Start 'em young -I say!

[Dan Filetti]

So my 8 year old twins turned, well, 8 this past Saturday.  For their birthday, I bought them a CRF50 to share.  The are really grooving on it.  I spent the last few weeks cutting trails through the woods on my lot (5.46 acres) [and destroying a set of tractor blades in the process].  I figured the kids would not use the trails for a few weeks.  I was wrong.

I had them start off doing stops and starts; throttle control, and braking exercises in the front yard -many dozens of them.  They were fairly frustrated with my insistence that they get this right, smooth/ controlled throttle and brake inputs... I had them do an obstacle course around logs I had laid out; figure eights, 'S' Turns etc.-good, now do it again, -then I let 'em loose a bit.  They both took to the machine amazingly quickly.  By the end of day two, (yesterday afternoon) they were both doing 80% of the +/- 1/4 mile trail.  Their balance and control is a lot better than I thought it would be at this point.  

We had great weather yesterday (65 and sunny -no wind) so it made for a great bonding experience with the ankle-biters.  They are pretty competitive with each other, which in this case, helps to motivate them to become better faster.  But it's otherwise a bit of a concern of mine...

Pics:





In truth, this present was at least as much for me as them, but it's pretty cool watching them take to the machine.

Dan

[junkyardroad]

I bought them a CRF50 to share.  The are really grooving on it

Just think of how much fun they'll have when they each have their own!  My 9 year old took over mom's XR100 this spring and is scheming on her new CRF230 already. The two 50s are gone, my girl decided to retire from the sport.  My son and I did several 100 plus mile trips this summer, including one that went over the top and came out in another town and included a 10 mile blast down the interstate to complete the circle. I lost a few hairs stressing on that part of the trip.

Its great you built a trail for them to ride. They'll remember it for a lifetime.

You get father of the year.

[racerman_27410]

I totally agree... start 'em young !   This is little man on Christmas day.... you can almost count the laps he has done in the grass   




Christmas 2008- EDM 4 years old



i need to get some video of him riding now a year later but i cant hardly keep up with his little butt thru the woods!   those CRF's got some scoot with the right sized pilot on board.  

[gearheadstu]

Good onya Dan!

I am really looking forward to getting my little dude on a bike some day.