliset in the basement so they are safe! America, the land of the enslaved by socialists, home of the pusillanimous!

 

[IMRU3]

Judging by the reactions, i am DEFINITELY not going to ride my kids on the bike. I've never asked a victim, but i think being burned at the stake by an angry mob would be unpleasant. I try to be Rational but am surrounded by people who think with their hearts. As an eye surgeon, i guess I weigh risk/reward issues a little less emotionally!!!! Statistically I would argue that my position is better than adults who ride sans helmet! Or teenagers who ride ninjas! Or adults who smoke! Or adults who ride passenger style on spyder!!!! Come on!

Wow! Considering you are in the health profession, you ought to be advocating towards the safety of your children. As I am a nurse, I always do the best that I can to advocate the rights and safety of my clients. I would not want to be under your practice or be one of your patients. Yikes.

 

[tatt2r]

Are we done??? Let's go back to Shell Rotella/BRP oil and 87/91 octane disussions or at least attacking writers who don't get the Spyder.

i say you are right before it hits 100....so anyway