Ho to get 6 yr old off training wheels

[joseb]

My son just turned 6. He has been doing well on a PW50 and rides a bicycle ok.

My question is , what is the best way to go about taking his training wheels off. He want's them off, but the dad in me is a little hesitant. What i don't want is for him to fall and all of a sudden become scared to ride. I have heard stories about kids being taken off the training wheels too early and then not wanting to ride due to a fall, i just want him to enjoy the ride and not fear it.

For those who have been through this, what is the best way to go about taking a 6 yr old off of training wheels without resulting in a negative experience.

[125shifter]

I have mine prove that then can hold the bike up on their own as well as start out. He will fall one way or the other - that's a promise. I don't put training wheels on my little guy bikes. I want the to learn ASAP that it's up to them to control the machine - different stroke/different folks. ?

[ThunderChicken]

The best way is to put him in a MSF Dirt Bike School Class with other 6 year olds. If you live in SoCal you have one of the premier sites in the country at the Honda Rider Education Center in Colton.

I've been teaching 6 year olds to ride for almost ten years. If you're not interested in the class, my suggestion is to make sure he can hold the bike up with both feet on the ground. Govern the throttle all the way in. Find a big open spot and have him first lean the bike from one side to the other, side to side. Then, have him rock it forwards and backwards. You are showing him what he has to hold up and he is training his muscles for the task.

The next step is to have him put the bike in first gear, keep both feet planted on the ground, and roll on the throttle. Tell him to paddle walk with his feet using them only for balance. Have him go back and forth using the throttle to move the bike and his feet for balance. Gradually increase the distance he has to go back and forth. Then, when you are sure that he is capable of controling the bike using this method, tell him to follow you as you move briskly around. Eventually, coach him to "bring his feet up on the pegs."

It's the best method to get a child moving and riding. Additionally, you teach him that every time he goes to set his bike in motion, he should paddle walk three steps to gain momentum before trying to balance.

Hope this helps.

[joseb]

That's great advise, thanks!! It sounds like a safe and effective technique to go by.

[danman]

First off, my kids were not allowed to ride dirt bikes until they could ride bicylces without training wheels. That being said, here is how I got them off training wheels on a bicycle:

1) Lower the seat far enough so they can touch both feet flat footed with room between their butt and the seat

2) Take the pedals off

3) Watch them use their feet to get moving and then have them lift up their feet and coast. They will eventually(10-20 minutes) coast for a LONG time.

4) Put the pedals back on, and slowly raise the seat as they get better.

Move on to the dirt bike!

My boys were riding as 3 1/2 and 4 years old with this method and never had training wheels on their dirt bikes.

[RedRider38]

What my dad did for me was took them off and said he would hold the back fender so i wouldnt fall, and i guess so he could see how my balance was. So we did that for a few mins, then he said "ok go to the pool then come back" i thought he was going to hold the fender but when i went around the pool i saw him standing there and me riding all by myself ? greatest day of my life!!!

[joseb]

What my dad did for me was took them off and said he would hold the back fender so i wouldnt fall, and i guess so he could see how my balance was. So we did that for a few mins, then he said "ok go to the pool then come back" i thought he was going to hold the fender but when i went around the pool i saw him standing there and me riding all by myself ? greatest day of my life!!!

That's my goal,to have my son experience something that will make him feel bigger than life.. A good experience goes a long way in the eyes of a child.

If something goes wrong or he is feeling like he is being forced to do something he is not ready for, that bad experience will last forever.

I still have great memories of my first rides as a kid on a red kawasaki 90.

I'ts great to hear that these momories are still with you.?

[suzuki_76]

I remember on my pw 50 i had training wheels and it kept getting stuck in small holes so i told my dad to take them out and it worked out fine, i could ride it without falling or anything. I dont think he will have a problem with them off and he will have more fun.

[Bark Buster]

What worked for my daughter was that I slowly kept raising the training wheels on her pedal bike so they were so high they were not even using them. And then said LOOK your training wheels are not even touching the ground. You haven't been using them for the last month. And then took them off. My son just broke his off trying to take corners on them

[SidewinderX]

My daughter was 5 and she left her CRF50 in the driveway with the front wheel pointing downhill. When she was 20' from it, it started rolling down through the yard and into the woods destroying one side of her training wheels.

She had to either ride without them or don't ride at all.....

She took off on it like she was born for it.

[Redbullrider09]

for me, when i was 2 years of age, i was riding a bike with training wheels. I wanted to get off them so i took a cresent wrench and removed one side but couldent fully loosen the other side. I was riding around and the second one fell off and once i had got to the top of my driveway again i noticed the second one was gone aswell and i knew how to ride a bike. i can imagine many of you will not believe this, and i dont blame you, but ive been hooked since day one.

[rideblueforever]

yea, i dont believe it. At age two, I dont think you operated a cresent wrench, could reach where it is kept, know which way to loosen a fastner, etc, etc. Plus, what the hell are you doing by yourself, outside, at age two?

I call BS.

Anyway, to the original poster. Dont worry about your kid falling, it will happen. My son has fallen, using training wheels. Teach him on a pedal bike, then go to the motorcycle. I hope to have my sons xr50 back to two wheels within the next two weeks.

[Honda80]

yea, i dont believe it. At age two, I dont think you operated a cresent wrench, could reach where it is kept, know which way to loosen a fastner, etc, etc. Plus, what the hell are you doing by yourself, outside, at age two?

I call BS.

agreed

[2strok4fun]

Start em on the peddle bike. My kids kept asking when they were gong to get their own dirtbike and I would say "when you are good on a bicycle". They practiced and were both riding the bicycle at the same time at 3 and 5. They kept buggin me for the bike and I held out until xmas and got them the pw50 to share, at that time they were 4 & 6. I put a remote kill on the pw "just in case". I have them pick up the bike from laying down on both sides (quite a task for the 4yo) go a short distance, feet on pegs, use hand brakes, stop, repeat. My younger one has a tendancy to finish his stop by dragging his feet which earns him the end of his turn while his brother gets time in. Ill need to break him of this habit.

have fun!

[cr977]

yea, teach him to ride a pedle bike then make sure he know the brakes and throttle, keep the throttle limiter at a low setting, if he has a bad crash now he might develop a fear of his motorcycle, and that is the worst thing that could happen.

oh and i dont even remember anything that happened when i was 2, i dont event think i was on a 2 wheeled bike yet. and at 2 finding a crecent wrench, identifying it, adjusting it, knowoing how to loosen a bold, being outside by yourself, and kick starting your bike then taking off and riding, no i highly doubt it.

[FLORIDARANCH4SALE]

a "Ho to get 6 yr old off training wheels"

He's too young. Wait a couple of years.

[cr977]

a "Ho to get 6 yr old off training wheels"

He's too young. Wait a couple of years.

i have to disagree i think that 6 is about right i think 4-6 is the best time, i dont have much experience but 7 years old on training wheels just seems to old

[GENE426]

Unbolt them..........

LOL

6 is fine to take them off the longer they use them when they dont need them the more they relie on them

kids race in class much younger than 6 with no Training wheel......

Her will thank you for it later

[smithpa68]

A guy I know just started bending the training wheels on his pw50 upward a little at a time. Kinda like raising them to different bolt holes on a bike. Soon his 4 year was riding and the wheels were mostly off the ground. Soon the boy realized they were hurting is balance and cornering and wanted them off really bad.