So what do ya think?

[robin]

My 22 year old son has been riding in the dirt for about 5or6 years now always says let me take the big girl out and i says no do ya think it's time to give him a shot?

[sandy]

I'd say no unless his dirt bike is a BMW R1200GS.

[RP#62]

Well, going over the bars and dumping it periodically are a normal part of dirt riding.  Just saying.
-RP

[Jess from VA]

The simple solution is a baby-steps attitude.  Take him to a parking lot and tell him to show you his slow control.... starts, stops, turns, 8's (MSF riding-in-the-box is the hardest riding there is).  Have him do a straight hard stop. If you feel like it, lay it on the guards and have him right it alone.  Then, if sat, graduate to the neighborhood.... full stops, foot down.  You get the idea.   If he is unwilling to do this, no riding at all.   

Turning him loose on the roads means as close to ATGATT as possible, and tell him you have installed a monitor that will tell how fast the bike went while he was riding it.  If he exceeds five-over, his next road bike will be the one he buys.

I think a nice wash is in order in payback, if you trust him not to use steel wool.

PS  If his dirt bike is street legal, follow him on his bike out on the road (or borrow someone else's).   

[Pete]

He is your son!

If you have to ask me(us) then i suspect that you know the answer and it is NO.

Not trying to be smart or judgemental, just stating the obvious.

Good luck

[X Ring]

My 22 year old son has been riding in the dirt for about 5or6 years now always says let me take the big girl out and i says no do ya think it's time to give him a shot?

Riding what?  Riding a 250 dirt bike doesn't compare to riding a Valkyrie.

Marty

[Chrome]

Hey Robin I'd say no as well. I'm sure you were not riding a machine like a Valk at 22 with just riding a dirt bike before. Alot of ropes to learn and miles to put on before the Valk. I got my 21 year old a 750 Shadow to ride on the street. My bike,my rules. Never want to call his mother with bad news.
Adrian

[Flask]

You know your son - so you know the answer.

Just remind him as you have probably done before - You helped bring him into this world so you can help take him out also !!!!!!!!!

[Steve K (IA)]

 My Dad always told me "Never let anyone ride your motorcycle".  ( started me out at 10 years old) The first time I broke that rule, the guy totaled my bike, and that was the end of that because he didn't have any money to pay for it.   The next time I broke that rule, I let another Valk rider (I/S) take my I/S for a short ride to see if Progressive springs was what he really wanted to put in his.  No incidents.
 
 If I should ever break that rule again, it will be only to other Valk riders.
Your 22 year old son?  Only dirt bike experience? ???  Only you know the answer to that.

  It would be a great excuse to buy another Valk.  Then the 2 of you can take them out and you can set the pace. 

[9Ball]

No....'nuff said.

[wlgrice]

Depends on your son, mine has ridden dirt bikes since he was 3, I took him to colorado when he was 18, him riding a valk. he now rides my valk, or the gs1200, every now and then. I would bet he's a better rider than me. I have been riding dirt and street since I was 18, now 58, so Im not a beginer, I still race enduros and win my class most of the time, I also have a ktm 300 electric start 2 stroke the older I get the better the electric start is. I cant keep up with him in the woods, well maybe for three or four turns, do whats comfortable for you. We dont really know what kind of rider your son is.

[Gryphon Rider]

I'd say after he earns his MC licence, has put on at least 5000 miles on a bike at least 3/4 the weight and power of the Valk, and you've seen him ride his own enough to know you trust his riding.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My youngest son Andy started ridin' a honda 50 with homemade training wheels when he was 3. The first street bike he ever rode was my valk when he was 16 or 17. He bought a new Ducati monster when he was 18 and paid for it and his insurance without ever needing my help. He owns a 2000 Valk and the Duc now at 23 and has ridin' quite a few more states than my 22 between the Duc and the Valk.

But, all kids and all people are different. I wouldn't let most adults ride my Valk even if they ride a lot. But, Andy was born a motor head and is probably a better rider than I am.

[3fan4life]

My son is 23, I started him out on this when he was 19:



450 Nighthawk


Then he moved up to this:



650 V Star

He's riding this now:



V30 Magna (500cc but more power than the V Star)

And I still won't let him ride my Valk.

I have offered to let him ride my old Goldwing though:

[MNBill]

My son is also 22 and rides with me. He has had no intrest in riding the Valk but I would let him in a minute. He learned on a 1300 VTX and knows his limits and rides with more care than me. That said he respects the size and weight of my Valk and does not want to ride it, does not like the idea that it is so heavy. He now rides a Victory Eightball that will run with the Valkyrie but with less weight.

[ValkFlyer]

If you have to ask.....You know the answer

[Sherrill]

Jake got his first mini-bike at 3 and has been 2 wheeling ever since. He's rode Dirt Bikes since 7 and now rides street and dirt. He rode with me everywhere I went and attending all the Cheaha's with me, even helping with the Scooter Relay as a teenager. I borrowed a wrecked CBR 1000 when he turned 13, removed the plastic, and taught him street fundamentals in parking lots. I sent him to MSF classes and road racing schools at Road Atlanta too. He wanted a Valkyrie for his 16th birthday to ride along side me instead of behind me, so I bought a 97 standard and he did all the work adding parts to make it "his" Tourer. He was so proud to finally "Ride" to Cheaha and we had a great weekend with many more trips since. He still has the Valkyrie, and now rides a 2009 VMax too. He has always been a very responsible, mature boy(19 now) and rides all the time while studying engineering at Ga. Tech but I dread that phone call one day that he's wrecked or worse. He was hit in the rear on the Valkyrie last year by a teenage girl texting and though it damaged the bike a little, he only had a small rash. I've done the best I can to prepare him and he's far ahead of most adults in training but not experience. It's a tough decision YOU have to make for them but please don't just turn 'em loose...YMMV

[ValhallaIamComing]

I am quite a bit older than your son, but I consider myself a "novice" rider.  I stepped up from a Kaw 900 classic, to a Yammy Road Star 1600, then my I/S in the course of six months after getting my MSF cert.  I had both a Honda Magna V45 and a Suzi Intruder 800 when I was younger, but I took a long hiatus in motorcycle riding before getting the Kaw 900.

My point being... I would NOT have been comfortable starting on the Valk six months ago, but it did not take long for me to step up to it. 

Your son's dirtbike experience is a plus.  But I would have him starting on a 750 - 1300cc cruiser on the street before turning him loose on a Valk.  And it is not the engine size that would concern me so much as the weight and size of the Valk... that is something you really should step up to.

[Fudd]

I'm going to break from the herd and say yes.

It would be nice if you had a Shadow 750 to let him scoot around on first, though.  I let my 22yo son ride my Valk, but he knows he's to be on his best behavior.

I might would have your son lean the bike with the motor off to the side (with somebody ready to assist catching it) so he can see just how quickly it gets heavy.  Then have do some starts and stops in a controled setting, until he has the hang of it before hitting the road.  A good discussion about braking do's and don't's would also be in order.

Now my disclaimer:  You are the parent.  Only you can make the choice based on what you believe he is capable of handling.

[Reb]

I'm 2 years older than your son and I say go for it. I'm sure he will be fine under your supervision the first couple times. Just because he is a dirt-biker ,does not mean he is automatically going to portray the Valk as one. I think he'll be just fine.

[xman]

Robin,
If he a responsible kid I would concide it. Your an excelent rider, you could surly teach him what he dosen't know about rideing on the road.  If he wants to ride on the road he will probably do it with or with out your help. I would have him learn Valk but have him get his own bike if he wanted to continue to rideing.  

Tom