Boosting Interest

[WBDISCO]

I know some of you guys followed some of my post about getting my little Polini back into good shape, but i the mean time I think i have shot myself in the foot. My daughter started her riding with a little PW50 and I think she loved it, but now that she is 7 and getting taller she was really cramped on the bike. So.....I sold it to fund purchase of a "real" bike (Polini x3).

While spending some time and money trying to get it in good shape for her to ride, i think I have made her loose interest in riding all together. When we first got the bike she as so excited to go riding, but after spending about a month and a half fixing clutch, brakes, etc... We finally got to go riding last sunday, and she only rode for about 30min before she was ready to go to the house:excuseme:

I know she was intimidated by the bike, but I thought she would have wanted to ride all day since it had been so long since the last time. So i told her that if she didn't want to ride that was fine, and that I wouldn't bug her about it, but if she ever wanted to go again all she would have to do is ask.

What do you guys think? Should I just let it go?

[SuperChief]

Disco,

IMHO I would just sit on it for a little while. If she has been off the bike for so long, at that age stuff tends to go away (memory wise). It was new to her (the bike) probably alot different than the old put-put bike she used to have. More power, means more muscle use. If your that young and don't use forearm muscles for the throttle for instance then it only take a few minutes for those muscles to get sore. New bike, using muscles again for the first time means I'm ready to head to the house for a Tea party... Just stay with it and approach the riding subject with her in a couple of days. She will get back into it, just DON'T PUSH IT ON HER!!! If it is her idea and you act excited then she will be amped.

I know on when my son went back on a dirt bike after his quad he got the biggest blister on his throttle hand I have ever seen. So needless to say that required a week off of riding. Bike just sat in the garage and I acted if I could care less, then one day he asked if he could go riding? Said great idea son lets go. It'll be alright.

[Fryboy]

Them fast 50's are pretty scary to kids at first. How is the clutch set up? Does the thing hit hard? Might be able to tame it down a bit. She'll get used to it but it will take time. Hopefully it didn't scare her too bad.

[bronc3wife]

Don't give up on her!!

We have a 6 year old girl down here. She will ride her CRF50 til the cow comes home. Her LEM50 not so much. We keep in the garage for her. She still just wants to race her honda. OK Honey, when your ready. But we have also told her the when her brother moves to 65's next year (he will come off his LEM 50) we are going to sell both LEM's. She knows if she wants to race the LEM she has to get on it. We think however she will be content with her Honda. And that is OK with us. She still wants to ride.

I guess my point is 2stroke's and little girls sometimes may take a little bit to get used to. Just give her time, Dad. You both will be fine.

[WBDISCO]

well thanks for the help. the clutch on her bike is pretty mild, so I don't think that was the problem. I honestly think that from the time that I sold her old bike and finally got the newer one running she didn't really care anymore. I will give her some time, and maybe if she sees her daddy going riding it may peek her interest again. As for now the stomach bug has got her down:foul:, so nothing but movies and popsicles right now.

[Tomsti]

I vote don't give up. I would say that the X3 is a racing bike (huge step from a PW) and it takes a bit for the kids to get used to. Thats assuming that racing is exciting to them and they would want to try an X3. In the meantime I would get a cheap 4 stroke that runs (CRF50/70?) and just let her ride. Keeping the Polini if her tastes change.

My boy is making the transition from a CRF50 to a X1. I think he likes the CRF better but knows that when he races the X1 is a better bike. I let him choose.

Make it fun and you will have a rider for life.

?

Good luck!!!

[Smacaroni]

Try getting mom involved, that helps a lot with my daughter. I don't know what it is, but there's just something about mom.

[SuperChief]

So funny about keeping the interest up. We went to ride on Sunday. Start of the day every five minutes asking "are we there yet?" Me threatening him to shut up or I will turn this car around and go home (we were seriously less than a mile down the road come on)... Any way starts off riding strong. Practices some starts with his friend, wins a couple looses a couple. Then by afternoon, he is just putting around on his 50, no more standing. I ask if he is tired says nah and doesn't want to leave. Later in the day he is sword fighting with sticks with his buddy. Go figure that chest protectors are good for stick fencing??? I guess it comes and it goes. When he doesn't ride I jump on my bike and go hit a trail or two.